(Bloomberg) -- Walmart Inc. expanded the role of a key executive and named him as chief growth officer for the US, a move to boost operations beyond stores.
Seth Dallaire will assume a newly created position after running Walmart’s non-retail businesses — including advertising, consumer data and membership units — as the company’s chief revenue officer since arriving in 2021. His responsibilities will now expand to the marketing, design and product teams, according to a memo viewed by Bloomberg News. He’ll continue to lead the areas he was already overseeing.
Dallaire joined Walmart from Instacart Inc., where he served as the grocery-delivery company’s chief revenue officer and built out its advertising business. Before Instacart, he worked at Amazon.com Inc., Yahoo! and Microsoft Corp.
Walmart has transitioned to an “omnichannel business uniquely positioned to serve customers with all things they need and want, delivered when and how they want them,” Walmart US Chief Executive Officer John Furner wrote in the Friday memo, adding that newer businesses have been driving such changes.
These areas have delivered higher profitability and growth than Walmart’s core store operations, helping the company to reinvest in prices and other parts of its business. Walmart’s advertising division grew 30% last quarter, while Walmart+ memberships have also increased. Users of Walmart’s data insights unit nearly tripled from a year earlier.
Known for its low prices, Walmart has captured market share and reported higher traffic as US consumers prioritize value and essentials amid higher rates of inflation. While the company’s core shoppers have historically been from the lower- and middle-income groups, higher-income consumers are also increasingly becoming customers. The company in August raised its sales guidance for the full year.
Furner’s memo also said that Jon Alferness, chief product officer in the US, will leave the company. He’ll stay on in an advisory role until the end of the year.
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