As Walmart faces the twin pressures of automation and a shaky economy, the board chose stability in naming John Furner its next CEO. Summarily, he’s a company lifer who understands the machine from within and can discuss AI without alarming the two million employees who keep Walmart running.
Furner’s rise is Bentonville lore—an Arkansas kid who started part-time in a garden center and climbed every rung of the Walmart ladder. His résumé maps the company’s internal power grid. Sam’s Club honed his efficiency instincts; a stint in China exposed him to retail’s digital future; leading Walmart U.