THUNDER BAY – Walmart Canada has announced the appointment of Lee Tappenden, Chief Operations Officer, Walmart Canada to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer, Walmart Canada, effective August 15. Tappenden joined Walmart in 1996 and has held a number of global leadership roles with the company, including Chief Merchandising Officer with Walmart Japan and Vice President of Merchandising for the International Division.
After joining the Walmart Canada leadership team in 2010 as Senior Vice President, Merchandise Operations, Tappenden also served as Chief Merchandising Officer. He sits on the Board of Governors for the Children’s Miracle Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children at 170 hospitals across North America. Tappenden will report to David Cheesewright, President and Chief Executive Officer, Walmart International.
“Lee is extremely well poised to lead Walmart Canada and continue the momentum of growth we are seeing in this market,” said David Cheesewright, President and Chief Executive Officer, Walmart International. “He has demonstrated outstanding leadership throughout his career with Walmart internationally in both merchandising and operations, but he also brings to the role a real passion and heart for our associates and customers. Lee is the kind of person who genuinely cares about the well-being of the people who work in and shop at our stores every day – and that’s one of the things that make him an incredibly special leader,” he said.
“I’ve had the privilege of getting to know the team at Walmart Canada over the past six years,” said Tappenden. “Together, we have seen significant growth of our business, including a focus on fresh food and investments in eCommerce. I look forward to leading the team as we embark on an exciting time for our business and for our customers,” he said.
With today’s announcement, Bob Hakeem, Chief Administrative Officer, Walmart Canada will assume the role of Chief Operations Officer. After joining Walmart Canada in 2008 as Senior Vice President for the Walmart Canada People Division, Hakeem was named Executive Vice President, Human Resources in 2012. He has played an important role in developing talent and bench strength in the organization, while also helping guide the business through the introduction of Supercenters and other major changes in the market. Hakeem brings to the role more than 25 years of business experience and is an executive board member for the Retail Council of Canada.
