Walmart Announces Tom Ward to Heat its U.S. e-Commerce Division

As Walmart’s e-commerce chief Casey Carl heads out the door, the company has tapped Tom Ward to take his place according to a company memo this week.

Ward is a Walmart executive who has led high-profile and innovative efforts from testing drones to turning stores into fulfillment hubs for online grocery orders.

The company said Carl will leave at the end of February but did not share a reason for the departure or Carl’s future plans. The executive shuffle was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Ward will step into the role of chief e-commerce officer on Feb. 1. As senior vice president of last-mile delivery, the executive has led high-profile and innovative efforts from testing drones and autonomous vehicles to turning dozens of Walmart’s stores into fulfillment hubs for online grocery orders.

Carl had become Walmart’s chief e-commerce officer in 2020. He will leave at the end of February, according to the memo.

Equity research analysts at KeyBanc also downgraded Walmart’s stock this week, saying the company’s consumers will be more budget-strapped as inflation drives up the prices of groceries and stimulus checks are no longer adding money to their bank accounts. It said the company, which is the country’s largest private employer, is also under pressure from rising wages.

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies mentioned and have not been compensated for this article.