Walmart Canada Names New CEO

Walmart Canada will soon have a new leader.

First covered by Canadian Grocer, Gonzala Gebara, CEO of Walmart Chile, has been appointed president and CEO of Walmart Canada, and will begin his role on Jan. 30. He replaces JP Suarez, executive vice president, chief administration officer and regional CEO for Walmart International, who led Walmart Canada on an interim basis for the past six months.

Gebara joined Walmart in 2000, and has held roles across finance, strategy, e-commerce, marketing and operations, and worked in the U.S., Argentina and Chile. During his 10 years in Chile, he developed and launched Walmart Chile’s Business Intelligence and Data Analytics division.

"I'm very excited to be joining the Walmart Canada team," said Gebara. "Walmart Canada has over 100,000 dedicated and talented associates and a strong foundation to build on. I look forward to working with our associates to continue to strengthen, innovate and grow our business in Canada."

The appointment comes as Walmart Canada continues to expand with new superstores and distribution centers, giving Canadians greater access to the retail giant’s private brands.

“Gonzalo is an experienced retail leader with extensive knowledge across the industry and our business. Under his leadership, he led the transformation of the business in Chile, strengthening our omnichannel capabilities and developing an ecosystem of services for our Chilian customers," said Judith McKenna, president and CEO, Walmart International. "Gonzalo is ideally suited to lead Walmart Canada as it continues its journey to help even more Canadian families save money and live better."