Walmart Canada names Venessa Yates president and CEO, Gonzalo Gebara steps down
Walmart Canada has tapped Venessa Yates as its new president and CEO as Gonzalo Gebara exits the retailer.
Yates joined the company in 2016, most recently serving as senior vice president and general manager of the Walmart+ membership program.
She has also held leadership roles at retailers worldwide such as Woolworths and Aldi, in addition to Walmart.
Gebara, Walmart Canada’s current president and CEO, announced he will be leaving the company at the end of February after a 25-year career with the retailer.
The executive—who took up his current post in December 2022—plans to return to Argentina to be with his family and pursue other interests, Walmart said.
"Venessa is a tremendous retail leader with experience in multiple countries and functions," said Guilherme Loureiro, regional CEO, Walmart Canada, Chile, Mexico and Central America, in a release. "She is the right person to continue to drive Walmart Canada's growth trajectory and its transformation to become the country's leading omnichannel retailer."
Walmart also announced Tuesday (Jan. 21) the appointment of Steve Schrobilgen as chief operating officer, end to end, overseeing operations, supply chain, real estate and format.
Schrobilgen currently serves as the SVP, business unit leader for Walmart in the Western U.S., a role he assumed in 2023. His career with Sam's Club and Walmart spans 35 years.
Both Yates and Schrobilgen’s appointments are pending authorizations.
