Walmart Mexico CEO Caride Resigns, Chile Head Becomes Interim

Ignacio Caride has unexpectedly resigned as CEO of Walmart's Mexico and Central America operations after just over a year, a move that surprised analysts but is broadly seen as a potential positive for the retailer. Cristian Barrientos Pozo, Walmart Chile's CEO with over 26 years of experience in retail and prior roles at Walmart Mexico, will serve as interim CEO during the leadership transition. Walmart Mexico, known as Walmex, operates Walmart, Sam's Club, and Bodega Aurrera stores across six countries and recently reported a 10% drop in net profit in Q2 despite an 8% sales increase, attributed to slower consumer spending recovery. Analysts from JPMorgan, Actinver, and Santander expressed cautious optimism, suggesting that refreshed leadership could improve retail execution and margins amid competitive pressures, though some short-term stock volatility may occur. Barrientos Pozo's extensive background in expansion, store openings, and digital transformation is expected to help stabilize the company during this period. Overall, stakeholders view Caride's resignation as a potential catalyst for operational improvement at Walmart's largest retail unit in Mexico and Central America.