Kroger chooses former Walmart executive to be its new CEO

Kroger named former Walmart executive Greg Foran as its chief executive officer on Monday.

Foran joins Kroger 11 months after its previous CEO Rodney McMullen abruptly resigned following an internal investigation into his personal conduct.

Foran led Walmart's U.S. division for six years before departing in 2019. While there, he introduced online ordering and pickup and accelerated Walmart's digital capabilities. Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kroger is the largest standalone U.S. supermarket chain.

Walmart is one of its chief competitors, as consumers increasingly pick up their groceries along with other items at superstores. Walmart controls 21% of U.S. grocery sales, while Kroger controls 8.5%, according to market research company Numerator.