Wal-Mart India, wholly owned subsidiary of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., announced that Murali Lanka has been appointed as its new Chief Operations Officer (COO). This is effective from December 1, 2014. Murali will report to Krish Iyer, President and CEO, Wal-Mart India, and will lead store operations, sales and business development, membership and marketing and asset protection functions for the Best Price Modern Wholesale stores, owned and operated by Wal-Mart India.
Announcing the appointment, Krish Iyer said, “I am very pleased to have Murali as the new COO, who will spearhead our objective to strengthen the business and set foundation for future growth. His depth of knowledge and global experience will bring a fresh perspective to our business. He is a veteran at Wal-Mart with almost 25 years in the company. Therefore, I firmly believe that his passion and experience in Food and General Merchandise and commitment to e-commerce will help us serve our customers even more effectively in the years to come.”
Murali joined Wal-Mart in 1989 and played various roles in the Sam’s Club. In 2008, he came to India as the Head of Operations. He spent five years in the India business before repatriating to US in 2013 as the Developmental Regional General Manager in the Texas division.
In his earlier stint at Wal-Mart India, Murali played a key role in setting up the Best Price Modern Wholesale format in India. He established robust processes and helped integrate Wal-Mart systems and culture with the business. Under his leadership, Wal-Mart India opened 20 Best Price Modern Wholesale stores.
