Walmart U.S. CEO to Keynote Retail’s BIG Show 2013

Bill Simon, president and CEO of Walmart U.S., will keynote Retail’s BIG Show, scheduled for Jan. 13-16, 2013 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York. Simon’s address, “A Job to Do: Retail’s Role in an American Renewal” will take place Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013 at 8:30 a.m.

In his address, Simon will assert that leadership from within the retail industry is needed now more than ever to grapple with such issues as the economy and job creation.

“As the head of America’s largest retailer, there’s no doubt Bill Simon will enlighten and inspire the thousands of retailers and business partners attending this year’s BIG Show,” noted Matthew Shay, president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based National Retail Federation, which holds the annual trade show. “Retail is the engine for this country’s economic recovery and we’re eager to hear about how Walmart is fulfilling that role and how other retailers can play their part in America’s renewal.”

Simon joined Walmart in March 2006 from Brinker International, where, as SVP of global business development, he was responsible for the growth of the company’s restaurant portfolio outside the United States. He was also president of Diageo Southeast and president of North America Ready to Drink, and held senior sales and marketing roles with Cadbury-Schweppes, PepsiCo and RJR-Nabisco.

From 2007 to 2010, Simon was COO for Walmart U.S., in which role he worked to drive innovation and improvement throughout the business. He was previously EVP of professional services and new business development, and headed the team that created and launched Walmart’s $4 prescription drug program.

Retail’s BIG Show and Expo bring 25,500 retail executives and vendors from more than 75 countries together for educational and networking opportunities. The upcoming event will include executives from Coca-Cola, Belk, Sony, and Deloitte.