June 29 — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reassigned U.S. stores chief Eduardo Castro-Wright, putting him in charge of Internet operations so he can move to California where his wife is recovering from a heart transplant.
William Simon, an executive vice president, will become chief executive officer for U.S. stores immediately, Bentonville, Arkansas-based Wal-Mart said today in a statement. Castro-Wright remains vice chairman and will also head global sourcing, which focuses on cutting costs and improving quality.
Castro-Wright, who ran U.S. stores for five years, told employees in a memo today he requested the transfer. He will work in Wal-Mart’s e-commerce offices in Brisbane, California, while his wife, Fabiola, recuperates in Los Angeles, according to the world’s largest retailer.
“My wife’s health continues to improve and we expect her to fully recover,” Castro-Wright, 55, said in the memo. “But it will be a slow process and I have made the decision that I need to spend as much time as possible with her. Since she can’t move from California, I need to move there.”
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Photo of Eduardo Castro-Wright is by David McNew, Getty Images
