Rob Montgomery: Driving Agility as Supply Chain EVP, Walmart
Rob Montgomery’s position at the helm of the world’s largest retail supply chain has been reconfirmed by Supply Chain Digital’s Top 100 Supply Chain Leaders 2026 list, which positioned the Walmart EVP as the No.1 supply chain leader in the world.
By bridging the gap between large-scale engineering and everyday service, Rob ensures that the retail giant remains agile in an increasingly volatile market.
Rob’s career so far
An industrial engineer by training, Rob’s career has been built on a foundation of technical precision and operational strategy. Before stepping into his current remit as Executive Vice President, he honed his expertise as Senior Vice President of Business Operations and Planning.
In that role, he oversaw everything from end-to-end capacity to inventory flow, ensuring that products moved seamlessly from suppliers to shelves.
Rob has spent more than 20 years at Walmart, rising through the ranks from a Logistics Engineer in 2006 to leading the entire US supply chain operation.
He is passionate about rethinking the way goods move, always looking for ways to simplify and standardise processes to benefit both customers and staff.
At Walmart, Rob leads the implementation of advanced supply chain strategies, including the integration of automated distribution centres and AI-driven inventory management. Under his leadership, the company has hit its target of having 65% of its stores serviced by automation by the end of the 2026 fiscal year.
In 2025, Walmart's revenue reached a historic US$675bn, supported by a network of over 10,500 stores. Rob’s focus on "inventory flow" has been credited with reducing out-of-stock incidents by significant margins through the use of "Wally," a proprietary AI agent that identifies root causes of supply chain friction.
One of the biggest successes under his tenure has been the rollout of ambient IoT sensors across the network. By the end of 2026, Walmart expects to track 90 million pallets in real-time, moving from probabilistic predictions to precision decision-making.
All supply chain, procurement and logistics leaders should attend:
- Supply Chain LIVE: The Net Zero Summit - QEII Centre, London, March 4-5
- Supply Chain LIVE: The US Summit - Navy Pier, Chicago, April 21-22
Co-located with Procurement & Sustainability LIVE, these events bring together COOs, CSOs, and senior decision-makers at a moment when supply chains and commercial performance are increasingly interconnected.
Building a resilient network
In the previous year, Walmart enhanced its efforts to automate its regional distribution centres (RDCs), with a recent US$330m investment in its Louisiana facility alone. These upgrades allow facilities to double their shipping capacity while transitioning associates toward higher-skilled roles in robotics and advanced technology.
John Furner, President and CEO of Walmart US, commented on Rob’s impact: "Rob has established himself as a visionary leader who understands that a supply chain is only as strong as the people running it. He brings a wealth of technical expertise that is essential as we build the most resilient and efficient retail network in the world."
The company’s continued success relies on this blend of high-tech engineering and high-touch service, ensuring that Walmart remains the leader in the global retail landscape.
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Rob Montgomery
Executive Vice President, Supply Chain
