Walmart to Open 2 New Tech Hubs, Hire 5,000 Tech Workers
Walmart announced Tuesday it's making a significant commitment to expanding its global technology operation. The Walmart Global Tech (WGT) division is adding hubs in Toronto and Atlanta, and also plans to hire more than 5,000 technology associates globally during fiscal 2022. According to the company, Atlanta and Toronto have been chosen as its newest tech hubs because of their growing tech presence, connection to Walmart, and broad, diverse talent.
With the addition of Atlanta and Toronto, WGT now has 17 hubs that span from Silicon Valley and Northwest Arkansas to Dallas and India. The company's growth includes continuing to build teams in two locations it entered last year: Seattle and Chennai, India.
Total Retail's Take: It's not surprising that Global Tech is the fastest-growing corporate team at Walmart, according to a company blog post. The company has been an innovator in retail technology for decades and today, WGT "develops and manages the foundational technologies on which customer experiences are built, including cloud, data, enterprise architecture, DevOps, infrastructure and security." Technology is the backbone of retail organizations today, especially global enterprises like Walmart, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened the need for best-in-class tech for top retailers and brands.
Commenting on Walmart's plan to hire more than 5,000 associates globally this fiscal year, Suresh Kumar, executive vice president, chief technology officer and chief development officer, said Walmart is "doubling down on our greatest asset — our people. This year, we’re focused on hiring cybersecurity professionals, architects, developers, software engineers, data scientists, data engineers, technical program managers and product managers." The blog post also mentions increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace as a top priority as the WGT team expands.
- Companies:
- Wal-Mart
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- Suresh Kumar
Kristina Stidham is the digital content director at Total Retail and sister brands Women in Retail Leadership Circle and Women Leading Travel & Hospitality at NAPCO Media. She is passionate about digital media and handles video, podcast and virtual event production for all brands. You can often find her at WIRLC, TR, WLT&H or industry events with her camera and podcasting equipment—or at home on Zoom—recording interviews with thought leaders and business executives.
Kristina holds a B.A. in Media Studies and Production from the Temple University Klein College of Media and Communication in Philadelphia. Go Owls! When she's not in the office, she loves to go on long walks, sing around the house, hangout with her family and two pet guinea pigs, and travel to new places.
