Aman Verma Walmart Connect restructures as tech advances and retail media surges—shedding roles while doubling down on new growth bets.
Walmart is streamlining its U.S. ad business, Walmart Connect, as part of a broader corporate overhaul designed to reduce complexity, improve speed, and keep pace with rapid advances in retail media and AI. The move includes job cuts, new role openings, and leadership changes—all aimed at positioning the division for sustained growth.
An internal memo confirmed the restructuring, with around 1,500 corporate roles to be eliminated across the company. While Walmart didn’t disclose how many of these impact Connect directly, the message is clear: adapt or fall behind. “The world of technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace,” the memo reads, underscoring the company’s urgency to modernize.
Yet this is far from a retreat. Connect posted 31% year-over-year growth in Walmart’s fiscal Q1 2026, with global advertising revenue rising 50%, bolstered by the recent $2.3 billion acquisition of connected TV maker Vizio. Though Vizio’s revenue is not yet included in Connect’s results, its integration promises a sharper edge in data-driven advertising.
The division has also seen recent executive reshuffling. Doug Jossem, formerly head of food, departed in March, and Lesley Conway—previously CEO of Mindshare Canada—took the reins as Connect’s new head earlier this month.
As Connect opens roles in high-margin verticals like personal care, it signals a pivot toward categories where ad dollars yield stronger returns. For Walmart, staying competitive in retail media means balancing structural efficiency with bold, tech-fueled bets.
