Walmart’s head of IR leaving retail giant for Intercontinental Exchange

After more than a decade at the world’s largest retailer – nine spent leading its IR program – Carol Schumacher is leaving Walmart at the end of the week to become head of corporate affairs at Intercontinental Exchange, parent company of the NYSE.

‘It is a new position and among my global responsibilities will be strategic messaging, communications – including media – and sustainability,’ Schumacher says, talking about the growth company.

Schumacher will remain at Walmart until Friday, August 21, ‘to oversee the second quarter earnings news’. After her departure, Pauline Mohler, senior director of corporate finance, will fill the role until Walmart appoints a new head of IR.

The retailer sent out an email announcing Schumacher’s departure and noting how, in leading the ‘complex investor relations team, she earned the trust of our most senior company leaders and our investment community.’ It also talks about how, in growing the company’s IR program, Schumacher led the evolution of the annual report to a digital format, relaunched the IR website, brought infographics into the earnings release last quarter and improved the company’s financial communications and social media use.

‘My background and previous experience was in corporate affairs and I started with Walmart as vice president of corporate affairs,’ explains Schumacher. ‘With my years of investor relations work, I now have the ability to pull things together in an integrated function again for a company that is growing and expanding its reputation and brand.’

Reflecting on her almost 11 years with the Arkansas-headquartered company, she says: ‘It’s given me the opportunity to intimately learn about Walmart and the retail industry and to meet so many people inside and outside of the company.

‘I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges of having a seat at the table of the world’s largest retailer and helping the Street understand the company’s decisions and how they impact the business. Our team has been creative and innovative and we hope some of our ideas have helped others be open to new ideas.’