Bobby Martin

Former President and CEO of Walmart International

Mr. Martin, former President and CEO of Walmart International and retired Chairman of Gap Inc., is a visionary retail leader with more than 55 years of experience. He began his career at Dillard Department Stores in 1969, and Walmart recruited him in 1984 as Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer. In that role he built the merchandising and supply chain systems that drove the company’s growth, and his work on bar code standardization is recognized by the Smithsonian. In 1992 he became one of the first CIOs in the country to step into a CEO role when he took over Walmart International. He led the company’s entry into world markets during a period of more than $200 billion in growth. He has direct operating experience across North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia, has traveled to 98 countries, and served on the Transatlantic Business Dialogue. He later served 22 years on the Gap Inc. board, including eight years as Chairman and 14 months as Interim CEO, when he led a full turnaround of the company’s financial performance. He has served on the public boards of Sabre, Dillard’s, SolarWinds and others, spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and received the University of Arkansas Titan of Industry Award. A dedicated conservationist, he served a seven-year term on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, including two years as Chairman. His faith anchors his life with Margie, his wife of 58 years, their two daughters, three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.