Kroger to name former Walmart exec Greg Foran as next CEO, WSJ reports

Feb 8 (Reuters) - Grocery giant Kroger KR.N plans to hire Greg Foran, who previously headed an airline and Walmart's U.S. unit, as chief executive officer, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The U.S. grocer has been searching for a permanent CEO after the company ousted Rodney McMullen last year in the wake of a board investigation that found that his personal conduct was "inconsistent" with certain company policies.

Kroger is expected to announce the choice as soon as Monday, the WSJ report added.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Kroger did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

New Zealand-born Foran was the CEO of Air New Zealand AIR.NZ from February 2020 to October 2025.

Joining Air New Zealand just as the COVID-19 pandemic loomed, Foran tackled a series of crises, from persistent shortages of engine components to the grounding of up to 11 aircraft.

Before joining Air New Zealand, Foran was the president and CEO of Walmart's WMT.O U.S. operations, where he was credited with turning around the business by focusing on improving existing stores. The unit reported 20 quarters of comparable sales growth under his leadership.

Following McMullen's surprise ouster, Kroger's board appointed lead director Ronald Sargent as interim CEO. It formed a search committee and enlisted a search firm.