Walmart hires Allyson Park as chief communications officer

Allyson Park, who most recently served as chief corporate affairs officer for Taco Bell parent company Yum Brands, is Walmart’s new chief communications officer, effective later this month.

Park’s hiring was announced in an email to Walmart employees, which was shared with WGB on Wednesday. Her first day with the retail giant is July 26.

In addition to Yum (which is also the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut and The Habit Burger Grill), Park has also worked for Mars Wrigley and Mars Petcare, as well as the Coca-Cola Company.

Allyson Park, Walmart's incoming chief communications officer. / Photo courtesy: Walmart

“Throughout her career, Allyson has launched corporate narratives for leading brands, served as a spokesperson engaging with media and other stakeholders, led financial communications, and supplied communications counsel and support to her business partners on a range of issues,” Walmart said.

Park also brings with her extensive international experience, including work in the U.K., China, India, Brazil, Mexico and Africa. Walmart currently operates in 20 countries around the world.

“Her ability to think about communications through this wide corporate affairs lens is a quality that will serve us well,” Dan Bartlett, Walmart’s EVP of corporate affairs, said in the company email.

She replaces Brian Besanceney, who served as Walmart’s chief communications officer from 2016 until last August before taking on the same role at Boeing.

Bartlett said he had been meeting with professionals from a wide range of industries over the last several months to find a leader who could “bring a mix of experience, expertise and excitement to the role of leading communications at our people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retail business.”

In a post on LinkedIn Wednesday, Park said she is excited to join Walmart and have the opportunity to “tell the stories of how we are helping people.”

In May, Walmart named Latriece Watkins, formerly the retailer’s EVP of consumables, as chief merchandising officer, replacing Charles Redfield.