Bentonville, Arkansas, United States, September 2025 – Walmart has announced the appointment of Michael Horne as Senior Vice President – Global Total Rewards. In this role, Michael will lead Walmart’s Total Rewards team, overseeing compensation, benefits, well-being, and other reward programs that support the company’s associates worldwide. His leadership will further Walmart’s purpose of helping associates save money and live better, while enhancing the company’s ability to attract, engage, and retain top talent.
Michael joins Walmart from Dow, where he served for over four years as Head of Global Rewards. In this role, he was responsible for developing and managing Dow’s total rewards strategies, ensuring alignment with business and talent objectives across a diverse, global workforce.
Prior to Dow, Michael held senior HR leadership roles at Mars, spending nearly four years with the company. He served as Vice President of Global Rewards, leading enterprise-wide rewards programs, and previously as Director of Executive Rewards and Incentives, where he worked closely with Mars’ Remuneration and Talent Committee and Board of Directors. He also played a key role in M&A due diligence, incentive program design, and executive compensation strategies.
Earlier, Michael spent more than two decades at Willis Towers Watson (WTW) in a variety of leadership positions. As Managing Director and Chicago Rewards Line of Business Leader, he advised boards and management teams on executive and broad-based compensation. Previously, as Director of Executive Compensation in Michigan, he led client engagements focused on competitive positioning and incentive design. He began his career at WTW as an Actuarial Analyst before progressing into executive compensation consulting roles, contributing to incentive benchmarking, program design, and governance support for senior management and boards.
About Walmart
Founded more than 60 years ago by Sam Walton, Walmart has grown from a single mom-and-pop shop into the world’s largest retailer. With a mission to help customers save money so they can live better, Walmart continues to reinvent the shopping experience globally, serving millions of customers each day across physical and digital channels. At the core of Walmart’s success are its associates, who play a critical role in shaping the future of retail and improving lives around the world.
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