About

Establishing a presence within the Chinese market has been a major strategic objective for Walmart since the mid-1990s, and while it already has an impressive presence in the PRC – currently operating around 400 stores in the country – it is planning further expansion in the coming months aimed at securing an advantageous position in this highly lucrative market. Walmart’s legal team has been integral to its operations in the country, which have been at times highly eventful. A recognition that Chinese shoppers were more open to e-commerce than expected led to a slowdown in the opening of new stores and a subsequent 2017 deal with major Chinese online retailer JD.com to open an online grocery store, showing that the Walmart China legal team is both able to roll with the punches of the business world and bounce back to support and enable new solutions quickly and effectively. The fact that further expansion is planned shows that the business is now secure in its forward strategy and back on the offensive. Daniel Shih, senior vice president and general counsel, is a noted member of the legal team and has had a major role to play in the legal team’s success over his five-year tenure, also taking on a secondary role as a spokesperson for the company in press engagements.