When Walmart named Greg Foran president and CEO of its U.S. division in July 2014, the mega-retailer was bogged down by weak comparable-store sales growth and a disappointing profit outlook, while Kroger, one of its top competitors in the grocery space, was riding a multi-year wave of success.

Nearly a decade later, as he settles in as Kroger’s new CEO, Foran again faces the task of rejuvenating a sprawling company going through a difficult period — with his now-roaring former employer as one of its chief obstacles.

That dynamic is a chief reason why Kroger’s decision to bring on Foran as its new leader is a logical next step for the grocer as it looks to regain its footing as the nation’s largest operator of conventional supermarkets, said Jason Schloetzer, an associate professor of business administration at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and an expert on CEO transitions.

“I think it gives him immediate legitimacy among stakeholders and also among employees — that this is somebody who appears to have done a good job previously at a chief rival,” said Schloetzer. “To me, it just looks like a great, sensible hire by a board that went through a thoughtful process.”

Foran, who spent nearly six years as CEO of Air New Zealand after he left Walmart in 2019, took over as chief executive of Kroger earlier this week. He replaced Ron Sargent, who became the grocery chain’s interim CEO in March 2025 following the sudden resignation of former Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen.

Retail industry analysts said Foran’s reputation as an expert in managing large-scale retail operations makes him well suited to tackle the challenge of turning Kroger in a new direction. Foran served as president and CEO of Walmart China and Walmart Asia before assuming the top post at Walmart U.S. Earlier in his career, he worked for Australian supermarket chain Woolworths.

“Greg has a rare combination of meticulous attention to detail in each store, surrounds himself with outstanding people, and somehow manages to coordinate everything across thousands of locations,” said Thom Blischok, Chairman and CEO of The Dialogic Group, which provides growth advisory services to grocers and other retailers.

The fact that Kroger took nearly a year to identify a new CEO meant that the company had set a high bar for its next leader, said Arun Sundaram, senior vice president of CFRA Research

“I think Greg is a home run type of hire. It would have been disappointing if Kroger went some other route after 11 months — maybe someone without food retailer experience,” Sundaram said. “From a headline perspective, he checks off on all the boxes. But now is the tough task of actually executing it.”

Sundaram added that he thinks Foran has the type of background that Kroger needs as it tries to refocus its business.

“Kroger is going to need to rebuild their culture, and I think Greg is someone that can quickly generate a new identity for a company,” said Sundaram.

Scott Mushkin, CEO of R5 Capital, said he expects Foran to begin his tenure by building on initiatives Kroger started rolling out when Sargent was in charge, such as retooling the company’s approach to e-commerce, refining its pricing strategy and improving store conditions.

“I just think, if you look at Greg, he’s going to really bear down on a lot of these issues,” Mushkin said. “He’s a stores guy. He’s all about being a good shopkeeper. And so I would anticipate that store execution at Kroger is going to head higher, and it needs to.”

Foran’s experience working with labor unions as an airline executive is also likely to prove to be a key strength, he added.

Analysts said investors will likely grant Foran about a year to demonstrate that he has the knowledge and skills Kroger needs to chart a new course and shake off the lingering effects of the company’s failed attempt to merge with Albertsons. That honeymoon period could also give Foran space to make potentially costly investments that could impact its financial results in the short-term but set the stage for growth later on, they said.

“My rule of thumb is the first year is [for] setting the foundation. Numbers are going to come down. Things don’t turn on a dime,” said Mushkin.

Sundaram said Foran is joining Kroger at a time when the grocery landscape is considerably different than when he helped turn around Walmart.

“Grocery should be a boring business, but it’s also a super-competitive business, and it’s more competitive today than it was a decade ago,” he said.