International Business

Chicago -- Chile is the number one destination for emerging market retail expansion, followed by China, where retail sales totaled a whopping $3.7 trillion in 2013, according to the 2014 A.T. Kearney Global Retail Development Index.

With Uruguay, Brazil, Peru, Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico also in the index of top emerging economies ready for retail expansion, Latin America continues to show strength as a regional retail growth market.

Dallas -- 7-Eleven has signed a master franchise Agreement with Seven Emirates Investment LLC to develop and operate 7-Eleven stores in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The expansion marks the company's first entry into the Middle East region.
   

Campbell Soup Company has elected Marc B. Lautenbach to its board.

Lautenbach has been president and CEO of Pitney Bowes since Dec. 2012. Under his leadership, Pitney Bowes is diversifying its portfolio beyond its core mailing business and moving into adjacent growth areas, such as digital commerce.

New Delhi, India – Wal-Mart Stores In. has reportedly opened an e-commerce site to serve the small retailers that shop at its members-only cash-and-carry stores in India. According to Bloomberg, Wal-Mart is piloting the site for small retailers located in the cities of Hyderabad and Lucknow, with full rollout across India planned in January 2015.

The Children's Place has added Susan Sobbott to its board of directors as a Class II director to serve for a three-year term.

Newell Rubbermaid president and CEO Michael Polk has joined the board of directors of Colgate-Palmolive. The move comes a little more than a month after the CPG company’s shareholders elected a slate of 10 directors.

A new website from PayPal is looking to help businesses navigate global markets. PassPort, which is free and was launched earlier this week, provides insight into global markets by country, outlining gift-giving traditions and major holidays, as well as providing shipping tools for sellers.

When it comes to powerful retail CEOs, the names Dave Dillon at Kroger, Frank Blake at Home Depot, Craig Jelinek at Costco and Doug McMillon at Walmart come to mind. But they’ve got nothing on Greg Penner.