Strategy

New York City -- Rona, the largest chain of home improvement retailers and distributors in Canada, has appointed Dave Carr to the position of VP retail, Western Canada, and François Hardy to the position of VP dealer-owner network development.

Walmart makes a big deal out of its culture, and as a result it invites criticism whenever changes are made to long-standing company policies that are somehow seen as diminishing the culture. That was the case again this week when reports surfaced that people greeters working the overnight shift had been reassigned other duties.

New York City -- French retailer Carrefour is in advanced talks to replace its CEO, according to The New York Times.

The board of the company is talking with Georges Plassat to replace its current CEO, Lars Olofsson, the report said. Plassat is chief executive of Vivarte, the Paris-based owner of retail clothing chains and shoe stores including Kookai, Chevignon and Naf Naf.

Walmart will report fourth-quarter and full-year results in a few weeks, and the numbers, while they are sure to be extraordinarily large, will pale in comparison to the superlative-defying figures that Apple posted earlier this week.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Friday it has reorganized reporting relationships, putting its U.S. marketing team under the leadership of the chief merchandising officer. Marketing currently operates as a separate group and the move, said Wal-Mart, is designed to improve shopper communication.

The new plan will have U.S. chief marketing officer Stephen Quinn reporting to U.S. chief merchandising officer Duncan Mac Naughton. Before the change, Quinn reported to Bill Simon, Wal-Mart U.S. president and CEO.

Framingham, Mass. -- Staples announced the opening of a new e-commerce innovation center in Kendall Square in Cambridge, Mass. The office will house teams responsible for designing and implementing innovative new e-commerce solutions for the business customers who shop Staples websites and stores.

Paris -- A Thursday report by the Wall Street Journal said that French retailer Carrefour SA may hire French apparel group chief Georges Plassat to replace current CEO Lars Olofsson. WSJ cited unnamed sources close to the situation.

According to the report, Plassat could replace Olofsson as early as next week.

Plassat is head of Vivarte SA, in which he is also a shareholder.

Carrefour and Vivarte have not commented on the matter.

Savannah, Ga. -- Citi Trends said Thursday that its president and CEO David Alexander has resigned the company, effective immediately, and will be replaced by prior CEO Ed Anderson, who led the retailer from 2001 to 2009.

Anderson is currently the chairman of the board and will continue to serve in that capacity.

The company also announced that it has hired Jason Mazzola as executive VP and chief merchandising officer. He was previously chief merchandising officer for an internet flash sales company.