Wal-Mart reclaimed the top spot in the Fortune 500 this year, and it moves up one spot in this year's Global 500. The retailer’s refocus on low prices continued to attract frugal shoppers into the discounter's U.S. stores.
For fiscal year 2012, store sales rose 5.9% to $443.9 billion. Despite relatively strong sales, Wal-Mart must hold onto its U.S. shoppers, which make up 62% of the chain’s net sales.
Beyond the U.S., Wal-Mart continues to investigate allegations that executives in Mexico paid more than $24 million in bribes to speed the retailer’s expansion there. The probe has widened to Brazil, India, and China.
Meet these non-native Global 500 chief execs who have beaten the odds and climbed to the top of their org charts.
