Top Walmart executive to be appointed International CEO: source

Wal-Mart Stores Chief Operating Officer Judith McKenna will take up the role of chief executive of its international unit, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.

The role is seen by many as a stepping stone to the top job at the world's largest retailer, with current CEO Doug McMillon and his predecessor Mike Duke having run the international unit previously.

The current International CEO David Cheesewright will stay with the retailer and work on company projects, the source said. The nature of the projects were not immediately known.

McKenna could take up the new job on Feb. 1, Bloomberg reported earlier, citing people familiar with the matter.

Wal-Mart's international business reported net sales of $29.55 billion in the last reported quarter, accounting for nearly a quarter of the company's total net sales.

(Reporting by Uday Sampath in Bengaluru and Nandita Bose in New York; Editing by Maju Samuel and Sandra Maler)