Toys R Us picks interim CEO for top post, gets new U.S. president

Toys R Us Inc on Wednesday named its interim chief executive officer to the role full-time and said it hired an executive with experience at rival Wal-Mart Stores Inc to run its U.S. business, ending an eight-month leadership search as it prepares for the holiday season.

Antonio Urcelay, 61, will become CEO immediately, after serving as the toy retailer's interim CEO since May. He joined the company in 1996.

Hank Mullany will join as president of Toys R Us U.S. on November 5, the company said. Mullany, 55, was previously CEO of The ServiceMaster Co. Prior to ServiceMaster, he was executive vice president of Walmart U.S. and president of Walmart's northern business, Toys R Us said.

Toys R Us in February said that Gerald Storch would step down from the CEO role, just weeks after the world's largest dedicated toy retailer reported disappointing results for the all-important holiday season.

(Reporting by Jessica Wohl in Chicago; Editing by Nick Zieminski)