Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. vice chairman Eduardo Castro-Wright has been appointed president and CEO of Global.com and Global Sourcing, and Bill Simon has been promoted to president and CEO of Walmart U.S.

Castro-Wright, 55, who will also continue as Walmart vice chairman, and Simon, 50, will report directly to Walmart president and CEO Mike Duke. Simon will assume his new responsibilities immediately, while Castro-Wright will be transitioning through Aug. 1.

“We are fortunate to have someone as strategic and knowledgeable as Eduardo leading the teams to drive these initiatives forward at a faster pace,” said Duke. “He is a visionary thinker who has strengthened our overall business and built a foundation that positions us well for the future. Bill is a strong leader who has made a positive difference from his first day at Walmart. He is a talented strategist and an excellent people manager with strong execution skills.”

Castro-Wright will be relocating to the West Coast and will work from the company’s Global.com office in California.

“My goal is to partner closely with our suppliers and build on the successes of our strategy over the last several years,” Simon said. “We know our customers are counting on us now more than ever in these challenging economic times, and we’re committed to delivering for them.”

Simon, most recently COO, joined Walmart U.S. in March 2006 from Brinker International, before which he was secretary of the Florida Department of Management Services.

“I can’t think of anyone more qualified than Bill to take the Walmart U.S. business to new heights,” said Castro-Wright. “I am committed to building the leading global e-commerce and multichannel business, and to truly leveraging our global sourcing to deliver value for our customer.”

Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart operates more than 8,400 retail units under 55 banners in 15 countries.