Doug McMillon and Joaquin Duato lead, or have led, two of the most influential companies in the world. McMillon ran Walmart for nearly 12 years before retiring on January 31, 2026, when John Furner took over as CEO. Duato is the Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and still holds both roles. The two executives have no documented personal, family or business connection, yet both rose from within their companies and are often compared.
This guide covers their backgrounds, careers, pay, differences and leadership lessons, using company filings and news reports.
In this article: Quick comparison, Who is Doug McMillon, McMillon as Walmart CEO, Why he retired, Who is Joaquin Duato, Duato at J&J, Side-by-side comparison, What they have in common, Net worth and pay, Are they connected, Timeline, Lessons, Future outlook, FAQs.
Quick Comparison: Doug McMillon and Joaquin Duato
| Detail | Doug McMillon | Joaquin Duato |
| Full name | Douglas Carl McMillon | Joaquín Duato Boix |
| Born | October 17, 1966, Jonesboro, Arkansas | April 1962, Valencia, Spain |
| Age (Nov 2026) | 60 | 64 |
| Nationality | American | Spanish and American (dual citizen) |
| Education | University of Arkansas; MBA, University of Tulsa | MBA, ESADE (Barcelona); Master of International Management, Thunderbird |
| Company | Walmart Inc. | Johnson & Johnson |
| Career start | 1984, hourly associate | 1989, Janssen Pharmaceuticals in Spain |
| CEO tenure | February 2014 to January 31, 2026 | January 2022 to present (Chairman since January 2023) |
| Current status | Retired as CEO; advisor to Walmart through fiscal 2027 | Active Chairman and CEO |
| Company scale | About 2.1 million associates; $681 billion revenue (fiscal 2025) | About 130,000 employees; $94.2 billion sales (2025) |
| Latest reported pay | About $26.6 million (fiscal 2025) | About $32.8 million (2025) |
Who Is Doug McMillon?
Doug McMillon is an American executive who spent most of his working life at Walmart, the world’s largest retailer by revenue.
Early Life and Education
McMillon was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas, in 1966. He studied business at the University of Arkansas and later earned an MBA from the University of Tulsa while continuing to work in retail.
Starting at Walmart as a Teenage Associate
His Walmart story began in 1984, when he took a job as an hourly associate, unloading trucks at a distribution center. Few Fortune 500 CEOs started so close to the loading dock, which is why his rise is cited so often in leadership coverage.
Rise Through Merchandising and International Roles
Over the following decades he moved through merchandising and buying roles, then ran Sam’s Club in the mid-2000s and Walmart International from 2009 to 2013. That mix of store, club and global experience prepared him for the top job.
Doug McMillon’s Time as Walmart CEO (2014 to 2026)
McMillon became president and CEO in February 2014. Reports on his retirement noted that Walmart’s shares rose by nearly 300% during his tenure, a record few retail CEOs can match.
Digital Transformation and E-commerce
His defining project was turning a store-based giant into an omnichannel business. By fiscal 2025, e-commerce accounted for about 18% of Walmart’s sales, and the company’s global advertising business grew 27% in the same year. Online grocery pickup and delivery became central to the model.
Wages, Training and Workforce Investments
Walmart employs roughly 2.1 million people worldwide, so workforce decisions carried enormous weight. Under McMillon the company raised starting pay in several rounds and expanded training and education benefits for associates, while also facing criticism from labor advocates who argued that pay still lagged.
Sustainability and Community Initiatives
Walmart set public goals on emissions, renewable energy and supplier practices, and used its buying power to influence packaging and sourcing. Supporters see this as meaningful scale. Critics say targets should move faster.
Why Did Doug McMillon Retire from Walmart?
Retirement Date and Announcement
Walmart announced the change in November 2025. McMillon, then 59, retired on January 31, 2026, after about 12 years as CEO and more than 40 years with the company. He called serving as CEO “a great honor” in the announcement. The company did not frame the move as anything other than a planned retirement.
John Furner as Successor
John Furner, then 51, became president and CEO on February 1, 2026. Like McMillon, he began as an hourly associate (in 1993), later led Sam’s Club and then ran Walmart U.S. from 2019, overseeing more than 4,600 stores. Walmart’s chairman, Greg Penner, said Furner understood every dimension of the business, from the sales floor to global strategy.
What Is Doug McMillon Doing Now?
As part of the transition, McMillon stayed on Walmart’s board until the June 2026 shareholders’ meeting and agreed to advise Furner through fiscal 2027, which ends January 31, 2027. We found no public announcement of a new corporate role, so check Walmart’s investor pages for updates.
Who Is Joaquin Duato?
Early Life and Education
Duato grew up in Valencia, Spain, in a family tied to medicine: his mother was a nurse, his grandfather a pediatrician and his grandmother a pharmacist. He earned an MBA at ESADE in Barcelona and a Master of International Management at Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona. He speaks English, Spanish and Italian and is a dual citizen of Spain and the United States. He is also the brother of Spanish actress Ana Duato.
Joining Johnson & Johnson
Duato began his career at J&J in 1989 at Janssen Pharmaceuticals in Spain. Note that some online profiles say 1985, but J&J-related biographies point to 1989.
Climbing Through Global Leadership Roles
He moved to the United States in 2002 and became Worldwide Chairman of Pharmaceuticals in 2011, a role in which he refocused the business on core therapeutic areas and unmet needs. In 2018 he became Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee, overseeing pharmaceuticals, consumer health, technology and the global supply chain, including the supply response during COVID-19.
Joaquin Duato’s Leadership at Johnson & Johnson
Becoming CEO (2022) and Chairman (2023)
Duato succeeded Alex Gorsky as CEO in January 2022, becoming the company’s eighth CEO since it went public in 1944, and was elected Chairman effective January 2023. In 2023 Spain’s King Felipe VI awarded him the Order of Civil Merit.
Innovative Medicine and MedTech Focus
His biggest strategic move was separating the consumer health business into the independent company Kenvue in 2023, leaving J&J focused on innovative medicine and medical technology. Its portfolio spans cancer and immunology treatments, plus surgical and cardiovascular technologies, including robotic-assisted surgery. J&J reported sales of $94.2 billion in 2025, up 6%, and forecast $100 billion to $101 billion for 2026.
The J&J Credo and Public Trust
J&J’s Credo, which places patients and healthcare professionals first, remains the company’s ethical reference point. Trust is also tested by litigation, including talc lawsuits, which have been a continuing challenge during his tenure.
Doug McMillon vs Joaquin Duato: Side-by-Side Comparison
Industries: Retail vs Healthcare
McMillon worked in a high-volume, low-margin business where price, availability and convenience decide success. Duato works in a research-driven industry where success depends on science, safety, regulation and long development cycles.
Leadership Styles: People-First vs Science-Driven
McMillon was known for store visits and listening to frontline associates. Duato is known for disciplined portfolio decisions and a data- and technology-focused approach to research. These are characterizations from public coverage, not private knowledge of how either leads day to day.
Career Paths: Insider Rise at Both Companies
Both spent decades inside their organizations before reaching the top, which is unusual at this scale.
Current Status: Retired vs Active CEO
The clearest difference today: McMillon has left the CEO role, while Duato continues to lead J&J.
What Do Doug McMillon and Joaquin Duato Have in Common?
Leading Global Fortune 500 Companies
Both ran multinational organizations with operations in dozens of countries and answered to boards, regulators and millions of customers or patients.
Long-Term Thinking and Adaptability
McMillon steered Walmart through the shift to online shopping. Duato reshaped J&J’s portfolio and prepared it for patent expirations. Each had to invest ahead of the market.
Shared Values of Service and Responsibility
Both publicly emphasize serving customers, patients and employees, though each company also faces scrutiny over how well it lives up to those statements.
Doug McMillon and Joaquin Duato Net Worth
Be cautious with net worth figures. Neither executive discloses a total, and the numbers on many websites are unsourced estimates. The reliable data points are the pay figures companies file with the SEC.
Doug McMillon Net Worth
A verified net worth is not publicly available. His wealth comes mainly from Walmart stock awards. Walmart’s proxy disclosed that he realized about $46.4 million from equity vesting in a recent year, and executive-pay databases list his fiscal 2025 total compensation at about $26.6 million, with a CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio of about 930 to 1.
Joaquin Duato Net Worth
A verified figure is likewise unavailable. His pay is well documented: $28.4 million in 2023, $24.3 million in 2024 and about $32.8 million in 2025.
Compensation Compared
In 2025 Duato’s reported pay of $32.8 million included a $1.6 million salary, roughly $21 million in stock and option awards and about $4.3 million in incentives. J&J said his salary rises to $1.75 million for 2026. McMillon’s fiscal 2025 package was somewhat lower, at around $26.6 million, though he led a company roughly seven times larger by revenue.
Are Doug McMillon and Joaquin Duato Connected?
No. There is no documented personal, family or business relationship between them. They led separate companies in different industries. They appear together in searches because both are prominent CEOs who came up through their organizations.
Key Career Milestones Timeline
- 1984: McMillon joins Walmart as an hourly associate.
- 1989: Duato joins Janssen Pharmaceuticals in Spain, part of J&J.
- 2002: Duato relocates to the United States.
- 2009 to 2013: McMillon leads Walmart International.
- 2011: Duato becomes Worldwide Chairman, Pharmaceuticals.
- February 2014: McMillon becomes Walmart CEO.
- 2018: Duato becomes Vice Chairman of J&J’s Executive Committee.
- January 2022: Duato becomes J&J CEO.
- January 2023: Duato becomes J&J Chairman.
- November 2025: Walmart announces McMillon’s retirement and Furner’s appointment.
- January 31, 2026: McMillon retires as CEO.
- February 1, 2026: John Furner becomes Walmart CEO.
Leadership Lessons from Doug McMillon and Joaquin Duato
Grow From Within
Both men built deep knowledge of operations, markets and people before taking the top seat. Experience across many roles gave them credibility.
Lead Through Change
Online shopping and the shift in healthcare economics both forced reinvention. Each leader changed the business while it was still performing, rather than waiting for a crisis.
Keep Service at the Center
Walmart’s focus on everyday prices and J&J’s patient-first Credo gave both companies a clear test for decisions, even when outcomes were debated.
Why Are People Searching for Doug McMillon and Joaquin Duato?
Interest comes from three things: the high-profile Walmart CEO retirement, the curiosity about how leaders in such different industries compare, and questions about pay and net worth. Many readers also want to know whether the two are somehow linked, which this article answers directly.
Future Outlook: Walmart Under Furner and J&J Under Duato
Walmart’s next chapter under Furner centers on growth and AI-enabled transformation, building on the e-commerce and advertising gains of the McMillon era. J&J, meanwhile, is betting on innovative medicine and MedTech to reach its $100 billion-plus sales target and to offset patent expirations on major drugs. Both transitions will be watched closely by investors.
Conclusion
Doug McMillon and Joaquin Duato took different roads to the corner office. McMillon went from a distribution center to leading the world’s largest retailer and retired in January 2026. Duato went from a pharmaceutical role in Spain to Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, where he continues to lead. They are not connected, but their careers show how long-term commitment, adaptability and insider knowledge can carry a leader to the top of a global company.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Doug McMillon and Joaquin Duato?
Doug McMillon is the former president and CEO of Walmart. Joaquin Duato is the Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson.
Is Doug McMillon still the CEO of Walmart?
No. He retired on January 31, 2026, and John Furner became CEO on February 1, 2026.
Why did Doug McMillon retire?
Walmart presented it as a planned retirement after about 12 years as CEO and four decades with the company. McMillon said serving as CEO was a great honor.
Who replaced Doug McMillon at Walmart?
John Furner, previously president and CEO of Walmart U.S.
What is Joaquin Duato known for?
Leading J&J since 2022, separating Kenvue, and focusing the company on innovative medicine and MedTech.
How old are Doug McMillon and Joaquin Duato?
McMillon, born October 17, 1966, is 60. Duato, born in April 1962, is 64.
What is the net worth of Doug McMillon and Joaquin Duato?
Neither has a verified public figure. Reported 2025 pay was about $26.6 million for McMillon (fiscal 2025) and $32.8 million for Duato.
Are Doug McMillon and Joaquin Duato related or business partners?
No documented family or business relationship exists.
What is the main difference between them?
McMillon led a retailer and has retired. Duato leads a healthcare company and remains in office.
Where did each of them study?
McMillon: University of Arkansas and University of Tulsa. Duato: ESADE in Barcelona and Thunderbird School of Global Management.
