Walmart de México y Centroamérica said Chief Executive Officer Ignacio Caride resigned with immediate effect, ending a 17-month tenure at the helm of the country’s largest supermarket chain. Caride also stepped down from the company’s board. The retailer’s board appointed Cristian Barrientos Pozo, currently CEO of Walmart Chile, as interim chief executive while it conducts a search for a permanent successor. Barrientos, a 26-year Walmart veteran, previously oversaw operations in Mexico and led the expansion of the Bodega Aurrera discount format. The leadership change comes two weeks after Walmex reported a 10.3% year-on-year drop in second-quarter net profit to 11.2 billion pesos (US$662 million), weighed down by slower-than-expected consumer spending. Net sales in the period rose 8.3% to 246.3 billion pesos, supported by growth in both Mexico and Central America.