Walmart’s man in South Africa calls it quits

Walmart Africa and Massmart chief operating officer Dries D’Hooghe announced that he is leaving the American retail giant after eight years. 

D’Hooge headed up the rollout of Walmart stores in South Africa and was set to expand the brand further onto the continent in the future. 

However, in a social media post, D’Hooge revealed that he is leaving Walmart after eight years working for the retailer in Canada and South Africa.

“Today is my last day at Walmart, and I am leaving with gratitude for an incredible journey,” D’Hooge’s statement read. 

“Walmart’s purpose of saving people money so they can live better isn’t a tagline. I’ve seen its impact firsthand across very different markets.” 

Walmart’s strategy of Every Day Low Prices, which is based on its famed ‘productivity loop’ brings a unique offering to South Africa’s retail landscape dominated by promotions and sales. 

This strategy aims to offer customers the lowest prices for products consistently, rather than relying on temporary sales, discounts, or promotional events. 

As a result, consumers do not have to wait for a sale, collect rewards points, or maximise high-promotion periods. They can shop at the same store on a regular basis, knowing they are getting the best price possible.

While this strategy is still unproven in South Africa, it does have potential to work amid the declining effectiveness of promotional activity. 

D’Hooghe took up a position as managing director at Dubai-based conglomerate Majid Al Futtaim’s Carrefour retailer.

He was the lead spokesperson at the launch of Walmart’s first two South African stores, at Clearwater Mall in Roodepoort and Fourways Mall in Johannesburg, in November 2025.

Massmart and Walmart have not yet made a public announcement regarding D’Hooge’s departure or his potential replacement. 

“I had the privilege of working with so many great people – supporting our associates, accelerating omni-channel through COVID in Canada, and later resetting the business and opening the first Walmart stores in Africa,” D’Hooge said. 

“What fulfilled me most was investing in the people, seeing others grow beyond what they thought possible. Those quiet, often unseen moments will remain the most rewarding.” 

The case is still open regarding Walmart’s success in South Africa, with its productivity loop relying on it having the scale to drive down prices with suppliers. 

Former Shoprite CEO White Basson has said that it would not be easy for Walmart to gain significant market share in South Africa using the same model it has in the United States and elsewhere. 

Basson said that new entrants are good for the consumer and the broader market, as they keep established players on their toes. 

However, he is sceptical of Walmart’s Every Day Low Prices model, as South African consumers are used to the high-low promotional culture in the country. 

Local consumers are also used to loyalty programmes, which have become entrenched in recent years. While saving shoppers money, they also give stores access to immense data on buyers. 

Despite this, Basson has said that if Walmart can get its model to work in South Africa, which is heavily reliant on it having high sales volumes to drive down prices, it can present a substantial problem for local retailers.