BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has promoted Jeff Gearhart, executive vice president and general counsel, to the additional post of corporate secretary.

Walmart has promoted Jeff Gearhart, executive vice president and general counsel, to the additional post of corporate secretary.

The discount store giant also said Wednesday that executive vice president and corporate secretary Tom Hyde, whose responsibilities include the legal, ethics and global security organizations, will retire after nine years of service.

Both of the executive changes are effective Aug. 1, Walmart said.

Gearhart, 45, will continue as general counsel overseeing the legal department as well as continue to lead Walmart’s ethical sourcing program. He will report to Walmart president and chief executive officer Mike Duke.

"Since joining the company, Jeff has built great credibility as a leader across the organization," Duke said in a statement. "He gives excellent advice and is also known for his collaboration and people management skills. Jeff gets involved in the details of our business, and that enables him to make a strong ongoing contribution to our success."

Duke added, "Tom has had a tremendously successful career at Walmart, and I have seen firsthand the difference he has made. He led the transformation of the legal department into a world-class organization by recruiting and developing some of the best and brightest legal minds. His professionalism, insight and judgment have contributed to the company’s success well beyond the legal department."

Gearhart joined Walmart in 2003 and has served as executive vice president and general counsel since February 2009. Before that, he served as senior vice president and deputy general counsel since December 2007. Prior to joining Walmart, Gearhart spent 14 years in private practice.

Hyde joined Walmart in July 2001 after serving as senior vice president and general counsel of Raytheon. His responsibilities for the ethics and global security organizations will be assumed by other leaders in the company, Walmart said.