BEIJING—Walmart has named Maggie Sans to the newly-created role of SVP and chief corporate affairs officer in China, following scrutiny of the company's accounting, inventory and food safety practices in the country.

Sans, said Walmart EVP of corporate affairs Dan Bartlett in an internal memo, will be responsible for “elevating our corporate reputation in China and helping shape the political environment for our continued growth.”

She takes on the role following the departure of Walmart Asia corporate affairs VP Anthony Rose last year. Ray Bracy, the current SVP of corporate affairs for Wal-Mart China, will return to the US and retire in January,

"China is a critical market for us, and we must have the right people in place to lead our organisation on the policies and regulations which allow us to operate successfully in this market," said Bartlett.

Sans' responsibilities will include food safety and sustainability issues. A recent report discovered that Walmart had been engaged in unauthorised sales and accounting practices for years in China, while its food safety practices have also attracted scrutiny.

Sans has been with Walmart for more than decade and was most recently VP of international corporate affairs, based in the company's global HQ in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Image: Walmart in Shenzhen, China. (dcmaster/Flickr)