Google VP nominated to Wal-Mart board of directors

Wal-Mart announced Monday that it had nominated Google Vice President of Local and Maps, Marissa Mayer, to its board of directors. 

The nomination comes at a time when the world's largest corporation is attempting to compete in online retailing and mobile sales against retailers such as Amazon.

"We are on the cusp of a massive transformation in the way people shop," wrote Walmart Chairman Rob Walton announcing Mayer's nomination, in a statement, according to AFP.

According to Bloomberg, retails sales at Wal-Mart increased six percent last year, a far lower rise compared with a 41 percent gain for Amazon. 

Mayer will stand for election in a June shareholder meeting at Wal-Mart headquarters in Arkansas.

Mayer, 36, a Stanford engineering graduate who joined the tech firm in 1999, was the first female engineer at Google.

The Financial Times reported that at her current job she oversees the creation of location-based products, which are key to competing with online retailers.

Online sales for Wal-Mart only accounted for about two percent of revenue last year, reported Bloomberg.

"I look forward to contributing to Walmart's continued growth, success, and innovation in the years to come," Mayer, who would become the 16th member of the board and its fourth female member, said in a statement, reported the AFP.

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