Judith McKenna, chief executive of Walmart International since January, was the star of the show at the company’s shareholder meeting

Judith McKenna is live on stage at the Meteor Guitar Gallery, a 100-year-old music hall in Bentonville, Arkansas. Under the bright lights, the new boss of Walmart International wields a microphone rather than a guitar as she zips through facts and figures about the retail giant’s overseas operations. Outside it is a typically hot, humid day. The city is home to Walmart’s headquarters.

Ms McKenna is a long way from Middlesbrough, where she grew up. She went to the local comprehensive and has a law degree from Hull. She is a regular face on Fortune’s list of the world’s most powerful women and is tipped to take the top job at Walmart some day.

Twenty-two years ago, with a broken ankle, she hobbled into