Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX), a retailer-led mobile wallet initiative, has named Dekkers Davidson – whose CV includes running the US mobile-payments division for Barclaycard – as its chief executive.

Still to set a launch date for commercial service, MCX has been without an official chief executive since its launch last August.

“The strength of the customer experience, the breadth of acceptance and the quality and security of the technology provide MCX with a historic opportunity to improve the shopping and paying experience for customers,” Davidson said, quoted by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

Mike Cook, senior vice president for finance and assistant treasurer at Wal-Mart, an MCX member, added in the WSJ report that Davidson “is going to be focused on leading the effort to bringing our solution to market and continuing to build out our team”.

Davidson’s appointment comes shortly after MCX named new merchant members to its roster, as well as a new technology partner.

As well as Wal-Mart, MCX members include Phillips 66, Gap, 7-Eleven, Best Buy, Target and Dunkin’ Donuts.

MCX says its members, when combined, operate nearly 90,000 stores and process more than $1 trillion in payments annually.