Nelson will replace David I. Fuente who has been serving as non-executive chairman since July 2000. Fuente will continue to be a company director.

Office Depot bills itself as the world's largest office products retailer. The company operates 846 office supply superstores in the United States and Canada; a national business-to-business delivery network supported by 25 delivery centers; 60 sales offices; eight regional call centers; 28 stores in France; seven stores in Japan; and 101 stores under joint venture and licensing agreements in five other foreign countries.

The estimated total sf occupied, either leased or owned, in all of Office Depot's endeavors is at least 20 million sf, according to GlobeSt.com research.