David Potts takes over day-to-day leadership with an immediate focus on boosting sales, keeping prices affordable, and supporting Asda's 116,296 colleagues. He brings extensive retail experience from eight years heading Morrisons and prior executive roles across Tesco's international operations. Allan Leighton will transition to non-executive chairman after stabilizing the business following a rocky period marked by operational setbacks. Although IT upgrade failures previously hindered product availability, the supermarket successfully returned to quarterly sales growth in August for the first time in two years.
Key points
The incoming chief executive aims to reinvigorate sales while keeping prices competitive…: The incoming chief executive aims to reinvigorate sales while keeping prices competitive for grocery shoppers.
Leadership changes follow a difficult period where IT upgrade issues hurt product availab…: Leadership changes follow a difficult period where IT upgrade issues hurt product availability and reduced profits.
David Potts brings decades of industry leadership experience gained across Morrisons and…: David Potts brings decades of industry leadership experience gained across Morrisons and Tesco operations.
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Asda has appointed a former Morrisons boss as chief executive to help lead revival efforts at the supermarket chain.
Asda, which is based in Leeds, said David Potts would take on the role with immediate effect, while current boss Allan Leighton would become non-executive chairman, two years after returning to lead the supermarket chain.
Potts led Morrisons from its Bradford headquarters for eight years until 2023, overseeing a turnaround during which the supermarket chain was bought by US private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice.
Potts said Asda had "made good progress but significant opportunities remain" to reinvigorate sales, with a focus on keeping prices low for shoppers.
"By making improvements to the shopping trip every week, which customers can experience and feel in their pockets, we will revitalise the business and bring benefits for all our stakeholders, including our 116,296 very hard-working colleagues," he said.
Before joining Morrisons, Potts was chief executive of Tesco's Irish business, its UK arm and its Asian operation.
According to Asda, Leighton had planned to step aside from the day-to-day running of…
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