Former Asda CEO Allan Leighton has returned to the supermarket giant as Executive Chair. He succeeds Lord Stuart Rose who has served as Chair since 2021.
Allan served as a Chief Executive of Asda from 1996 to 2001 and has also acted as President of Loblaw Companies, North America’s second largest food retail business, in addition to spending nine years as Chairman of The Co-op.
Rose will remain on the Board to ensure an orderly transition before stepping down.
Leighton said: “Stuart has done an important job in helping to create a retailer with a presence in every format and I am delighted to be returning to the business which has always been a special place for me. The potential for Asda now is significant, and my focus will be to work with the leadership team to help make Asda special for our colleagues and millions of customers.”
Rose said: “It has been a privilege to work alongside the Asda team over the past three years and to support the business through this period of transition. Asda will benefit enormously from Allan’s experience of leading the business and on behalf of the Board I am pleased to welcome him back. I look forward to continuing to support Asda as a shareholder and customer over the coming years.”
Gary Lindsay, Managing Partner of TDR Capital, said: “We would like to thank Stuart for the role he has played over the past three years and for the work he has done to help position Asda for long-term success. Asda today has both a leading superstore estate and a strong position in every format, and Allan’s experience and understanding of Asda will stand us in good stead as he leads the business into the next stage of its development. We are looking forward to working with Allan to help Asda deliver on its potential.”
