In a strategic move to fortify its leadership, Asda has appointed two seasoned executives from rival supermarkets, Morrisons and Marks & Spencer, aiming to steer the supermarket back to a trajectory of growth.
Lauren Lepley, formerly the Group Supply Chain Director at Morrisons, will assume the role of Vice President of Central Operations at Asda. Her tenure is set to commence in early December. Meanwhile, Mark Henry, previously the Group Asset Protection Director at Marks & Spencer, will join as Vice President of Retail South, starting in January. His illustrious career, spanning over 25 years including time with Lidl, positions him well to oversee Asda’s southern store operations.
Both Lepley and Henry will report directly to Matt Heslop, Asda’s incoming Chief Operations Officer, himself slated to join the organisation in January. This bolstering of the leadership team comes amid changes in the supermarket’s executive structure, notably following co-owner Mohsin Issa’s recent decision to step back from active management duties. In his stead, Chairman Lord Rose, along with Rob Hattrell, a partner from TDR Capital, have assumed significant operational oversight.
Chairman Lord Rose expressed confidence in the new appointments, noting, “We are very pleased to welcome Lauren and Mark to Asda. They both bring a wealth of retail experience and proven track records in delivering operational excellence. This will be invaluable as we strengthen our business and deliver our long-term growth ambitions.”
The appointment of these executives builds on Asda’s series of strategic hires, which have included former Iceland Foods Group Buying Director Andrew Staniland and former Vice President of Ecommerce David Devaney. This new wave of leadership is expected to bring renewed focus and vigor to Asda’s growth strategies.
These executive changes highlight Asda’s commitment to strengthening its leadership to foster growth, promising a period of revitalisation and strategic focus in the competitive supermarket industry.
