Asda appoints former CEO to executive chair

Allan Leighton, the chief executive of Asda between 1996 to 2001, has been appointed as the supermarket giant’s executive chair, marking his return to the company. Leighton will succeed Stuart Rose, who has served as Asda’s chair since 2021.

Alongside his stint at the helm of the retailer, Leighton has also held the role of president of US food retail business Loblaw Companies and was chairman of The Co-op for nine years.

Rose, who will remain on the board to ensure a smooth transition before stepping down, said Asda would “benefit enormously from Alan’s experience of leading the business”. He added that he looked forward to continuing to support Asda as a shareholder.

Leighton, meanwhile, praised Rose for doing “an important job in helping to create a retailer with presence in every format”.

He continued: “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.”

Meanwhile, Gary Lindsay, the managing partner of Asda’s parent company, TDR Capital, said: “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.”