Asda is bolstering its leadership team with two pivotal appointments as part of an extensive revitalisation strategy.
Laura Lepley, previously from Morrisons, is set to join Asda this December as vice president of central operations, while Mark Henry will leave M&S to become vice president of retail for the south of England starting in January, as reported by .
They will both report to Matt Heslop, Asda's new chief operations officer, who himself started with the company in January.
READ MORE: {}
Commenting on the new appointments, Asda chairman Lord Rose remarked: "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."
These latest executive recruitments complement the previous hires of Andrew Staniland and David Devaney from Iceland. Both are expected to join Asda as VPs in the coming year.
The supermarket chain, which has its headquarters in Leeds, is actively reinforcing its management amidst a widely discussed turnaround plan. This initiative includes addressing staff strikes and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Chief financial officer Michael Gleeson shared insights earlier in the year with City AM, indicating areas of focus for improvement: "We're focusing on availability. We're focusing on customer perception, and we're focusing on our trade plan."
Kantar's latest data reveals Asda's grocery market share has further declined, with sales dipping 5.6 per cent year-on-year. The retailer now holds a 12.6 per cent market share as of the 12 weeks to 1 September, down from 13.8 per cent.
Most Read
In an attempt to bolster customer experience, Asda is injecting £30m into enhancing staff presence at checkouts and ramping up store cleanliness, alongside an investment of £50m in refurbishing stores.
Nevertheless, Asda is facing claims from the GMB Union that it owes retail workers over £2bn in back pay resulting from "pay discrimination".
Additionally, the grocery chain remains on the lookout for a new CEO after a prolonged vacancy since 2021. Co-owner Mohsin Issa initially stepped into the role, followed by Chair Stuart Rose and TDR capital executive Rob Hattrell more recently.
Asda has confirmed its ongoing three-year search for a chief executive to navigate the next stage of its strategic plan and indicated it will provide market updates "in due course".