7 publishers · first seen Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:33 UTC · updated Tue, 03 Nov 2026 19:05 UTC
Asda has appointed David Potts, former Morrisons chief, as its new chief executive to aid in its revival efforts. Allan Leighton, who returned to Asda in 2024, will transition to a non-executive chairman role. Potts, who led Morrisons for eight years until 2023, is expected to leverage his experience to revitalize Asda. The supermarket chain has been struggling with declining sales and market share, compounded by a failed IT overhaul. Despite these challenges, Asda reported a return to sales growth in August 2026, marking the first increase in two years.
Potts' appointment comes as Asda faces intense competition and high debt levels. The company reported a £989 million pre-tax loss for 2025, widened from £599 million the previous year. However, like-for-like sales rose by 0.2% in the first seven weeks of the third quarter, excluding fuel. Leighton expressed confidence in Potts' ability to lead the next stage of Asda's transformation, highlighting his industry experience and track record.
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