Asda announced the appointment of David Potts as chief executive, effective immediately, as the UK’s third-largest supermarket seeks to reverse its sales decline. The 69-year-old executive replaces Allan Leighton, 73, who has been leading the business since 2024. Leighton will transition to a non-executive chair role to focus on long-term strategic priorities.
Potts brings extensive experience from major supermarket operators. He began his retail career on the shop floor at Tesco at age 16 and spent decades with the UK’s largest supermarket chain, eventually overseeing its domestic operations. He subsequently served as chief executive of Morrisons from 2015 until 2023, when he departed following the supermarket group’s acquisition by US investment firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in 2021.
The grocery sector faces significant headwinds, with both Asda and Morrisons contending with competitive pressures and substantial debt burdens. Discount retailer Aldi is positioned to overtake Asda as the nation’s third-largest supermarket, with approximately one percentage point separating their market positions. Asda experienced a sales decline of 0.5% during the three-month period ending October 4, according to data from market research organization Worldpanel by Numerator, despite initiatives to reduce prices and enhance product selection and availability.
Leighton characterized the appointment as an important milestone for the retailer’s growth trajectory. He noted that the business has stabilized and returned to growth during his tenure while establishing the “more than a supermarket” positioning through its Formula for Growth strategy. Potts expressed confidence in Asda’s prospects and emphasized his commitment to delivering value to British families while supporting the company’s workforce of over 116,000 employees.
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