Asda Appoints Former Morrisons Boss David Potts as Chief Executive as Sales Struggle

Asda, the United Kingdom's third-largest supermarket, has appointed a new chief executive. David Potts, the 69-year-old former boss of Morrisons, is taking over with immediate effect as the chain continues to struggle to lift sales.

Asda said 73-year-old executive chair Allan Leighton, who has been running the business since 2024, would now step back to a non-executive role focusing on the long-term strategic agenda for the business.

Potts began his career on the shop floor at Tesco aged 16 and worked at the United Kingdom's biggest supermarket for decades, eventually heading its UK business. He went on to become chief executive of Morrisons between 2015 and 2023.

Potts left Morrisons after the supermarket group was taken private by the United States investment house Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in 2021.

Asda and Morrisons are both struggling as they face heavy competition and high levels of debt. Aldi is poised to overtake Asda to become the United Kingdom's third-largest supermarket, with about one percentage point separating them.

Asda's sales fell by 0.5 percent in the three months to 4 October, according to the latest figures from market research group Worldpanel by Numerator, despite its efforts to trim prices and improve its ranges and availability of stock.

The appointment comes after a long search for a chief executive, but it is a surprise move, as Leighton had indicated he expected to fill the role with an internal candidate.

Leighton said he was 'really excited' to appoint Potts. 'Over the last two years, we have stabilised the business and returned it to some growth and begun to establish Asda as more than a supermarket through our Formula for Growth strategy. David has an outstanding record in our industry; his experience is exactly what we now require for the next stage of our transformation and beyond,' he said.

Potts said Asda had long been a great business, one he had admired and traded against over many years. He said the business had made good progress but significant opportunities remained, and he was delighted and very proud to have been asked by Allan Leighton to lead the team.

He said providing value to families across the United Kingdom had always been in Asda's DNA, and that improving the shopping trip every week, in ways customers could feel in their pockets, would revitalise the business and bring benefits for all stakeholders, including its 116,296 colleagues. With Christmas approaching, he said the business had a clear focus on keeping Asda prices locked low.