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Tue, 03 Nov 2026

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 Asda hires ex-Morrisons boss in bid to grow firm

David Potts takes charge of Asda, which is based in Leeds, with immediate effect.
Asda has appointed David Potts, a former Morrisons boss, as its new chief executive. He will take on the role immediately and help lead the supermarket's revival efforts. Potts led Morrisons from its Bradford headquarters for eight years until 2023, overseeing a turnaround that included the company being bought by US private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. Asda, based in Leeds city centre, has made good progress but still faces significant opportunities to reinvigorate sales. Potts said his focus will be on keeping prices low for shoppers and improving the shopping experience every week. Current Asda boss Allan Leighton will become non-executive chairman, two years after returning to lead the supermarket chain. He said Potts has an outstanding record in the industry and is exactly what the company needs for its next stage of transformation. Asda recently reported sales had returned to growth for the current quarter for the first time in two years, following issues with an IT upgrade that hit product availability last year.