Asda hands reins to former Morrisons boss in turnaround push

Asda has named a former Morrisons boss as its new chief executive as the embattled grocer looks to accelerate its turnaround efforts. David Potts, who also spent four decades with Tesco, will take over the reins with immediate effect, prompting veteran boss Allan Leighton to step back into a non-executive chairman role two years after he returned to the firm. This comes as Asda sees sales growth for the first time in years, amid huge pressure from discount grocers Aldi and Lidl to keep its prices low and boost the quality of its food offering. David Potts began his career at Tesco, working his way up from the deli counter to the boss of its Asian operations during a 40-year stint, before becoming chief executive of Morrisons in 2015. He remained at the helm of Morrisons until it was bought by private equity firm Clayton Dubilier Rice in 2023, when he was replaced by Rami Baitiéh. Allan Leighton, who was originally Asda s chief executive during its 1990s heyday, retu