Asda appoints Lidl director to run stores and warehouses

Asda has appointed Matt Heslop to lead the operations of its stores and warehouses, including 470 convenience stores in the new Express division.

He joins the supermarket group from Lidl, where he currently holds the position of chief operating officer, after working for over 20 years in the discount store in various senior operational positions. Asda noted that its experience in the convenience sector would be particularly important in helping to increase its position in the £40 billion convenience market.

Meanwhile, Asda has confirmed that Matt Kelleher, whose recruitment as chief digital officer was announced in January, will join the company in July. He will oversee e-commerce and data functions and lead the technology department when Asda completes its IT separation from Walmart later this year. He joins from Morrisons, where he was previously CIO.

Asda also announced today that Simon Gregg, senior vice president of e-commerce and retail south, will leave the company in July.

“I am delighted to announce the appointment of Matt Heslop, who will lead a key part of our business and lead the next stage of our growth journey. He is an experienced operator with a proven track record of managing significant retail operations in a rapidly growing business,” said Mohsin Issa, co-owner of Asda.

“With Matt Kelleher taking over as chief digital officer in July, these appointments will further strengthen the leadership team as we continue to execute on our strategy.”

Last week, Asda launched a £50 million store modernization program for its larger supermarkets and supermarkets.