Asda’s chief merchandising officer Darren Blackhurst has left the company, sparking fresh speculation over who is set to become the UK retailer’s next chief executive.
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In an internal announcement to staff this afternoon (6 May), president and CEO Andy Bond, who is set to step down from the roles, said Blackhurst left the business earlier this week.
“With the pending change in CEO, we have had discussions about his future and he is taking some time out before ultimately pursuing his career elsewhere,” Bond said. “I’d like to thank him sincerely for his work for Asda since he joined in 2006 – his leadership of the trading floor has made us a better business. He leaves a strong legacy and, I believe, the best buying team in Britain.”
Bond said there will be a further announcement about Blackhurst’s replacement “in the weeks ahead”.
“As you know, our performance in the past few weeks has been more than encouraging. I’d urge you to keep focused on the plans we’ve put in place to deliver for our customers,” he told staff.
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By GlobalDataWhen Bond announced his shock move last month, Blackhurst was named by commentators among a group of potential successors.
A replacement has yet to be found, although, COO Andy Clarke is seen by some as favourite for the role.
