Asda has announced that former Tesco executive Simon King will join the company in January as chief operating officer.

The appointment will complete the changes made to Asda’s executive team following former president and CEO Andy Bond’s move to become part-time chairman in April.

Asda said King will largely take up the brief vacated by Andy Clarke when he succeeded Bond in May. King will be responsible for retail, supply chain, including distribution, customer service and internal communications.

King is chief executive of supermarket and hypermarket operator Panda Retail, a subsidiary of Saudi conglomerate Savola Group.

However, before he joined Savola in 2009, King was CEO of Tesco Kipa in Turkey.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Simon to Asda. In his career, he’s demonstrated his talents as both a strategic leader and a day-to-day operator in large complex retail businesses. I know he shares a commitment to people and delivering for customers. I’m looking forward to the contribution I know he’ll make here at Asda,” Clarke said today (1 November).

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