Walmart names Asda chief executive successor

Walmart has named Sean Clarke, head of Walmart China, as the new chief executive at Asda, succeeding Andy Clarke who is stepping down from his role this summer.

Andy Clarke, who has been with Asda for more than 20 years, and the last six as chief executive, announced last month that he would be stepping down as president and chief executive. He will remain with the business until the end of July, at which point he will serve as an advisor for the remainder of 2016. He will also retain his current role as Asda’s representative in certain functions, namely as president of the IGD, a research and training charity which provides information and best practice to the global food and grocery industry.

The appointment comes as a surprise after Andy Clarke said in an interview that he would be succeeded by Roger Burnley, who is rejoining Asda from Sainsbury’s in October. However, Burnley has been named as Asda's deputy chief executive and chief operating officer.

Sean Clarke will take up his new role as president and chief executive on July 11. He started his career at Asda back in 1996, and has held roles within Walmart in Japan and Canada, and most recently as chief executive of Walmart China.

Walmart International president and chief executive, David Cheesewright, said: “Actively managing our global business portfolio is a key element of our international strategy, and we must have the right talent in place to lead our businesses through times of change.

“Sean is one of our most experienced global executives, and through his leadership, we will build upon the momentum of Project Renewal to reposition Asda in a very competitive marketplace.”

Sean Clarke to succeed Andy Clarke as chief executive of Asda

Cheesewright added: “I’m also excited about Roger coming back to Asda, as we view him as a top talent and a future CEO. Together with the existing Asda executive team, Sean and Roger will serve as an incredibly powerful team to lead our Asda business. Their complementary skills and combined expertise in the UK retail market and globally brings an unrivalled breadth of retail knowledge to Asda.”

With this move, Walmart confirmed that Dirk Van De Berghe, currently president and chief executive of Walmart Canada, will take over leadership of the Walmart China business, effective August 22. In addition, Van De Berghe will also serve as regional president for the Asia business, including Walmart Japan.

The move will then allow Scott Price, currently president and chief executive of Walmart Asia, to focus exclusively on his additional role as chief administrative officer of Walmart International.

Image: Courtesy of Walmart