Following the news that ASDA co-owner Mohsin Issa will step back from his executive leadership role, and that Lord Stuart Rose will assume Mohsin’s executive responsibilities alongside Rob Hattrell, a director on the ASDA board with experience at eBay Europe as Senior Vice President: Eleanor Simpson-Gould, senior retail analyst at GlobalData, offers her view: “The announcement that Lord Rose is to be joined by board director Rob Hattrell to get ASDA back on track is reassuring, given both are well versed in running large retail operations. Under a brightening spotlight, the transition must be swift to turn around ASDA’s dismal sales performance and provide stability at the grocer.
“ASDA’s third place position in the UK’s food & grocery sector has been under threat as the grocer’s value proposition has failed to resonate with consumers. GlobalData expects Aldi to approach ASDA’s market share by 2027 and could overtake it by 2028. ASDA must focus on its online capabilities this year to reestablish itself as a dominant player in the market and Rob Hattrell’s online expertise will aid growth in ASDA’s digital channel.”
