Walmart role for Asda’s COO McKenna

SUPERMARKET group Asda has confirmed that its chief operating officer Judith McKenna has been promoted to a senior role within the international arm of parent Walmart.

Ms McKenna is to become executive vice president of strategy and international development at Walmart International.

She will report to Doug McMillon, chief executive of the division, and will relocate to Bentonville in Arkansas in April to take up her new role.

The role will include strategy, real estate, mergers and acquisitions and integration.

Andy Clarke, chief executive of Asda, said: “Judith’s operational and finance experience mean she is perfectly placed to help shape the future of the international division in this role. She will help define International’s strategic growth, ensuring international markets work more effectively together across the company.

“This is great news for Judith but also another example of Asda exporting talented leaders to play key roles across the world for Walmart. We are a global centre of excellence and Judith joins a growing list of Asda colleagues who have chosen to develop their careers internationally.”

Ms McKenna joined Asda in 1996 and was previously chief financial officer for 10 years.

In a memo to staff, Mr Clarke added that Ms McKenna’s highlights with Asda include being what he described as “the architect” of the group’s purchase of Netto, as well as developing the ‘click and collect’ grocery service.

Mr Clarke said he would not be appointing a new COO. Mark Ibbotson is being promoted to Asda’s executive team as retail director.

Karen Hubbard’s remit is also to be widened to include multichannel strategy and Asda Direct, responsibilities that will sit alongside her retail development role.

Additionally, chief marketing officer Steve Smith will also take control of Asda’s financial services business.

Meanwhile, Asda has been given the green light to launch a market research and test centre at the former Tetley Brewery site in Leeds.

The proposals would see part of an old warehouse block on the site, which is owned by Carlsberg, converted.

There has been speculation that Asda wants to buy the whole site to extend its presence in the city.