Asda promotes CFO to COO

LONDON — Asda announced last week that Judith McKenna, the company's current finance director, is to take the reins as the retailer’s COO, effective September.

Judith, who joined Asda more than 15 years ago, has led Asda’s finance functions as CFO since 2001.

As COO she will take on leadership of all Asda’s retail operations, including its stores, distribution network and IT systems.

In an announcement to colleagues today, Asda president and CEO Andy Clarke said “I am delighted that Judith McKenna is to become our COO.In the last year alone, her work leading the Netto acquisition and integration programme ‐ which is reinventing our retail future ‐ demonstrates that she’s the natural choice for this role."

McKenna joined Asda from financial roles in the brewing and pub retailing industry – working with Allied Domecq and Carlsberg Tetley, after qualifying as a chartered accountant with KPMG in London. She is currently chair of the CBI’s distributive trades panel.