Wal-Mart has announced that Andy Clarke has been handed the role of president and chief executive officer at its Asda operation in the UK, a position that he has taken up with immediate effect.
Previously Asda's chief operating officer, Mr Clarke has been at the retailer since 1992 and has covered a range of roles including store manager, business unit director of a number of categories and retail managing director for Asda's central division.
Mr Clarke replaces the outgoing Andy Bond, who will now take up his new role as chairman of Asda's executive committee to help ensure a smooth leadership transition.
'I'm delighted to appoint Andy Clarke to be my successor,' said Mr Bond in a statement. 'He was clearly the right choice from the internal and external candidates we considered. I'm looking forward to doing everything I can to ensure a smooth transition for Andy in his new role.'
Doug McMillan, president and CEO of Walmart International, said that Mr Clarke had 'long been identified' as a leader at Asda.
'With his long career at Asda, working first as a store manager, followed by key roles in trading as retail director and most recently as COO, Andy knows the company, our colleagues and he cares about our customers,' he explained. 'He is the ideal person for the job and this will be a seamless leadership change.'
No comments yet