Asda is poised to appoint its chief operating officer Andy Clarke as chief executive next week.
According to widespread reports, Clarke could be unveiled in the role next week after his main internal rival, Darren Blackhurst, resigned from the company this week.
Asda has been looking for a new chief executive since last month when Andy Bond announced that he would move aside to become a part-time chairman of the retailer.
Bond informed staff of Blackhurst’s surprise resignation yesterday, fuelling speculation an appointment for the ceo position is imminent .
Bond said: "I wanted to tell you as soon as I could that Darren Blackhurst left the business earlier this week. With the pending change in chief executive, we have had discussions about his future and he is taking some time out before ultimately pursuing his career elsewhere.”
Judith McKenna, Asda's chief financial officer, and David Cheesewright, who runs Wal-Mart Canada, ruled themselves out of the running to replace Bond as ceo last month.
Cheesewright was a long-serving Asda executive before he went to Canada, where he is now said to be settled.
Last month Kantar Worldpanel data showed Asda's market share fell from 17 per cent to 16.9 per cent over the 12 weeks to 18 April.
Clarke's imminent appointment will make him the second new chief executive of the big four supermarkets in recent weeks after Dalton Philips joined Morrisons last month.
