UK retailer Asda is considering Stuart Machin, the managing director of M&S Food, as a prospective candidate for the position of CEO, media reports suggest.
If elected for the role, Machin will succeed Roger Burnley, who stepped down from the position last week and is set to leave the British supermarket chain next year.
Burnley stepped down a month after the completion of the acquisition of the retail chain by billionaire Issa brothers and private equity group TDR Capital.
Burnley's decision to step down comes a month after the completion of the acquisition of the retail chain by billionaire Issa brothers and private equity group TDR Capital.
Marks & Spencer hired Machin to revitalise its food division, which has struck a deal with Ocado to deliver to homes.
Under his leadership, the retailer's transition to home delivery and the improvement in its product range has also been widely praised, the report noted.
Other Candidates
Elsewhere, the chief operating officer of Morrisons, Trevor Strain is also on Asda’s list of ‘top candidates’ for the job, the report added, citing other sources including The Mail.
In 2019, the retailer promoted Strain to the role of chief operating officer, putting him in pole position to take over from chief executive David Potts eventually.
He joined Morrisons in 2009 and was appointed chief financial officer in 2013, and assumed the additional responsibilities of group commercial director in October 2018.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
