Two high-level property directors at Asda have left the firm following its admission that the supermarket chain will not meet its expansion targets.
Steve Masters, retail development director, and Bob Simpson, director of sustainable development, are both leaving the supermarket chain.
Asda’s admission that it will not meet its target of opening 150 Asda Living stores over the next three years has also led to a reshuffle of the remaining team. Jo Moon, who was UK property acquisitions director, will now look after just the South of England, while Will Smith, formerly of Netto, which Asda bought in 2010, will take charge of the North of England.
There has been a steady churn of personnel within Asda’s property department over the past four years.
Peter Pritchard, head of non-food, left in 2008 to be replaced by Rob Swyer, who left after a year. Both Pritchard and Swyer are now at Pets at Home. Swyer, property development director, was replaced by Masters.
Richard Petyt, South property acquisitions director, and considered a key driver of the retailer’s foodstore development programme, left last year.
One senior retail source said: “Masters will be greatly missed. His detailed understanding of the need to adapt Asda’s UK acquisitions strategy to make it more regionally focused was starting to deliver results.
“He can also be credited with delivering the transformation of the Netto estate, which is a major achievement.
“The last thing the retailer needs after the failure of its non-food Living format is yet more confusion at the top otherwise it will never break into the South of England.”
A spokesman for Asda said: “We’ve reviewed the structure of our property and retail development to make sure it supports our ambitions around new space and developing a great customer offer in all of our stores. The changes mean that teams can be even more focused and fleet of foot when it comes to maximising new opportunities.”
noella.pio.kivlehan@estatesgazette.com
