Asda loses food VP after less than six months in fresh leadership blow

Asda vice president for ambient, Ade McKeon, is stepping down from the business less than six months after rejoining the supermarket giant.

McKeon returned to the supermarket in January as part of a wider leadership shake-up under executive chairman Allan Leighton, aimed at better meeting “the daily and weekly shopping needs of ordinary working people and their families who demand value”.

A seasoned retail executive, McKeon previously held several senior roles at Asda — including category director for beers, wines and spirits, commercial director for grocery, and brand director — before departing in 2014.

Following his initial stint at Asda, he joined Accolade Wines, where he served as general manager and later as regional managing director for Europe. More recently, he held interim leadership roles at Pilgrim’s Europe, including commercial director and integrations director.

An Asda spokesperson confirmed to The Grocer that the retailer is now seeking a successor to McKeon.

“Ade rejoined Asda from semi-retirement to support a significant period of change and has been critical in helping to deliver that change and set the team up for success over the last few months,” the spokesperson said.

“Ade has signalled his desire to be nearer to home in west London and get some balance back into his life.

“Given the amount of work we have to do, it was felt that the time was right to make a change now and to implement the right succession plan, which we will communicate in due course.”

McKeon’s departure is the latest in a string of senior-level changes at Asda as it continues to reshape its leadership team following the Issa brothers’ acquisition of the business.

The supermarket is still without a permanent CEO, and several key executives have stepped down in recent months.

Earlier this month, Asda appointed former Morrisons marketing director Rachel Eyre as its new chief customer officer, replacing David Hills.

In April, news emerged that two tech executives responsible for leading Asda’s multi-year IT overhaul — known as Project Future — were also set to leave.

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