Asda recruits Nisa chief Ken Towle as retail director  

Supermarket chain Asda has announced the appointment of Nisa boss Ken Towle as its new retail director, with responsibility for all its stores.

Towle will join Asda’s executive leadership team later in the year.

He joined Nisa as chief executive in 2018 from Tesco, where spent 30 years working in a variety of roles, including stores director, operations director for home office, chief executive for China and finally managing director for Central Europe, Ireland and Turkey as part of the Tesco executive team.

Towle said: “It’s an exciting time to be joining the Asda team and I am really looking forward to getting started later in the year.”

Asda also announced other changes to its leadership team. Kris Comerford, another Tesco veteran, will join the business in late summer 2022 as chief commercial officer, food, replacing Derek Lawlor, who has decided to leave the business after six years. Lawlor has been leading Asda’s commercial team since 2019.

Comerford has most recently held the role of UK commercial director, packaged foods, fuel and tobacco at Tesco. Since joining the retailer in 2005, he has held responsibility for a range of key categories within the supermarket’s commercial team before taking on the role of customer director in 2016. He was then appointed chief commercial officer for Tesco Lotus in Thailand before returning to the UK in December 2020.

With the increasing relevance of online, Asda will be promoting Simon Gregg, who currently leads the online operation, to the executive leadership team. Liz Evans joined the team this week as managing director, George, leading Asda’s fashion and general merchandising business.

Commenting on the changes, Mohsin and Zuber Issa, who own Asda with TDR Capital Ltd, said; “Today we are confirming changes to the leadership of our business as we set ourselves up for the future.

“Regretfully, Derek Lawlor has decided to leave the business after six years, and he goes with our best wishes and thanks for the future. He has made a real and tangible difference to our business and we thank him for all he has done.

“The appointment of Ken Towle, Kris Comerford and Simon Gregg to our leadership team will bring a great combination of experience and new thinking to our table.”