Asda braces for leadership shake-up as tech chief departs
- Project Future, aiming to create separate tech systems for Asda, has faced multiple setbacks and is projected for completion in 2025.
- Carl Dawson and Rob Barnes, who joined from Marks & Spencer in April 2021, are leaving Asda as part of a leadership restructure.
- Asda's management confirmed that these changes are aligned with the nearing conclusion of Project Future, shifting focus to everyday operations.
In the United Kingdom, Asda is undergoing significant changes as two key executives, Carl Dawson, the Chief Information Officer, and Rob Barnes, the Vice President of Digital and Technology, prepare to depart the retailer. Both joined Asda in April 2021 after the company's acquisition from Walmart by Mohsin and Zuber Issa and private equity firm TDR Capital. Their departures are part of the ongoing restructuring following a troubled separation from Walmart, with Project Future aimed at creating independent technology systems for the supermarket chain. While the project includes a substantial budget and is set to extend into 2025, Asda's management has implied that the conclusion of Project Future is imminent, marking a transition to everyday operations. The retail landscape continues to evolve, resulting in these high-profile exits as Asda adapts its leadership to align with the near completion of technology projects. New candidates like David Devany from Iceland Foods and Barney Burgess are also stepping into newly defined roles, indicating a strategic shift within Asda's digital leadership team.