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Tesco UK chief executive Matthew Barnes, who joined the supermarket in March last year after serving as Aldi’s UK and Ireland CEO, has stepped down after 15 months in the role.

Barnes will be leaving the role to pursue other opportunities. He will be succeeded by the group's current chief commercial officer Ashwin Prasad, effective 30 June.

In a statement released on its website, the supermarket giant confirmed a number of other leadership changes. The company’s Ireland and Northern Ireland CEO, Natasha Adams, will take on the newly created role of chief strategy and transformation officer from 9 June. Geoff Byrne, currently chief operating officer in Ireland, will take over Adams’ current role.

In the statement on its website, Tesco said: “During Matthew’s leadership, our UK business has performed extremely well. His focus on our customers has helped us build momentum and deliver significant growth and strong customer satisfaction. He leaves a legacy of operational improvements that have simplified and strengthened our business.”

Incoming CEO Prasad has been responsible for Tesco’s product and customer strategy during his tenure as chief commercial officer. He has been a member of Tesco’s executive team since 2020 and brings extensive retail and commercial experience to the role. In its statement, Tesco credited him with successfully leading the business through supply chain disruptions and accelerating its digital marketing transition.

All leadership roles will continue to report to Tesco Group CEO, Ken Murphy, who commented: “Ashwin is an exceptional leader with a strong track record for delivering for our customers. His experience leading our product and customer strategy makes him the ideal person to take over as UK CEO.”