Asda has poached Lidl chief operating officer Matt Heslop to join its executive leadership team.

In his new role, Heslop will lead the retailer’s stores and depots operation, including the 470 convenience stores in its newly-established Asda Express division.

He joins the supermarket giant from discounter Lidl, where he has spent over 20 years in various senior operational roles, having most recently held the position of chief operating officer for the past seven years.

Asda said Heslop’s experience in the convenience sector will be “particularly important” in helping to accelerate its Express division in the fast-growing £40bn convenience market.

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Asda co-owner Mohsin Issa said: “I’m delighted to announce Matt Heslop’s appointment to lead a critical part of our operation and drive the next stage of our growth journey. He is an experienced operator with a proven track record in managing substantial retail operations in a fast-growing company.”

It comes as former Morrisons chief information officer Matt Kelleher, whose recruitment as chief digital officer was announced in January, will be joining the business next month to oversee Asda’s ecommerce and data functions.

He will also lead the technology function when the IT separation from Walmart completes later this year.

At the same time, Asda senior vice president ecommerce and retail south Simon Gregg will be leaving the business in July, in what the grocer has described as a mutual decision by both parties.