Helen Connolly returns to Asda as CEO of George

Supermarket giant Asda has named Helen Connolly as the chief executive officer of its in-house fashion label, George. The appointment marks a return to the business for Connolly, who had previously spent 15 years with George across two periods.

During her prior tenure with the company, Connolly held various leadership positions, including director of buying for womenswear and lingerie. Outside of Asda, she most recently served as CEO of New Look from 2022, after holding the position of chief commercial officer. She has also helmed Bonmarché as CEO.

On her return, Connolly has been tasked with leading George through its next phase of growth. The expansion strategy had previously been overseen by Liz Evans, who announced her departure as chief commercial officer, non-food and George managing director earlier this year.

In her stead, Connolly will take over an ongoing retail expansion strategy for George, which introduced its first standalone concept store in 2025 and is now expecting to open 100 dedicated locations over the next five years. The decision comes as initial locations recorded “an overwhelmingly positive customer response”, while the category itself continues to outperform its respective markets.

In a statement, Connolly said she was delighted to return to George, adding she knew “first-hand what makes George such a special business”. “There’s a real passion for serving customers well and creating products that offer outstanding quality, style and value. I’m looking forward to working with the team to build on that and help shape what’s next,” she continued.