Creating Trusted Spaces and Driving Change at ASDA

The brilliant Adrian Jones joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast – bringing reflections on leadership, representation, and creating trusted spaces for people to thrive.

As Senior Director, Anglia & South Midlands Superstores at ASDA and a 2025 Northern PoWEr Women Advocate, Adrian looks after 31 stores and thousands of colleagues – but his focus goes far beyond retail. From mentoring female leaders to co-chairing the Women in ASDA network, he is committed to driving diversity, amplifying unheard voices, and building teams that perform by being truly inclusive.

Adrian shares why filling in his own award nomination was such a powerful moment, why listening before acting is the most underrated leadership skill, and how acknowledging the “quiet people in the room” can change outcomes for the better. He also opens up about family, sport, and the importance of helping his children – and the next generation – find confidence to stand up for what they believe in.

In this episode:

• Why the Northern PoWEr Women Awards matter to him
• Championing diversity and inclusion in leadership at ASDA
• How creating trusted spaces leads to real change
• The importance of spotting unconscious bias and acting on it
• Mentoring 5–10 female leaders every year
• Family life, rugby, motor racing, and the wine aisle as a metaphor for leadership
• What he hopes the world looks like for the next generation

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. 💫