Stephen Smith, who joined from parent Walmart’s China business, arrived at Asda’s Leeds headquarters in 2012 to tackle siloed divisions, with the in-store and advertising teams reporting to different people. He is tasked with bringing Asda’s everyday low-price strategy to life, with its “cheeky and honest” personality, in the competitive supermarket sector. Last December, he was named the new CEO and president of Maine-based clothing company L.L Bean. He says balancing long-term strategy with short-term tactical agility keeps him busy.