Tesco has appointed a new chairman to replace its former chair, John Allan, who stepped down last month following allegations of misconduct.
The UK’s largest retailer has named retail veteran Gerry Murphy as its new chairman, who will start his new role on the grocery giant‘s board on 1 September.
The current chair at Burberry Group and Tate & Lyle said he will be stepping down from his position at the leading supplier to “ensure he has sufficient capacity to act as chair of Tesco”.
“Tesco has a very important role to play in its markets, serving customers, communities and the planet a little better every day,” he said.
“I’m fully committed to helping Ken and the Tesco team deliver on this purpose and very excited about the strategic opportunities for growth across the Tesco group.”
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It comes as John Allan claimed he wasn’t fairly treated by the grocer and that ”the simplest and easiest thing was to propel me under the nearest bus”.
Paying tribute to his predecessor, Mr Allan, Murphy commented: “John has left Tesco with its business, management and board in great shape and fit for the future.”
Allan, who had been chair of the grocery giant since 2015, left in June following allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards four women.
The supermarket chain said at the time of his resignation that “while we have received no complaints about John’s conduct and made no findings of wrongdoing, these allegations risk becoming a distraction to Tesco.”
