Irish businessman Dr Gerry Murphy is in line to takeover as the new chairman of Britain’s biggest supermarket group, Tesco.
Dr Murphy is currently chairman of Britain’s biggest luxury fashion business Burberry, and Tate & Lyle, but he has been chosen to replace John Allan as Tesco chair, Sky News has reported.
Dr Murphy’s appointed is expected to be officially announced over the coming days. He will replace John Allan who stood down as Tesco chair in May.
Tesco has declined to comment on Dr Murphy’s appointment, while Tate & Lyle did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
The one-time Greencore boss turned private equity player, Dr Murphy took up the role at Burberry in 2018.
Previously, he was chairman at Blackstone’s main European entity and has served as a non-executive director at companies including British American Tobacco and Merlin Entertainments.
Dr Murphy left University College Cork (UCC) in 1976 with a BSc in of Science, Food Science and Technology. He later completed a PhD in Food Science and Technology at UCC, before doing a MBS in Marketing at University College Dublin.
In April, Dr Murphy delivered a crushing assessment of current and recent UK governments, in a question-and-answer session with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at a televised event in London.
Dr Murphy was among guests who spoke at a Business Connect event, which was organised by the UK’s ruling Conservative Party as part of an effort to reset strained relations with industry in the wake of the Brexit vote – and the sometimes chaotic series of prime ministers and policies the country has had since.
Mr Murphy did not spare the current UK leadership, saying then UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak had scored a “spectacular own goal” in removing Vat-back for tourists at the time of the UK withdrawal from the EU in 2020.
The “somewhat perverse” decision made the UK the “least attractive shopping destination in Europe”, he said.
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It comes as Tesco announced John Allan’s resignation in May, saying claims of inappropriate behaviour levelled against him risked becoming a distraction to the business.
It said that pending the appointment of a new chairman, senior independent director Byron Grote would serve as interim chair.
Allan also stepped down from his chairman position at Barratt Developments, Britain’s largest housebuilder.
Media reports suggested that Allan was facing claims of inappropriate behaviour from four women. “I remain determined to prove my innocence,” Allan said at the time.
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