Former CEO of Tesco, Terry Leahy has become one of Britain’s most famous business leaders after his 14-year long tenure with the third-largest retailer in the world. Named as Fortune European Businessman of the Year 2004 and the Most Admired Business Leader 2005 by Management Today, Terry is now booked as a speaker for corporate events to share his wealth of knowledge surrounding the retail industry and consumer behaviour.
Terry originally joined Tesco as a Marketing Executive, determined to move the business away from copying competitors Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s and instead lead with their own market knowledge. Terry was responsible for devising and launching the Tesco Clubcard, which allowed him to monitor the shopping habits of the Clubcard members and better his understanding of consumer behaviours. He was later appointed to the board of Tesco in 1992 before becoming CEO of Tesco in 1997. By the end of his tenure as CEO, Terry had led Tesco to become the UK’s largest retailer and make £2 billion in profits.
After stepping down as the CEO of Tesco, Terry went on to become Chairman of the Board of B&M Retail. He also shared his business expertise as the Director of Blackcircles.com and a Senior Advisor to CD&R. During his time with B&M, Terry helped to lead the retail giant onto the stock market and raised their revenue from £993 million to £2.7 billion. He also increased B&M’s stores from 331 to 893 in an aggressive expansion plan. Terry has also acted as the Chancellor of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology and he authored the book Management in 10 Words.
Named as Britain’s Business Leader of the Year 2003 and honoured with a Knighthood and Freedom of the City of Liverpool, Terry Leahy is now a popular choice as a speaker for corporate events. Having helped shape Tesco into the highly successful brand that we see today, and revolutionising the shopping experience for customers with the Tesco Clubcard loyalty system, Terry is highly regarded as an influential thought-leader in the retail industry. Educating audiences on retail innovation, customer service, consumer behaviour and change management, Terry Leahy is a fantastic addition to conferences and events of all kinds.
