Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, May 09, 2025

Tesco chairman John Allan to quit after claims over behaviour

Tesco chairman John Allan to quit after claims over behaviour

John Allan is stepping down as chairman of Tesco following allegations over his conduct.
Mr Allan, who is also a former president of the CBI business lobby group, has strongly denied three of four claims made against him.

However, board member Byron Grote, who will temporarily replace Mr Allan as chairman, said: "These allegations risk becoming a distraction to Tesco."

Tesco said it had made "no findings of wrongdoing".

Mr Allan will leave Tesco in June after eight years in the role.

He said: "It is with regret that I am having to prematurely stand down from my position as chair of Tesco following the anonymous and unsubstantiated allegations made against me, as reported by the Guardian."

A report in the Guardian had claimed that Mr Allan had touched a Tesco employee at the supermarket giant's annual shareholder meeting last year.

It also alleged that Mr Allan "grabbed" an employee at a CBI event in 2019. He has previously said these claims were "simply untrue".

It is also claimed that he made a comment about a CBI staff member's dress and bottom in 2021. Mr Allan said he does not recall this incident.

He has, however, admitted to making a comment to a female CBI worker in late 2019 about a dress suiting her figure.

Mr Allan said he was "mortified after making the comment" and immediately apologised.

He was president of the CBI between 2018 and 2020 and spent an additional year as vice president.

Following claims he inappropriately touched a Tesco staff member, the supermarket group said it began an "extensive review of the allegation".

The retailer said it had asked colleagues "to come forward if they had concerns regarding any conduct issues and specifically at the Tesco 2022 annual general meeting (AGM)".

It also reviewed video of the event as well as its internal complaints records.

Mr Grote said: "While we have received no complaints about John's conduct and made no findings of wrongdoing, these allegations risk becoming a distraction to Tesco.

"On behalf of the board, I thank him for his substantial contribution to the business," he added.

Mr Allan said: "These allegations are utterly baseless, as the internal procedures undertaken by Tesco prove.

"There is no evidence of any wrongdoing at that time or at any stage of my chairmanship at Tesco and I remain determined to prove my innocence."

Meanwhile, the CBI, which is Britain's biggest lobby group, is facing separate allegations of sexual misconduct.

These include two allegations of rape that are being investigated by the City of London Police.

Following an external investigation by law firm Fox Williams, the CBI admitted that it hired "culturally toxic" staff and failed to fire people who sexually harassed female colleagues.

It has since dismissed some staff members.

It has also appointed its former chief economist Rain Newton-Smith as director general.

She has replaced Tony Danker who was fired in April following separate complaints of workplace misconduct.

Mr Danker has acknowledged he had made some staff feel "very uncomfortable". He said: "I apologise for that."

But he said his name had been wrongly associated with separate claims, including rape, that allegedly occurred at the CBI before he joined.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Removing the Political Rival Means Diminishing What's Remaining of Turkey's Economy
White House Investigates Security Breach After Journalist Accidentally Added to Secret Yemen Strike Chat
UAE Pledges $1.4 Trillion Investment Strategy in the United States
Revealing the Electromagnetic Characteristics of the Great Pyramid of Giza
Netanyahu Dismisses Shin Bet Chief Amid 'Loss of Trust' and 'Qatargate' Corruption Investigations Involving Netanyahu's Advisors
U.S. Approves $100 Million Precision Rocket Sale to Saudi Arabia Amid Ongoing Yemen Conflict
High-ranking ISIS Official Neutralized in Collaborative Operation in Iraq
Netanyahu Rejects UN Reports on Gaza as 'Untrue'
Six Americans Freed from Detention in Kuwait
Syria Wraps Up Military Campaign Amid Extensive Violence and Large-Scale Killings.
Trump Speaks Out on the Arrest of Pro-Palestinian Student at Columbia University
Demonstrations Break Out as Individual Ascends Big Ben with Palestinian Flag
Over 300,000 Refugees Expected to Return to Syria Amid Ongoing Crisis
Trump Urges Nuclear Talks with Iran as Tensions Escalate
US Launches AI Initiative to Track Foreign Nationals' Social Media for Terrorist Support.
US Initiates Direct Discussions with Hamas During Hostage Situation
US Government Dismisses Arab Leaders' Plan for Gaza Reconstruction
US Engages in Unprecedented Covert Talks with Hamas Regarding Hostages
Arab Leaders Approve $53 Billion Initiative for Gaza Reconstruction
Iran's Enriched Uranium Stockpile Reaches Levels for Six Nuclear Devices
Israel Indicates Willingness to Resume Military Operations in Gaza
Hamas Lets Go of Last Israeli Hostage as Part of Ceasefire Deal
Trump Adjusts Gaza Resettlement Plan Following Rejections from Regional Leaders
The negotiation teams of Trump and Putin meet directly, establishing the groundwork for a significant advance.
Israeli Minister Urges Hamas to Surrender and Depart from Gaza.
Iran Considers Moving Its Capital Due to Urban Difficulties
Israel and Hamas Finalize Sixth Exchange of Hostages and Prisoners During Continuing Gaza Ceasefire
Leaders of BRICS to Gather in Rio de Janeiro for July Summit
Muhsin Hendricks, a trailblazing openly gay imam, was killed in South Africa.
Trump's special envoy for hostage affairs cautions Hamas against challenging Trump before Saturday's deadline.
Two British citizens apprehended in Iran amid escalating tensions.
Israel Issues Threat of Military Action as Hostage Negotiations with Hamas Continue
Hamas Coordinates Worldwide Solidarity Marches in Reaction to U.S. and Israeli Initiative
Israel Warns of Ending Gaza Ceasefire Due to Hostage Situation
King Abdullah II Dismisses US Proposal to Relocate Palestinians, Commits to Welcoming Gaza Children.
Lebanon Installs New Government with Hezbollah's Impact on Key Ministries
×