Tesco's chairman, John Allan, is set to step down from his position after allegations of misconduct were raised against him, posing a potential distraction to the
supermarket group. Mr. Allan, who has held the chairman role for eight years, vehemently denied three out of four claims, including allegations of inappropriate physical contact, stating that the accusations were entirely unfounded.
Tesco clarified that no evidence of wrongdoing was found against Mr. Allan, and his departure was already scheduled. In a separate statement, Allan expressed regret for having to leave his position at Tesco prematurely.
The decision comes in the wake of The Guardian's report, revealing that four women had come forward, accusing Mr. Allan of inappropriate or unprofessional behavior. One allegation cited his alleged touching of a senior staff member's bottom during last year's shareholder meeting, while another claimed he had done the same to a staff member at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) in May 2019.
Previously serving as the president of the CBI, Mr. Allan's departure aligns with a series of sexual misconduct allegations that have emerged within the organization, resulting in the termination of the CBI's director-general and several staff members.
While denying three of the allegations made against him, Mr. Allan issued an apology for the fourth, which involved a comment about a woman's appearance. Tesco conducted an investigation into the claims, concluding that no evidence or complaints were found relating to Mr. Allan's conduct at the Tesco 2022 annual general meeting or throughout his tenure as Tesco chair.
Byron Grote, a board member, acknowledged Mr. Allan's significant contributions to Tesco during his time as chairman, guiding the company through a turnaround and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the absence of any complaints or findings of wrongdoing against Mr. Allan, the allegations were deemed potentially disruptive to Tesco, prompting his departure.
In the interim, Byron Grote will assume the role of chairman until a permanent replacement is appointed. Meanwhile, Mr. Allan emphasized the baselessness of the allegations, citing Tesco's extensive internal review, which included encouraging employees and former employees to anonymously voice any concerns about his conduct. He remained determined to prove his innocence, stating that there was no evidence of wrongdoing throughout his chairmanship at Tesco. Photo by C41n, Wikimedia commons.