UK | Tesco has confirmed changes to its Executive team.
Matthew Barnes has stepped down as UK CEO to pursue other opportunities and will be replaced by Ashwin Prasad, Tesco Group’s current Chief Commercial Officer, effective from the 30th of June.
Under his leadership, the UK business has performed extremely well. His focus on customers has helped build momentum and deliver significant growth and strong customer satisfaction.
“I have decided to step down to pursue other opportunities. Leading Tesco’s UK business has been a privilege, and I am proud of everything we have achieved together. I believe our colleagues are the best in the industry, and I would like to thank everyone for their support. I would also like to wish Ashwin the very best in his new role.”
He leaves a legacy of operational improvements which have simplified and strengthened our business. He has also played an important role culturally, leading with strong values as a member of our Executive team.
Prasad is currently Tesco’s Chief Commercial Officer, responsible for the Group’s product and customer strategy. He has been a member of Tesco’s Executive team since 2020 and brings a wealth of retail and commercial experience to this role.
“I pick up the reins of a business with strong momentum, a winning strategy and a talented team. I am privileged to be appointed UK CEO, and my priority will be to continue offering our customers an unbeatable experience every time they shop with Tesco. I would also like to thank Matthew for his support and wish him well for the future.”
Recently, he has successfully led the business through supply chain disruptions, driven Tesco’s trading strategy, and accelerated the digital marketing transition.
Natasha Adams, currently Tesco Ireland & NI CEO, has been appointed to a newly created role on the Executive Committee as Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer, effective from the 9th of June.
She is currently Tesco Ireland and NI CEO, where she has led the business with energy, expertise, and integrity to deliver a market-leading performance. Under Adams, the Irish business has experienced expansion and growth, with market share gains for 39 consecutive periods.
“I am excited to take up this new role, which builds on the strong progress we’re making with our growth ambitions by helping us to scale further and accelerate our long-term strategic plans and innovation pipeline.”
She is also responsible for Group innovation and joined Tesco’s Executive team in 2018. Chris Griffith, Group Director of Strategy & Investor Relations, will report to Natasha regarding his corporate strategy responsibilities.
Geoff Byrne, currently Chief Operating Officer in Ireland, is promoted to Tesco Ireland & NI CEO. All Executive roles continue to report to Group CEO Ken Murphy. He brings a huge amount of experience, having had a long and varied career at Tesco since joining in 1989.
“I have spent my entire career in Tesco Ireland; I love this business, and I am so proud to have an opportunity to lead it now. I’m excited about the opportunities ahead. I’d like to thank Natasha for her leadership.”
He has been the Chief Operating Officer in Ireland since 2014, responsible for the retail operations of all stores, the distribution network, property, and the GHS business.
“We are winning in the intensely competitive markets we serve and making strong progress delivering our strategic ambitions. The changes to our Executive team, which draw on strong internal talent, will set us up to continue delivering a market-leading performance,” said Tesco Group CEO, Ken Murphy.
“Our strategy focuses on being brilliant at the basics whilst stepping forward on big strategic initiatives – by becoming increasingly digital & delivering more personalised customer engagement, through new growth avenues such as Marketplace, and by further developing leading capabilities such as retail media.”
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