Geoff Byrne has been appointed chief executive of The Booker Group, swapping roles with Andrew Yaxley who moves into Byrne’s old role of chief executive of Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The appointments take effect from 31 August and both leaders will continue to form part of the Tesco Group Executive Committee.
Byrne brings the experience as chief executive of Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland, while Yaxley previously served as chief executive of Tesco Ireland from 2015 to 2018. He subsequently joined the Tesco Group leadership team as chief product officer before becoming chief executive of Booker.
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Ken Murphy, Tesco group chief executive, said: “Tesco Ireland & Northern Ireland are both great businesses with talented teams and ambitious plans for the future. Developing talent across our Group and creating opportunities for leaders to bring their experience into different parts of the business is a key strength of Tesco. Andrew and Geoff have each made a huge contribution in their current roles. Their experience, knowledge and track record make them the right leaders for the next chapter for Booker and Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland.”
Byrne added: “It has been a privilege to lead Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together. The business is in a strong position, with a talented team, a clear strategy and strong momentum. Booker is a fantastic business with a unique position in the market, and I’m excited to work with colleagues there to build on its many strengths. Andrew is an outstanding leader who knows the Irish business incredibly well, and I wish him every success.”
Yaxley said: “I’m delighted to be returning to Tesco Ireland and look forward to working with colleagues to build on the strong momentum already in place. Under Geoff’s leadership, the business has delivered excellent progress, growing its position in the market while continuing to serve customers and communities across Ireland and Northern Ireland. I’m excited to lead the business through its next chapter.”
