New CEO announced for Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland
Tesco Ireland & Northern Ireland has a new CEO, with Andrew Yaxley taking up the role at the end of the month.
He succeeds Geoff Byrne, who will move to Andrew’s role as CEO of The Booker Group, with his appointment also taking effect on 31st August.
The announcement was made by Tesco Group, which said the appointments reflect the company’s continued focus on developing leadership talent across the Group, as well as building on the strong momentum in both businesses.
Andrew Yaxley previously served as CEO of Tesco Ireland from 2015 to 2018 and led the business through a period of significant transformation and growth. He subsequently joined the Tesco Group leadership team as Chief Product Officer before becoming CEO of Booker, the UK’s leading food and drink wholesaler.
In recent years, he has helped drive strong growth at Booker and further strengthen its position in a highly competitive market.
Geoff Byrne brings extensive experience in senior leadership roles to Booker, most recently as CEO of Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland, where he led a period of sustained growth, investment, and market share gains, while further strengthening the business’s position with customers and communities across Ireland.
The retailer said that both Geoff and Andrew will continue to form part of the Tesco Group Executive Committee.
‘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’
Group CEO Ken Murphy spoke of his delight at the appointments and said he was looking forward to the next chapter.
“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,” he said.
“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 & Northern Ireland.”
Andrew Yaxley said he was delighted to be returning to Tesco Ireland and looked forward to building on the 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,” he said.
Geoff Byrne said he was incredibly proud of what has been achieved at Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland.
“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,” he said.
“Andrew is an outstanding leader who knows the Irish business incredibly well, and I wish him every success.”
