Tesco chair accused of inappropriate behaviour - report

John Allan, a former president of beleaguered business lobby group CBI, has strongly denied all bar one of the claims.

According to The Guardian, Allan has been accused of touching the bottom of a senior member of Tesco staff at the grocer’s annual general meeting in June 2022.

It was also claimed he touched the bottom of a member of staff at the CBI’s annual dinner in May 2019. Allan was president of the CBI from 2018 to 2020.

The Guardian, citing unnamed sources, said Allan had also been accused of making inappropriate remarks on both of those occasions, as well as further similar comments to two other female CBI staff in 2019 and 2021 respectively.

Allan has not denied making a comment about a CBI employee’s appearance in 2019, telling her that her dress “suited her figure”. After she complained to her manager, Allan apologised and said it had been a “misjudged way of seeking to cheer someone up”, The Guardian noted.

But he has denied all other claims, with his spokesperson telling the newspaper they were “simply untrue”.

The spokesperson said: “Mr Allan was mortified after making the comment in 2019 and he immediately apologised. The person concerned agreed the matter was closed and no further action was taken.

“Regarding the other claims, they are simply untrue.

“Even so, Mr Allan requested that Tesco and Fox Williams – who were instructed by the CBI to conduct an investigation following various allegations – to investigate them. Fox Williams decided not to, and Tesco are not aware of and have not received any complaints about Mr Allan’s conduct.”

A Tesco spokesperson said Allan’s conduct had never been the subject of complaint during his tenure, and there had been no complaint or concern made either formally or informally about his behaviour at the 2022 AGM.

In December, Tesco announced that Allan, 74, would step down as chair in 2024 after spending the recommended nine years in the role.

The Guardian said it knew the identity of the four woman involved but had chosen not to name them.