Sir Terence P Leahy

BSc(Hons) Management Sciences 1977 – Business Leader

As the retired CEO of Tesco (1997‐2011), Sir Terry Leahy is one of the most admired business leaders in the world. Knighted in 2002 for his services to food retailing, he is well known for successfully turning around Tesco to become the largest chain in Britain, transforming the country’s supermarket industry and disrupting the businesses of its competitors. Experts credit Sir Leahy’s success to his hands-on style and marketing prowess, while Sir Leahy places focus on experience and low-key leadership.

In 2008, Leahy was nominated by Retail Week as Retail Leader of the Year. From 2005 to 2010, he was voted Britain’s Most Admired Leader by Management Today and in 2004 he was named European Businessman of the year by FORTUNE magazine. In 2010, he received the Daily Telegraph’s Award for a Decade of Excellence in Business, a Lifetime Achievement award from Director magazine and was voted Business Person of the Year by the Sunday Times. In 2011, Leahy received two awards from Retail Week: the Lifetime Achievement Award and Retail Leader of the Year.

Leahy was educated at St. Edwards College, Liverpool and then went on to the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology where he gained his BSc (Hons) in management sciences.