Retail giant appoints former Ireland chief executive to succeed Geoff Byrne, who will lead Booker Group from the end of August

Tesco Group has announced the appointment of Andrew Yaxley as CEO of Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland, succeeding Geoff Byrne, who will become CEO of The Booker Group.

The appointments, which take effect from August 31, reflect Tesco's continued focus on developing leadership talent across the Group and building on the strong momentum in both businesses.

Andrew Yaxley previously served as CEO of Tesco Ireland from 2015 to 2018, leading 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.

placeholder image — Tesco Group has announced the appointment of Andrew Yaxley as CEO of Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland, succeeding Geoff Byrne, who will become CEO of The Booker Group

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 the island of Ireland.

Both Geoff and Andrew will continue to form part of the Tesco Group executive committee.

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Tesco Group CEO Ken Murphy said: "Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland are both outstanding 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 one of Tesco's greatest strengths.

"Andrew and Geoff have each made an enormous contribution in their current roles. Their experience, knowledge and proven track records make them the right leaders to take Booker and Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland into their next chapter."

Andrew Yaxley said he was looking forward to returning to the Irish business: "I'm delighted to be coming back to Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland and look forward to working with colleagues to build on the strong momentum already in place. Under Geoff's leadership, the business has made excellent progress, strengthening its market position while continuing to serve customers and communities across Ireland and Northern Ireland. I'm excited to lead the business through its next phase of growth."

Geoff Byrne said it had been a privilege to lead the business: "I'm incredibly proud of everything we've achieved together. Tesco Ireland and Northern Ireland is in a strong position, with a talented team, a clear strategy and significant 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 exceptional leader who knows the Irish business extremely well, and I wish him every success."