Ex-Tesco CEO To Talk At Union

Tesco’s former CEO will visit Cambridge this week to give a talk, just a week after riots erupted in Bristol over the opening of a new Tesco.

Sir Terry Leahy, who was CEO of Tesco from 1997 until March this year, will talk at the Cambridge Union on Wednesday for the first annual lecture of student society ‘Beyond Profit’.

Leahy’s visit follows the detention of 30 people last week after violence in the Stokes Croft area of Bristol, including the trashing of a new Tesco.

More than 400 people gathered last Thursday night to protest against the opening of a new Tesco store in the area. Protestors say the new Tesco will damage local business.

Tesco in Stokes Croft after last week’s riots

Sir Leahy, whose son Tom studies at Cambridge, is expected to talk about the impact of big business on society and his time at the head of Tesco.

Sir Leahy oversaw rapid growth of Tesco during his time at the top, and has since been involved in regional regeneration projects. In 2007, Guardian Unlimited Politics named him the most influential non-elected person in Britain.

The talk by the former head of the third largest retailer in the world  could attract attention from some of Cambridge’s left -wing groups, in light of recent protests against Tesco’s domination of the high street.

Sir Leahy will talk at 7.30 on Wednesday May 4th in the chamber at The Cambridge Union – entry is free and open to all members of the University.