J Sainsbury names Tyler
SUPERMARKET chain J Sainsbury has appointed former GUS finance director David Tyler to become its next chairman.
Tyler will be taking over the role of Sir Philip Hampton as head of Britain’s third largest supermarket group. Hampton earlier this year said he would relinquish the position to allow him to concentrate on his chairmanship of part-nationalised Royal Bank of Scotland.
Tyler, an accountant, has extensive experience in the retail sector after a nine-year stint at GUS which, before it was broken up, owned Argos, Burberry and Experian.
Prior to that he was finance director at prestigious auction house Sotheby’s. Tyler also worked for consumer goods giant Unilever and investment bank County Natwest after a degree in economics.
Tyler is largely credited with the revival of IT services group Logica, of which he is chairman, along with chief executive Andy Green.
Tyler became the favourite for the Sainsbury’s chairman post after the widely-tipped candidate John Peace dropped out of the running when he accepted a chairmanship at banking group Standard Chartered.
Sainsbury’s is one of the leading stars in the downturn – reporting bumper profits and aggressive expansion plans, mainly due to the efforts of charismatic chief executive Justin King. Tyler’s appointment is believed to have the backing of shareholders.