Ian MacLaurin, Baron MacLaurin of Knebworth

Ian Charter MacLaurin, Baron MacLaurin of Knebworth DL, (born March 30, 1937) is a British businessman who has been Chairman of Vodafone and Chairman and Chief Executive of Tesco.

Ian MacLaurin was born in 1937 in Blackheath, Kent. He attended Malvern College as a pupil. Ian MacLaurin was knighted in 1989, and was created a life peer in 1996 taking the title Baron MacLaurin of Knebworth, of Knebworth in the County of Hertfordshire. He is the former Chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board and former Chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 1986. He is the chairman of the college council of Malvern College

Career

Tesco

MacLaurin joined Tesco in 1959 as a management trainee, then held a number of more senior appointments in its retail operations before being appointed to its Board in 1970. He was appointed Managing Director in the 1970s and rose to Chairman in 1985.

By the time of his retirement in 1997 Tesco had overtaken Sainsbury's to become the largest UK retailer. MacLaurin lead Tesco away from the "pile it high, sell it cheap" business philosophy of founder Jack Cohen. He has claimed his most important act was appointing the right successor, Terry Leahy.

Vodafone

Ian MacLaurin joined Vodafone as a non-executive director in 1997, becoming Chairman in July 1998. He stepped down on the merger with AirTouch Communications Inc in 1999, resuming his role a year later.

Upon his retirement from the Board in July 2006, he became an adviser to the Company. He was succeeded as Chairman by Sir John Bond. He also became Chairman of the Vodafone Group Foundation, an independent charitable trust set up to administer charitable and other donations on behalf of the Company.

Other

He is a Supervisory Board member of Heineken NV. Outside the world of business he has been Chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board and is now Chairman of the Sport Honours Committee. In his 20s, he played Minor Counties cricket for Hertfordshire.

References