Keohane appointed chairman of Tesco in Ireland after seven years in chief executive role

Cork man Tony Keohane has been appointed as the chairman of Tesco in Ireland after serving seven years as chief executive of Tesco Ireland.

Mr Keohane has overseen the expansion of the company from when Tesco took over Quinnsworth through to being one of the largest grocery and general merchandise retailers in Ireland. It employs 15,000 people in 142 shops across the country.

Mr Keohane joined Quinnsworth as a management trainee in 1978 and was appointed to the Quinnsworth Board in 1995. As retail support director, he successfully managed the integration of Tesco in Ireland, and subsequently was property and supply chain director and a stores director in Britain. He chaired the Government’s Services Strategy Group in 2007.

Mr Keohane will be replaced as CEO by PJ Clark who is currently the CEO of Tesco Japan.

The latest Kantar Worldpanel figures show Tesco’s market share has declined by 2.6% in the most recent figures, but it maintains a dominant 27.6% of the market.

The company is not just a selling goods in Ireland, it has also become a significant exporter of Irish produce. Tesco purchases and exports €700m of Irish food and drink products annually. Exports include Irish beef, lamb and pork, dairy products, horticulture and vegetables, fish, drinks, health and beauty, and grocery products to Britain, Central Europe and Asian countries where Tesco has retail operations.