London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

Tesco chairman Allan in talks to sell stake in corporate mentoring firm

Tesco chairman Allan in talks to sell stake in corporate mentoring firm

John Allan is negotiating the sale of his 20% stake in J&A Mentoring Partners to co-founder Anna Joseph, Sky News has learnt - days after his exit from Tesco was announced.
John Allan, the Tesco chairman, is in talks to sell his stake in a firm which mentors executives at dozens of blue-chip companies, it has emerged - days after the announcement of his resignation from Britain's biggest retailer amid allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women.

Sky News has learnt that Mr Allan is negotiating the sale of his stake in J&A Mentoring to his co-founder, Anna Joseph, for an undisclosed price.

Mr Allan, who helped to establish the business in 2018, will remain involved with the company, he said in a statement on Monday.

Some of his details are understood to have been removed from J&A's website on Friday, when his resignation as Tesco chairman was announced to the stock market.

Ms Joseph told Sky News that a shareholder agreement created at the time of the company's launch anticipated her acquiring his stake after five years.

"We started those conversations early in 2023 - some months before any press coverage about the CBI broke - and also that he would step back from the chair role to that of co-founder [which he continues to be]," she said.

"When the unproven allegations [which JA continues to vigorously contest] were exposed by The Guardian I sent an email out to all J&A's mentors - with JA's explicit prior knowledge and blessing - articulating that such a stepping back was already in hand and would continue to be executed on.

"John was, of course, copied in."

The Guardian reported recently that several women had alleged that Mr Allan had touched them inappropriately - which he strongly denied.

The Tesco chairman acknowledged having made one remark to a colleague at the CBI that her dress suited her figure, but said he had swiftly apologised.

In a statement on Friday, Tesco said: "While we have received no complaints about John's conduct and made no findings of wrongdoing, these allegations risk becoming a distraction to Tesco.

"On behalf of the board, I thank him for his substantial contribution to the business."

The circumstances of his departure from Tesco have begun to attract disquiet from his allies and other areas of corporate Britain, with investigations to date having found no evidence of serious wrongdoing on Mr Allan's part.

J&A Mentoring uses a roster of senior boardroom figures including Cressida Hogg, the BAE Systems chair, the Premier League chair Alison Brittain, and Adam Crozier, the BT Group chairman, to mentor up-and-coming managers.

Brian McBride, the CBI president who is battling to secure the survival of the business lobbying group, where Mr Allan was a predecessor, is also listed as a mentor on the J&A website.

Ms Joseph said the firm that she and Mr Allan set up had "a mission to provide confidence, challenge and empowerment to help already good leaders become great".

"We are quietly proud of the work we are doing, especially to support senior women stand taller and for leaders of diverse backgrounds to feel [a long overdue] right to their places at the table.

"John and I are passionate about these causes and the business has never been busier with our 31st FTSE 100 client about to sign up, and our largest population of mentees to date."

Ms Joseph already owns 80% of J&A Mentoring.

A spokesman for Mr Allan said he "remains a shareholder in J&A Mentoring Partners and will continue to act as a mentor".
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
×