Tesco's

In the meantime, there is an orderly handover under way, coinciding with a series of rather disorderly changes at other big companies that has served to highlight the effectiveness of Tesco's own succession planning.

Tesco's Leahy Takes Stock Patience Wheatcroft 2010

He first worked for Tesco as a part-timer in 1974, then signed up as a marketing executive in 1979, since when his working life has revolved around Tesco's drab headquarters in suburban Cheshunt, in London's commuter belt.

Tesco's Leahy Takes Stock Patience Wheatcroft 2010

Sales in Asia rose 20.3% to £ 5.275 billion, including VAT and new store additions, thanks in part to a strong performance in South Korea, Tesco's biggest international market, where sales grew 3.2% on a same-store basis.

Tesco Signals Plan to Bolster U.S. Business Paul Sonne 2010

Fresh & Easy is a tiny but strategically important slice of Tesco's business.

Tesco Signals Plan to Bolster U.S. Business Paul Sonne 2010

Powering Tesco's results in the U.K. are increased offerings in the nonfood space — such as banking services, mobile phones and clothing — and a strategy to open new stores.

Tesco Signals Plan to Bolster U.S. Business Paul Sonne 2010

More controversially, it has also ventured into the U.S., long a graveyard for U.K. companies with big ambitions, and there are plenty of critics ready to write the inscription on Tesco's U.S. tombstone.

Tesco's Leahy Takes Stock Patience Wheatcroft 2010

If a 12-year old was selling drugs outside Tesco's in Saffron Walden it would be a different story – there would be a major police operation.

Top boy: stories of Hackney's young drug dealers 2011

But Tesco's has reported its fourth consecutive fall in quarterly British sales.8.29am: Bit of a curve ball.

ECB cuts interest rates as crunch summit begins - Thursday December 8 2011 2011

Tesco's four iPhone apps (including the Clubcard, Store Finder and the Wine Finder apps) have over 1m downloads between them, with the Grocery app alone notching 400,000 downloads since it launched in early September 2010.

Tesco launches barcode scanner app for online orders Mark King 2010

Sales in Tesco's non-U.K. locations, which amounted to £ 10.57 billion including VAT in the first half, grew 2% on a same-store basis.

Tesco Signals Plan to Bolster U.S. Business Paul Sonne 2010