Gerry Murphy
Chair of Burberry Group and Tesco
Gerry Murphy is an Irish business leader who has chaired the British luxury house Burberry since July 2018 and the supermarket group Tesco since 2023. A former chief executive of Kingfisher, Carlton Communications and NFC, and a senior managing director at Blackstone, he is one of the most experienced chairs in UK listed retail.
| Role | Chair, Burberry Group |
|---|---|
| Since | July 2018 |
| Other role | Chair, Tesco (since 2023) |
| Born | 1955 |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Former role | Chief executive, Kingfisher 2003 to 2008 |
Who is Gerry Murphy?
Gerry Murphy, born in 1955, is an Irish executive whose career combines consumer goods, logistics, media, retail and private equity. He joined the board of Burberry Group in May 2018 and has been its chair since 12 July 2018; he has also chaired Tesco since 2023. Burberry has named William Jackson, who joined its board on 1 July 2026, as chair designate. He trained as a scientist, earning a BSc and PhD in food science and technology, and later an MBS in marketing from University College Dublin in 1983.
Career
Murphy began in product development at Express Foods in Ireland in 1978 and later led the food group Greencore. He then moved into chief executive roles at large UK companies, before joining private equity.
- NFC, later Exel: chief executive from 1995, leading the merger with Ocean Group in 2000
- Carlton Communications: chief executive, 2000 to 2002
- Kingfisher: chief executive, 2003 to 2008
- Blackstone: senior managing director from 2008
- Tate & Lyle: chair from January 2017 until 2023
- Burberry: chair since July 2018, with William Jackson named chair designate in 2026
- Tesco: chair since 2023
Influence on the fashion business
As chair of Burberry, Murphy has presided over the board of Britain's best known luxury fashion brand through a period of repeated strategic change, including the appointment of Joshua Schulman as chief executive in July 2024 and a challenging market for luxury goods. The chair's role at a listed luxury company centres on appointing and overseeing the chief executive, setting governance standards and representing shareholders.
His experience leading Kingfisher, the home improvement group behind B&Q and Castorama, and his years in private equity give him a perspective that combines large scale retail operations with investor discipline. His simultaneous chairmanship of Tesco, one of the largest retailers in Europe, makes him one of the most influential non executive figures in British retail.
Why it matters
Murphy's career is a reminder that the direction of major fashion brands is shaped not only by designers and chief executives but by boards. At Burberry, decisions on leadership succession, brand strategy and capital allocation ultimately pass through the chair, making him an important figure for anyone following the future of British luxury.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the chair of Burberry?
Gerry Murphy has been chair of Burberry Group since July 2018. In 2026 Burberry named William Jackson as chair designate, signalling a forthcoming transition.
What is Gerry Murphy's background?
Murphy trained in food science, holding a PhD, and led Greencore, NFC, Carlton Communications and Kingfisher before becoming a senior managing director at Blackstone. He moved into chair roles at Tate & Lyle, Burberry and Tesco.