Clubcard chief exits in Tesco cull

The boss of Tesco’s Clubcard loyalty scheme has been ousted from the retail giant in a widescale clear-out of top executives as chief executive Philip Clarke strives to inject more energy into the firm’s turnaround plan.
Having started his career at M&S, Ian Crook joined Tesco in 1996 as marketing manager for Tesco Stores. He quickly moved up the ranks and became UK marketing director in 2005, responsible for all brand communications including TV advertising and in-store promotions.
In 2007, Crook switched to become marketing director of Tesco.com, where he led a team of 150 staff and was responsible for Clubcard, customer insight and planning, digital marketing and online operations and development. It is not known whether he will be replaced.
Tesco Mobile chief executive Roger Fogg is also understood to have left the business, along with senior staff from its property communications and finance teams. Last month former Sainsbury’s head of digital and cross channel Robin Terrell became managing director of Blinkbox.
Former Havas EHS boss Matt Atkinson is now Tesco’s chief marketing officer, having joined the retailer as group marketing and digital officer two years ago. He took over from Tim Mason, who left after 30 years following a strategic review.
Some analysts have claimed Tesco’s £1bn turnaround strategy has run out of steam; in June it posted a drop in quarterly underlying UK sales. At the time, John Ibbotson, director of retail consultants Retail Vision, said: “These results go to show that even with £1bn to throw at it, there are no guarantees.”

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