Archie Norman
Archie Norman is a British businessman and former Conservative politician who advises organisations and leaders on business leadership, retail transformation, corporate governance and the intersection of business and public policy.
- Chairman of Marks & Spencer and former Chairman of ITV.
- Former Chief Executive and later Chairman of Asda, where he helped lead the company’s turnaround before its sale to Walmart.
- Worked on major retail transformation programmes including Asda in the UK and Coles Group in Australia.
- Early career experience at McKinsey and senior roles at Geest, Railtrack and Kingfisher.
- Served as Conservative Member of Parliament for Tunbridge Wells and held roles including Chief Executive of the Conservative Party and Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions.
- Co-founder of the think tank Policy Exchange and former Lead Non-Executive Board Member at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Full Profile
Key speaking topics
- Retail transformation and business turnaround
- Business leadership and corporate governance
- Business strategy and organisational change
- Retail sector strategy and competition
- Public policy and the role of business in society
- Leadership through complex organisational change
- Business and government relations
Ideal for
- Senior executives and corporate leadership teams
- Retail and consumer sector organisations
- Boards and governance-focused audiences
- Business and policy conferences
Audience outcomes
- Insights into leading large-scale organisational turnarounds
- Lessons from leadership in both corporate and political environments
- Understanding the relationship between business strategy and public policy
- Perspectives on governance and board-level decision making
- Practical reflections on managing complex change in large organisations
Why organisations work with Archie Norman
- Combines leadership experience across major corporations, retail transformation and national politics.
- Provides board-level perspectives on strategy, governance and organisational change.
- Brings practical insights from leading complex business turnarounds.
- Offers informed commentary on the relationship between business leadership and government policy.
Biography
Lord Archie Norman is recognised for leading major business turnarounds and providing board-level leadership across some of the UK’s most prominent companies. As Chairman of Marks & Spencer and former Chairman of ITV, he brings extensive experience in corporate governance, strategic transformation and leadership in complex organisations.
He is widely associated with the revival of Asda, where he served as Chief Executive and later Chairman, helping guide the retailer through a major turnaround before its sale to Walmart. His wider business career includes work on large-scale retail transformation at Coles Group in Australia, alongside earlier roles at McKinsey and senior positions at Geest, Railtrack and Kingfisher.
Alongside his corporate leadership, Norman has significant experience in public policy and national politics. He served as Conservative Member of Parliament for Tunbridge Wells and held senior political roles including Chief Executive of the Conservative Party and Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions.
Norman has also contributed to the development of public policy as a co-founder of the think tank Policy Exchange and through government service as Lead Non-Executive Board Member at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. His career spanning business leadership, government and policy provides audiences with informed perspectives on organisational change, governance and the relationship between business and public policy.