Allan Leighton

Allan Leighton made his name at supermarket group ASDA, transforming it from a £500 million company to one sold to US giant Wal-Mart for £6.2 billion in 1999. In 2002 he was personally appointed by the Prime Minister to turn around the loss-making Royal Mail, and he has achieved that task in only four years, bringing about a revival in the Royal Mail's fortunes that few experts felt to be possible. He has sat on the board of many leading companies, including lastminute.com and BSkyB, and is widely regarded as one of the UK's top business leaders. He lives in West Yorkshire.