Justin King has been a leader in customer-facing businesses for over three decades. He has held senior positions at many leading companies including Sainsbury's, Asda, M&S, Häagen-Dazs, PepsiCo and Mars.
Justin is credited with having turned Sainsbury’s around. During his tenure at the iconic British retailer, he executed a plan to ‘Make Sainsbury’s Great Again’, and under his leadership Sainsbury’s delivered a shareholder return of 85% and tripled profits.
He is an advocate for responsible business and helped establish Sainsbury’s long-standing relationship with Comic Relief, with the retailer pledging £1 for every £10 donated. He was also the driving force behind Sainsbury’s Paralympic Games sponsorship.
Justin was appointed Chair of Allwyn Entertainment and Dexters in 2022, Non-Executive Chair of Itsu Grocery in 2023, and Chair of OVO Energy in March 2024. He is a Non-Executive Director of M&S and Itim Group, and a Senior Adviser to Snappy Shopper, Rezolve and Atrato.
Previously, Justin was Vice Chairman & Senior Adviser at Terra Firma and served as a director on several...Justin King has been a leader in customer-facing businesses for over three decades. He has held senior positions at many leading companies including Sainsbury's, Asda, M&S, Häagen-Dazs, PepsiCo and Mars.
Justin is credited with having turned Sainsbury’s around. During his tenure at the iconic British retailer, he executed a plan to ‘Make Sainsbury’s Great Again’, and under his leadership Sainsbury’s delivered a shareholder return of 85% and tripled profits.
He is an advocate for responsible business and helped establish Sainsbury’s long-standing relationship with Comic Relief, with the retailer pledging £1 for every £10 donated. He was also the driving force behind Sainsbury’s Paralympic Games sponsorship.
Justin was appointed Chair of Allwyn Entertainment and Dexters in 2022, Non-Executive Chair of Itsu Grocery in 2023, and Chair of OVO Energy in March 2024. He is a Non-Executive Director of M&S and Itim Group, and a Senior Adviser to Snappy Shopper, Rezolve and Atrato.
Previously, Justin was Vice Chairman & Senior Adviser at Terra Firma and served as a director on several boards within the TF portfolio. He headed the sale of Wyevale Garden Centres and brighterkind, both TF companies. He sat on PWC’s Public Interest Body and was a Director of the LOCOG and Staples, serving on the audit committee of both. He was also a member of the UK Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group. Justin has a passion for cars and was interim Chairman of the Manor Racing F1 team during its restructuring.
He speaks regularly on the topics of leadership through change and responsible business.
Justin was awarded a CBE in HM The Queen’s New Year Honours List 2011 for services to the retail industry, and named Most Admired Business Leader by Management Today in 2013.
He launched Made by Sport in 2019. Having raised and distributed over £6m to charities that use sport for social good, MBS has handed over to Sported to take the campaign forward.moreless
OVO Energy is a UK-based energy supplier known for its renewable energy offerings and innovative tariffs. It prioritises sustainability, offering smart energy solutions to customers. With a focus on transparency and customer service, it aims to revolutionise the energy industry.
Allwyn, the UK trading name for SAZKA Group, is Europe's leading lottery operator. SAZKA Group is led by an industry-leading team in the UK as well as international experts.
Based in London, Terra Firma (TF) is one of Europe’s top private equity firms. The meaning, solid ground, is to reflect the firm’s stable and unique approach which is to invest in asset-rich companies that operate in essential industries. Before taking on the role of Vice Chairman and Senior Adviser, Justin served as the Head of Portfolio Businesses.
Sainsbury’s is one of the three largest supermarket chains in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury and now has over 1,400 stores across the country and is considered a market leader for its strong online presence.
Asda is one of the United Kingdom’s largest supermarket retailers and was founded in 1949. As part of Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, Asda aims to ensure that consumers benefit from low prices.
A premium American ice cream brand established in Brooklyn in 1961. Häagen-Dazs focuses on using only the highest quality ingredients to offer an authentic, top quality product.
PepsiCo
Sales & Marketing Director
1989
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1990
Cairo, EG
PepsiCo is a multinational food, snack and beverage organisation that oversees the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of their products. The multinational is headquartered in New York and was established in 1965 after a merger between Pepsi-Cola Company and Frito-Lay, Inc.
Mars, Incorporated is an American manufacturer of confectionery, pet food and other food products. The multinational company also provides animal care services. Some of their most well-known brands include M&M’s, Snickers, Twix, Skittles, Pedigree and Royal Canin.
Itsu is a chain of fast food restaurants, shops and a grocery company offering East Asian-inspired food and grocery products. Justin was appointed Non-Executive Chairman of Itsu Grocery in April 2023, following several years as a Senior Adviser to the business.
Non-Executive Director & Member of the Retail Advisory Committee
Jul 2021
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Present
London, UK
itim Group plc is a SaaS-based technology business that provides specialist software to multi-channel retailers. itim helps optimise businesses and stores, allowing them to improve their financial performance.
Annington is one of the UK’s largest private owners of residential property with a portfolio worth over £7 billion that consist of more than 40,000 properties.
EverPower
Non-Executive Director
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
EverPower is a renewable energy (wind power) company that operates as Trireme Energy Development. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, EverPower is a leader in developing and operating utility-scale wind projects in the United States.
PwC is a multinational professional services network with headquarters in London. It is the second largest professional services firm in the world and is one of the Big Four auditing firms.
Staples Inc. is a major American retailer that specializes in office supplies and related products. It was founded in 1986 in Brighton, Massachusetts, and became part of the Fortune 500 in 1996.
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) was established to oversee the planning of the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games hosted by London.
The Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group consists of business leaders from numerous sectors across the UK that serve as advisors to the Prime Minister, providing high-level, strategic advice.
Atrato Capital is an investment adviser that specialises in supermarket real estate and is the Investment Adviser to Supermarket Income REIT (SUPR). Atrato Capital has a team with a wealth of experience as senior-level professionals within the grocery sector.
Drawing on the power of sport to change lives, Justin King launched Made by Sport in 2019. Having raised and distributed over £6m to over 2,000 community-based organisations that use sport for social good, MBS has now handed over to Sported to take the campaign forward.
Justin King and Steve Windsor (Adviser to Supermarket Income REIT) discuss updates on supermarket supply chains, profits and share prices to share their knowledge with the investor community.
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Jan 2011
London, UK
Justin was appointed a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to the retail industry in HM The Queen’s New Year Honours List in 2011.
Management Today named Justin the Most Admired Business Leader for his impact as CEO of Sainsbury's and for achieving the 35th consecutive quarter of growth for the retailer.
