Former Tesco chairman John Allan leaves Barratt amid allegations of 'subversive' harassment

Mr Allan resigned as chairman of Tesco last week after the supermarket said accusations of his behavior could become a «distraction attention.» Photo: Jeff Pugh

Barratt Developments said its chairman, John Allan, will step down two months earlier than planned due to «destructive» allegations of inappropriate behavior.

Mr Allan said his early departure from a job at Britain's largest home builder is «the result of anonymous and unsubstantiated allegations leveled against me as reported in the Guardian», allegations which he «categorically denies».

The city grandee is being charged by four different women for what they called unprofessional and inappropriate actions.

The company said it did not receive any complaints about Mr. Allan's behavior during his time at the real estate developer. #39;board.

A spokesman for Barratt added that «it is in Barratt's interest to expedite the planned transition to a new chairman to prevent the continued impact of the allegations against John from becoming devastating to the company.»

This came after Mr. Allan resigned as chairman of Tesco last week after the supermarket said allegations of his behavior could become a «distraction».

Mr Allan was due to step down from his position at Barratt later this year , stepping down from the board of directors on September 6. When asked Friday if he was postponing the date, Barratt declined to comment.

This follows the decision of the former president of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) to step down from Tesco after several allegations of his behavior surfaced in recent weeks. Representatives of the city's grandee described the accusations as «simply untrue.»

Allegations made in The Guardian accused Mr. Allan of inappropriate and unprofessional behavior on four occasions. Among them was one incident that allegedly took place at the AGM last year.

Mr. Allan was accused of touching the butt of a senior Tesco employee at a meeting. He was also accused of making inappropriate remarks to two other women on different occasions between 2019 and 2022, and of touching the other woman's butt.

Last week, he called the accusations «completely unfounded, as proven by internal procedures carried out by Tesco.”

Mr. Allen denied all but one of the allegations, admitting only that he commented on the appearance of a CBI employee in 2019, for which he apologized. At the time, Mr. Allan was President of the lobbying group.

Mr. Allan added: “Unfortunately, at the request of the Board of Directors, I am stepping down as Chairman of Barratt Developments Plc effective June. November 30, 2023, before I leave my position in early September as planned.

“A lot has been accomplished at Barratt to be proud of over the past nine years. I wish my successor Caroline Silver all the best as chairman of this outstanding company.”