Therese Procter joined Tesco Stores in 1986, progressing through a number of operational roles both in the UK and internationally working across stores, distribution and head office. Her early career was in new store openings where her focus was on training and development.
Procter moved to HR operations in 2001 and, in recognition of her passionate advocacy of the company’s culture and values, was promoted to personnel director for Retailing Services in 2007 where she led an HR team responsible for supporting this diverse division of Tesco, which included the company’s fastest growing businesses – Tesco.com, Tesco Bank, Tesco Telecoms, and the data analytics firm Dunnhumby.
This included creating and delivering a bespoke vision and values leadership programme for each business; implementing strategic talent management processes; helping managers achieve record levels of employee engagement; and supporting on-going and emerging business development activities.
Having successfully completed the integrated new and expanding businesses into the core organisation, in 2011 Procter became personnel director for Tesco Bank, enabling her to focus her energies on the bank’s ambitious expansion programmes which followed the full ‘decoupling’ of its operations from RBS in mid-2012.
She has a particular interest in creating an inclusive and integrated workplace, which is supported by her active involvement through talent planning in women’s leadership development and supporting women’s networks in other organisations.
Procter is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and is widely recognised as one of the UK’s most progressive HR practitioners.
She has featured in the Top-15 of HR magazine’s list of Most Influential HR Practitioners in the UK on four separate occasions, and in 2010 she was recognised as HR director of the Year at the HR Network National Awards.
Recommended reading
Therese Procter's impact at Tesco Bank
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