Outgoing Tesco chairman John Allan has resigned another chairmanship following allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

Mr Allan will be stepping down as chair of house builder Barratt Developments on 30 June, the company has announced.

Just last week Tesco announced his departure next month and said the allegations “risk becoming a distraction”.

A successor, Caroline Silver, has been appointed at Barratt.

Ms Silver was due to take up the position from September but her tenure has been moved forward “in the best interests of Barratt” and to “prevent the ongoing impact of the allegations against John from becoming disruptive to the company”.

The company said it had not received any complaints about Mr Allan during his time at the business.

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A senior independent director at Barratt thanked Mr Allan for his work.

“The board is grateful to John for his nine years of service to Barratt,” Jock Lennox said.

“He leaves the company in a strong financial and operational position, continuing to perform well in challenging market conditions.”

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Mr Allan has denied three of four allegations of inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour made by four women in The Guardian newspaper.

The women accused him of touching a Tesco senior staff member on the bottom at the June 2022 AGM and touching a staff member at a CBI (Confederation of British Industry) annual dinner in 2019, when he was president of the organisation.

The article also accused him of making inappropriate remarks.

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Mr Allan has accepted he made one comment about a CBI staff member in 2019 that she found offensive – and he had apologised unreservedly for it.

He said of Barratt’s announcement: “It is with regret that at the request of the board I am stepping down as chairman of Barratt Developments Plc as of 30 June, 2023, ahead of finishing my tenure in early September as planned.

“My early departure from Barratt is a result of the anonymous and unsubstantiated allegations made against me, as reported in the Guardian which I vehemently deny.

“Over the past nine years much has been achieved at Barratt to be proud of.

“I wish my successor Caroline Silver the very best as she takes on the position of Chair of this outstanding company.”

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