Christine Heffernan 

Group Communications Director 
Tesco 
UK

 

 

Christine Heffernan was elevated to the top comms job at the UK’s biggest supermarket in March 2019, after five years with the firm, most of which had been spent as director of corporate affairs for Tesco in Ireland. In these roles, she worked as part of a team transforming the Irish business and its communications to rebuild trust in the brand.

Heffernan succeeded Jane Lawrie – now global head of corporate affairs at KPMG and also listed in the Influence 100 this year – and joined the executive committee of the world's third largest retailer. At the time of her appointment, then-Tesco CEO Sir Dave Lewis – who was succeeded this summer by Irish businessman Ken Murphy – said she brought “a wealth of experience and business insight” to the role, as well as “energy and deep communications expertise”. Like the other big supermarkets, Tesco has weathered the Covid storm relatively well in comms terms, focusing on its loyalty proposition by supporting its communities with a new fund, and campaigns such as #FoodLoveStories, with dedications to key workers across the UK. For the first time in a decade, the supermarket is seeing customers switching back from discount food retailer Aldi.

Before joining Tesco in 2014, Heffernan had been head of PR at Irish energy company Bord Gais, and spent four years in senior comms roles at Vodafone Ireland. Early in her career, she worked for the European Parliament and as a policy advisor to the Treasury in London.