Tesco hires the executive who runs Kingfisher's platforms across four brands as its next CTO

Tesco's own account of the hire uses one vocabulary throughout. The company cited Blatchford's record of modernising technology platforms and applying data and emerging technologies to improve experiences for customers and staff ^[4]. "He has led technology, data and digital transformation at scale," group chief executive Ken Murphy said of Blatchford ^[11]. Dekkers' tenure is described in the same terms ^[8]. In my view this is a continuity hire. The board wants its platform and data programme carried on by someone who already runs that kind of work across several brands ^[3].

A skeptic would say a single appointment is a sample of one. The objection holds. The record here covers Tesco alone, so it cannot show what other large UK retailers want from a technology chief. It shows one board's criteria, in its chief executive's words. Blatchford aimed his own remarks at Tesco's business. "There are so many opportunities for technology to improve the experience for customers and colleagues across the Tesco ecosystem," he said ^[5].

The handover is long. Dekkers joined in 2018 ^[7] and is retiring after eight years ^[6], so he leaves in December 2026 ^[12]. Mustoe takes the acting title at the start of November ^[10], about a month before he goes ^[14]. Blatchford starts in March 2027 ^[1], roughly four months after she steps in ^[13]. Tesco did not explain why the start date is March.

Tesco has traded speed for a particular profile. The board accepted a winter with an acting chief to get an executive whose current remit spans four businesses ^[3]. It kept the interim role inside its own technology team ^[10]. Dekkers welcomed his successor. "I know the team will continue to go from strength to strength under Chris's leadership, and I wish him every success in the role," he said ^[9].