Distinguished alumni
Tony DeNunzio CBE
BA Business Administration with a Modern Language 1982
Non-Executive Chairman, Pets at Home Plc
Tony was recognised for his outstanding career and global business leadership with a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015.
Tony has gained extensive experience in the European retail and consumer goods sectors as a finance professional, CEO and Chairman. Tony is now the Non-Executive Chairman of Pets at Home Group Plc which he floated in March 2014, is Senior Independent Director at the FTSE listed Carphone Warehouse Plc, and is a Senior Advisor to Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co. L.P. He is also a director of PrimaPrix SA – a Spanish discount chain.
He started his career in a number of financial roles with major international consumer goods companies – Unilever, L’Oréal and PepsiCo. In 1998, he was appointed CFO of Asa Plc and in 2002 was promoted to President and CEO of Asda/WalMart UK, the UK’s number two food retailer.
In 2005 Tony was appointed Executive Chairman of Maxeda, a company taken private by a group of private equity funds. The company was the largest non-food retailer in the Benelux with 12 retail formats covering electronics, department stores, fashion and DIY.
He has also previously been a non-executive director of Alliance Boots GmbH, Chairman of the Advisory Board of Manchester Business School, and Deputy Chairman of Howden Plc (formerly Galiform/MFI).
The Grocer magazine described Tony as one of the UK’s most respected retailers and he won the Grocer Award for Outstanding Business Achievement in 2004. Tony was awarded the CBE for services to the retail industry in 2005.
At Loughborough, Tony resided in Elvyn Richards hall. He is married to Julie and has one daughter, Sophie. He is a keen golfer, skier and traveller.