Malcolm Walker

Iceland’s down-to-earth boss Walker is a no-nonsense shopkeeper who says exactly what he means. For that reason, he is very powerful, speaking up on issues from the grocery ombudsman to shoplifting.

Walker even spoke out defending former Baugur boss Jon Asgeir Johannesson, who was forced to stand down as the chair of Iceland in May. He left following allegations of a £1.4bn fraud involving the collapse of Icelandic bank Glitnir. However, Walker said Johannesson was the first to spot the turnaround potential in the Big Food Group and was grateful for him having trust in Walker and his team to get the grocer back on track.

Iceland continues to grow despite the tough competition, and part of its success is Walker’s ability to motivate the troops. After beating all their targets last year, Walker took his store managers for a week-long trip to Disneyland in Florida, where they gave him a standing ovation.