Lord Sainsbury started working in his family's business in 1950, initially taking on a role in the grocery department. From 1992 to 1997, he served as chairman of Sainsbury's, the supermarket chain established by his great grandfather John James Sainsbury in 1869. In November 2006 he left government after eight years service to concentrate on his business interests and philanthropy. He retained the presidency of the company and led successful family opposition to a takeover bid by private equity companies in 2007. When he retired on his 65th birthday in 1992, the company had overtaken its rivals to become the largest supermarket in Britain, had branched out into the Homebase do-it-yourself chain, launched in the US by taking over a supermarket group there, and was recording an annual profit of 628m. He became a director in 1966. The same. David Sainsbury began his professional career when he joined the UK retailer J Sainsbury plc in 1963. In his book, Windows of Opportunity: How Nations Create Wealth, Lord Sainsbury draws on his experience in business and government to assemble the evidence about how growth happens, arguing that it comes not as steady progress but in a series of jumps, based on investment in high value-added firms.He argues that the role of government in 'picking winners' should be at the level . [28], During the 2019 United Kingdom general election campaign Sainsbury donated 8 million to the Liberal Democrats, over half the party's election funding, making its election donations larger than the Labour Party's.[29]. Its efforts intensified during last years Labour conference and are now said to be bearing fruit. [13] He gave another 500,000 on 15 December 2008, making a total of 18.5 million. I am, therefore, helping the Labour party financially, as I dont think democratic elections should be decided by which party is able to raise the most money, and because I want to see Keir Starmer become prime minister as soon as possible.. This fall from around 35% increases the possibility of any takeover attempt succeeding. It was said by the Financial Times to be "one of the biggest donations ever made to a British university surpassed only by a 2000 gift to the university by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He gained an MBA from the Columbia Graduate School of Business in New York in 1971 before becoming J Sainsburys Finance Director in 1973, holding the position for 17 years. David John Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville, FRS, HonFREng (born 24 October 1940) is an English politician, businessman and philanthropist. Sainsburys last large donation to Labour was in 2016, when he gave the party more than 2m. His father, Sir Robert Sainsbury, gave almost his entire stake in the company to David Sainsbury, his only son, whereas his uncle Alan Sainsbury split his stake in the business between his sons John Davan Sainsbury, Simon Sainsbury, and Tim Sainsbury. David Sainsbury became Lord Sainsbury of Turville in October, 1997 and was appointed Minister of Science and Innovation from July 1998 until November 2006. He is the founder of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, and in 2003 received, on behalf of the Sainsbury family, the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy. Sainsbury has given many millions over decades, but his last big gift to the general Labour pot was back in 2010. He was Finance Director of J. Sainsbury plc from 1973 to 1990 and Chairman from1992 to 1998. His beneficial holding became just 7.75% when he regained control of his shares in February 2007 following his decision to step down as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and Innovation in November 2006. As a government minister since 1998, his shares were held in a blind trust until 2007. He was made a life peer in 1997 as a member of the Labour Party, and was on a leave of absence from the House of Lords from 15 July 2013 to his retirement 2021. Alternatively you can write to us at: The Peak, 5 Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1AP, The Gatsby Charitable Foundation, The Peak, 5 Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1AP. John Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Preston Candover, KG (1927-2022), best-known as the former Chairman of one of the UK's largest supermarket chains, has died aged 94. info@centreforcities.org Starmers allies have been claiming for some time that he is attracting back former party supporters from the business world, as well as winning new ones. This brought to an end 129 years of management of the group by the Sainsbury family. On JD Sainsbury's retirement as chairman and chief executive on 2 November 1992, David Sainsbury became chairman. He was Chair of Savacentre from 1984 to 1993, during which time the hypermarkets business grew slowly. An earlier version said the 50m Sainsbury wing to the National Gallery was described by the Prince of Wales as a monstrous carbuncle, but that description related to a previous proposal to extend the building. Read more about The Gatsby Charitable Foundation , David speaks at the Said Business School, University of Oxford, about his new book, Progressive Capitalism, which outlines a thoroughly capitalist approach, but one which seeks to create a fairer and more just society. The former chairman of the supermarket chain was 94. Dedicated to the memory of John Sainsbury, 2 November 1927 - 14 January 2022. Registered Charity No. Sign up to recieve our insights newsletter. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Perhaps more than. Lord David Sainsbury: Lord (David) Sainsbury of Turville was Science Minister in Tony Blair's government from 1998-2007. By clicking to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to MailChimp for processing. * 26/05/2002: The Government has rejected any suggestion of impropriety by the minister over his shareholding in a company involved in genetically modified (GM) foods. Simon Sainsbury (1930-2006), son of Alan Sainsbury, quiet philanthropist who gave away 100 . David Sainsbury who is a grocer and a politician is also one of Britain's richest men and was a multi-millionaire by the time he was in his 20s. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you through the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning. A Labour spokesperson said: Donors are coming back to Labour because they can see we are a changed party that is serious about getting into government and building a fairer, greener, more dynamic Britain. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He is the author of Progressive Capitalism: How to Achieve Economic Growth, Liberty and Social Justice, which was published in May 2013. Spoken contributions. Lord David Sainsbury, former chair of the eponymous supermarket chain, has given 2mn to Labour in a big boost for Britain's main opposition party as it gears up for the next general election.. Product ID: 2682768 / SCAN-IND-02682768. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. Lord Sainsbury was a generous donor to the Westminster Abbey Appeal Fund which raised millions of pounds for restoring the exterior of the Abbey and also Henry VII's Lady Chapel. After the 1983 election, he prompted the party to give more priority to recruiting members and finding a firm financial base; he was by far the biggest donor to the party, and a trustee,[8] giving about 750,000 between 1981 and 1987. Although there were senior management changes, which included David relinquishing the chief executive's role to Dino Adriano and becoming non-executive chairman, there were no new directors or outsiders appointed to the senior management team. In 1996, Sainsbury's announced its first drop in profits in 22 years, and the first of three profits warnings during his chairmanship was issued. Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover is deceased. He ranked 14 out of 50 on the Top 50 Influential Lib Dems of 2020 list the only non-Lib Dem member to feature.[30]. The supermarket's current chairman and chief executive announced the death of the Baron on Friday evening, saying he had lived a "remarkable life". His name was John Davan Sainsbury. He was known to descend unannounced on stores for terrifying inspections and interrogations of local managers. Francesca Sainsbury, daughter of David Sainsbury. The older man was a staunch Tory, as was his younger brother, Tim, an MP and former business minister. John Davan Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Preston Candover, KG (2 November 1927 - 14 January 2022 [2]) was the President of Sainsbury's, a British businessman, and a politician. Voting record. Find out how to address a member Image: House of Lords 2022 /Photography by Annabel Moeller privacy policy. I am proud to be a Cambridge graduate and know both British and foreign universities as a result of my eight . CONTACT US + 44 207 451 2500 (Lines open Mon-Fri, 9:00-17:00. Lord Sainsbury began working in his family's business in 1950, initially taking on a role in the grocery department before becoming a director in 1958, followed by Deputy Chairman in 1967 - a role which he took over from his father. Registered Charity No. [citation needed] He has argued that there are "far too many reshuffles", and that there were considerable benefits to his remaining in post for so long. He was knighted in 1980, and given a life peerage in 1989. At the end of May 2001 the total holding of these trusts amounted to 28 per cent of the Company's share capital[10]. Contact. BBC News (14 July 2006), "Sainsbury quits 'in anger at loans affair', "Sainsbury sets out a different way of operating", "New Labour group Progress rejects GMB union 'outlaw' threat", "Sainsbury-backed Labour groups fined by Electoral Commission", "Electoral Commission fines Progress Ltd and Movement for Change failure to return impermissible donations", "The public wants to know where companies stand on Brexit", "Lord Sainsbury gives to Labour and Lib Dems", "UK's biggest political donor, Lord Sainsbury, to end his contributions", "Labour benefactor Lord Sainsbury donates 25,000 to Scottish Conservatives MP", "Tories raised three times as much as Labour in pre-election donations", "Lord Sainsbury becomes first Briton to donate more than 1 billion to charity", "Sainsbury David John | P/273 - Sainsbury; David John (1940- present); Baron Sainsbury of Turville; Sainsbury Family; Sainsbury's Chairman; politician | The people that made Sainsbury's | People | Sainsbury Archive", "The Queen opens new plant science laboratory at Cambridge Plant Science", "Sainsbury donates 82m for plant research", "Mill Road shopkeeper to take on Lord Sainsbury for Chancellorship", "Brian Blessed bids to be Cambridge chancellor", "Annual Review 2007: Principal's Review", David Sainsbury, Lord Sainsbury of Turville Official Website, Lord (David) Sainsbury of Turville DTI ministers, The Sainsbury Family and Lord (David) Sainsbury, Lord (David) Sainsbury: UK politics profile, SPEAK Profile of Lord (David) Sainsbury of Turville, David Sainsbury Forbes.com: Forbes World's Richest People, David Sainsbury of Turville and Software Patents, The Sainsbury Laboratory funded by The Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts, Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University, The Centre for Mental Health, funded by The Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts, Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom, Chancellors of the University of Cambridge, Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, John Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Preston Candover, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_Sainsbury,_Baron_Sainsbury_of_Turville&oldid=1134482489, Presidents of the British Science Association, Members of the American Philosophical Society, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Articles lacking in-text citations from September 2022, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from September 2022, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2020, All Wikipedia articles needing clarification, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from April 2020, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from April 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, In 1994, Sainsbury was appointed as an Honorary, In 2001, he was elected an international member of the, In 2007, he was awarded an honorary degree in science by, In 2007, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from, In 2008, he was awarded an honorary degree in science by the, In 2008, he was made an honorary fellow of the, This page was last edited on 18 January 2023, at 22:48. Lord John Sainsbury of Preston Candover - the former chairman of the supermarket chain - has died aged 94. Branches more than quadrupled in size, from an average 8,000 sq ft to nearly 35,000 sq ft, and the range of products increased from 4,000 to 16,000, half of them own-brand. registered in England (No6215397). In 2021 The Sunday Times named the Sainsbury family among the most charitable people for the last 20 years with donations of 3.625 billion.[6][7]. Parliament operator: 020 7219 3000 Message service: 020 7219 5353 Postal mail Address your letter to a specific member, and post to: House of Lords, London, SW1A 0PW Bulk mailshots to members are not accepted. Focus areas. This active involvement of the Foundations settlor means Gatsby operates in areas that David Sainsbury is particularly passionate about, and where he believes charitable funding can make a real difference. In 1956, Sainsbury became chairman after the death of his father, John Benjamin. I have a life-long interest in education and have supported many projects in schools and universities through my Charitable Foundation. He was Finance Director of J. Sainsbury plc from 1973 through 1990, Deputy Chairman from 1988 through 1992, and Chairman from 1992 through 1998. Sainsbury also formerly funded the Progress group, associated with the Labour right, and gave a small donation to a Tory MP in 2018. Robert Butler-Sloss, son of, The Hon. Born David John Sainsbury on 24 October 1940, he came into riches after. Mr JD, as he was known within the company, was said to be a retailer to his fingertips, personally tasting each of the companys product lines before it went on sale and approving all packaging designs. He became a director two years later and vice-chairman following his fathers retirement in 1967. He was Chairman of the Governing Body of the London Business School from 1991 1998 and founded and chairs the Institute for Government. [34] He set up the Sainsbury Management Fellowship scheme in 1987 to develop UK engineers into leaders in industry. David John Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville, HonFRS, HonFREng [1] (24 October 1940) is a British politician, businessman and philanthropist. David Sainsbury Net Worth: David Sainsbury is a British businessman and politician who has a net worth of $1.1 billion. [3] Institutions whose creation they fostered include the following: Annabel Sainsbury (married name Annabel Kanabus) set up, with her husband, the international AIDS charity AVERT, and the charity GHE. [20], Sainsbury has also been associated with the Institute for Public Policy Research and Progress. Before that, his last large donation to Labours central party funding pot was in 2010. Cambridge Industrial Innovation Policy is based at the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), a division of the University of Cambridges Department of Engineering. That does not include the latest 2m gift. His donations were typically earmarked to specific projects rather than general day-to-day operations. He was appointed as the companys Deputy Chairman in 1988 and became Chairman in 1992. The former chair of the supermarket chain was a big donor to Blair and Brown but cut off his support under CorbynKeir Starmer's election war chest has been given an extraordinary boost after one of the biggest New Labour-era donors returned to the party fold with a 2m donation, the Observer can reveal.David Sainsbury, who was consistently one of the largest donors under the last Labour . FT Alphaville Stacy-Marie Ishmael. He gave both Labour & Lib Dems c.2m each in 2016, but ring-fenced for their Remain campaign . In a sign he was preparing a return, Sainsbury, who was made a Labour peer in 1997, quietly made a small donation last year to support the work of the shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves. [31][32] In 1993, he donated 200 million of Sainsbury's shares to the Foundation's assets. In 2013 his book Progressive Capitalism: How to Achieve Economic Growth, Liberty and Social Justice was published. The Sunday Times reported in September 2006 that "The Sainsbury family continues to [sell] shares in the 6.2 billion retailer and for the first time their combined holding has fallen below 20%.. The flagship of this fleet of trusts is the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. His name is David John Sainsbury, and he has retired from the House of Lords. [citation needed]. However, he says that along with his wealth he has . When the company listed on the London Stock Exchange on 12 July 1973, at the time the largest flotation ever, his family retained control with an 85% stake. [40] Four days later, a group of Cambridge University alumni successfully drafted actor Brian Blessed as an alternative candidate. Founding family of the UK supermarket chain, Sainsbury's, Principal members of the Sainsbury family, The Sainsbury family charitable interests, Learn how and when to remove this template message, John Davan Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Preston Candover, Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, Baroness Butler-Sloss, David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville, Susan Carroll, The Lady Sainsbury of Turville, DBE, Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University, School of Art History and World Art Studies, National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, John Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Preston Candover, "Marcus Rashford tops The Sunday Times Giving List 2021", "20 years of the Giving List by Alsastair McCall | CAF", The Sainsbury Archive Sainsbury family page, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sainsbury_family&oldid=1109885885, Articles needing additional references from October 2021, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, The Hon. A minister under Tony Blair, Lord Sainsbury gave 2.15m to Labour and 2.125m to the Liberal Democrats in the three months to June. [citation needed] He is associated with[vague] the Labour Friends of Israel. John was the eldest son of Alan Sainsbury, who would also be chairman of the company in the 1960s and become a Labour life peer, and his first wife, Doreen Davan Adams. John Davan Sainsbury became chairman in 1969 on Sir Robert Sainsbury's retirement. [34] In 2009, he allocated a further 465 million to the foundation, making him the first Briton to donate more than 1 billion to charity. RMG5DMY6 - Lord Sainsbury of Turville, Department of Trade and Industry Parliamentary Secretary, at a photo call at the DTI in central London. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. The Queen meeting Lord and Lady Sainsbury on May 22 2019 in central London during a celebration of the store's 150th anniversary (Image: Sainsbury's) Group 28 Our free email updates are the best . Finally in 1969, he was appointed Chairman and Chief Executive until his retirement in 1992. Among them, in collaboration with other family members, was the 50m Sainsbury wing to the National Gallery. Lord Sainsbury, who served as a science minister under Tony Blair and made a peer in 1997, donated 4.2million to nine different Remain groups, using four different aliases. From July 1998 to November 2006, he held the office of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and Innovation at the Department of Trade and Industry, serving in the House of Lords and accepting no salary. Name: John Davan Sainsbury Title: Baron Sainsbury of Preston Candover Born: 1927, eldest son of Alan Sainsbury (Baron Sainsbury of Drury Lane) Education: Stowe and Worcester College, Oxford (reading history) Career: joined Sainsbury's in 1950. We are very grateful for all support, large or small, as we gear up to fight the next general election. In the first nine months of 2022 alone, the figure stood at more than 2.7m. [26], After the 2017 general election, Sainsbury announced he would no longer provide financial backing to party political causes, but will donate to charitable causes. The Head, the Board of Governors and all those involved with the Old Stoic Society were profoundly sad to hear of the death of The Rt Hon the Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover KG, (Grenville '46) on Friday 14 January. He is also the author of two Fabian pamphlets Government and Industry: A New Partnership and Science and Innovation Policies in a Global Economy and is co-author with Christopher Smallwood of Wealth Creation and Jobs published by the Public Policy Centre. Elected: 2008. ", "SAINSBURY FACES INQUIRY ABOUT 2m LOAN - FT.com", Ministers quizzed in donor probe. After receiving the item, contact seller within Refund will be given as Returns shipping; 30 days: Money Back: Buyer pays for return shipping: Refer to eBay Return policy opens in a new tab or window for more details. The halving of the generous dividend yield in recent years may have been a significant factor regarding the family's decision to reduce their shareholdings. He is the founder of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, Centre for Cities and the Institute for . In 2003 Sainsbury was granted the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy. This article was amended on 17 January 2022. 020 7803 4300. Donations to the Tories actually fell by 40% in the third quarter of last year the last quarter for which figures are available. lord sainsbury contact2nd battalion, 4th field artillery regiment. The Sainsbury family as a whole control approximately 15% of Sainsbury's. Ivor Crewe, Anthony King, "SDP: The Birth, Life and Death of the Social Democratic Party", Oxford University Press, 1995, p. 422. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. Lord Sainsbury at a Wedding in Berkshire. Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover obituary Fourth-generation head of the family supermarket chain and generous philanthropist to the arts whose mantra was 'retail is detail' Tuesday January 18. He was elected Chancellor of the University of Cambridge in October 2011. He was also a member of the cabinet biotechnology committee, Sci-Bio, responsible for national policy on GM crops and foods, and as such was a key adviser to Blair on GM technology. Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover, life president of supermarket chain Sainsbury's and a Conservative peer, has died aged 94. Terms. This ran from 1973 until 1995 when the completion of the Lady Chapel was marked by the unveiling of new stained glass in the west window of the Lady Chapel. [36] In 2011, Cambridge's Sainsbury Laboratory opened, paid for by an 82 million donation from the Gatsby Foundation made in 2008. He was Finance Director of J. Sainsbury plc from 1973 to 1990 and Chairman from 1992 to 1998. John Davan Sainsbury, Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover, businessman and philanthropist, born 2 November 1927; died 14 January 2022. Lord Sainsbury's relationship with the Royal Opera House spanned more than fifty years, including a period at Chair of the Board of the Royal Opera House, In 1974 he and his wife, the former Royal Ballet Principal dancer Anya Linden, established the Linbury Trust, which made possible many Royal Opera House productions, including The Sleeping Beauty, Manon, A Month in the Country and John . [14][verification needed], In April 2006, it was reported Sainsbury "faced a possible probe into an alleged breach of the ministerial code after admitting he had failed to disclose a 2 million loan he had made to the Labour Party despite publicly stating that he had." During his 40-year career with the firm . For information about our privacy practices, please visit our John Sainsbury, Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover, who has died aged 94, was the driving force behind the family supermarket chain for 23 years as its determined chairman. He gained an MBA from the Columbia Graduate School of Business in New York in 1971 before becoming J Sainsbury's Finance Director in 1973, holding the position for 17 years. John Davan Sainsbury,Baron Sainsbury of Preston Candover, born November 2nd 1927,died January 14th 2022,according to a statement from the British supermarket chain established by his. In announcing the passing, Scicluna said: "We are all deeply saddened to learn of the death of our Life . He is also a Member of the World Presidents' Organization, the Global Leadership Foundation and was on the Advisory Board of the British Olympic Association for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Martin Scicluna, current Chair of Sainsbury's, has announced that Lord John Sainsbury of Preston Candover has passed away. Lord Sainsbury of Turville's full title is The Lord Sainsbury of Turville. Lord Sainsbury also visited the University's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), which carries out world-leading research into advanced machining, manufacturing and materials and has more than 100 industrial partners, ranging from global giants like Boeing, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Airbus to small companies. The party was also overtaken by Labour over the period. 5 Jun. The Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover KG (Grenville 46) 02 November 1927 - 14 January 2022. Appointed to the board in 1958. Former Conservative chairman Nadhim Zahawi had been battling hard to raise cash for his party before he was fired by Rishi Sunak after a breach of the ministerial code over his tax affairs. The Sainsbury family also has varying political interests. lord sainsbury contact. From 1992 to 1997, he served as chairman of Sainsbury's, the supermarket chain established by his great grandfather John James Sainsbury in 1869. Served as chairman and chief executive from 1969-92. During his time at J Sainsbury he also served on the governing boards of a number of political organisations as well as bodies representing business interests. During the private equity takeover bid in the first half of 2007, David indicated he was willing to let the Sainsbury's board open its books for due diligence if someone offered him a price of 600 pence per share or more. The former chairman and chief executive of major supermarket giant Sainsbury's, Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover, has died aged 94. David Sainsbury read History and Psychology at Kings College, Cambridge and received an M.B.A. from the Columbia Graduate School of Business in New York. He was also a member of the cabinet biotechnology committee, Sci-Bio, responsible for national policy on GM crops and foods, and as such . Judith Portrait, Sainsbury's solicitors, holds a blind trust for Lord Sainsbury of Turville, as well as other settlements. By Peter McLaren-Kennedy 15 January 2022 7:47. If this place doesnt make you smile I dont know what will. Excludes bank holidays) 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG . Newsletter. We use MailChimp as our marketing platform. He received an M.B.A. from the Columbia Graduate School of Business in New York in 1971. The manor house has since been rebuilt as Turville Park, a fine stately home in the village. Lord Sainsbury was a regular donor to the Labour party for years but surprised Westminster by giving the beleaguered Lib Dems two donations totalling a massive 2.1million in 2016. [10] The 'continuing' SDP was wound up in 1990, and Sainsbury changed allegiance back to the Labour Party, rejoining them in 1996. [15][16], In July 2006, he became the first government minister to be questioned by police in the "Cash for Peerages" inquiry. Please complete the boxes below and click the submit button. Posted by ; jardine strategic holdings jobs; how to dominate a neighborhood with real estate farming . According to figures from the Electoral Commission, the Conservatives raised just under 3m from July to September, compared with 5.4m in the previous quarter. Lord Sainsbury, whose mantra was "retail is in the detail" retired from his role as chief executive and chairman in 1992. Lord Sainsbury started working in his family's business in. While a boost for Starmer, the news will cause controversy on the partys left. At this point, David Sainsbury, who had wanted to step down at the end of 1997, made a surprise announcement of his retirement as chairman to pursue his long-held ambition to have a career in politics, after "32 enjoyable and fulfilling years" working for Sainsbury's. Sainsbury's current CEO Simon Roberts described him as "one of the great retailers of his time". European Union and British.