Allan Leighton became a Non-Executive Director of Royal Mail Group in April 2001, interim Chairman in January 2002 and was appointed permanent Chairman on 25 March 2002. After an early career at Mars, he was Sales Director at Asda from 1992 until 2000, where he was credited with helping turn around the then ailing supermarket group, and he became President CEO Wal*Mart Europe in November 1999. He is currently Chairman of Bhs Ltd and Race for Opportunity; Non-Executive Director of BSkyB and George Weston Ltd; Deputy Chairman of Selfridges & Co.