SECURING Tesco chairman David Reid as a speaker was a real coup for local business leaders. But then his dad does live here.

Before addressing the Institute of Directors Wessex branch, David Reid was in Lilliput seeing father Robert ahead of his 88th birthday.

"The Bournemouth air is doing him good. He looked pretty sparky - better than me, I thought," joked Mr Reid as he spoke to business leaders at the Haven.

They heard him outline a simple strategy that in 10 years has transformed Tesco from Britain's third-placed food retailer to UK market leader and worldwide number three.

Tesco owes its triumph to four factors:

1. Be clear about what you do.

"Our mission statement is to earn value for customers and win their lifetime loyalty."

2. Listen to your customers.

"It's fundamental. Trust what your customers tell you. Follow where they lead you. You won't go far wrong.

"We could lose those customers just as quickly as we gain them. Believe me, that is a far more powerful sanction than any regulator."

3. Give staff the responsibility to act for customers.

Each year, "all directors and thousands of managers spend a week working in a store - working the tills, stacking shelves.

"We all dread it when Sir Terry (Leahy) comes back from his week working in a store. He comes back with a list of work as long as your arm."

4. Keep it simple.

"Better, simpler, cheaper. You are unlikely to get approval for a project at board level unless you can prove it will be better for customers, simpler for staff and cheaper for Tesco," Mr Reid added.

Wessex IoD members and guests were treated to a performance by the relaunched Dorset Opera, a charity which encourages young people to perform and appreciate opera.

Dorset Opera is staging Verdi's Nabucco at the Coade Hall Theatre, Bryanston, on August 19 and 20.

Details available from Dorset Opera chairman Alan Frost, 01202 764734 or alan@alanfrost.co.uk