Tesco

MacLaurin joined Tesco in 1959 as a management trainee, then held a number of more senior appointments in its retail operations before being appointed to its Board in 1970. He was appointed managing director in the 1970s and became chairman in 1985.

By the time of his retirement in 1997 Tesco had overtaken Sainsbury's to become the largest UK retailer. MacLaurin led Tesco away from the "pile it high, sell it cheap" business philosophy of founder Jack Cohen. He has claimed his most important act was appointing the right successor, Terry Leahy.^[2]

Vodafone

MacLaurin joined Vodafone as a non-executive director in 1997, becoming chairman in July 1998. He stepped down on the merger with AirTouch Communications Inc in 1999, resuming his role a year later.

Upon his retirement from the board in July 2006, he became an adviser to the company. He was succeeded as chairman by Sir John Bond. He also became chairman of the Vodafone Group Foundation, an independent charitable trust set up to administer charitable and other donations on behalf of the company.

Cricket

MacLaurin has always been enthusiastic towards sports. At Malvern College, he played in the First XI. In his 20s, he played Minor Counties cricket for Hertfordshire. From 1997 until 2002 he was the Chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board^[3] and is now Chairman of the Sport Honours Committee. MacLaurin was President of the Marylebone Cricket Club from 1 October 2017 to 30 September 2018.^[4]

His son Neil MacLaurin has played first-class and List A cricket for Middlesex, as well as Minor Counties and List A cricket for Hertfordshire.

Other

MacLaurin is a supervisory board member of Heineken International.^{[citation needed]}

MacLaurin has been a Chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire.^{[citation needed]} He was also the long-term chairman of the college council of Malvern College.^{[citation needed]}

He is the president of The Enterprise Forum, a not-for-profit organisation that organises meetings between business and the Coalition government.^[5]

MacLaurin is chairman of Paperless Receipts Ltd, a company that works with retailers including Argos, Monsoon Accessorize and Booths.^{[citation needed]}

MacLaurin is honorary life president of Hope for Tomorrow, a UK cancer charity.^[6]