ARCHIE NORMAN, the former Asda chief turned politician, took another step back into the business world yesterday, becoming a senior adviser to Lazard, the investment banking partnership, and its clients.

Mr Norman, 49, rose to prominence as chief executive and chairman of Asda, transforming the ailing supermarket’s fortunes and increasing its value tenfold, before selling to Wal-Mart for £6.7 billion in 2000.

He began his working life with Citibank, but spent most of his early career at McKinsey, the management consultancy. From there he joined Kingfisher as finance director before taking the top job at Asda aged 36.

In 1997 he made his move on Parliament, gaining election as Conservative MP for Tunbridge Wells. However, despite a period as deputy chairman of the party, Mr Norman — a self-declared “can-do person” — soon returned to business, and last year became chairman of Energis, the telecoms group.

He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Cambridge University and Harvard Business School.