Iceland boss Malcolm Walker this week released his autobiography. And he doesn’t pull his punches. We can’t repeat what he said about Bill Grimsey for legal reasons, but if you thought his comments on the Iceland website were uncomplimentary, you clearly haven’t yet picked up a copy of this very readable, amusing and even more than usually outspoken book.

“With his gimmicks, fun, honesty and barefaced cheekiness, Iceland boss Malcolm Walker has the magic touch”

Adam Leyland, Editor

Yet the more lasting impact comes from Life in the Freezer, the BBC2 documentary that concluded last week. And the real stars are the staff. We were introduced to several salt of the earth types who, despite earning a pittance, showed an incredible devotion to Iceland.

Shop floor staff at Iceland could easily hate Malcolm Walker. He flies around in a helicopter, doling out comparatively tiny sums of money, and lives the high life in a stately home with its own organic vegetable garden. At head office, a Michelin-starred chef does the cooking. But with his fun gimmicks and cheeky grin, they love Walker. And far from putting off potential employees, Life in the Freezer has resulted in a four-fold increase in website enquiries.

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