Delivering what looks like one of the best Christmas retailing results of the credit crisis, J Sainsbury boss Justin King is now being courted for bigger things.

As the retail man of the moment, the 47-year-old has been tipped as a possible successor to Sir Stuart Rose at Marks and Spencer, where he spent some of his earlier career. He is also in the frame to take the place of Carphone Warehouse co-founder David Ross as Boris Johnson's principal adviser on the 2012 Olympics.