Month: October 2021

Could you give us an overview of your career?
I have led the Builders Merchants Federation since 2012, initially as Managing Director and since 2017 as Chief Executive Officer.  Prior to that I held senior marketing, commercial and MD roles within the DIY and housewares industry, notably with H&R Johnson, Sandvik Saws and Tools UK, Addis Group Ltd and Imperial International Limited.  I also maintained a 15-year involvement with BHETA, the British Home Enhancement Trade Association, the last two years as President.

At heart I am still a marketer and hold a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Bradford Management Centre. In total I have spent over 40 years in Sales and Marketing and Senior Management positions after starting my career as a Marketing Graduate with JCB.

What has changed most in the industry over your career?
I have seen a tremendous amount of change during my 9 years in the building materials sector.  For example, there is a definite move towards larger merchant groups now, with funding for mergers and acquisitions coming from venture capital and we are also seeing a huge increase in digitisation and the use of online and mobile platforms.

But the biggest changes have been brought about in response to the Covid crisis. For the first time the whole construction industry came together through the Construction Leadership Council to work with government and coordinate the industry’s response. I sit on the CLC and quite honestly the profile of the building materials sector has never been higher both with government and within the wider construction industry.  Our sector is also at the forefront of the CLC’s ConstructZero initiative, to meet the government’s net zero carbon targets by 2050, which we cannot achieve without the innovative products and systems BMF members are developing.

What’s been the highlight of your career so far?
Without doubt, the last 18 months and being able to support the industry during the biggest crisis it has faced in decades.  When the prime minister announced the first lockdown there was total confusion.  We were being told to stay at home, so what on earth did that mean for our members’ businesses?  The actions we were able to take, particularly within the CLC taskforce, and the information from government that we could then relay to members helped get them up and running in the shortest possible time. The BMF has continued to support them as we have gone through every subsequent stage of lockdown and now recovery which is bringing its own problems in terms of product availability.   I am extremely proud to be nominated for this year’s Outstanding Leadership Award in the Trade Association Industry’s first ever Covid Response Awards.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry?
Be focused, be flexible and get the best possible training throughout your career. Also strive to the very best in your chosen position and career. I never started out with the ambition of becoming a CEO but always wanted to be the very best that I could in each of my roles and by doing this I found myself promoted to the next level.

The BMF recently merged with the Institute of Builders Merchants, which now operates as a separately managed brand of the BMF and has ambitious plans to professionalise the industry.  The IoBM is an independent accreditation body with a structured framework for Continuing Professional Development from apprenticeship to the boardroom, we are working to grow membership and, eventually, achieve Chartered status. This would be a great way for anyone in our Industry to strive to be the best.

What advice can you give leaders when managing businesses and teams through times of uncertainty?
People are your greatest asset, so make sure you have clear and frequent communication across the business.  Good communication breeds confidence and prevents unnecessary speculation and rumour.  It’s important to be visible and available, to listen to concerns and provide answers.  This goes a long way to restore confidence and calm the business.

What do you see happening in the future for the Builders Merchants sector?
These are exciting times for construction with a government pledged to build back better, and to make the UK a leader in zero carbon technology.  The building materials sector has a central role to play here, and I am very optimistic for the future. Merchants have always played an important role in the Supply Chain, but I don’t think they have ever been in a stronger position than they are now in being seen by both the Construction Industry and Government as a vital part of the Construction ecosystem.