Following BHETA’s recent investment in Brooke House Exhibitions, making it the outright owner of the Exclusively shows, the combined home enhancement, home improvement and garden trade association is to accelerate its member engagement programme and reorganise its management structure accordingly.
Coming shortly after the Federation of British Hand Tool Manufacturers (FBHTM) joined BHETA, the association will create a number of new roles and a structure designed to spearhead existing and new initiatives in the home and garden market place. It will also drive representation and added value engagement for existing and prospective members in all the sectors BHETA represents, it said.
New COO, Finance Director & Membership Services Manager, while Grinsell departs
Will Jones, currently BHETA’s housewares sector director, will take up the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer, reporting to BHETA Executive Chairman Andrew Weiss. Jones’ new role sees him responsible for overseeing and delivering BHETA’s strategy in all market sectors as well as heading up day to day operations in support of all membership activity including the Exclusively shows.
Paul Grinsell, BHETA’s home improvement sector director, is to leave the Association at the end of May to realise a long-held dream of an extended European and Russian motorcycle road trip.
Clare Holland, currently BHETA’s financial controller is to become Finance Director, supporting both BHETA and Brooke House Exhibitions. Holland will also continue in her position as treasurer of The Rainy Day Trust.
Nicola Adams- Brown is to become Membership Services Manager, with particular focus on export initiatives and member engagement and retention, supported by the member services team.
Three new posts are to be created – a marketing manager and two sector managers, for housewares and home improvement (DIY) respectively. The new marketing manager will oversee all marketing activity relating to the Exclusively shows as well as strategy and implementation for BHETA marketing initiatives in general, across traditional and digital platforms. The two sector managers will be charged with supporting existing members with added value initiatives and enhanced engagement plans in the respective sectors as well as increasing the membership base through recruitment.
BHETA’s Executive Chairman, Andrew Weiss said: “I am delighted to announce the new structure which will meet the requirements of today’s market and provide both the focus and support that is needed to deliver full member engagement and some ground-breaking new initiatives to drive all sectors’ interests. It is also excellent news that we have the experienced leadership of Will Jones to drive BHETA forward into a new era.
“Equally, I am sorry that we are saying farewell to Paul Grinsell who has contributed so much to BHETA’s success over the last three years. He has of course all our best wishes for his travels and for all his future plans.
“The new structure will enable BHETA to integrate the Exclusively shows into the Association fully and to drive a number of new added value initiatives for members and for the overall development of all our sectors. Structuring the BHETA team in this way and recruiting to enhance it will facilitate the strategic opportunities, while ensuring that our new sector managers can focus entirely on members’ interests and on adding to the strength of BHETA membership overall. Recruitment is underway and we looking to make announcements on the new members of the team as soon as possible.”
BHETA Executive Chairman Andrew Weiss explained what the FBHTM & BHETA move means for the hand tool business in February’s Torque Magazine.