The Glass & Glazing Federation has today (Nov 30) announced details of major structural changes to the group and its senior management with the aim of uniting and integrating various operational arms, simplifying the structure and reducing duplication.
At the core of the revisions will be the creation of a structure in which senior managers will now work across the GGF Group, focusing on specific business functions rather than operating as separate businesses. These businesses and brands will remain and include the GGF Trade Federation, FENSA, RISA, BFRC, Installsure and Borough IT.
Chief development officer Anda Gregory, who has led the process, said: “At the heart of the restructure is the desire to make the most of the talent, skills and expertise that we have within the GGF Group. Many of our talented people often worked alongside each other but on different brands and with differing goals and objectives. This re-organisation allows our people to focus their skills for the benefit of the whole group, and of course, for our members and customers of our commercial businesses.”
In addition to the existing Executive Management team of Anda Gregory (Chief Development Officer), John Agnew (Group Managing Director), Asha Pyndiah (Finance Director), and Frieda Nahary (Head of HR) the new appointments are:
- Chris Beedel – Head of Advocacy: Chris will take up a new role to ensure that the GGF has full time interaction with Government, Industry and other key stakeholders
- Lis Clarke – Operations Director: Lis takes on the enlarged role overseeing the operations of the UKAS regulated businesses, FENSA & BFRC
- Dave Mechem – Director of Inspections: Dave continues to oversee RISA assessments and audits, along with developing a broader range of technical support for the commercial brands
- Tom Butler – Head of Sales & Marketing: Tom assumes overall responsibility for Group Sales & Marketing
- Irene Akpojaro – Head of Insurance: Irene continues supervising the operation of Installsure and managing all group insurance activity
- James MacPherson – Head of Operational Risk: James takes up a new role covering all operational risk, including Health & Safety, Environment and Training.
Two long-standing members of staff – Peter Stuttard (GGF Head of Membership) and James Lee (GGF Director of Marketing & External Affairs) – have decided it is time for a career change and will be moving on to pursue their careers outside the group.
Anda Gregory added that a number of other appointments will be made. She said: “We are actively recruiting for the position of Head of Membership & Customer Relations, whose focus will be on continuing delivery of value and benefits to our members and customers along with the development of additional membership benefits, with a strong emphasis on the GGF Trade Federation. During the recruitment process, our GGF Regional Managers will ensure it is business as usual for GGF members in receiving the very best service possible. We will also continue to enhance our excellent GGF Technical team which has recently expanded following John Mannell joining the team.
“These appointments are designed to drive the GGF Group and its brands forward to deliver powerful, tangible benefits to our GGF membership, our commercial businesses and to the glass and glazing industries collectively as the primary representative organisation for the sector. We have the very best people in place to deliver some very ambitious plans over the coming years, to offer real value for members.
“The GGF Group is surprisingly complex with several regulated businesses covering UKAS and the FCA. At the core of the restructure has been an imperative that each individual business retains a substantial degree of independence and separate Board, and that we honour our impartiality requirements, which are at the heart of how we operate the commercial businesses.
“The restructure has been comprehensive in its nature to ensure that we adhere to our regulations at all times,” continued Anda. “We’re fortunate to have an Impartiality Committee for FENSA to represent both consumers and the industry and which acts as a sounding board to provide independent balance. It’s been great to have their input into ideas, to ensure we put the proper safeguards in place.”
Managing director John Agnew added: “The reorganisation has required a great deal of planning and consultation and is the work of the revised Executive Management Group that was created earlier this year. These changes have been made after considerable feedback from our members, customers and the wider industry and will allow the GGF Group to deliver an ambitious and dynamic programme of growth and development, for our members and for the glass and glazing industry, at every level.”
