We are thrilled to launch a brand-new initiative from the British Footwear Association that will champion and celebrate 50 professionals from across the UK footwear trade in six categories. Continue reading to find out more about the BFA Footwear50 with Headline Sponsor Micro-Fresh® and how you can get involved…
Is there someone in your business who deserves recognition? Would you like to spotlight an individual who’s long been a professional inspiration? Have you a footwear mentor who should be applauded by the sector? Now’s your chance to nominate them to be inducted into the BFA Footwear50 2022 in Partnership with Micro-Fresh®.
What is the Footwear50?
The Footwear50 is a new initiative from the British Footwear Association that will profile 50 individuals across six categories who represent the most important, influential and inspiring people in the footwear trade in 2022.
Featuring a sector-wide nomination process, the final list of individuals will be chosen by the BFA Board of Directors and Management Team and presented in a dedicated Footwear50 guide to be unveiled in December 2022. But we need your help. We need you to nominate who you believe deserves to be recognised as one of the best and brightest in our sector.
How to Nominate Your Industry Stars
Nominating is easy. The Footwear50 will include BFA Members and non-members, so who you choose to nominate is entirely up to you. You can nominate as many people as you like. Simply send an email to nominations@britishfootwearassociation.co.uk with the following information about who you are nominating:
• Name
• Job title
• Company/employer name
• Category (see below)
• Supporting statement (100 words or less)
Nominations must be submitted by midnight on September 30, 2022. The Footwear50 for 2022 will be formally unveiled in December 2022. Those who are chosen to be featured in this year’s list will receive an email from the BFA team in September and will be asked to provide a professional bio and a high-resolution photograph by the end of October 2022.
“We are hugely excited to partner with the BFA on this fantastic initiative to recognise the top 50 most inspiring and influential people in the footwear industry. As an innovative business, Micro-Fresh® has always partnered with companies to improve product quality. We support the increased focus of the BFA on championing excellence and are delighted to be the Headline Sponsor of the BFA Footwear50 2022.”
Byron Dixon OBE, CEO, Micro-Fresh®
What are the Footwear50 Categories?
We will be spotlighting 50 people across six categories, which are outlined below. This ensures we can include as many different types of business roles and professionals as possible. If the person you are nominating could reasonably be considered to suit one or more categories, please make that clear in your email to us.
• Retailers – stakeholders at multiple and independent retailers, including buyers, managing directors, business owners and sales managers
• Manufacturers – influential figures at UK manufacturing facilities and workshops, including production managers, owners and business directors
• Design Independents – hailing from independent brands and tenacious start-ups, this category will spotlight emerging and established design talents
• Brands – brand owners, creative directors, head designers and other influential figures at leading British brands will feature here
• Suppliers + Wholesale – recognising individuals at footwear sourcing companies and wholesalers running well-established and growing businesses
• Footwear Supporters – individuals supplying essential services to the UK footwear sector, including finance, legal advice, testing, auditing, trade show support, recruitment and more
“Who makes our industry great? That’s the question we want you to answer by nominating your picks for the BFA Footwear50 2022 in Partnership with Micro-Fresh®. We are thrilled to be launching something new and interesting for the footwear sector that will get everyone talking and give everyone the chance to get involved. Nominate today by email, and let’s see who’s shaping the trade.”
Lucy Reece Raybould, CEO, British Footwear Association
So, what are you waiting for? Get involved today. Forward the link to this blog post far and wide to BFA Members and non-members, so we can best reflect the power players in our UK trade. Would you like to sponsor the BFA Footwear50? Speak to us about commercial opportunities.
When sharing on social media, please use the hashtag #Footwear50, so we can stay in the loop. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to drop us a line at info@britishfootwearassociation.co.uk.
About Micro-Fresh®
Micro-Fresh® is an award-winning invisible technology that contains a natural active ingredient that blocks the growth of harmful and odour-causing bacteria to keep products fresher for longer. Micro-Fresh® supports footwear, textile, hospitality, health care, sportswear, and children’s sectors globally. Our Partners include; adidas, John Lewis, Next, M&S, Primark, Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Clarks Australia.