We are pleased to announce the formal appointment of three new Directors to our Non-Executive Board of Directors who will help to drive the Association’s strategy forward. This is an exciting time for the BFA and it coincides with the launch of new Working Groups that are themed around our core strategic goals.
Joining the Board in October 2021 are Jane Wilson, Chief Executive of the William Lamb Group; Rink Bindra, Head of Omni Channel at Tower London, and William Miles, Partner at Briffa.
All three were chosen following a stringent recruitment process hosted by the BFA Nominations Committee, made up of Vanessa Podmore, Leader and Founder of Podmore Consulting; Dan Gyves, Director of Esska, and Mike Watson-Smith, Sourcing Director at Dr. Martens.
Lucy Reece Raybould, Chief Executive Officer of the BFA, says: “More than 50 BFA Members enquired about joining our Board of Directors and we received more than 20 formal applications. We had so many amazing people step forward and it really is a testament to the resilience and optimism being demonstrated by our Members and the continuing success of our new Association-wide strategy, which is inspiring confidence and collaboration.”
Jane Wilson has an impressive history in the footwear sector, having worked at Start-Rite Shoes, ECCO and Clarks International before becoming the Chief Executive of the William Lamb Group in 2018. She is also a Partner in MOOT Management Consulting.
On joining the BFA Board of Directors, she says: “I am proud to be joining the Board of the BFA. I have been impressed, particularly during lockdown, with the engagement and commitment from the current Board to support and represent its Members during some of the most challenging times in recent years. I look forward to playing my part, helping to drive the agenda and create a vibrant, relevant and effective body representing all facets of the footwear industry.”
Rink Bindra joins the BFA Board with a strong commercial background and plenty of entrepreneurial experience. He has spent the last nine years in the footwear trade.
Bindra says: “As Head of Omni Channel at Tower with responsibility for retail, online and logistics, I revel in the daily challenge of being involved in the running of a fast-moving fashion footwear business. It’s a total honour for me to be asked to become a Director of the BFA. I am excited to work with the entire Board and develop the changes the Association has planned and has already started to implement.”
Finally, William Miles is an intellectual property lawyer and has been advising BFA Members and clients in the footwear industry for more than seven years. He is particularly focused on dispute resolution and litigation.
He says: “I am delighted to be joining the BFA’s Board and, as an industry ‘outsider,’ I hope to bring a new perspective to the role. The BFA is a brilliant organisation and I know just how vital its work is to its Members. I relish the opportunity to contribute to this in any way possible.”
This trio of new Directors will join existing Board Members Robert Perkins, Chairman of Bridgehouse Consulting; William Church, Joint Managing Director of Cheaney Shoes; Paul Savrimoothoo, Commercial Director at Pentland Brands, in addition to Vanessa Podmore and Mike Watson Smith. Stepping down from their roles on the BFA Board of Directors are Daniel Gyves of Esska and Daniel Rubin, Founder and CEO of The Dune Group.
These changes at the Director level come at an exciting time for the BFA, which has also announced the establishment of four Working Groups, each themed to address one of the Association’s core areas of focus: Commerce & Trade; Marketing & Representation; Production, Training & Future Technologies, and Sustainability & Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG).
Representatives include trailblazers from leading footwear brands and businesses in the BFA membership community, including Jacobson Group, Charles Clinkard, Schuh, T&A Footwear, Marsh Footwear Brands, Dr. Martens, Vivobarefoot and John Lobb.
Lucy Reece Raybould adds: “This is just the start. We hope from now on there will be a continuous process of new Directors stepping onto the Board to help drive our Association forward. In addition, our four Working Groups will set the stage for the BFA’s development, and I believe these panels will be the stepping-stones for new our Directors of the future.”
Find out more about becoming a member of the BFA, here.
