John Jones, managing partner of Philip Morris & Son in Hereford, has stepped down as president of the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) after completing his two-year term. Karen Forret, managing director and owner of Scottish independent multiple retailer Wilkies, succeeded him at Bira’s annual general meeting this month.
Bira works with more than 6,000 independent retailers across the UK. The change at the top of the association follows a period that Jones described as challenging for independent retailers, and he used his departure to underline the role Bira plays in helping them achieve collectively what they cannot achieve individually.
Leadership transition
Jones said serving as Bira president had been a huge honour. His assessment of the past two years focused on the pressure facing independent retail, but he also pointed to the launch of the Bira Forum as his proudest achievement. The forum gives members a space to discuss issues, share challenges and access advice, according to the association. Jones presented it as a practical way for members to exchange experience and seek guidance.
Forret takes over as president after leading Wilkies, a Scottish independent multiple retailer. Her appointment places an independent retail operator at the head of an association that works with more than 6,000 businesses across the UK.
High street outlook
Despite the pressures on the sector, Jones said he remains optimistic about the future of the high street. People value the sense of place and community that the high street provides, he argued, as well as the knowledge and service an independent retailer offers. Those qualities, in his view, remain central to why independent shops matter to their local areas.
Jones’s comments connected the high street’s appeal to community, knowledge and service, and he linked that appeal to policy changes on business rates and planning. He identified genuine business rates reform and an overhaul of planning rules as necessary for the high street to thrive.
Adaptation and legacy
Jones also stressed the importance of adaptation. He noted that Philip Morris & Son is 180 years old, but that the business as it is now in no way resembles the business it originally was. In his view, evolving is the key to surviving and thriving.
Bira CEO Andrew Goodacre thanked Jones for his contribution. He praised Jones’s leadership during a tough period for independent retail and described the Bira Forum as a lasting part of his legacy. Jones will remain involved with Bira as Forret takes on the role.