EX CL USIVE


‘Everything in front of me is an opportunity as opposed to a challenge’


In his first interview as CEO of CIH (the Euronics buying group), Paul Tyler tells Sean Hannam how raising consumer awareness and sustainability are key issues on his agenda.


Paul Tyler took over as the chief executive of CIH in January this year. CIH is part of Euronics, Europe’s largest electrical


buying group. He joined from appliance manufacturer BSH, where


he worked as channel director, retail and consumer products for 11 years. Prior to that, he was at Miele for 21 years, leaving as


sales director in 2010. Mr Tyler kindly agreed to give Alert his first interview in the new role, so, two days before the Euronics Showcase exhibition opened at the NEC, we met for breakfast at a restaurant in Buckinghamshire, where we talked about his career, the market, and some of the opportunities he sees for CIH / Euronics and their members.


“


I now have 460 bosses, and, in fairness, some people might say that must be a real headache. I see it as a positive


Sean Hannam: Before you went to work for suppliers, you started out in retail, didn’t you? Paul Tyler: My first role was working for an independent called Oxford Electrical Rentals, which had a hi-fi franchise.


I was one of the early adopters of brands like NAD


– that was in 1979. I used to install NAD amps and Dual turntables with nice speakers.


SH: So, did you have a technical background? PT: I did an apprenticeship as a TV engineer – I was fully qualified, and I could mend TVs that had valves and transistors (laughs).


SH: Due to your time at Miele and BSH, you’re perceived as a ‘white goods guy’, aren’t you? I didn’t know you had a CE / audio background… PT: I was proud to have reels of cable and cartridges in my car – I used to spend time with people, demonstrating that if you changed the cable or cartridge, you could start to hear more instruments. I did that for three years, but then I joined Fords


Electrical, which was based in and around Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. It was a mix of white


goods and brown goods and we touched on kitchens. I worked my way up to become assistant manager


of the Oxford store and I was then promoted to manager in Abingdon and then managed the head office store in Witney.


I then moved upstairs and was responsible for


the retail operation, the warehouses and the service department – it was natural for me. I did that for seven years.


SH: And now, after spending 21 years at Miele and 11 years at BSH, you’ve joined CIH. It’s a move back to the retail side, but you’re now heading up a buying group for independents… PT: I now have 460 bosses, and, in fairness, some people might say that must be a real headache. I see it as a positive – we’ve got 460 members who are passionate about our industry and their own businesses. What a great think tank. If I strip out the emotions of how they talk with me sometimes, there’s some real gems in there and it helps us with our strategy and our conversations with suppliers. When I settle into the role, I’d like to see myself as


encouraging them to think differently and giving them ideas, but, ultimately, that’s what they’re good at. Think about what we went through in lockdown – how they legally and safely navigated the rules in place and were there for the consumers in their community. That’s how I believe Euronics, as a group, grew


its share greater than the market. It was a significant amount – more than the MDA market grew in the past two years. Our members found a way of being there – I take my hat off to them because some of them put themselves on the frontline. We were a lucky industry during lockdown. The other part is that the consumer’s behaviour has changed – I believe consumers are now more aware of their high streets.


SH: During lockdown, I think some people fell in love with their local independent retailers all over again, but some people discovered them for the first time… PT: You’re spot on. [Before lockdown] many people had crazy lives – they were racing around. I’ve always done 35,000 - 40,000 miles a year – in lockdown, I only did a few thousand – I was just delivering my mum’s groceries. We all found peace and tranquillity, and we found


our families, our homes and our local communities – people who helped us in an unknown time.


▶ ▶ Editor’s Interview: Paul Tyler 29


Editor’s Interview


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