IN PERSON IN PERSON: RICHARD HILL
Richard Hill, BMF Chairman, talks to BMJ about the role and his vision.
A VIEW FROM THE BMF CHAIR R
ichard Hill started as chair of the BMF board in April 2020, taking the BMF role just 2 weeks after the start of the pandemic. Since then, he has overseen a Federation that has had to face a multitude of unforeseen challenges. In meeting those challenges the organisation has gone from strength to strength as it supported the needs of its members. So much so that the BMF has seen its membership numbers rise to a thirty-year high, and it has become a key player within the construction industry’s central body, the Construction Leadership Council (CLC).
He says: “Whilst the CLC was formed way back in 2013 with the remit to work between industry and government to improve efficiency, skills and growth, it really came into its own as soon as Covid struck. The BMF was one of several industry bodies invited to join at that stage and it has definitely played to our strength and knowledge of material supply. Our central role on the CLC Task Force brings us into regular contact with Government as well as the wider construction industry, and we have been able to develop their understanding of the role merchants play in the supply chain, and the global challenges faced by both merchants and building products manufacturers in bringing materials to the UK market.” Hill has also overseen some changes to the Board, the formal process of Board retirements allowing space for new faces bringing new, different views and opinions. This coincided with the time the Board was reviewing the strategy for the coming three years, where encouraging the business to continually evolve was considered better than any major change in direction.
The current strategy, as unveiled last Autumn, gives four, clear themes - member value, skills development, supply chain collaboration and government influence with, for the very first time, each theme to be championed by different board members.
“Providing member value is the overriding concern for the board,” says Hill, “We have taken a good look at our own structure to ensure we have the right systems and resources in place to support a growing membership and to deliver member value to over 800 organisations, who all have slightly different priorities and interests.” With this in mind, the BMF is strengthening both its back-office team and is bringing on board a Commercial Director. This is a new role within the BMF and is designed is to proactively increase the engagement and opportunity for the merchant members, with the overall aim of benefitting the value received by all members from their membership of the Federation.
The Regional Managers also play an important role here encouraging member engagement and championing the role of specific Forums, a service that has proved invaluable in meeting members’ desire for peer group networking.
Hill explains: “Our Forums have always been a strong vehicle for member engagement when held as physical events but holding them as virtual events during the pandemic was an unexpected success. We extended their reach to include people who wouldn’t normally be able
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Our Forums have always been a strong vehicle for member engagement when held as physical events but holding them as virtual
events during the pandemic was an unexpected success.”
to travel or necessarily have the time to attend. We will continue to use both physical and virtual meetings in future so as to give access to as many people as possible, no matter where they are based in the country.”
Skills development is another important element of the BMF’s strategy. Two recent significant developments are the appointment of LEAP as the apprenticeship training provider for the BMF Apprenticeship Plus service, and the merger with the Institute of Builders Merchants (IOBM).
While Hill has no direct responsibility for the IOBM, as chairman of the BMF parent brand he has a clear idea of the value it will offer through a framework of accredited qualifications, recognised by employers in the sector. “Apprenticeships will play an important role in the qualification framework and all LEAP apprentices will be offered IOBM Student membership, as an apprenticeship is also a formal learning qualification.”
Hill continues: “Alongside individual study and formal qualifications, the importance of coaching and mentoring cannot be underestimated. For example, every LEAP apprentice on the 12 BMF branded apprenticeships that LEAP currently offers, will be supported throughout by a designated LEAP coach who will help them to build the skills, knowledge, and behaviours that will benefit them throughout their career.
“Finally, the IOBM has just introduced an on-line mentoring support service. This is an exciting new initiative for our sector and I am personally very keen to see this initiative succeed.” BMJ
About
A qualified accountant, BMF Chairman Richard Hill has worked in the building materials supply industry for three decades. Having previously led ACO’s UK and Ireland business for 22 years as Managing Director, he is now Vice-Chairman of ACO Technologies plc and a senior manager within the global ACO Group. He is also a proud member of the Worshipful Company of Builders Merchants and is due to become Master in Autumn 2022.
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net June 2022
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