PEOPLE 10 MINUTES WITH: HANNAH SUMNER Senior Product Manager with Sika Everbuild.


What is your current role and how long have you been doing it?


My role is Senior Product Manager with Sika Everbuild. I have been here since the start of 2021, although it’s such a great place to work I feel like I’ve been here forever!


What does your role entail? Identifying customer product needs and bringing together the wider team at Sika Everbuild to turn those needs into reality.


How did you get started in this industry? The builder has been my customer focus for the last 20 years. I started in the bathroom industry, then moved to kitchens and joinery for the last 14 before joining Sika Everbuild.


What roles were you doing before and how did they prepare you for this one? I have always worked within manufacturing organisations. I started as a raw materials buyer 20 years ago – focusing on the commercial and technical aspects of the product. Getting close to how the materials were used in the manufacturing process enabled me to move into product development over ten years ago - leading teams to deliver successful product solutions to market.


What would you like to achieve in your role?


Delivering exceptional customer solutions to market whilst developing people to achieve their own individual goals.


What has been the highlight of your career so far (can be more than one!)? I have been fortunate to have been selected for some great leadership programmes over my career so I have first-hand experience of the impact that personal development can make to people’s careers. It was a privilege to be asked to mentor teams of talented individuals through their own ILM journey and to be able to follow their continued progress.


What do you see as the main issues for builders’ merchants and for the construction industry at the moment? The knock-on effects of Brexit and COVID-19, putting pressure on shortages of construction materials.


If you could go back to the start of your career, what piece of advice would you give yourself?


Always trust your instincts.


Football, rugby, cycling, golf or gardening – what keeps you busy at the weekends? None of the above but I am always busy as I have three horses. It’s not all jumping over hedges – there’s a much less glamorous side of horse ownership that involves a bucket and a shovel!


If you’re at the bar – what are you drinking?


Wine, gin or both (separately of course).


What’s your favourite book? Favourite film?


I’m a big reader and it’s not unusual for me to read two books in a quiet week (anything but science fiction). I don’t believe in reading the same book twice, but I made an exception for Ian Botham’s autobiography. My favourite film is National Velvet (1944- starring Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney). I watch it almost every April, before the Grand National.


If you could be a superhero, what super- power would you choose?


Telepathy. Taking the guess work out of a situation could give me more time in my day back. BMJ


ON THE MOVE


Andy Maxwell has joined Digby Stone as Area Sales Manager North, to be part of our external sales team. He brings over 20 years of experience in the landscaping sector.


Stelrad Radiators has appointed Michael Haythorne as its new Supply Chain Manager. He joins Stelrad having worked for High Street and E-commerce market leaders, and plans to work closely with the Stelrad suppliers to mitigate the company’s current carbon footprint.


GROHE has announced the appointment of Matt Brown as its new Leader United Kingdom, LIXIL EMENA, who takes over the role from Simon Andersen. The brand’s former Leader, Finance for the UK, Brown joined GROHE UK as Leader, Finance in 2018, has had a prolific career in Commercial Finance, Financial Planning and Strategy and has held previous roles within leading FMCG corporations such as H J Heinz.


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CCF has appointed Rob Glewis as Regional Sales Director to help deliver the company’s Completely Customer Focused service proposition in the London and South East branches. He will play a critical role in supporting the key development of the local branch teams in order to enter into new markets.


Wrekin Products has welcomed Gosia Kwapisz, an experienced product manager to the team, as part of its ongoing strategy to increase its ability to provide solutions to both individual and industry problems. Kwapisz moves to Wrekin after a successful time as product manager at QEP.


Paul Curtis, has been appointed managing director of Marshalls Civils & Drainage. He joined Marshalls in 2003, initially starting in the commercial landscaping business before leading the linear drainage team and then becoming infrastructure director of Civils & Drainage.


www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net September 2021


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