Meet our jud


SHUFQUAT SHAH Senior buyer, Robert Dyas (Theo Paphitis Retail Group)


SUPPLIER CATEGORY JUDGES: STEVE GUY


Head of sales – outdoor, Kingfisher


Shufquat joined Robert Dyas this year as senior buyer, overseeing DIY categories and smart home. He benefits from extensive buying experience, having spent more than nine years at Wickes in a variety of roles, and five years in buying at Woolworth’s working on a number of categories, including outdoor living, garden tools and chemicals & fertilisers.


MIKE FARRANTS Buyer, Wyevale Garden Centres


Mike is a seasoned buyer with more than 16 years’ retail buying experience across business supplies and DIY sectors. Having worked for Staples and Wickes previously, he joined Wyevale Garden Centres in September 2014 and, in his role, he oversees the buying of key categories, including tools, garden machinery and landscaping – using his experience and understanding of the consumer to develop exclusive product ranges and customer-focused category strategies.


GARY HAYMAN Group buyer, Capital Gardens


Gary Hayman is group buyer for Capital Gardens covering all aspects of garden sundries, including chemicals, tools, compost and containers as well as wild bird care and pet products. Gary has over 15 years’ of experience in the garden centre industry, having previously worked for Garsons in Esher, helping to co-ordinate fertilisers and chemicals for the Future Marketing buying group.


PAUL GARLAND Associate buyer – DIY & garden, QVC UK


Paul has worked in the DIY and garden category for over seven years in the buying department, and has extensive experience working in the multimedia and e-commerce sector. For the past four years, he has played an instrumental role in growing QVC’s DIY, garden tools and security departments, introducing some major brands to QVC and overseeing the launch of many innovative and exciting new products from around the world. With Paul’s help, QVC has become a major destination for both DIY and garden products as part of a fast growing home category.


Steve Guy has over 30 years’ experience in the outdoor gardening market, having started his career in wholesale sales at Bridgemere Nurseries, one of the leading garden centres in the UK. In 2000 Steve moved on to B&Q, where he worked as a buyer in the seasonal department and, over the proceeding 14 years, progressed to category trading manager, with responsibility for buying & trading the whole of the outdoor offer. Six years ago he moved to Dobbies Garden Centres in Edinburgh as head of buying and, in 2015, was promoted to buying and merchandising director. Steve re-joined Kingfisher last year as head of sales for outdoor, where he is responsible for unifying the group sales through joint promotions across Europe.


VICKY NUTTALL Director, Garden Industry Manufacturers Association


As a professional marketeer, Vicky started her career in IT, moved into construction and then found her way into the garden landscaping sector, working for timber supplier Forest Garden, where she stayed for over 13 years. In 2014 Vicky became director of GIMA, the Garden Industry Manufacturers’ Association, representing and supporting suppliers in their commercial endeavours within the UK.


PAUL WARREN Owner, Broad Street DIY


Paul has grown up in the DIY industry and now heads up the family business, Broad Street DIY, which was started by his parents nearly 40 years ago. The forward-thinking business has secured a number of awards in recent years, including being named DIY Week’s Retailer of the Year in 2017, thanks to fantatsic initiatives like its DIY clinics and DIY Ladies’ Nights.


PAUL ANDREWS DIY product manager, Home Hardware Southwest


Paul has worked for Home Hardware for more than 25 years, buying across various sectors, including gardening, housewares, heating, leisure and cookware. For the past 10 years he has looked after and grown Home Hardware’s extensive DIY offering.


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