Awards Supplement
SimonAcresGroupLimited Simon Acres,Managing Director, Simon Acres Group Limited
Whatdoeswinningthisawardmeantoyou?
I’m ecstatic to have received the David Caulfield Outstanding Contribution to the Industry Award. Early on in my career in the KBB industry, I was given training, coaching and support from mentors and colleagues that has stayed withme to this day. More than 31 years later and my passion for training and education remains incredibly strong. Apprenticeships are key to bringing in fresh, diverse talent and, together withmy wonderful team, we will continue to spotlight the real impact apprentices can have when given the right support. Thank you to the BKU team and judges for this very much appreciated award, it means a tremendous amount to be recognised for contributing to the KBB sector.
Howdidyourcareerbeginin this industry?
I have accumulated over 30 years of collective experience in the KBB, Merchant, and Construction industries, having held management roles, initially in B2C at John Lewis PLC, followed by B2B sales with The PJH Group Ltd.
Perhaps my most noticeable role before launching Simon Acres Group was as the former Group Sales Director of Omega PLC, a leading UK Kitchenmanufacturer, where I held 20 yearsof service. I also served as the Retail Corporate Chairman of the Kbsa for a decade.
I launched Simon Acres Group in 2018 with
just myself and one other employee. To now have a team of nearly 20 valued members, seven years on, is a huge achievement. We are the
recruitment partner for some of the biggest players in the industry, which is something that we are immensely proud of and is a testament to our service and professionalism.
Whatwouldyousayhasbeenyour keytosuccess?
Being open to new ideas and willing to collaborate. I amproud to have accomplished the title of End Point Assessor with Achieve & Partners, displaying a profound commitment to apprenticeships in the KBB industry. I amalso a committee member of the training and education committee at the Worshipful Furniture Makers Company, a member of the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network (AAN), joined a Department of Education apprenticeship working group, a board member of The Kitchen Education Trust (TKET) and joined the BiKBBI advisory board. These roles reflect my ongoing dedication to shaping the future of skills development and driving positive change within the industry. These opportunities have been vital in growing Simon Acres Groupand keytoour continued success.
Whathasbeenoneofyour greatestachievements?
Taking on an apprenticeship myself and qualifying as an independent End Point Assessor has been a fundamental part ofmy career. It provides the foundation for Simon Acres Group to be a driving force and advocate for apprenticeships within the industry.
Simon Acres has been honoured with The David Caulfield Outstanding Contribution Award at the BKU Awards 2025
There is a lot of activity going on within Simon
Acres Group to help make apprenticeships more accessible and appealing, for example the ‘Apprenticeship Journey’ docuseries that we are filming with Adroit Services in association with SENSTEC. We look forward to continuing this journey and playing our part in creating a brighter future for the industry.
Ray Isted, Training Specialist, Simon Acres Group, presented Simon Acres with his Outstanding Contribution Award, pictured with host Colin Murray (Left to right: Ray, Simon, Colin) 6 BKU JULY 2025 AWARDS SUPPLEMENT
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