UK: The British Merchants Federation (BMF) is currently restructuring its operations and services with the aim of making the organisation more relevant to today’s merchant industry.
The search is on for a new managing director and a new Midlands HQ. The BMF says it “has a very strong short list” drawn from a first round of interviews, with the second round taking place next month.
Several offices have been identified as possible locations and the BMF says a board member is currently looking in to all options, using their local knowledge to check travel and other logistical issues.
While work continues as usual at the BMF’s offices in Soho Square, the merchant body is currently expanding its London base and has, it says, agreed terms to rent an office in the Building Centre, Store Street, WC1, from 1 September, 2012. BMF policy officer, Brett Amphlett will be based at the new site, which will also provide extra space for London meetings.
The membership is also experiencing a period of change. The BMF reports that a number of previous members are rejoining, and it has also noticed an increase in new members. While some familiar faces have left the current membership administration team, two BMF mainstays, Peter Matthews and Christine Harding – covering the north and south of the country, respectively – will remain well into next year to oversee the current restructuring period and the Midlands’ team transition.
Mr Matthews, says the BMF, is also responsible for the current development of its forthcoming management training programmes: ‘Managing the Future’, the director and senior manager development programme, and the new BMF Foundation Degree.
Meanwhile, moving its accounting function over to the National Merchant Buyers Society has, says the BMF, helped it to simplify membership processes and provide better services. Thanks to the close links between the two membership bodies, the BMF was able to do this at little cost to the organisation.
