Gill Thorpe, previously vice chair, was formally voted in as new chair at the BPMA AGM, held at the National Incentive Show, while outgoing chair, David Lebond, was voted in as BPMA president. Following her election Gill Thorpe presented the agenda for moving the Association forward.

 Gill Thorpe has 23 years' experience in the promotional marketing andproduct sourcing industry. As a board member of the BPMA for the past 14 years, Gill is known for her wealth of knowledge on many industry subjects and issues, and is widely recognised as an industry authority, said the BPMA.

 Gill previously worked within a major marketing agency and business gift house before going on to becoming the founder and entrepreneur behind sourcing company The Sourcing Team, which she has done for the past 12 years.  She is also incoming council member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS). 

 David Lebond, The BPMA outgoing Chairman said: "I couldn't be handing over the mantle of chair to better hands. Gill is an individual who I believe has no equal in her understanding and support of the BPMA and her knowledge and expertise, particularly on sourcing and procurement will be an asset to the BPMA, all its members and the industry."

 At the AGM, Thorpe laid out a new vision for the Association. She said the BPMA would move towards covering every aspect of the supply chain from manufacturer to distributor and to end-user. The BPMA educational Academy would also be grown and nurtured to provide training professionalism across the industry; and a robust procurement support system would cover all members and serve the industry.

 The board of directors was further strengthened with the addition of Andrew Hill of Senator Pens; Graham Winter of PF Concepts; and industry veteran Ian Allchild of IA Consultancy. The agenda of both Hill and Winter will be to strengthen the BPMA's trade side of the Association, while Allchild will provide his expertise as an industry and exhibition specialist.

 The BPMA has also announced a new look, which will bring a fresh redesigned logo to the organisation that has been at the forefront of the industry for more than 40 years. The new branding coincides with a range of new benefits for BPMA members, which were unveiled at the National Incentive Show. This new collateral will be seen on a range of new marketing materials for members, promotional buyers, and on forthcoming industry research and training communications.

 BPMA board member, Stephen Barker said: "This is an opportunity to refresh the BPMA brand in line with our greater emphasis on professional standards, the recent launch of the BPMA educational Academy, and our wider and recognisable work within our industry."

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---