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Stephen joined the Board of Trustees in January 2021. He is Chair of Bristol Energy & Technology Limited, Chair of Retail Economics (research consultancy), non-executive director of Timpson Group (privately held services retailer).

Stephen’s career started in marketing roles in fmcg businesses – Unilever, Alberto Culver, Mars Inc, Mattel – before serving on the boards of major UK retailers.

Stephen spent 7 years as marketing director at B&Q before leading the acquisition of Screwfix Direct which he then chaired through a period of strong growth. He went on to become director of communications at Kingfisher plc and took the helm of the Ellen MacArthur sponsorship programme. Subsequently, he worked on the boards of WHSmith and Woolworths.

Stephen was Director General of British Retail Consortium for 5 years to the end of 2012. The BRC represents UK retail, large and small, lobbying governments and near-government organisations, as well as producing key retail data. Through this role Stephen appeared frequently on TV, radio and press to discuss business issues.

Previously, he has been a non-executive board member at Hargreaves Lansdown plc (Bristol-based, FTSE 100 consumer financial services), senior independent director at Clipper Logistics plc, National Portrait Gallery Company, Fresca Group (fresh produce supplier), Sofology (furniture retailer) and Footasylum plc (fashion retail). Stephen chaired Business West and then West of England LEP.

He is a fellow, and former chairman, of the Marketing Society, a fellow of Royal Society of Arts, and a member Emeritus of the Marketing Group of Great Britain.