Independent merchant buying group h&b has appointed a new CEO, Peter Fletcher. Although he joined a plumbing & heating merchant in Nottingham at 16, he has spent the majority of his career on the manufacturing sector. Recently he was Divisional sales director with Genuit Group Residential Division, aka Polypipe. That, he says, has given him a thorough insight and plenty of experience in leadership within the Industry and the art of negotiation, a process that he relishes and enjoys. Fletcher will be responsible for leading the h&b group’s strategic vision and growth, as well as helping to drive operational excellence and an enhanced member experience.
“I want members to feel the value of h&b membership and for the group to see the value of our members’ success,” he says. “Buying groups are all about buying better and improving profitability and long-term relationships with partnering manufacturers and suppliers, and I am all for that. I always like to think of a buying group as a being like a cricket team, they field together but bat individually. That sense of team ethos, with friendly competition, is vital to the success of h&b. My role will also involve me working with and leading a great team at h&b and to helping them all develop in their roles.”