Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
It is with great sadness that BMJ shares the news that Peter Latham OBE has passed away following a short illness.
Latham was a well-known figure in the UK timber industry, having joined James Latham PLC in 1973 as the seventh generation of his family to enter the business. As Chairman from 2006 to 2017, he led a period of modernisation, sustainability-focused initiatives, and expansion into panel products and specialist materials.
Latham was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2012 for services to the UK wood industry. Beyond James Latham, he held senior roles in forestry organisations, including Chairman of PEFC, Director of the Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux (ATIBT), and Trustee of the Commonwealth Forestry Association.
In 2018, he received the Timber Trade Journal Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his long-standing leadership in timber distribution and environmental stewardship. In 2019, he was appointed Non-Executive Forestry Commissioner, providing strategic oversight of forest policy, sustainability, and land management across England until 2025.
A tribute from the James Latham team reads: “Over his 44-year career, he became one of the most influential figures in the UK timber trade. Peter was widely liked and highly respected across the industry, and we know the news of his passing will be felt deeply by many.”
