The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has appointed Jo Whitfield CBE as chair, as Eve Williams is appointed to the board.
Jo Whitfield CBE will succeed Andy Higginson as BRC chair when his tenure comes to an end on 2nd October 2025. Whitfield boats 25 years’ experience in retail, including leadership roles at the Co-operative Group and Asda, and is currently a non-executive and audit chair at Asda.
She previously founded and chaired The Grocery Girls network and was an Advisor and Retail Sector Lead on the Women’s Business Council. BRC stated that Whitfield played a “leading industry role” campaigning alongside the BRC to achieve better safety recognition and a change to the law to protect retail shopworkers.
Whitfield will be joined by Eve Williams, who will take over as non-executive director on the BRC board.
Jo Whitfield, BRC chair-elect, said: “I’m honoured to be joining the BRC as its first female chair, and to be supporting Helen and her team at such a pivotal time. Retail is an incredibly valuable industry, employing over three million people who support their families through their work. It’s also uniquely inclusive and many of us have built our careers from the shop floor or from working-class backgrounds, rising into leadership roles and enjoying fulfilling careers.
“Retailers are at the heart of communities, and we’re acutely aware of the many Government policies currently under consideration that could either support or hinder our industry. This is a critical moment for us all and now more than ever, we need a strong, united voice. I look forward to working closely with Helen and the team to ensure the interests of our industry are championed and protected.”
Eve Williams, BRC non-executive director, said: “Retailers are currently navigating a truly unprecedented pace of change. I have experienced first-hand the importance of the BRC’s work and the strength of its diverse membership to make a positive difference amidst this backdrop. The challenges of sustainability, digital transformation, and creating fair opportunity across the industry are all passion points for me and areas where the BRC has achieved much already – I’m energised to be working with the board on these areas and more as the team continues to influence impactful change.”
Andy Higginson, outgoing chair at the BRC, said: “The last few years have been a challenging time for retail where the importance of the BRC has never been greater. As chair, it’s been a privilege to work with the team as the BRC continued to support the industry with influence, insight, horizon scanning and help in navigating the tsunami of policy changes. I am delighted that Jo and Eve have agreed to join the board and wish them every success in their new roles.”
Helen Dickinson, BRC chief executive, said: “Jo and Eve join the board as we deal with multiple public policy headwinds and more to do on big issues like climate change, inclusion, and creating the right environment for growth and investment. I know how passionate they both are on these areas and particularly on people so it’s great to welcome two more women to our board and our first female chair.
“It has been a pleasure working with Andy and I would like to thank him for his pragmatic, down to earth advice, leadership and support over the past two and half years. We are a stronger organisation for it.”
