Bira Direct, the buying group of the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has announced the appointment of Bev Bailey as its new head of sales.
Bailey joins Bira Direct after nearly 30 years working within the independent retail sector.
She began her career with Bargain Booze, where she spent almost three decades working alongside independent retailers, with Bestway Wholesale forming part of that experience.
From there, she moved to Blakemore Trade Partners, which supports A.F. Blakemore's independent SPAR estate, where she worked with independent retailers as symbol operators. During her time at SPAR, Bailey launched the innovative ‘Stock and Sell’ scheme, designed to drive promotional activity within stores.
“I'm delighted to be joining Bira Direct as head of sales. My passion has always been working with independent retailers, and even though the buying platform is different from my previous experience, supporting independent businesses is what I love,” Bailey said.
“After 30 years in the sector, I understand the challenges these retailers face and I'm excited to help drive sales opportunities by strengthening the relationships between our members and suppliers."
As head of sales, Bailey will be visiting suppliers and members across the country, dedicating her time to building these crucial relationships. Her role focuses on understanding member needs and identifying how suppliers can better support them, creating clearer working strategies to push sales forward.
“It's about bringing engagement together and understanding what the relationship is now and how we can progress to move it forward,” she added.
Jeff Moody, managing director for Bira Direct, said: "Bev is an exceptional addition to our team who brings decades of invaluable experience working directly with independent retailers. Her deep understanding of the sector and proven track record in developing promotional schemes and supplier relationships will be instrumental in helping our members maximise their sales opportunities. We're thrilled to have someone with her passion and expertise driving our sales strategy forward."
Bira Direct is the buying group tailored specifically for independent retailers by Bira. As a member-owned group, all profits get reinvested to support independent retailers through specialised supplier access, credit terms, exclusive discounts and more.