UKWA: changes at the top
Following Peter Ward’s announcement of his intention to step down from his role as UK Warehousing Association’s CEO (UKWA), the AGM on 16 June 2021 confirmed the appointment of Clare Bottle (photo) as new CEO, effective 1 July 2021, and the nomination of Neil Bowker, currently commercial director of Bowker Group, as the new chair of the organisation’s management board.
As representative of the third generation within Bowker Group, a transport and warehousing provider, Bowker succeeds Nicola Ridges-Jones, managing director of MS-Holdings.
Bottle joins from Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, where she was associate director of warehousing. She has led logistics projects for Kuehne+Nagel, M&S, Yodel and Bunzl and served as national logistics manager for Lafarge Tarmac. She is also one of the founder members of Women in Logistics. She became a trustee of CILT and of Transaid, UKWA’s nominated charity, some years ago.
Ward served UKWA for six years after holding a series of major industry roles at director level. He contributed to the “strong growth” of the organisation, as Ridges-Jones explains: “As UKWA CEO Ward has been a passionate advocate for our industry, raising the profile of the association within the sector and well beyond.”
Ward: “Having steered members through such turbulent times (pandemic), I am ready to hand over the reins to my successor, who I am confident will continue to support members in negotiating the challenges of the ‘new world’ and seizing the exciting opportunities that now lie ahead.” (amh)