The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has appointed Jo Whitfield as its new chair, the first woman in its history to hold the role.
Whitfield will replace outgoing chair Andy Higginson, who has been in the position since September 2023.
“I’m honoured to be joining the BRC as its first female Chair, and to be supporting [chief executive] Helen [Dickinson] and her team at such a pivotal time,” Whitfield said.
“Retail is an incredibly valuable industry, employing over 3 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,” she added.
The BRC is the UK’s trade association for retail, representing over 200 companies and brands.
Whitfield, who has 25 years experience in retail, is currently a non-executive director at Asda and a non-executive at Factory International, host of the Manchester International Festival.
She previously founded and chaired The Grocery Girls network and was an advisor and retail sector lead on the Women’s Business Council.
Retailers ‘navigating a truly unprecedented pace of change’
Whitfield said she was “acutely aware” of the many government policies under the microscope which are set to affect retail, after policies enacted in April piled pressure on retailers’ margins.
“This is a critical moment for us all and now more than ever, we need a strong, united voice,” she said.
Selling prices rose at their fastest rate since November 2023 in August, while retail sales fell for the eleventh consecutive month as price pressures weighed on already-stretched consumers, according to data from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
Last week, a group of retail giants issued a direct warning to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, arguing that her government’s tax policies could undermine its key promise to raise living standards.
Eve Williams, incoming non-executive director at the BRC, 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.”