Mike Buttery will take up the role of Business Development Manager. John has extensive sales management experience across a number of markets including toys and clothing and has worked in several retail channels.

He will manage existing accounts and will help develop the company’s business into new stockists and retail channels.

His career began after qualifying with City & Guilds 1, 2 & 3 in Horticulture at Dartington Horticultural College, when he joined a local garden centre.

Karen has a broad range of experience in consumer marketing and her previous roles include head of marketing for high profile leisure destination LEGOLAND and premium chain of health clubs Esporta.

  In his new role, Chris Gaines will be responsible for driving forward Forest Garden’s offering to the garden centre market, as well as strengthening and developing existing customer relationships.

Mike, who joined the company in 2004, will now act as the primary point of contact for all UK and European garden centre accounts.

 Incorporated in 1976, Grand Hall has a long and successful history in outdoor dining and is recognised as one of the largest outdoor kitchen, grill and barbecue manufacturers in the world.

Matthew joined the RHS in 2004 as a trainee student and during his time with the charity has achieved the RHS Master of Horticulture qualification*, which is a degree level qualification for gardeners. He was also the youngest finalist in the Institute of Horticulture’s ‘Young Horticulturalist of the Year’ competition** in 2004.

Mark has been in the pet and aquatic industry all his working life. Having joined Interpet in Field Sales at the age of eighteen years old, Mark brings a wealth of sector experience to the role, including supply chain, operations and sales, as well as in-depth insight into the pet and aquatic industry.

Chloe Hill-Thomas will take on the role as Business Development Manager.  Chloe’s appointment and analytical skills will lead to more driven consumer awareness thereby creating the demand necessary to increase sales. She will specifically work with key accounts both in the UK and Europe to coordinate their promotions and implement objectives and her first sales focused project will be to secure garden centre distributors and wholesalers.

Jordan Wilson joins the company as Junior Sales Executive. With the company currently experiencing strong sales growth, Jordan will be tasked to establish regular contact with the company’s expanding customer base, driving sales and providing help and support to retailers of Group55’s key brands – Acquiesce, Animology, Ridovit and Strikeback. Jordan commented, “I am extremely excited to have joined Group55. There is a great atmosphere within the company, and it is obvious from the conversations I have had with retailers so far that there is a real enthusiasm for our products within the industry. I’m really looking forward to contributing to the further success of the company, and to getting to know more of our customers.”

In his new role, the 35-year-old will source new and exclusive varieties and ranges of plants for the group’s website and 119 garden centres nationwide.

Mark Salter will be concentrating on selling their garden bird range Peckish throughout the country within the grocery sector. Mark has joined Westland after an extensive career in sales where he has worked for eight years at AB Inbev in the multiple groceries, specialist off license and wholesale distributor sectors, and has also managed the multiple grocery channels within healthcare, bathing and soft drinks for Global Ethics

In his new role, Paul will be heading up a team tasked with looking at new ways to grow the business.

Carina Evans, MD of Dog Rocks Distribution has appointed Caroline McLeod as head of Marketing & PR as well as Natalie Trice from Tally PR.  Both appointments will drive consumer awareness of the product to create the demand necessary to increase sales across the UK and Europe. 

Boyd, who has spent most of his garden retail career with Webbs, is leaving to take up an entrepreneurial opportunity within the garden centre sector.

In his new position Paul will oversee the running of three of the group’s top performing garden centres across the country.