Senior retail expert named as SRA lay Board member
A customer-focussed managing director with wide-ranging retail sector experience has been named as our new lay Board member.
Paul Loft’s 30-year career has included senior positions at Homebase, Habitat, GUS Home Shopping, Argos, Debenhams and Burton Menswear. After his successful executive career, Paul joined Peabody, the London housing association, where he chairs the Audit and Risk committee and sits on the Finance and Nominations committees.
Enid Rowlands, Chair of the SRA Board, said: “Paul has an impressive track record in leadership positions in some of the high street’s biggest brands in what is one of the toughest and most competitive retail sectors in the world. His commitment to customer service, business acumen and strategic insight will be a great addition to our Board.
“This will complement the range of expertise we already have on the Board, giving us the right balance of insight into what matters to both the public and the profession.”
Paul took up his position on 1 January, with his first Board meeting on 31 January. He joins the Board as Jane Furniss CBE, Professor Shamit Saggar CBE and Paul Marsh ended their tenures as Board members in December 2017.
Enid Rowlands said: “A strong Board is essential to achieve our objectives. Jane, Shamit and Paul have made an invaluable contribution.”
Further information on our Board can be found here:
Notes
The General Regulations say that the Board must have between 11 and 15 members, and that the number of lay members must always exceed the number of solicitor members by one, apart from where a casual vacancy arises. The General Regulations also say that there must be a lay Chair (who will count as one of the pool of lay members).