The Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA) announced today that the FIRA council has appointed Chris Hayward as FIRA GM with immediate effect, following "a robust and competitive" search process.
FIRA says Chris is an accomplished business leader with extensive experience across retail, shopper marketing, manufacturing and the trade association sector. Most recently, he held senior commercial and consultancy roles in retail marketing as well as hands-on operational experience in the logistics sector. Previously, he spent over eight years as head of education at POPAI UK & Ireland, where he led professional membership activities, managed research and conferences, and developed industry partnerships with major UK universities.
His earlier career included positions as UK MD of GESA, Interim UK GM at Greater Group, and commercial manager at The Valley Group, alongside leading Beswick Design, a retail design and brand communications agency.
Brian Ahern, chair of FIRA, comments: "Chris is an outstanding leader with a proven track record of driving organisational growth and member engagement. The council felt it essential to appoint a hands-on GM who can actively champion FIRA's work and propel the association forward. Chris' breadth of experience across business, retail, and trade association leadership will be invaluable as we navigate industry change and expand our member services, research capabilities, and collaborative projects.
"We are deeply grateful to Sam Brown and the Stevenage team for their exceptional contributions over the past several years. With Chris' appointment, FIRA now has full-time strategic management, which we believe is vital for delivering real value to our members."
Chris says: "I'm excited to join FIRA at such a pivotal moment. The association has a remarkable 70-year legacy and outstanding people dedicated to serving the industry. FIRA's position as a trusted source of research, industry knowledge and networking remains as important as ever. I'm focused on expanding our member engagement, identifying new service opportunities, and building on our strong foundation to amplify FIRA's impact across the furniture and furnishings sector. I can't wait to write the next chapter with this forward thinking organisation."
