General Secretary of the European DIY Retail Association (EDRA) and Global Home Improvement Network (GHIN). 119 Home Centres Companies globally are now members of the association. EDRA/GHIN Members have 18,600 stores and operate in 96 countries with sales exceeding € 210 Billion.

Our first Summit in 2010 attracted just 300 delegates. Almost every year we have seen an increase in delegates and now we can always expect over 1,000 from over 50 countries, many of them CEO's of home improvement companies to attend this Global event. Our next physical event will take place in Copenhagen in June 2022.

I had the most exhilarating but such a short time spent with the Home Depot EXPO Design Centre which I consider to have been a most brilliant concept and living in "heaven" at Dana Point Califormia.I had the misfortune of joining this great company in the Nardella era, described by Conde Nast portfolio as one of the Worst American CEOs of all time.

I spent seventeen wonderful years working for this excellent privately owned family business . I was so very fortunate to work together with the owner Hedmar Knauber, a very fine lady and with a very dedicated capable team. In 1993 Knauber was selected by US Home Centre News, in those days the US leading DIY trade magazine as one of the "World Stores" along with 9 other companies including Home Depot, Hornbach, Lowes, Leroy-Merlin, B and Q, and five more. Knauber was for me, home… Show more I spent seventeen wonderful years working for this excellent privately owned family business . I was so very fortunate to work together with the owner Hedmar Knauber, a very fine lady and with a very dedicated capable team. In 1993 Knauber was selected by US Home Centre News, in those days the US leading DIY trade magazine as one of the "World Stores" along with 9 other companies including Home Depot, Hornbach, Lowes, Leroy-Merlin, B and Q, and five more. Knauber was for me, home improvement retailing at its very best! Show less

In those days the late 70s..., I thought when I worked for the Schaper Group, how unfortunate the German consumers were to have such poor food retailing standards compared to the UK. " if only we could organise our company without the customers...it would be so much easier...! However I later discovered Marktkauf and there the management was much better. Leaving Continent (Schaper Gruppe) at the time and working for Marktkauf was like leaving a war zone and entering Switzerland!

Sainsbury's and British Home stores revolutionary first joint venture Hypermarket SavaCentre. Had the huge pleasure of meeting JD Sainsbury "Retail is detail" now Baron Sainsbury of Preston Candover and the Roy Griffiths the Managing Director ....and Colin Patterson the Managing Director of British Home Stores,