Our People

Helen leads the team and sets the strategic direction of the BRC. She joined in January 2013 and has been working with retailers for over 25 years. In 2016 she was awarded an OBE for Services to Retail.

Helen is passionate about diversity and inclusion in retail, she acts as the BRC’s Social Mobility Commission ambassador and was previously the Chair of Working Chance, a charity helping women offenders find employment.She is on the advisory board for Pennies, a charity which offers digital charity boxes to businesses, and was previously UK Head of Retail at KPMG.

Stephen leads the BRC’s communications and political engagement team, working across the organisation’s priority campaigns. He is an experienced corporate affairs professional with a background in media relations, public affairs and employee engagement.

Stephen spent his early career at the Department for Transport and Ministry of Defence, and has since held senior positions with BAE Systems, Bombardier and Bupa.

Kris leads the BRC insight offer for its members and subscribers. He joined the BRC in 2022, having worked within the industry for over 25 years. Kris started his career on the shop floor at Tesco and Waitrose and subsequently led insight and operational change teams at major UK retailers including Asda and SSP Group. He has a PhD in applied statistics from a study on retail data and is a visiting fellow of Henley Business School.

Kris is a champion of the opportunities the industry provides to people of all backgrounds and is passionate about simplifying complexity that enables understanding and drives action.

Tom leads the Business & Regulation team covering a broad range of business cost and reputational issues including property, planning, regeneration, taxation, crime, employment, diversity and risk and safety.

He joined us in 2008 bringing previous experience in a range of public sector policy roles and began his career at the Local Government Commission leading reviews of local authorities' structure and electoral arrangements.

Andrew heads up the team focusing on the production, labelling and sale of food alongside the responsible sourcing and production of all retail products. Covering a complex legislative agenda, he and his team work closely with key officials in all UK Governments and Brussels. They are also working closely with key NGOs and partners in the supply chain to improve the way products are made and sold.

Andrew has huge experience in food production from his time with the NFU and before that as Chartered Surveyor managing a dairy estate.

Ian joined us in 2017. He works part-time as a Director and Company Secretary on our board. He has a wealth of experience gained from a career spent in the home shopping retail sector in Chief Executive and Finance Director roles and more recently as a part-time Investor Chair of some start-up companies.

Tracey joined BRC in March 2024 and has responsibility strategically for the People Plan, as part of the overall Business Plan across the BRC, and operationally to ensure the day-to-day HR functions run smoothly and efficiently.

Tracey is a Chartered Member of the CIPD. She brings a wealth of people focused experience from many different sectors.  Her first HR role was in fashion retail, demonstrating her combined passion for people and clothes! She has since worked across financial and professional services, within Investment Banking, Legal, Insurance and Risk Consultancy, as well as in the education sector.

Matt leads the finance team, and is responsible for ensuring the organisation's long term financial health, as well as driving high standards in its day-to-day finance activities.
 
He joined us in 2019, having worked with a range of membership organisations and charities previously. He values transparency and accountability, and strives to support organisations that make a positive impact on society.

Fraser joined BRC in March 2018 and leads our membership, marketing, learning and partnership teams. His remit is to create and deliver membership propositions, products and services that add value to BRC’s Retailer and Associate Members.

He has over 25 years’ experience in trade associations and business-to-business sectors, 13 of which were spent leading marketing at IGD, the UK’s food and grocery trade body. He is also co-founder of innovative start-up tea brand Twist.