BRC appoints former Matalan boss as first female Chair

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has appointed Jo Whitfield CBE as Chair, replacing Andy Higginson, who is set to step down at the end of his tenure on 2 October 2025.

Whitfield brings 25 years’ experience in retail, including leadership roles at Matalan, the Co-operative Group and Asda.

Most recently, she served as CEO at Matalan until October 2024 and is currently Non-Executive and Audit Chair at Asda.

She also founded The Grocery Girls network and served as an Advisor and Retail Sector Lead on the Women’s Business Council, as well as campaigned alongside the BRC to help secure a change in the law to better protect retail shopworkers.

Speaking about her new appointment, Whitfield said: "I’m honoured to be joining the BRC as its first female Chair. Retail is an incredibly valuable industry, employing over three million people who support their families through their work.

"Retailers are at the heart of communities, and we’re acutely aware of the many government policies currently under consideration that could either support or hinder our industry.

"This is a critical moment for us all and now more than ever, we need a strong, united voice. I look forward to helping to ensure the interests of our industry are championed and protected."

Whitfield will be joined by Eve Williams, as a new Non-Executive Director. Williams has held executive marketing and customer roles in both eBay and at ASOS, before being appointed VP & General Manager of the UK eBay business in 2023.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Excutive at the BRC, said: "Jo and Eve join the Board as we deal with multiple public policy headwinds and more to do on big issues like climate change, inclusion, and creating the right environment for growth and investment.

"I know how passionate they both are on these areas and particularly on people so it’s great to welcome two more women to our board and our first female Chair."

Andy Higginson, outgoing Chair at the BRC, added: "The last few years have been a challenging time for retail where the importance of the BRC has never been greater.

"As Chair, it’s been a privilege to work with the team as the BRC continued to support the industry with influence, insight, horizon scanning and help in navigating the tsunami of policy changes. I wish Jo and Eve every success in their new roles."

The BRC is the trade association for UK retail with over 200 retailers and brands in membership and thousands of smaller retailers represented through trade association members.