Slaven keeps an eye on the future for SWA
NEW president of the Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) Tom Slaven has laid out the roadmap for the future of the organisation as he takes on his new role.
Slaven, retailer director of United Wholesale Grocers, was appointed the new president of the SWA in June, succeeding Julie Dunn who is operations director for Dunns Food and Drinks.
The SWA held its ‘President’s Lunch’ handover event on 15 August where Slaven received the president’s chain of office and paid tribute to his predecessor.
He said: “I am deeply honoured to accept this chain of office to serve as the new president of the SWA. I am fully committed to being an active and engaged president who will work diligently to represent, support and champion our members and the Scottish wholesale sector.”
Slaven also pointed to recent developments with the organisation including the firm’s Local Food and Drink Growth Fund which seeks to support wholesalers and food producers to increase the volume of local Scottish produce being sold through the channel.
Further to this, the new president also revealed that the annual SWA conference will return in 2025, set to take place at a new venue – Ardoe House Hotel & Spa in Aberdeen – on Thursday 5 June.
Colin Smith, chief executive of the SWA, also paid tribute to outgoing president Dunn and discussed what lies ahead for the Scottish wholesaler sector going forward.
Smith said: “Businesses are facing cost pressures from high employee, materials and energy costs. Additionally, an evolving regulatory environment threatens to stymie the sector’s delicate growth, and to navigate these challenges there is a need for strategic investment and growth, a careful review of regulations and a commitment to a just and sustainable transition.
“Despite these obstacles, there is confidence among members that as economies and the sector show signs of recovery, investments will be made that both support business growth and development of our people.”
