Sharp observations will fuel NMBS growth

NMBS has appointed Richard Sharp as its new finance & operations director to bring in extensive experience from across the building materials, timber and manufacturing sectors. His appointment marks a significant step for NMBS, strengthening its ability to support independent merchants and suppliers through ongoing investment, sector growth and digital transformation.

Richard began his career with a business degree before joining National Grid as a finance analyst. After a few years, he transitioned into manufacturing during a time of production operations upgrades. With this new approach to modernisation and streamlining processes, Richard realised his interest in the business side of operations.

To invest more time in this area, Richard took his first steps into construction with Jewson. This led to a long career within the building materials sector. Following Jewson’s acquisition by Saint-Gobain, Richard took on several financial roles, gaining wide-ranging experience across national merchanting, acquisitions, timber importing and roofing. He was later promoted to finance director for Saint-Gobain’s Offsite business, focusing on timber frame housing, panellised roofing systems, roof trusses and steel frame panels for commercial projects.

Why NMBS?

After 25 years at Saint-Gobain, Richard was ready for a new challenge. “I had a very enjoyable career with the business and was allowed plenty of opportunities to gain experience, however, when the NMBS role came along, it felt like a unique business to be part of. I liked the idea of being part of something right in the heart of the builders’ merchant industry, that has significant scale but also can be agile in adapting the changing conditions of our industry”.

“It’s an interesting time to be joining NMBS. It is growing, and digitalisation is developing across the industry. This provides me with some great opportunities to make a positive impact on the business and to support our members and suppliers.”

A smooth transition from Julie Langford

Richard has taken over from Julie Langford, who spent nearly 20 years at NMBS. “Julie’s been very supportive with me, and she is certainly a tough act to follow,” he says. “Fortunately, the finance team here is experienced and highly knowledgeable, which makes the transition much easier.”

So far, Richard has been focused on getting to know the internal workings of NMBS through a detailed induction process. “It’s important to understand what all the teams do before I start focusing more on external relationships with suppliers and members over the next few months.”

Looking ahead

Richard is also keen to support the delivery of NMBS’s digital strategy and ensure it provides practical benefits for members and suppliers. The business has made great progress in recent years with its systems, but there is still more to do to ensure we keep enhancing the value that NMBS can offer to its stakeholders.

Chris Hayward, NMBS CEO, adds: “Richard’s experience across both merchanting, acquisitions, manufacturing and the timber industry, gives him a rare perspective. He understands the pressures and opportunities on both sides of the supply chain, and we’re looking forward to seeing the valuable insights he will bring to NMBS. His expertise and fresh pair of eyes on the business will help us grow and improve our service offering for our merchants and suppliers.”

Learn more about how NMBS is supporting its members and suppliers at https://www.nmbs.co.uk/.