Mark Aylwin, who was elected to the position in March 2021, has announced plans to step down from his role as Unitas Wholesale Chairman at the group’s AGM in November after an extension to his term.
Mark had agreed to remain as Chairman beyond his three-year term to oversee Unitas’ strategic development, with a particular focus on supply chain optimisation.
Unitas Wholesale managing director John Kinney said: “Mark’s expertise and advice through what was perhaps the most challenging few years ever for the wholesale channel have been instrumental in ensuring that Unitas as a group has emerged in great shape, embedding a member-centric culture and delivering a significant increase in member’s earnings, which helped our members outperform the market last year.
“Mark joined us as our first external Chairman as we knew he would bring the strategic eye that was needed at that time. We are very grateful to him for staying on, beyond his three-year term, bringing his previous experience as a supply chain strategist to the role of overseeing our new initiatives in distribution efficiency.
“I would personally like to thank Mark for his contribution to the success of the group, and his sage advice for the Unitas board and Executive team. We wish him the best in his future business ventures as we now start the process to appoint a new Chairman.”
Aylwin said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Unitas, but I have decided not to stand for re-election at the AGM in November. Unitas hosts some of the biggest and best wholesalers in the UK and I am proud to have been associated with such entrepreneurial businesses over my three and a half years, and I wish John and the Board, as well as the wider membership, all the very best for the future.”
The new Unitas Chair will be formally announced at the group’s AGM in November 2024.
