Louise Polston, commercial director of Alsford Timber, is to chair the Builders Merchants Federation’s BMF London & South East Region, making her the first woman to hold the position.
She will be formally elected to the role at the Region’s next meeting in June.
With a background in sales, Louise moved into construction products in 2009. Her career swiftly progressed through sales management and export operations roles to commercial director, and in November 2015, she joined Alsford Timber.
Louise said: “I am delighted to accept the position of BMF chair for the London & South-East region. There is a wealth of opportunities, training schemes and support functions available via the BMF which I am keen to promote to ensure both the Federation and its membership gain as much as possible from each other. I look forward to networking with key contacts in the region, supporting local members, and ensuring our meetings cover relevant topics that provide clear take-outs for the individual businesses to benefit from.”
John Newcomb, chief executive officer at the BMF, said: “I can think of no-one better than Louise to take on this role. The fact that she is our first female regional chair highlights one of the many diversity issues facing our sector. I know she is a keen supporter of the BMF and our industry, and the fresh perspective she brings to the role can only serve us well.”
