The newly appointed chief executive of the Timber Trade Federation got his first taste of working in the industry at the tender age of 14. John White, now 42, started on the lowest rung, clearing out a store room at panel products specialist Tosh & Co.
“My dad worked for Tosh for the rest of his career after leaving Cuprinol and he got me the job to earn a bit of pocket money – I think I got a tenner!” said Mr White. “I have to say that dad gave a chuckle when he heard I’d landed the chief executive job at the TTF all these years later!”
As that early exposure to the timber sector was also his only one until now, Mr White acknowledges that he’s facing a steep learning curve in his new role and, to kick off his timber industry fact-gathering, he’s embarking on a round of meetings and visits across the trade. In the latest TTF newsletter he also issues an open invitation to members to call him or drop by his office.
“It’s an exciting prospect,” he said, “but even 11 days into the job I realise I’ve got a huge amount to absorb about the businesses, the products, the supply chain.”
But while acknowledging he might be in for an intensive education, Mr White clearly doesn’t believe the development of the Federation should be put on hold until that’s finished. He comes to the job with an extensive trade association background and has trenchant ideas on their role in the modern market place. There’s little doubt he feels these can be brought to bear on the TTF while the learning process continues.
Trade association arena
After taking a degree in politics and American studies at Keele University, Mr White spent a short time in business journalism before joining Trade Association Services. The latter provided administrative functions for a range of organisations that didn’t have their own executive. “It was quite an introduction to the trade association arena. We were acting for the complete spectrum of industries – from baby products and garden furniture, to lard manufacturing,” said Mr White.
The next step, in 1988, was the post of assistant general-secretary at the British Amusement Catering Trades Association (BACTA) which represents nearly 700 companies in the ‘pay-to-play’ leisure machine sector.
It was around that time that industry minister Michael Heseltine slammed the professionalism of UK trade associations, a message that clearly chimed with Mr White. “He told them they weren’t good enough and that he was not going to bother with them. They were not advancing their members’ interests, or professional in the way they talked to government,” he said. “I agreed with most of what he said. A lot of them did act like members’ clubs, all brown shoes and cardigans. They just weren’t proactive.”
BACTA clearly took on board Heseltine’s message, evidenced by the ditching of the old-style ‘general secretary’ title in favour of chief executive, and Mr White, who eventually became acting CEO, was closely involved in its modernisation programme.
His subsequent post, as director of the Federation of Bakers, which he took in 2000, provided further opportunity to help an organisation shake off the old-style trade association ethos.
“This was a very different industry for me, with a membership of big companies in the sliced and wrapped bread sector all employing over 300 people,” said Mr White. “But there were problems. The industry and association needed to improve their reputation and the manufacturers were being kicked around by very powerful retail customers – they weren’t responding robustly enough. We launched an industry-wide communication strategy to boost our reputation – and it wasn’t about just hiring a PR firm. It had to infect everything we did, from answering the phone to trade media relations.”
His time at the Federation of Bakers further crystallised Mr White’s view that a trade body should not accumulate more and more roles. It should focus on areas that directly further the interests of membership and outsource subsidiary functions. “The whole time we should be asking; is what we’re doing effective, is it achieving the right outcomes?”
To strengthen their voice, he added, associations should also tap into the strength and expertise of other trade organisations. “At the Bakers’ Federation we worked closely with the CBI and Food and Drink Federation,” he said. “I am also a great supporter of the Trade Association Forum, which I’ve chaired for the last two years. It allows associations to share best practice.”
Lobbying government
When it comes to the trade association’s vital role of lobbying government, Mr White believes it’s essential to strike early in the legislative process.
“Trade associations can be hugely important in shaping public policy, but we need to influence politicians’ thinking sometimes years before legislation is formed,” he said. “If government understands the timber industry, that will be reflected in the way it regulates. If it doesn’t, you get the cock-ups and, equally damaging, the legislation with unintentional consequences.”
From his initial review of the TTF’s activities, Mr White is clearly impressed with the links and influence established with the departments of the environment and for international development, particularly through the work of Forests Forever.
“I think Forests Forever shows an industry understanding the political agenda on sustainability and the environment and engaging with government on the issues,” he said. “It’s a casebook model for an industry on managing reputational risk.”
He believes the Federation could now develop its lobbying activities further, with his sights set on the DTI and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in particular.
Another key focus for Mr White will be industry promotion. “From what I’ve seen of wood. for good, it’s doing excellent work, but, without reinventing the wheel, I still think we could be promoting much more actively as an industry to government and the market.”
As part of this, Mr White sees potential for giving the TTF and the timber industry a higher media profile.
“Sometimes when the NGOs criticise the industry on environmental questions they’re going to be right and we have to acknowledge that. At others we have to argue our case and explain what we’re really doing and I’ll have no embarrassment sitting in front of John Humphreys or Jeremy Paxman and doing that.”
Mr White also accepted that he’s got tough issues to confront early on, notably concerns about burdens imposed by the TTF’s Responsible Purchasing Policy (RPP), the postponement of the ProWood promotional initiative and the recent exit of some leading members.
“As proof that they’re sourcing legal timber, the RPP should be a valuable tool for members, but I understand the worries about the admin and cost,” he said. “Hopefully the changes we’ve just announced will make it less onerous and it should help that we’ve secured European money to match fund spending by members on improving purchasing systems.”
As for the rethink over ProWood and the timber “promotional premium”, Mr White said there was no cause for embarrassment. “The industry seems to buy into the concept of promoting itself collectively, so it’s not the end of the road. We just need to take another look at how it’s done.”
Reasons for membership
And the recent departees from the TTF are on the “to visit” list. “Until I understand why they left, I won’t know whether we can attract them back. Of course they have a choice on how they spend their money, but maybe it’s a question of communicating the reasons for membership, or maybe they need new reasons.”
Overall Mr White knows he’s in for a hectic few months and will have even more reason to appreciate his leisure time. Home is Wanstead, where he lives with his wife and two daughters, eight and five. Pastimes include following Leyton Orient, reading voraciously and “relearning” to play the piano.
But the TTF’s new chief executive also relishes the task ahead. “I think the Federation and the timber industry have great opportunities and I’m very ambitious for them,” he said. “I also feel very welcome and at home – maybe it’s the memories of Tosh & Co and dad coming home with his chipboard samples!”
