BHETA has announced the appointment of Claire Smith as its new Sector Manager for Housewares and Small Domestic Electricals, as well as Director of Sales for Exclusively.
Claire is due to join BHETA on 2nd July and will be taking over from Seema Grantham, who will remain with BHETA throughout July to support a smooth handover. Claire arrives with over twenty years’ experience in retail buying across housewares and small electricals, having held senior roles with retailers including Next, Dobbies, Blue Diamond, Beales, TJX, and Voisins.
Steve Richardson, General Manager of BHETA, said: “I’m really looking forward to Claire joining BHETA in the summer. She brings a great mix of retail insight, commercial experience, and strong relationships across the sector. Her perspective as a former buyer, combined with her understanding of the market, puts her in a strong position to support our members and build on the progress we’ve made in housewares and small electricals. I’m looking forward to working with her as we continue to develop both the sector and Exclusively.”
Claire is well known across the industry and brings a strong understanding of both the retail and supplier landscape, along with an established network of contacts. Having attended the Exclusively Show as a buyer over many years, Claire also has a clear view of what matters most to exhibitors and retailers, which will be valuable as we continue to develop the show.
Steve added: “Seema has made a significant contribution to BHETA over the past seven years, and she remains with us through July. She is a well-known and trusted figure in the industry and has played an important role in strengthening both member engagement and the development of Exclusively. We are very grateful for everything she continues to do, and I’d like to thank her personally for her commitment and professionalism.”
Claire said: “I’m really pleased to be joining BHETA and taking on this role. Having worked with many suppliers over the years and attended Exclusively as a buyer, I’ve seen the value the association and the show bring to the sector. I’m looking forward to getting started, meeting members, and working together to build on that—particularly around strengthening retailer engagement and continuing to develop Exclusively.”
