Record number of corporate liverymen welcomed among 18 members admitted

A record 14 corporate liverymen were an intake of 18 members admitted to The Furniture Makers’ Company in December.

The 14 new corporate liverymen represented seven of the Company’s near-50 corporate members: Designer Contracts, Headlam, Hypnos, Sealy, Simba Sleep, Sofa Brands International and Wolf Components.

The new members were admitted at a ceremony presided over by Master Brian Ahern at Furniture Makers’ Hall, London on Monday 2 December.

Corporate membership provides opportunities for leading businesses from the trade to support the Company’s charitable activities, get involved with civic events and network with other members.

Each corporate member can elect three company employees to be their representatives and be admitted as corporate liverymen.

The new corporate liverymen are:

Designer Contracts

David Walker BA (Hons) ACMA GCMA, financial director, Designer Contracts

David began his career in 1986 as a merchandiser at the Burton Group’s London head office. In 1988, he transitioned to management accounting, qualifying in 1994 and becoming financial director in 1997. For the past decade, he has worked in flooring contracting at Designer Contracts, focusing on improving site performance and simplifying accounts through KPIs and training. Married with two daughters, David enjoys tennis, running, historical novels, local archaeology, and auditing for his tennis club and church.

Louise Walters, commercial director, Designer Contracts

Louise has worked in the flooring industry for over 25 years, starting in 1996 within insurance claims replacement. She progressed from customer service agent to team leader and, within four years, became manager of a call centre managing flooring replacements for major insurers. Joining Designer Contracts in 2006, Louise is now commercial director, overseeing national supply and installation across the UK. Passionate about the industry, she serves as treasurer of the Contract Flooring Association.

Headlam

John Clark, managing director – residential sales, Headlam Group

John Clark has over 30 years of experience in the flooring industry, and since joining Headlam in August 1992 he has held various leadership positions, including roles at Hadfields and Mercado.  Recently appointed as managing director – residential sales, John now leads a team of residential sales directors, managers and the wider residential team in servicing UK independent retail customers.

Clare Moore, chief people & sustainability officer, Headlam Group

Clare Moore is the chief people & sustainability officer at Headlam Group Plc, where she leads HR and sustainability strategies for the UK’s largest flooring distributor. With over 20 years of experience, Clare has held senior roles at Midcounties Cooperative, Halfords Ltd, and Barclaycard. She excels in creating high-performance cultures, driving people development, and implementing sustainability initiatives.

Hypnos

Gary Cohen, group finance director, Hypnos

Gary Cohen is the group finance director at Hypnos Beds. With extensive experience across various industries, Gary has held senior roles including Interim CFO at Constellia, financial director at Karali Group, and finance director at JW3 London. His expertise spans M&A, business transformation, and financial management, with a strong track record in strategic planning, budgeting, and forecasting. Gary is passionate about team development and has a history of improving financial systems and operational efficiency. He has been a charity trustee for the past eight years.

Stephanie Yule, people and customer experience director, Hypnos Beds

Stephanie Yule is the people and customer experience director at Hypnos Beds, with over seven years of leadership in HR and customer-focused roles within the company. Previously, she held senior HR and engagement positions at Oakman Inns and Phoenix Mecano, where she honed her expertise in talent management and organisational excellence.

Sealy

Neil Clark, general manager, Sealy

Neil Clark was appointed general manager of Sealy UK in May 2024. Previously, he held senior roles at Franke, including regional head of Northern Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa and managing director of Franke UK, overseeing commercial activity across multiple regions from 2004 to 2024. Neil earned an MBA from Strathclyde University in 2004 and gained extensive experience in the electronics industry between 1992 and 2003. He holds an MEng from the University of Glasgow.

Simba Sleep

Nicholas Pink, chief operating officer, Simba Sleep

Nicholas Pink is chief operating officer at Simba Sleep Ltd, overseeing product, marketing, IT, people, customer, and supply chain functions. A 1996 Exeter University graduate, Nicholas began his career at Tesco, leading operational and supply chain projects across Europe. He later joined the leadership teams at Fat Face and WiggleCRC, focusing on M&A and transformation. At Simba for six years, he is passionate about high-performing cultures, efficiency, and team development, while sharing knowledge and building networks.

Paul Blunden, chief financial officer, Simba Sleep

Paul has been chief financial officer at Simba since 2017 where he has helped grow the business from a startup into one of the leading mattress brands in the UK. He is a chartered accountant having qualified at Deloitte following a Masters in Mechanical Engineering at Exeter University. Paul has worked in a variety of sectors holding senior positions in corporate finance, fashion and home retail and ecommerce. In his spare time he enjoys sailing, skiing, golf, travel and spending time with his family.

Sofa Brands International/ Parker Knoll

Mike Storey, group commercial director, Sofa Brands International

Mike has spent over 35 years in the industry starting in the cabinet world with Nathan Furniture before moving to High Wycombe with Parker Knoll.  After 10 years he joined the global word of furniture fittings with Titus International before returning to manufacturing, initially in retail with Natuzzi before starting at Sofa Brands International (SBI) to restart and rebuild Parker Knoll in 2005.  He is now the group commercial director for SBI, managing activities across all brands including G Plan, Collins and Hayes, Duresta and Parker Knoll.

Mike Wyatt, group design director, Sofa Brands International

Mike Wyatt, with over 30 years in the furniture industry, is the group design director at Sofa Brands International (SBI), overseeing design for G-Plan, Parker Knoll, Duresta, The Lounge Co., and Collins & Hayes. His career began at Cambria Mobel, where he advanced to senior designer. At Parker Knoll, he revitalised the brand, contributing to its growth into a £40 million business. As design director at AMX Design, he increased profits by 20% through innovative designs. Returning to SBI, he led G-Plan’s resurgence, adding £15 million in revenue over four years.

Wolf Components

Anthony Joyce, co-founder and managing director, Wolf Components
Anthony joined his family business, Gateway Systems, in 1976, producing machinery for mattress manufacturers. After its sale to Leggett & Platt in 1996, he oversaw European acquisitions and later led L&P Bedding Group’s expansion into Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. Departing in 2014, he joined Steinhoff International as a director, managing mattress manufacturing and brands like Slumberland and Relyon. In 2017, Anthony founded Wolf Components Ltd.

Stephen Baul, co-founder and finance director, Wolf Components

Stephen Baul is an accomplished professional with a career spanning manufacturing and finance. After earning an upper second-class degree from the University of Essex, he began in manufacturing at Brown Butler in Leeds. Joining Delta Group PLC in 1990, Stephen gained expertise in financial roles and mergers. Later, at Leggett & Platt, he became group financial director, overseeing operations in Europe and Asia. In 2017, Stephen co-founded Wolf Components, driving innovation in spring manufacturing.

George Joyce, sales director, Wolf Components

George Joyce is the sales director at Wolf Components. A graduate in Engineering Design, he began in operations, honing his technical knowledge. His proactive approach led to his promotion as commercial & business development director, driving growth and innovation. Now, as sales director, George leads sales and business development, collaborating with senior leadership to optimise processes, advance product development, and ensure Wolf Components meets market needs with excellence.

In addition to the new corporate liverymen welcomed, four senior members of industry were admitted as liverymen.

The four new liverymen are:

David Baldry, group managing director of Hypnos

Hypnos has been manufacturing beds for 120 years and has held a Royal Warrant for bedmaking and upholstery for 95 years.They specialise in supplying luxury, handcrafted mattresses and beds to consumers, hoteliers and royal households. David was admitted as a corporate liveryman in 2022 and has become an enthusiastic supporter of both the livery and the charity.

Mark McCann, chief operating officer of Image Furnishings Group

Image Furnishings Group supplies motion and static upholstery, sofabeds and occasional chairs to quality retailers in Ireland, UK and mainland Europe.Mark was admitted as a freeman in 2021 and is a former chairman of our North West Region.

Mark Richardson, leadership transition manager of Blum UK

Blum UK is the UK branch of Blum, an international company based in Austria that specialises in manufacturing high-quality hardware solutions for the furniture industry, particularly kitchens.Mark has been a corporate liveryman since 2011 and is also now a Corporate Assistant on the Court.

Judith Turner, deputy chief ombudsman at the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman

Judith is an experienced solicitor and ADR professional who practised commercial law in a City law firm before joining Dispute Resolution Ombudsman in 2011.  She is now deputy chief ombudsman. Judith was admitted as a freeman in July this year.

Brian Ahern, Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company, said: “We are delighted that so many different people from the wider furnishing industry understand the importance of joining as members and supporting our charitable endeavours. All members corporate, are invited to participate in the many events in the City livery calendar, which are great for networking, entertaining, as well as having fun.”