Mr James Day

Sales & Marketing Director, Durable,

After a year in the recruitment industry, post studying Business Management and Marketing at university, James spent the next 6 years of his career within the consumer electronics industry managing major retail accounts such as Carphone Warehouse, Argos, Asda, and HMV.

Working for a distributor he would compete for and manage space within these clients headphones, speakers and tech in store ranges. Since joining Durable as a Senior National Account manager, his role has developed over the years through to Head of Commercial and now Sales and Marketing Director where he oversees Durable UK’s complete sales and marketing functions as well as the strategic direction of the UK business.

When asked what the best professional advice he has recieved was, James said

"Focus on the direction not the speed or destination – if you slow down, be patient and get the basics right, career development will take care of itself."

: dayjames/

Ms Amy Hutchinson

CEO , BOSS Federation

No bio provided

: amy-hutchinson-4495533

Ms Rachael Lewis

Sales Operations Director and LOTF Committee Co-Chair , OT Group

Since joining the industry Rachael has had 3 roles. She joined Spicers as Head of Commercial Finance and Pricing, then made a sideways move to Head of Pricing and Margin in OT Group in 2020.  She was then fortunate enough to be promoted in January 2022 to Sales Operations Director at OT Group. Rachael has a team of 30 working across 5 teams with 5 experienced Heads of Departments reporting directly into her. 

Around the time of promotion she also become Co-Chair for the BOSS Leaders of the Future Committee and feels extremely lucky to be in a position to drive a positive future for future leaders in the business supplies industry. 

Prior to joining the industry Rachael worked for a grocery retailer as an Area Manager for 3.5 years and a Director for 4 years. She had joined as an Area Manager straight from University after studying a Business Management degree with a placement year at an oil company.

When asked what the best professional advice she has recievd, Rachael said: 

"Some excellent professional advice given to me along my journey was that is great to take inspiration on style and learn from those around you but to always operate in a way that is true to yourself and in line with your personality as we are all individuals and that is what makes great teams."

: rachael-lewis-884b3932

Mr Richard Smithers

Sales Director ,

Richard has worked within the Office Products Industry for over 28 years, holding roles that span the whole supply chain. Starting at the Dealer end with positions in sales, finishing as dealer Principal before he moved to Spicers in 2013, progressing to Head of Sales, working with their largest dealers to achieve business plans with responsibility for multimillion-pound contractual negotiations. He is well adept at working with multiple stakeholders across multi-functional teams to deliver increased sales and margin, reduce costs and improve efficiency.

In 2020, Richard moved to VOW Wholesale as an Account Director and, in 2022, joined Victor Stationery as Director of Sales for UK & Ireland, Europe and North America.

Richard is a dynamic Chairman of the BOSS North Committee and previously sat on the BOSS Leaders of the Future committee for 4 years. Richard is a keen equestrian who has a 16.2h Irish Sport Horse, which he shares with his daughter. He is passionate about the sport and spends his time show Judging and riding during the weekends.

When asked what the best pieces of professional advice he has recieved received Richard said

"Don't be afraid to ask questions and seek help when you need it."

This advice emphasises the importance of continuous learning and reaching out to others for guidance and support in your professional journey. It acknowledges that nobody has all the answers, and seeking input from colleagues, mentors, or experts can lead to better decisions, personal growth, and, ultimately, success in your career. It encourages humility, open communication, and a willingness to learn from others, which are valuable traits in any professional setting.

: richardsmithersuk/

Mr Alex Stone

Sales Director and LOTF Committee Co- Chair , Office Friendly

Alex joined Office Friendly in 2013 as a marketing intern whilst studying at University. After a successful internship he subsequently continued to develop his career and has had multiple roles throughout the business over the last decade, both in marketing and sales. In January 2023 he became Sales Director and now heads up a team. Alex is also the Co-Chair of the Leaders of the Future Committee. 

When asked the best piece of professional advice he recieved, Alex said

"I’ve had millions of pieces of advice during my life, but the one which resonates with me the most at the moment comes from the High Performance podcast with Damian Hughes and Jake Humphries. They asked Phil Neville ‘What does High Performance?’ And his answer is simply (but very accurately)

‘Doing the best you can, where you are, with what you have got.’

: alexstone93/