The Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (Amdea) has announced that chief executive Douglas Herbison will retire after 13 years in the post.
Since joining Amdea in 2006, Douglas has overseen expansion of the membership, widened recognition of Amdea’s technical expertise in developing product standards and led innovative campaigns on key contemporary issues, critical for the appliance industry.
Today Amdea represents more than 60 major household appliance brands and works alongside Government, regulators, standards bodies, business and consumer advocates.
Sian Lewis, Amdea’s external communications and affairs manager will take on Herbison’s duties on an interim basis until a new chief executive is appointed.
Interviews are currently taking place.
The white-goods association said that under Herbison’s direction, Amdea was instrumental in the creation of the joint trade associations group (JTA) to propose schemes for improving the UK Waste Electrical and Electronics Equipment (WEEE) system, and won the British Standards Institution (BSI) Industry Leadership award for leading the way in safety standards in the UK and wider world.
Amdea also created its first consumer campaigns to drive awareness of the energy and water savings of high-efficiency white goods, the role of appliances in reducing food waste and most recently, with its Register My Appliance scheme, the importance for home safety of product registration.
Amdea chairman Teresa Arbuckle said: “We appreciate the important contribution Douglas has made to Amdea, and the white-goods industry, in his career within the organisation and wish him well in his retirement.”