Neville Moore, Chair of the Association of Independent Stores (AIS), has concluded his tenure after a successful period of leadership of the Board, that oversees the governance of our membership.
His commitment to our organisation and his invaluable insights have been instrumental in driving the strategy and future focus of AIS. Under Neville, we saw the return of the first in-person conference since COVID-19, a testament to his ability to inspire and unite Members. His passionate call for active participation from every Member echoed throughout the event, setting the tone for a renewed sense of community and involvement.
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True to his word, Neville recently coordinated and hosted the Northern Ireland Regional Meeting, providing a valuable platform for Members from across the business to connect, collaborate, and ‘do business’. His dedication to fostering meaningful relationships and driving business growth was evident in the success of this event.
Neville not only steps down as Chair but will now also leave the Board, having joined in April 2019.
Sue Kemp, Managing Director said: “On behalf of the Board, we extend our sincere gratitude to Neville for his contribution, leadership and guidance, and we wish him and his business, Ulster Stores, all the best.
On a personal note, I would like to thank him for his unwavering support, and I look forward to seeing him at future events.”
Message from Outgoing Chair
I'm passing the torch, and excited to see what the future holds
"It has been a privilege and honour to serve on the AIS Board again and hold the position of Chair. My own relationship with AIS goes back some 35 years to the early days in my career and it has been good for me personally and for us a business, so it was great to be able to give something back.
How people live and shop continues to evolve, combined that with all of the other pressures that exist in running a small business and it makes AIS more important than ever for our independent sector. I am delighted that at AIS we now have a renewed focus on our purpose and understanding of what is core to Members and supporting them in their success.
I believe that you always get out more than you put in and that has certainly been the case with both being a member of the Board and Chair for the last two years. I would encourage all Members to get involved with AIS and use it to its full potential; we are stronger together.
I would like to thank the Senior Management team at AIS and the members of the Board for their support and service over the last number of years, and I wish my successor, Darryl Simpson all the best as he takes on the role of Chair."
Darryl Simpson, already a valued member of the Board and Managing Director of Aldiss, has been ratified as the new Chair, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the role. Having worked within the membership since 1986 (38 years), previously in Director roles at Oldrids, Downtown and Hills, Darryl will guide the strategic direction and governance of AIS ensuring that the organisation continues to provide exceptional value and support to its Members.
Message from Incoming Chair
Outgoing Chair, Neville Moore says of Darryl: “I’ve known Darryl for many years and admire his practical and commercial approach to business problem-solving with his realistic, data-driven mindset. I wish him well.”
Sue Kemp, Managing Director has said: “I would like to extend a warm welcome to Darryl as our new Chair of the Board. As the 23rd Chair for AIS, his appointment marks an exciting new chapter for our organisation as we shape our strategy to continue to help independent retail and our Members thrive. I look forward to working closely with Darryl and the rest of the Board to lead AIS to new heights."
