Page 25 - BOSS Today Issue 10

East, including working in a famously acquisitive. Soon after
kibbutz. This was, after all, the Graeme started it acquired
1960s: Graeme was at college businesses in Bristol and Glasgow
in Liverpool at the height of to strengthen its spread across
Beatlemania. the UK, but the big coup came
But he put his flares and in 1999 when it acquired
incense sticks away, and quickly the century-old John Heath
got down to the business of operation, making it Kingfield
being a sales manager. ACCO, Heath. By then Graeme had a
based in Chicago, was and still seat on the board. “That is really effective because
is the largest manufacturer of He says it was thrilling to the resellers get to know a local
office products in the western work in such an environment. manager,” he says, “not someone
world. But back then it was still “Kingfield Heath had a very anonymous in head office. When
a relatively new presence in the entrepreneurial spirit,” he says. I joined with Steve Harrop, who
UK and Europe. So Graeme, given “All of us were young guns, and had just been made managing the ICR proved it.”
the responsibility for the whole we were not bureaucratic. We director, Office Friendly was the He has raised £250,000 for
of Scotland, northern England, knew that if we wanted to hang sixth largest dealer group in the the ICR so far. The organisation
Wales and Ireland, was able to around with the big guys - who country. This year when I left it is the latest beneficiary of the
make his mark. were then the old John Heath, was the second largest behind sponsored mountain climbs he
It must have been an Spicers and Neville & Gladstone Integra.” organises in the Lake District
impressive mark, because ACCO - we had to act the part. People Yes, Graeme has retired again every November. Climbing
UK became the most successful thought it was easy to get a 30 – but from the industry, not mountains is one of his favourite
part of the international per cent growth rate when you from work. In fact, to wrap up activities, and he lives only an
organisation. As a result Graeme were a small company, but we his career without mentioning hour away from the Lakes so he
was swiftly promoted, and in kept getting it.” the huge work he has done for can enjoy it.
1984 became director of overseas The other difference about charity would be very amiss. But perhaps most importantly
operations for what was then Kingfield Heath as opposed to Over the course of 17 years he for the industry, he became
ACCO Twinlock. ACCO was that Graeme had been managed to raise over £500,000 vice chairman of the BOSS
allowed to invest in the company. through various events for Benevolent Fund last year. This,
Overseas As a result he admits he can Children in Need, an effort he says, is really important work.
He was keenly aware, however, now afford to live relatively which gained him an MBE in the “Revenues are down this year,” he
that this was a role he was comfortably. In fact it was this millennium honours list in 2000. says. “Many Industry members
unlikely to stay with for long. that encouraged him to “retire” The total raised for all charities continue to give freely, but we
The overseas operations he at the still relatively young age now exceeds £880,000. still need more generosity from
was in charge of were not quite of 58 in 2002. our industry towards those who,
the whole world, but the job But it wasn’t long before he Cancer research through no fault of their own,
still involved a large amount of was back in the industry again, Looking around for another find themselves on hard times.
travelling. “It would have been all if only in a part-time role. He charity, he decided to opt for There are some heartbreaking
right if I had been a bachelor,” he came into the Office Friendly the Institute for Cancer Research cases out there, particularly from
says. “But I had a young family.” dealer group as chairman initially (ICR), partly, he says, because he relatively young people.”
So when in 1986 an with a PR and marketing role, thinks it is a light hiding under a Helping the industry, whether
opportunity came up to join but he soon realised what a bushel: it employs 800 scientists through mentoring managers
Alan Hickman in what was then special organisation it was. The who are quietly working away or helping the less fortunate, is
his relatively young Kingfield group is co-operatively run, making breakthroughs in finding clearly in Graeme’s blood.
Wholesale venture, Graeme knew with board members appointed cures for the disease which,
it was a better alternative. “Even by shareholders, and Graeme among other things, killed his n For more inFormation
with a relatively new company thinks the key to its success has father. “It is only in the last ten contact the BoSS
like that,” he says, “you eventually been in giving much power and years that the link between Federation on
got to get home at night.” authority to local managers, smoking and cancer been 0845 450 1565 or visit
Hickman’s venture became even if it is a nationwide group. definitively proved,” he says, “and www.bossfederation.co.uk

November/December 2011 | BOSS TODAY 25

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