Ian Doherty, Chief Executive of Owlett-Jaton, retired on 31 March.

Following an extensive career in distributive businesses, Doherty joined Owlett-Jaton in 2016. He brought a passion for customer service along with extensive hands-on experience in sales, marketing and supply chain operations.

Doherty has guided the wholesale supplier through many strategic challenges during his leadership, including Brexit, Covid, shipping disruptions, UKCA and CBAM. Notably, in 2020, he consolidated multiple trading divisions into one, Owlett-Jaton, a move that has helped lead the business into its next phase of growth.  

In addition to his role at Owlett-Jaton, for the last five years, Doherty has been Chairman of the British and Irish Association of Fastener Distributors (BIAFD), and its representative to the European Federation of Distributor Associations (EFDA).

After university, Doherty served in the British Army and then joined Unilever, pursuing a career with the consumer goods giant for nearly twenty years. During that time, he qualified as an accountant and held a number of roles in finance, sales and marketing, and supply chain. Latterly, he was Managing Director of a Unilever ice cream business in Australia.

Back in the UK, a series of senior positions reinforced his supply chain expertise, including running a big stationery wholesaler.

Tony Williams, Sales Director, said: “We appreciate Ian’s contribution to Owlett-Jaton over the last eight and a half years and wish him well in his future endeavours”.

Andrew Ballantine, COO of Newbury Investments, will act as interim Managing Director until a successor is in place. Doherty will continue to support the business in a non-executive role. A further announcement on the appointment of his successor will be supplied in due course.