Mike Newnham joins from Saint-Gobain, having been CEO of its Building Distribution Business, and Managing Director for Jewson.

Drylining, insulation and M&E solutions distributor etag has announced Mike Newnham as its new Chair, which it says is another key step in its ambitious growth strategy.

Newnham joins from Saint-Gobain, having been CEO of its Building Distribution Business and Managing Director for Jewson. Prior to this, he held the role of Chief Customer Officer at Royal Mail for five years, which followed a decade in executive roles at Orange UK including Chief Financial Officer and Vice President, during which time he led the B2B division and later the consumer division.

Newnham says major successes of his career include the significant transformation, growth and subsequent sale of Saint-Gobain’s distribution business in 2023, as well as being part of the team that saw the Royal Mail become part of the FTSE100. 

He adds that his experience of successfully leading strategic transformation and growth with three large organisations in different industries lends itself to helping etag achieve its growth ambitions.

Working across the UK’s major cities, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Europe, etag is a complete system solutions provider of drylining, insulation, membranes, M&E support systems and fixings, which prides itself on creating efficiencies in project timelines and processes through its products and services. 

Recently, etag celebrated its 20th anniversary and marked the occasion by announcing the appointment of Emma Hoten-Pool as Commercial Director, Michael Kelly as Sales Director for the Irish market, and its strategy to build on its offering for customers, suppliers and the wider industry.

Newnham said: “Having the opportunity to join etag was an attractive proposition, with the business having such a strong history and being family-owned with an entrepreneurial culture. This provides a strong platform to begin the next exciting part of its journey.

“We are in a great position to elevate the business’ existing capabilities with new services, to drive significant improvements, building on what we offer to existing customers and suppliers, and striking new relationships with businesses who can also benefit from what we do."

 

“My immediate objectives are to find ways to improve our customer experience, putting people first supported by new digital platforms and new technologies, and ensure sustainability runs throughout our operations.
 

“What’s been clear to me from day one is that etag excels at creating strong relationships with customers and suppliers, and it’s this, along with the team’s expertise and can-do approach, that means the business is in a strong position to grow significantly in the coming years.”