After a 30-year franchising career where he’s seen and done most things in the sector, Ian Bradley says one of his favourite things about franchising is that he still learns something new every day.
Proving actions speak louder than words, his latest new experience is working at an advisor company for the first time.
Ian has joined the franchise marketing, recruitment and resales business Chantry Group, in the newly created position of Senior Commercial Manager & Franchise Growth Specialist.
He’ll be using his decades of experience as a franchisor to turbo-charge growth strategies for Chantry’s clients, including energy giant Shell, as well as supporting Chantry’s senior team on the company’s own development.
Ian joins after five years as a Franchise Director building what is now the UK’s first nationwide window cleaning brand, taking the network from zero to 24 franchisees, including through the pandemic. The business won the coveted Emerging Franchisor of the Year award from the bfa and HSBC in 2020.
Previous career highlights include growing and selling his own franchise network, after which he supported the buyer to take the business through a successful IPO; and overseeing the growth of the Riverford Organic Farmers franchise network from its early days towards the household name it now enjoys.
Ian was also elected by his peers to the British Franchise Association’s board of directors during his time at Riverford.
Ian said: “I am absolutely delighted to join Chris and the Chantry team. Having known them for many years, I knew that not only was I joining an extended family, but a business with huge scalability and potential.
“With multiple product and service offerings and an experienced and highly skilled marketing, recruitment and resales teams to work with, my decision to join the Chantry Group was easy.
“The challenges that franchisors will face in the next few years will be our opportunity to partner with them, to develop growth strategies for their franchise networks and to further develop their own franchise brand growth.
“I look forward to working with the team, existing and future clients, and taking the business forwards to fulfill the next stage of its potential.”
Chantry Group MD Chris Cook said: “Special things happen when you have a group of people with the same culture and belief working together. Ian’s approach and ethos perfectly align with our team’s, of always going the extra mile to help people achieve their goals.
“He’s got an enviable track record of growing franchise brands nationwide, with outstanding results across very diverse sectors. Ian ‘gets’ franchise businesses in a way I’ve rarely seen, with an inside-out knowledge of franchisee recruitment, resales and network operations and management.
“Just a few weeks in, clients are already seeing the impact of what he brings to the table. We’re all really happy he’s part of the Chantry team.” Ian will be attending the bfa annual conference this week, so please look out for him and say hello!
