Clare Bottle

Clare Bottle (pictured) has been appointed chief executive of the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) with Neil Bowker, commercial director of Bowker Group, taking on the role of chairman.

Bottle is replacing Peter Ward, who is stepping down on 1 July. She joins UKWA from Coca Cola Europacific Partners where she was associate director of warehousing, responsible for managing 3PL contracts and running in-house warehousing operations across the UK.

Her career includes delivery of successful logistics projects as an interim manager for clients such as Kuehne+Nagel, M&S, Yodel and Bunzl. She also held the post of national logistics manager for Lafarge Tarmac before joining Coca-Cola in 2015.

Bottle is also one of the founder members of Women in Logistics and in recent years she has also been a trustee of CILT (UK) and of Transaid, UKWA’s nominated charity.

New chairman Neil Bowker is third generation within Bowker Group, a major transport and warehousing provider and one of the longest serving members of UKWA.

He will take over from current UKWA chair, Nicola Ridges-Jones, MD of MS Holdings (South).

Bowker, speaking on behalf of the UKWA board, welcomed Bottle’s appointment. He said: “The UKWA board is delighted to confirm Clare Bottle as our new chief executive. Clare brings tremendous industry experience to the role, having worked in the logistics arena for over 25 years. She enjoys a reputation for driving change and I have no doubt that Clare will continue to fight for our industry as the head of its leading trade association.”

Commenting on her appointment, Bottle said: “I am passionate about warehousing and logistics and am delighted to have the opportunity to make a difference in the industry in my new role.

“I believe it is vital for the future to attract and nurture best talent to our industry; careers are an essential engine of social mobility and I am committed to making the logistics profession increasingly equitable and inclusive. Above all, it is my ambition as CEO of UKWA to secure for warehousing and logistics operations the place they deserve at the heart of the UK economy.”

Bowker added that he was honoured to be appointed UKWA chair. He said: “The UKWA is uniquely positioned to help it’s 800-plus members and, along with our new chief executive Clare, I look forward to implementing an ambitious strategy during this critical period for warehouse providers, both large and small.”

Ridges-Jones said of Bowker’s appointment as chair: “Neil’s considerable industry experience and expertise will undoubtedly prove a great asset as we move forward from these most challenging times and adapt to the demands of the post-pandemic world. I know that he will bring great focus and vision to his new position and am confident that with Neil as chair of the management board, UKWA is in the safest of hands.”

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