Tony Attard Appointed Chairman of the British Furniture Confederation

After 10 years in the hot seat, Jonathan Hindle is stepping down as Chairman of the British Furniture Confederation (BFC). The new Chairman is Tony Attard OBE DL, founder and Chairman of the Panaz Group.

From left to right: Tony Attard OBE DL and Jonathan Hindle

The BFC was established in 2006 by the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers (WCFM) to represent the industry’s voice to government. Since forming, its Chairs have traditionally been Past Masters of the WCFM. Tony served as Master in 2022-23 and was previously President of the Furnishing Industry Benevolent Association (FIBA) prior to its merger with the WCFM in 2012.

Tony began his career after winning a Courtaulds Scholarship to study for a BSc (Hons) in Design Management at the University of Manchester. In 1985, he founded the Burnley-based Panaz, which manufactures flame-retardant fabrics for the global hospitality, leisure, cruise, healthcare and corporate sectors. Formed in 1986, the company now exports to over 60 countries, operating through subsidiaries in Europe and the USA, alongside a global network of distributors.

He currently serves as a member of the University of Manchester Department of Material Science Industrial Advisory Group, is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, an Associate of the Institute of Textiles and a Fellow of the University of Central Lancashire. Tony has received numerous accolades, including an Outstanding Alumnus Award from the University of Manchester and recognition from both the Design Council and the Department for International Trade (DIT) for his contributions to the global design industry.

From 2015 to 2022, Tony served as Chair of Marketing Lancashire, and has been a co-opted Board Member of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership. A former IoD North West Director of the Year, he also chaired the IoD North West Region from 2010 to 2015. Tony was awarded an OBE in the 2010 New Year’s Honours by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire in 2016 and served as the county’s High Sheriff in 2018–19.

Handing over the reins to Tony, Jonathan Hindle said: “It's been a great pleasure and very rewarding to chair the BFC. The Confederation is a unified and determined team with a common purpose. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the chief executives of our industry’s trade associations, who have built a strong shared understanding. Together, we’ve worked hard to raise the profile of our significant sector, which contributes around £40 billion to the UK economy and employs approximately 250,000 people. I wish Tony every success as he takes on the challenge.”

Commenting on his appointment, Tony Attard said: “I’m honoured to take on the role of Chairman of the BFC from Jonathan, who has done an outstanding job championing our industry in government circles over the past decade. There’s much to do as we face a host of business challenges both at home and abroad. For businesses to survive and thrive, government must listen and respond to our concerns. I intend to add the weight of our £40 billion industry to that of other key industrial groups to help promote a pro-business economy that drives prosperity across our sector.”

To find out more about the British Furniture Confederation (BFC), see www.britishfurnitureconfederation.org.uk.