Introducing BVAA’s New Chairman – Dave Godfrey

Dave Godfrey

In 2016 it was suggested that I join BVAA’s new ‘Future Leaders Programme’.  Details were light and there was no past alumni to offer their opinion.  It was an opportunity, an unknown, a leap of faith, and as it turns out, one of the best career moves I’ve made to date!

Fast forward to 2023 and here, after a stint on BVAA’s Board, I proudly sit as the Chairman of your wonderful association.  When I look at the global changes that have happened within the same time frame, it’s all the more impressive that the BVAA is in as strong a position as it is today.   It’s a highly respected pillar of strength within our illustrious industry.

As my predecessor Colin mention in his statement last year, trade associations are a reflection of their industry.  For me this validates perfectly why the BVAA has thrived in times of challenge for many, it’s down to the members that make what we do worthwhile, respected, and prime for innovation and development.

We find ourselves in the most challenging of times.  There’s a war in mainland Europe, energy prices are proving to be less and less predictable each day, and yet the products and services within our industry are needed now more than ever.  This for me is the single biggest reason we must now do all we can as members of BVAA to collaborate and invest in what we want to see moving forward.

The mantra for the BVAA’s Future Leaders Programme was “you drive, we assist” which was specifically coined to drive each Cohort to develop a ‘take charge’ attitude.  If you want to learn about something specific, the BVAA can facilitate that for you, but it doesn’t know what it doesn’t know.  This aligns with the association on a wider level, we exist to support and complement our members, but we need your input and collaboration to bring you what you need.

I have many goals for my Chairmanship, but perhaps the biggest of these is to ensure that the association is in a stronger and more valued position with its members.  The value placed on an association by its members is a direct reflection of how that same association is viewed by the framework it works within.  It’s for this reason I will be working with the fantastic BVAA secretariat team to ensure that we are better capturing the views and input of the membership to help us build the strongest association we can.

In summary, I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to lead this historic association, I look forward to working with you all and can’t wait to see how high we can set the BVAA bar.  As I’ve communicated to the latest Future Leaders Cohort, when given the privilege to lead you must treat it with respect and value, for those that follow you, trust you, and trust must be earned.  I look forward to earning trust through the delivery and refinement of positive and innovative value adding services!

Dave Godfrey

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