Andrew Denton
A keen mountaineer has been appointed chief executive of the trade body representing outdoor industries in the UK.
Andrew Denton, a member of the Alpine Club, will take up the Outdoor Industries Association post in September, with outgoing chief executive Louise Ramsay switching to a role as communications director.
Both posts will be part-time, supported by the existing membership and administration manager.
Mr Denton has been involved in the outdoor industry for 27 years, first in outdoor education and then in senior management and ownership roles in businesses such as Rohan, Mountain Equipment, Sprayway, The Peaco Group and the Outdoor Sports Company.
As well as undertaking numerous expeditions, he is an enthusiastic mountain biker, ski mountaineer and triathlete.
He said: “I am enormously grateful and proud to be offered this role within the OIA.
“I have spent my whole life outdoors; backpacking and camping as a child, working in outdoor education and instruction, then having the good fortune to make my living with some wonderful outdoor brands.
“Through all that time I have retained a passion for the mountains and wild places so to have this opportunity at the OIA, to help us all grow participation and business in the outdoors across the UK, it’s my dream job. I am genuinely delighted and looking forward to the challenge.”
Corry Taylor, chair of the OIA, which is a not for profit trade body for manufacturers, retailers and other organisations that provide products and services for the outdoor leisure pursuits, added: “Once we made the decision to restructure the OIA’s executive team, it was essential that we appointed a chief executive with the ability to get on with the job at hand immediately.
“We received some very high calibre applications, but Andrew was particularly impressive.
“He outlined his clear understanding of the kind of chief executive that the association now needs, and he also demonstrated very effectively that he is the person who can offer that leadership. Everyone in the interview panel was very pleased to be able to offer Andrew the job and we look forward to working with him soon.”
grough is a member of the Outdoor Industries Association.
