‘AMDEA is shaping the future of the appliance industry and advancing the UK’s drive towards a more sustainable economy – I’m proud to be at the helm’.

In his first interview as CEO of AMDEA, Mr Hay tells us what he hopes to bring to the role, outlines some of the challenges and opportunities ahead, gives us his views on key issues including sustainability, safety, AI and government policy, and shares some of his interests and passions outside of work.

Mr Hay has spent three decades working at a senior level with trade associations, membership bodies and not-for-profit organisations, including the Confederation of European Security Services (CoESS), the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) and most recently as CEO of the National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA).

Congratulations on your appointment. What attracted you to the role of AMDEA CEO?

Stefan Hay: Before joining the NTDA, I spent seven years with the Electrical Contractors’ Association, where I had the opportunity to collaborate closely with quite a broad range of electrotechnical associations, industry bodies and other organisations, including AMDEA, BEAMA, the BSI, CEDIA, CEN and GAMBICA.

During that time, I developed a strong interest in smart home technology and appliance and security systems integration, and played an active role in shaping early conversations around policy and standards and legislation, particularly in areas such as energy efficiency, the circular economy, and the emerging Internet of Things, which was quite embryonic in those days.

My interest in that has deepened over the years, so when the opportunity at AMDEA arose, it felt like a natural next step – to join an organisation at the forefront of innovation, and representing manufacturers that define excellence in products. They’re delivering world-class products and services to UK consumers.

AMDEA membership means joining a progressive, influential body – a community that’s shaping the future of the appliance industry and advancing the UK’s drive towards a more sustainable economy, and I’m proud to be at the helm.

You mentioned sustainability – that’s a key area of interest for AMDEA. Safety and AI are also hot topics. What are your thoughts on those issues?

As an association, we must lead by example and do the right thing. When it comes to sustainability, it’s essential to modern society for several interconnected reasons, all rooted in that need to balance economic development, environmental protection, and social wellbeing. We have an ethical duty to care for the planet and preserve it for future generations, and how AMDEA members manage resources will define the opportunities and the quality of life for those who come after us. It’s already clear to me that members have fully embraced this. You can see this in their comms strategies and in their own product development.

When it comes to safety, it’s critical in domestic appliances because everyday devices like ovens, washing machines, heaters and toasters are used frequently and without much thought by consumers. I think they take them for granted, and our members are well aware that if they’re not designed and maintained or used safely, they can pose serious risks. That’s why they invest vast amounts of time, money and effort on R & D, testing and inspection, and work alongside AMDEA on safety standards and legislative development.

On AI, it’s early days, isn’t it? But I believe it can be a very good thing in domestic appliance development when it’s used responsibly. AI offers potential benefits in terms of convenience, efficiency, safety and energy management, but there are also important challenges and risks to consider. This is where AMDEA can offer guidance and advice to members in terms of how AI can be better used and integrated in the future, to make sure we have a safe tool.

What do you think are the challenges and the opportunities for AMDEA, and how do you feel about the rest of the year and beyond in terms of the market and the economy?

I think it’s been a tough time for the industry – there’s no denying that. The past few years have tested the resilience of our sector and the wider economy. Brexit reshaped the supply chain and all the regulatory frameworks, and COVID-19 disrupted global operations and consumer behaviour.

Then there’s the current economic climate, with the inflationary pressures we now find ourselves under, as well as changing interest rates and policy uncertainty. This continues to challenge the sector – both manufacturers and retailers – but I remain cautiously optimistic.

Our industry has shown remarkable adaptability, particularly in accelerating innovation, enhancing energy efficiency, and responding to changing consumer expectations around sustainability, but also the cost of living. The cost-of-living concerns are something that I think our members are taking on board, and that’s where we’re seeing a drive towards repairability being at the heart of everything that we’re doing – appliances are lasting longer, and people are getting more out of their appliances.

We see a great opportunity in the transition to net zero and the push for repairability, as well as the digitisation of appliances – that’s another shift that we can capitalise on. These are real value propositions that businesses within our membership are ready to embrace.

We’re not naive – there are risks ahead. You’ve got policy instability and we’re looking for more regulatory clarity. It’s crucial that we get a sense of direction of travel from government in terms of where they’re taking things, to ensure that we don’t see threatening divergence away from European standards and legislation and end up with our own which are not compatible – that would be quite devastating for our members.

We’re going to continue to work very closely with all policymakers to ensure that the voice of our members is heard, and that we have a pragmatic and proportionate approach to what we’re trying to achieve with our government liaison on behalf of our members.

Your predecessor at AMDEA, Paul Hide, implemented a lot of changes during his time at the organisation – he revitalised AMDEA and raised its profile. How will you continue his work?

I’m stepping into a role that comes with both responsibility and opportunity. Paul did an exceptional job of reenergising the association, and I’m lucky because I’m inheriting a strong and capable team. My approach is about evolution, not revolution. I intend, very much to build on Paul’s legacy, deepen our impact and sharpen our focus, so we can go from being a highly-respected organisation to a remarkable one.

At the end of the day, AMDEA must remain a pillar of stability and leadership for our members, because we are in the middle of political and economic uncertainty.

My priority going forward is to ensure we continue to deliver consistent, tangible and measurable value through the portfolio of benefits and services that empower our members and enable them to grow. We’re a membership organisation, and we want to be able to help our members grow and to lead and adapt to the environments in which they operate. I see our duty to amplify our collective voice – we want to expand our membership and we want to shape policy. We want to set industry standards, and we want to champion innovation across the sector. Together, I think we can make AMDEA not only a strong, representative body, but also a driving force for the future of our industry.

I have experience of decades of trade association leadership, operational excellence, strategic lobbying and a member-focused approach. I think these are all strengths that align closely with AMDEA’s mission to advocate for our members and educate and support domestic appliance manufacturers.

You’ve had a lot of experience working with and for trade associations – what do you think is the role of a trade association? In the past, some of them have come under fire for being out of t0uch – where do you think they fit in?

I think that trade associations are essential, but you’re right – they have to be run properly and they have to be run for the right reasons. I think we’re in a very good position, because undoubtedly, there is a need for AMDEA – look at the raft of legislation that our technical team is dealing with now… It’s growing daily.

I could summarise what I’ve learned from trade associations in a couple of points: strong, strategic advocacy work, and concrete, targeted policy. They’re only possible with sustained engagement at ministerial and agency levels, and AMDEA is very good at that. We have very strong relationships, and, as I said to the AMDEA team, going forward, I see us as being the consultee of choice for all the agencies and government departments that we work with.

Events and networking are also important – they build influence. We need a strong events calendar and active inter-association work and collaboration because that will amplify both our visibility and the impact of what we do.

A lot of trade associations struggle as they’re seen as being a bit of a club, whereas we want to be a dynamic operation – operational rigour is important because it underpins that advocacy that we’re trying to pursue. Clearly that means financial stability, clear governance, and an effective team structure, because those are all essential to support our mission.

Sector literacy is invaluable – that cross sector-experience helps anticipate all the emerging challenges that we have, and the skills and knowledge gaps in the sector.

In terms of policy, we need to understand right from the beginning whether it’s coming out of Europe or Westminster, or our own policy, and we need to understand the purpose of it, and how we interpret it and implement it.

All these things are essential, and that’s where trade associations can be great at bringing it all together and putting out a very concise message to members to assist them.

AMDEA has a diverse range of manufacturers in its membership, including MDA and SDA suppliers, as well as floorcare, heating and electric shower brands. Are you getting out and meeting the members as much as you can?

Yes – it’s quite a portfolio. I’m lucky because I had the opportunity to attend the AMDEA conference earlier this year, and the summer reception – they were valuable because they gave me the opportunities to connect with members and stakeholders.

Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be out visiting members – I’ve scheduled in a series of in-person meetings and some on Teams, so I’m looking forward to that. My immediate priority is to listen and learn, and to understand the challenges that our members feel they face. I think that will give me a good insight and will guide me as we continue to ensure AMDEA remains agile, forward-thinking and member-focused.

The only way that we’ll lead the UK domestic appliance sector is by staying at the forefront of intelligence, and, making sure that we help our members navigate this increasingly complex and very competitive landscape.

What are your interests away from work? How do you relax?

I like spending time with my family and my Birman and Ragdoll cats – they own the household.  I’m also very passionate about rugby. I’ve been involved with it all my life, and I played to a decent standard – both League and Union, and then I went on to coach junior teams at Worcester and Droitwich Rugby Clubs for many years. These days I am just a sofa spectator – I’m carrying a few knee injuries…

I’m also a very keen historian and amateur genealogist – I’ve traced pretty much all my family history back to the 1500s, which has been fascinating and, occasionally, surprising – the odd skeleton in the closet springs to mind!

I’m also very involved with the City of London – I’m a member of the Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights, which is one of the ancient livery companies of London.

I currently serve as the upper warden, and I’m also the chairman of the board of trustees of the charity. I get very involved in charity work, primarily helping people who are wheelchair users, and have mobility-related issues.

We’ve supported a lot of Paralympians and sports teams around the country, as well as some other great initiatives. More recently, we’ve started looking at social mobility with outreach programmes in London and Essex-based academies, helping socially-deprived children who quite often have very little opportunities in life.

We sponsor the STEM Awards, we’ve sponsored the creation of a library in a school, and we’ve set up a cadet force. We also hold mock job interviews with kids, and we have expert speakers coming in from various industries to talk to them about careers in science and technology, law and business, and we’ve even organised tours of the City of London – it’s very rewarding. I very much enjoy that side of things, giving a bit back to the community that has helped me through my career.

Finally, what’s your key message to AMDEA members as you take over the role of CEO?

I think it’s quite simple – it’s a moment of opportunity and not just a challenge. As I’m stepping into this role, I see an industry that’s at the forefront of innovation, as well as sustainability and consumer relevance. We are navigating complex policies and the regulatory landscape, and we are in the middle of economic turmoil, but my commitment is to ensure AMDEA is the strongest ally to assist our members on that journey.

We’re going to continue to be bold in our advocacy and collaborative in our approach, and we’re going to be relentless in delivering value to our members – whether that be from championing net-zero initiatives, and the Right to Repair policy, or just generally driving knowledge development and public awareness.

Together we can adapt to change, and I’m honoured to be leading AMDEA at this pivotal time. I’m looking forward to working with our members to secure a stronger and more sustainable future for our industry.