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Getting To Know…Akhtar Zahid
Preparing for Ch nge A total overhaul of its product portfolio to release more margin for customers, significant investment in ecommerce and a rebrand to broaden retailers’ perceptions of what it offers are just some of the changes in store for BGC Wholesale in 2024. PG caught up with Akhtar Zahid, ceo, at the company’s Manchester HQ to hear all about the plans to take this long-established business forward as well as his fascinating career journey. Think you know all about Budget Greeting Cards? Well, Akhtar Zahid, ceo of the leading wholesale business, is going to do his best to change that, instigating some far-reaching changes that will go some to alter trade perceptions, deliver better margins for its existing customers as well as to attract additional retailers to the multi-branch business. It will be five years next month since Ardenton Capital, a Canadian-based private equity company bought a majority stake in BGC and a year since Akhtar Zahid was appointed by the
Top: The showroom in BGC’s Manchester flagship branch and HQ which the in-house studio uses to showcase how the product ranges look like in a retail situation. Top right: The latest logo broadens the message about the company’s remit. Above: Work is underway to hone the product portfolio and also improve the shopping experience in BGC’s warehouse. Right: Akhtar Khalid, ceo of BGC Wholesale with PG’s Jakki Brown.
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investors to fill the top seat of the nine branch wholesale and publishing company and drive the business forward. Showing a respect for the legacy of the business that was founded over 40 years ago (by brothers Martin and Paul Lavery who are no longer involved in its running) Akhtar said: “I doubt I could ever build a business like this from scratch now, but it can’t continue as it is as our customer base is changing and we need to give them the product mix and improved margins to enable them to better compete in today’s retail landscape.” The recent demise of both CAPS and Card and Party World, two long established wholesale
names, deliver salutary lessons of what can happen if your business is not in tune with market forces. Not blind to the dominance cardfactory now commands in the market, its 1,000+ stores offering incredible value to the consumer, not just in cards but in allied celebration products, Akhtar sees BGC’s mission to hone its offer to give its “customers the ability to not just complete with cardfactory, but to give them improved margins so they gain commercially.” A quick delve into Akhtar’s career history and you get the picture that he is someone who is not afraid of a challenge, but also is tenacious about delivering solutions. While he has a degree in chemical engineering and an MBA from Durham, which he has put to good use in management consultancy roles around the world, Akhtar is also aware of the need to be hands on. “My first job, back in 1993, was packing fish fingers in Young’s factory in Grimsby!” he revealed by way of example. Arguably his most impressive career ‘claim to fame’ to date was when Akhtar, joined DAL