Newly-appointed CEO Jen Cassidy and chief commercial officer Adam May of the Bristan Group on creating demand, and putting customers first

“I loved the business from the minute I walked through the door. It really is quite a special organisation”, says the newly appointed CEO of Bristan Group Jen Cassidy.

She joined the company as chief marketing officer around four years ago, having worked in director roles, including for the likes of Kohler.

Sponsored Video

Hottest new products and freshest bathroom ideas from ISH 2025

Promoted to the role of chief commercial officer, Jen Cassidy then assumed the position of CEO at the beginning of the year, following the retirement of Martin Mongan.

Having worked alongside Mongan at Bristan Group for seven months, for a seamless transition, what is it like to now take charge of the business, which includes Bristan and Heritage brands?

“When I was asked to sum up my first few weeks at the Bristan Group conference, I simply said ‘How lucky am I?’,” Cassidy replies.

Leading through uncertainty

Although considering herself lucky, her leadership appointment comes at a time of global economic volatility.

Jen Cassidy admits “2024 was tough, without question. I can’t imagine anyone would say any differently. It’s the uncertainty that’s so difficult.”

But, so far, she says 2025 has shown an uptick in sales on the previous 12 months. “January started brilliantly. We are really pleased, but it is one month”, she adds warily, “We are cautiously optimistic.”

So how can she lead the business through this challenging time?

“We talk a lot about controlling what is within our control, and with the market where it is, that’s all you can do”, she explains.

However, as part of the Masco Group, Cassidy says she can use its model to analyse the market, which otherwise wouldn’t have been available to a business of its size, to help guide decision-making.

Citing her skillset as being able to motivate, inspire and bring people along on the journey, she highlights the support of a “brilliant” leadership team.

It includes chief commercial officer Adam May, who joined the business from Wolseley, last year, and so has a deep understanding of Bristan Group’s retail and DIY channel partners.

Leveraging their experience has allowed the company to produce a “strong and compelling”, three-year business plan, with a shift in focus onto its end consumer – which includes consumers, specifiers and installers.

This will be alongside developing its wholesale and retail markets and supplier base to ensure a “robust and efficient” supply chain.

Switching focus

Explaining the company’s change of focus from channel to its end-customer, Jen Cassidy explains: “We see it as our role to generate demand for our products, that will then be purchased through our channel partners. That’s a big shift for us.

“We’ve done nothing to directly target our end customer in a really long time.”

Long established with trade professionals, and maintaining its focus on installers and specifiers, she says the company will also target consumers: “We’re not just a trade brand. We’re a great trade brand and we’re incredibly proud of how loyal our installer base is, but why not sell Bristan to consumers too?

“I think consumers also want great design, reliability engineering and brilliant after sales.”

Channelling end-customers

Serving national retailers, wholesale independents (including independent merchant with bathroom showrooms), DIY and ecommerce, Cassidy reports the Bristan brand is number one for taps and showers, with two thirds of its business through the wholesale channel.

But she explains there is “enormous” headroom for growth with multi-million pound opportunities.

So how will the business balance those channels and how will Bristan Group target all its end-customers and direct them into each channel partner?

The company is undertaking its largest piece of research into its end-customers’ behaviours.

“One of the things we’ve noticed is customers – which include consumers and installers – are increasingly shopping across channels,  and actually DIY retailers are actively targeting the trade”, says chief commercial officer Adam May, stating Bristan will be supporting its trade base at InstallerSHOW.

He continues: “We really want to understand the consumer/installer and what is driving their behavior into those channel partners.

“All channels aren’t borne equally and all customers aren’t borne equally, so it’s for us to make sure we understand it, because we are committed to each of those channels.

“We are developing plans to make sure we have the right tone of voice, and say the right things in the right market.”

But how can you assuage fears over any potential conflict, such as the bricks and mortar retailer and e-commerce?

Jen Cassidy states: “There’s always something to be fearful of. Marketplaces are coming through and that brings another challenge. But we always say to our merchant partners, don’t worry about ecommerce because not everybody wants to buy online.

“Lots of people want service provided by a bricks and mortar showroom. Just like we have to demonstrate why choose Bristan versus all of our competition, they need to demonstrate why choose them versus all of their competition.”

Adam May agrees, adding he believes it’s important for partners to “be thinking about “how to create value” for their customers

Group ambition

So what are the ambition for the group as a whole, and what will be the benchmark of success?

“In simple terms, we want to keep growing and we want to stay number 1, not just in value or volume but also be the brand of choice for our consumers, installers and for our channel partners.” Cassidy says.

She states: “We just need to stick to our plan and we genuinely believe it will bring significant growth for us over the next three to five years.”

As a women leader in the industry, she also points to a wider, cultural ambition, to encourage greater diversity in the industry.

Last year, the company joined the Construction Inclusion Coalition, which has a mission to attract, recruit and retain leaders from a diverse range of backgrounds.

“Opportunity for all is really important to me. I’m sitting in this chair, now, and I’ve got a responsibility to help other people, but that starts in our organisation, then the wider industry. I don’t shy away from challenges”, she smiles.