Burnley's Panaz chief executive Rollie Attard winner at The Furniture Makers’ Company's ‘60 for 60’ campaign

Launched as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, the ‘60 for 60’ campaign recognises 60 of the most accomplished and promising young people in the sector.

From product designers, cabinetmakers and technical developers to logistics professionals, commercial managers and operations directors, the awards showcase a diverse range of career opportunities within the sector.

Thirty-five-year-old Rollie Attard, CEO of Hapton-based fabrics supplier Panaz, impressed the judges by spearheading a strategic plan to drive the future growth of the business, including recruiting key personnel in the UK and Germany, restructuring the UK sales team and establishing a London showroom.

Rollie said: “This recognition reinforces my passion for innovation and design, motivating me to contribute further to our dynamic industry. We can all craft a future where creativity meets functionality, and where every product tells a story.”

The North West winners, employed at furniture and furnishings firms across the region, were: Hannah Shore, sleep knowledge and research manager at Silentnight Group in Preston; Jordan Hargadon, new product development team leader at Silentnight Brands in Lancashire; Mark Denby, head of sales for Saxon Furniture in Bolton; Nathan Whiffing, design and technical manager at Redwood TTM in Warrington; Rollie Attard, CEO of Panaz in Burnley; and Sam Coggin, director of Coggin SOS in Preston.

Expert judges from within the industry reviewed the submissions and selected the winners who were announced at a special ‘60 for 60’ awards ceremony held in the City of London on December 5th.

Amanda Waring, Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company, said: “We received hundreds of entries for ’60 for 60’, ranging from wood working to carpet and textile design, showing not only the vibrancy and diversity of British talent, but also that the industry continues to offer exciting and rewarding career opportunities.

“We congratulate every one of our 60 outstanding winners and look forward to sharing our members’ mentoring skills and providing networking opportunities as they continue to develop their professional careers.”