Last half term, our School Captains, Tommy Kirby and Emily Su, invited Old Boy Andrew Higginson into School to find out more about his career journey and current role as Chair of JD Sports. 

It was a delightful experience to welcome Bury Grammar School (BGS) alumnus Andrew Higginson, who took the time to share his illustrious career journey with Emily and I. Andrew's career trajectory has been exceptional, characterised by leadership roles at notable retail giants such as Tesco, Morrisons, and Laura Ashley. He has always credited BGS as the "launchpad" for his career, having attended the school from Kindergarten through to Senior School. 

After studying Town Planning at the City of Birmingham Polytechnic, Andrew began his career in Finance as a Finance Trainee at Unilever, where he obtained the requisite qualifications to become an accountant, before transitioning into the retail sector, where he held senior financial roles at Laura Ashley and the Burton Group. In 1997, Andrew joined Tesco, where he played a significant part in growing the company's sales from £17 billion to £70 billion and quadrupling the profits in the process, serving as the Chief Finance Officer. 

In 2012, Andrew assumed the role of Non-Executive Chair of Poundland and, three years later, he became the Chair of Morrisons. He now serves as the chair of JD Sports, a company established in Bury in 1981 by John Wardle and David Makin, making Andrew's professional trajectory a perfect testament to the adage, "life comes full circle." 

During his visit, Andrew recounted his most challenging career experience, which he faced during his time at Laura Ashley, a British textile company that had grown to become an international retail chain with sales totalling over £276 million in the year 2000. At 32 years old, Andrew faced a daunting task when the company's bankers withdrew their financial support due to the prevailing economic climate, stating that; “you learn more in adversity than in good times”.

Andrew also took a moment to reminisce about his time at BGS and shared his fondest memories and offered some sage career advice to current BGS pupils, encouraging them to remain open to different career paths and to focus on pursuing interesting work rather than fixating on a specific job or salary. 

It was an inspiring and enriching experience for Emily and I to gain insights from someone with such an extensive and successful career. Andrew's journey highlights the significance of being adaptable, resilient, and open to new opportunities, while his advice to BGS pupils offers valuable guidance to anyone starting out in their career. It is always a privilege to see successful alumni returning to their School to share their experiences and contribute to the community's growth and development. 

Emily and I would like to extend our thanks to Andrew for taking time out of his busy schedule to come and speak to us. It was truly an honour to have the privilege of hearing about his fascinating career trajectory, his experiences as a pupil of Bury Grammar School, and his current position as the esteemed Chair of JD Sports. 

• Tommy Kirby, School Captain. 
• Emily Su, School Captain.