Bestway Wholesale managing director Martin is set to retire, and will be replaced by Dawood Pervez.
Having spent five years based in London and working away from his family home, Race will leave the business on 30 November so that he is able to spend more time at home with his family.
Race has worked in wholesale all his working life, and has been with Bestway and Batleys for over 30 years.
Race said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed the last two years as MD and take great heart from the improving performance of the business. I would like to thank the exec, the larger leadership team and all colleagues for their support and hard work, but I feel that it is now time for a younger man to take the company forward and for me to spend more time with my family.
“I have worked closely with Dawood for 13 years and I am fully confident that he is the right man to lead the business forward and I wish him the best of luck in the future.”
He started with the group as manager of Batleys Cleveland in 1988. After playing an instrumental role in the introduction of the Ab initio trading software into Batleys, he became operations director in 2000.
Race retained this position during the Bestway takeover in 2005, playing a significant role both during and after the takeover.
In January 2014, he took over the role of trading director, before subsequently being promoted to MD in July 2016.
Pervez will take up the MD role from 1 December, and will work alongside Race in the interim period before assuming his new role.
He joined the business as a qualified solicitor in 2002. During his time at Bestway he has headed up various functions across the business including Legal, HR, L&D, Property, HSE and Marketing.
Pervez has played a key role in acquisitions since joining and also established the business’ digital presence as well as the export business. Most recently he has led the trading department.
Pervez said: “I am delighted to be succeeding Martin as the managing director of Bestway Wholesale, and I would like to thank him personally for all of his support over the years. The business, originally built by Sir Anwar Pervez, Younus Sheikh and Zameer Choudrey, is now in a unique position to benefit from the turbulent market conditions and it is my full intention for it to do so.”
