Agency Sector Management (ASM) has appointed industry veterans David Baker, Stuart Campey, and Dave Allen to its board of directors, bringing over 57 years of combined Customs and forwarding experience.
The new appointments come as the company reaffirms its commitment to enhancing the user experience of its Customs Clearance software, Sequoia, in 2024 through increased functionality and customer support.
The board, comprised of nine representatives from ASM’s members, is responsible for overseeing ASM’s 2024 strategy and finance operations, and ensuring the company continues to deliver the tools and support needed by the freight forwarding industry in the UK.
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“The ASM board ensures our software development is driven by the real world needs of the forwarding community, rather than to satisfy any commercial imperatives of shareholders,” said Sharon Greer, General Manager, ASM.
“This year, we are in a strong position to prioritise developing Sequoia in line with what our users want, in addition to helping users navigate Customs and Brexit-related changes in regulations.
“With their industry insight and knowledge, our three new directors are well-placed to help align our business development with what our users want from Sequoia, rather than what they need in order to be compliant with the changing Customs legislation and systems.”
David Baker is Managing Director at The George Baker Group, bringing more than 18 years of experience providing specialist customs brokerage services to businesses and freight forwarders to the director role.
“Being a board member means acting as an invaluable soundboard for ASM and its community of members, to provide feedback that ensures Sequoia is developed in tandem with the requirements of those who use it every day,” said Baker.
CEO at Customs Clearance Ltd for the last decade, Stuart Campey has worked across customer services, new business sales, account management and operations, and has extensive experience in operations management in the freight industry.
“The board is an important link between ASM and the freight forwarding community, facilitating a better understanding of the industry’s pain points, which is vital in ASM’s role as an advocate, as well as in the development of its product,” said Campey.
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Dave Allen is the Import Manager at Dynamic International Freight Services Ltd and has worked in the import business for over 28 years.
“ASM plays an important role in keeping the freight forwarding industry informed of upcoming Customs changes and regulations, which are constantly shifting thanks to changing legislation and the introduction of new digital systems, and the board plays a vital part in feeding these industry requirements back to users on the ground,” said Allen.
ASM is also starting 2024 with a recruitment drive to bolster software development and customer support over the next year, as the freight industry works towards NCTS Phase 5 and the switch to CDS exports.
