The school supplies commercial arm of Kent County Council has appointed a new managing director.

Andy Wilson will take over the reins at KCS (Kent Commercial Services) - one of the largest suppliers of education resources to schools and nurseries worldwide –and has become executive director of its parent company, the Commercial Services Group.

Established more than 90 years ago, KCS employs a team of more than 200, offering a 20,000-strong product directory for education and office settings.

Mr Wilson brings with him a wealth of experience having spent more than 10 years in the field of education.

Previously managing director at RM Resources (TTS and Consortium), he played a key role in driving its growth. This included overseeing the company’s expansion from a domestic supplier to an international one - now trading in 87 countries – and securing The Queen’s Award for outstanding achievement in international trade on two occasions.

At KCS, he will be responsible for "developing and executing the global growth strategy for the business and its brands, addressing the challenges faced by the education sector to drive revenue, support educators, and cement KCS’ position as an industry leader".

He said: “If the past 12 months has taught us anything, it is that companies need to be agile to ensure growth during challenging times.

I am committed to expanding our services for public and private sector organisations

“KCS is already established as a leading supplier of education resources and office supplies. Now, following an impactful 12 months for the sector, the opportunity to develop an aggressive growth strategy presents an exciting challenge.

“Over the course of 2021 and beyond, I am committed to expanding our services for public and private sector organisations, with a focus on developing new propositions which adapt to our customer’s needs.

“Schools have structural funding pressures, so giving them a means to purchase resources that deliver on quality, choice and value is key.”

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