Ruth Brown, Chief Operating Officer of Home Instead, has made history, becoming only the
second woman to be appointed chair of the board of the British Franchise Association since it
was established in 1977.
Brown was voted chair following the association’s annual general meeting in December. Home
Instead is a home care franchise, founded in 1994 and currently supporting over 100,000 older
people worldwide. Its mission is “to deliver exceptional, relationship-led homecare franchise
services that enable seniors to live safely, happily, and independently in their own homes”. The
franchise has recently been shortlisted in three categories at this year’s Elite Franchise Top 100
Awards.
The first female chair of the BFA was Pam Bader OBE, former CEO of cleaning franchise Molly
Maid UK, who took up her role 28 years ago in 1996.
Ruth Brown only the second woman to be appointed chair of the board since 1977
Brown, who has won plaudits for the way she has grown and professionalised the home care
franchise model, takes over from outgoing chair Paul Thompson, founder of children’s
swimming franchise Water Babies.
Other BFA board members are Angie Coates of Monkey Music, Rachel Brooks from Swimtime,
franchisees Catharine Chalton from Home Instead and Jacqui Moore from McDonalds
Restaurants.
Suzie McCafferty of Platinum Wave was re-elected as Advisor and Supplier Forum chair and
Ken Deary from Right at Home and Catharine Chalton from Home Instead were re-elected as the
franchisor and franchisee representatives on the board of the European Franchise Federation.
Caroline Gowing, founder of PA franchise Pink Spaghetti, joins the Board as a newly elected
member.
Brown has been working in franchising since graduating from university. She joined Home
Instead nearly 16 years ago as Head of Franchise Development and has been working with the
BFA for around seven years, initially as Chair of the BFA Northern Forum.
She stated: “I’m honoured to be named as the BFA’s next chair and to follow in the footsteps of
those who have served with dedication in this role. I am looking forward to working closely
alongside Pip, who is an inspirational figurehead for franchising and the wider BFA team.
“My commitment to the BFA’s membership is that I will continue to champion franchising in all
its forms, celebrate the opportunities it creates and advocate for greater awareness of the amazing
contribution it makes to the business community and to the lives of so many people.”
