CEO MONTHLY / JANUARY 2025 21 raham Royle founded GRI Group in 2001, having spent almost two decades refining his industry expertise within large public limited companies. Prior to establishing GRI Group, Graham held an array of positions that enabled him to enhance his skills across all functions, such as the role of Functional Director for four years and Managing Director and Chief Executive for a decade within various companies. Today, Graham is the entrepreneur and innovator behind GRI Group, having masterfully achieved his vision of creating a vertically integrated group of companies that serve B2B chemicals manufacturing for a number of industries and contract manufacturing of bath and body, personal care, haircare, skincare, and cosmetics products, as well as directly introducing his own brands to the market through B2B and D2C channels. “Our energy and enthusiasm today are the same as they have always been, and the group continues to operate with the long-term vision of creating even greater success,” says Graham. “GRI Group’s USP is its constant ‘can-do’ approach to opportunities that will benefit customers – delivering innovative products and processes whilst ensuring an ever-increasing attention to sustainability, environmental control, and biodegradability.” Honed over decades of first-hand experience, Graham’s leadership style revolves around involvement at all levels. He encourages a devolution of authority, preferring that the greater team makes decisions together, delivers upon them together, and reaps the subsequent rewards together. Abhorring the “hire and fire” mentality of many organisations across the industry, Graham is a firm believer in the need to identify each team member’s unique strengths and weaknesses. He believes that the right training, tools, and attention can aid in developing the strengths and supporting the weaknesses to build a successful team that thrives. “For 30 years,” says Graham, “my motto has been “business should be fun, but not funny.” Enjoy it but take it seriously.” In this vein, Graham aims for high visibility at all levels in the company, ensuring that all members of the team can openly discuss their feelings about issues and solutions affecting the business. In addition to this, GRI Group Guiding GRI Group to Greatness Located in Sheffield. GRI Group is a leading manufacturer, distributor, and brand owner renowned for its operations within the areas of personal care, household care, pharmaceutical, and toiletries and cosmetic products. Founded and helmed by Graham Royle, the group has established itself to be a global player in multiple markets and has built a reputation for quality in its products and services. As CEO Graham is named in the CEO of the Year Awards 2024, we speak with him to learn more about his rise to success. provides the team with internal promotions and ongoing training opportunities, with regular recognition of individual performance the norm in GRI Group culture. “The team are the heartbeat and core of GRI Group,” says Graham, “and I try to protect them from economic shocks. In economic recessions, and even during the COVID-19 pandemic, not one person has been made redundant.” Throughout the pandemic, GRI Group protected the jobs of its employees through financial reserves, taking no furlough money nor making redundancies. The company produced essential sanitising products that enabled it to continue productions and retain its entire team of staff. Of course, as an established key market player, GRI Group has encountered its share of challenges throughout the course of its operations. As a global buyer and seller of raw materials and products, GRI Group has certainly been impacted by raw material shortages, transport issues, and extensive price increases. Post-pandemic, the group has also been subject to high inflation and high wage increases in a number of emerging countries that act as key supplier to the group. The challenge now for GRI Group is mitigating and minimising the impact that these obstacles have on its customers. In addition to driving strategy and direction, Graham spends an extensive amount of time with suppliers and customers, ensuring that its long-term relationships are enduring and sourcing materials that many of its competitors simply cannot. With Graham at its helm, however, it is certain that GRI Group will champion these challenges and emerge triumphant, further demonstrating its well-deserved position as a key player in many markets. It is for his proven leadership style, extensive experience, and success in establishing GRI Group as a successful partner for suppliers and customers alike, that has earned Graham the title of Chemical Products Manufacturing CEO of the Year 2024 – Northern England. G Contact: Dr. Graham Royle Company: GRI Group Ltd Web Address: www.grigroup.co.uk
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