Brian Smart, Director General, British Franchise Association (bfa)

Brian Smart has been the Director General of the British Franchise Association since 1989. During that time the bfa has grown to be the biggest franchise association in Europe and one of the most successful franchise Associations in the World.

Brian began his working life as a draughtsman in the fledgling electronics industry of the 1960s. He then read for degrees in Physics and then Philosophy at the University of York, graduating with Honours in 1976.

With his degree, Brian joined the National Coal Board as an administrative manager following underground training at Grimethorpe Colliery and other pits in the Barnsley Area. After a spell at NCB Headquarters working for various Board Members, Brian returned to Barnsley as Area Secretary.

In 1979 Brian joined the Hotel and Catering Industry Training Board as Secretary to the Board, subsequently taking on the roles of Head of Personnel and Head of Research before appointment as the Board’s Marketing Director and then Deputy Chief Executive.

During his nearly twenty years as the chief executive of the bfa, Brian has also acted as the Secretary General of the European Franchise Federation where he is currently a Special Advisor to the Board. Brian was a member of the EFF team which renegotiated the Block Exemption Regulation that governs franchising and was one of the founding co-Chairmen of the World Franchise Council.

Brian is also a judge for the annual bfa Franchisor of the Year and Franchisee of the Year Awards, and Chairs the judging panel for the Franchise Marketing Awards. He is a Member of the UnLtd. Task Force on replication in social enterprises. Brian writes regularly on franchising matters in the trade press both in the UK and internationally. He has spoken at numerous conferences throughout Europe and around the world from the USA to Japan, from South Africa and Egypt to Malaysia and Singapore, and from Denmark to Canada.

Brian was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2006.