IAAF evolves to meet modern challenges
In part two of his PMF exclusive, IAAF Chief Executive, Mark Field, explains how the IAAF is evolving to meet modern challenges and bringing members together. He also honours the “army” of Federation volunteers.
We now support every area of a member’s business, not just through advocacy, but through active, solution-focused partnerships. Much of the work is driven by a deep sense of problem-solving, to understand a member’s problems and concerns and where the organisation can help solve them.
Against a backdrop of rising costs of running a business, we must continue to drive business standards upwards, promote the UK aftermarket’s right to repair, open up the industry to new people and ideas, create a better gender balance and, above all, make the biggest investment we can possibly make: in ourselves.
More than 160 people, in all areas of the aftermarket, have now taken part in IAAF training. Courses range from proactive parts sales and complaint handling to customer relationships and workplace awareness.
The training is designed to up skill businesses and individuals in the automotive aftermarket as part of our continued drive to raise standards.
Going forward, we will continue to push ahead with better connecting the entire aftermarket supply chain and challenge VMs with legislative non-compliance issues, such as freedoms afforded through legislation, notably Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Order (MV-BEO) and Vehicle Type Approval legislation.
Our engagement with garages will continue at pace, which also benefits both motor factors and suppliers in the process, enabling much greater dialogue.
We will also seek to form new communities within the membership, addressing technical support and also ensuring a better gender balance within the aftermarket.
Bringing members together
Members now have multiple opportunities to network with other members and we held no fewer than 10 membership gatherings at Automechanika Birmingham 2025. These included garage and main council meetings, along with hosting the Automechanika Birmingham Garage Awards 2025.
A standout highlight of the year so far was also the IAAF five-a-side football tournament, held at the Bet365 Stadium, home of Stoke City. This event demonstrated a changing focus of how we engage with the wider membership.
We brought members together for the IAAF Golf Day 2025 in August. Now, the countdown is on to the IAAF Conference and Dinner 2025, held at the DoubleTree Hilton, Milton Keynes on 4 December.
Honouring the army of IAAF volunteers
None of the work the IAAF does would be possible without the army of volunteers that support our many councils. This also includes our board members: IAAF President Kevin Kelly, Honorary Treasurer Lawrence Bleasdale, Craig McCracken and Richard Welland.
The Federation is also supported by Sue McKay as head of the CV section and Tina Drayson, head of the garage section.
Member Liaison Officer, Angela Neale, and IAAF Technical Director, Neil Pattemore, form an invaluable part of the team, working hard on our behalf on a daily basis. There are now more than 60 representatives from the membership playing an active part in councils and communities, and we will continue to support their involvement, and we thank them enormously for their support.
