Chairman of Hillier Nurseries steps down after more than 50 years

The chairman of Hillier Nurseries, Robert Hillier has announced he will be stepping down from the role after more than 50 years.

George Hillier will be taking over as chairman of the family-run business from 1 January 2024, while Robert remains at the company on a part-time basis as a board director.

“It has been a privilege to be at the forefront of this company for so long. I am extremely proud to be handing over to the next generation of the Hillier family,” says Robert Hillier.

“We are a business that has always looked to the future, so it is wonderful to see George take the reins and continue to build on the fantastic achievements of the last 160 years.”

George Hillier has worked in the company for over 20 years, beginning as a garden centre assistant, working his way up the chain.

He has managed the company’s recent property acquisitions and developments, expanding Hillier’s portfolio from 12 to 22 garden centres, as well acquiring additional land for growth in the Hillier tree nurseries.

Georgie Hillier comments: “I’m looking forward to the opportunities ahead of us. These are exciting times for Hillier following our recent acquisitions and our launch of online shopping.

“The world is experiencing some uncertain times right now, but we have a strong and experienced team at Hillier who support our values and our vision and care about our customers, so we’re in a great position to look at what’s next for our business and continue the growth that my predecessors championed for decades.”

In Hillier’s almost 160 years there have only been four chairmen.