A Chat With Howard Gregory – Head of Warehousing at Expect Distribution

A Chat With Howard Gregory – Head of Warehousing at Expect Distribution

Howard Gregory joined Expect Distribution in January 2025, bringing with him a wealth of experience and leadership from some of the UK’s largest warehousing operations. From managing logistics for household names like Boots, Next, ASOS, and Premier Farnell, Howard’s background spans multiple industries including bulk industrial, pharmaceutical, fast fashion, and electronics. We sat down with him to hear about his journey so far and his ambitions for the future of warehousing at Expect.

Experience That Makes a Difference

You’ve managed some huge warehouse operations for household names—how has that experience shaped your approach to warehousing at Expect?

“Having worked with such a broad range of customers in the past, it offers me great insight into customer problems and enables me to offer solutions regardless of the sector.”

First Impressions & Growth Opportunities

What are your first impressions of the warehousing operations here, and where do you see the biggest opportunities for growth?

“I see the biggest opportunities for growth through good, sound operating practices and through our teamwork. I’ve been really impressed with how welcoming everyone at Expect has been.”

Operational Excellence & Well-being

How do you ensure high efficiency and service levels in a warehousing operation without compromising on quality or colleague well-being?

“For me it comes through facilitating customer growth, also through the acquisition of new customers, which we can offer due to our flexibility, through our three warehousing sites. Our speed and efficiency offer opportunities for growth.”

Colleague wellbeing and operational excellence often go hand in hand—how do you balance the two?

“First and foremost we have to ensure health and safety for all our colleagues, which I’m delighted to see Expect do, implemented from board level. We are able to offer a high level of efficiency and high service levels to our customers because we have a quality team that are very skilled. We also report on a live basis. We operate and train all colleagues to a high level and encourage them to stop and correct any issues rather than just carry on.”

Looking Ahead

What innovations or changes are you most excited to explore at Expect Distribution?

“I would like to explore the range of products we stock across our warehouses and identify opportunities to introduce new products and sectors to our largest warehouse. Also, developing our forecasting and financing module with the warehousing team, so everyone understands where we are as a business.”

What are your goals for the warehousing division in the next 12 months?

“I would like to see all operations up and running smoothly, and for us to have moved through the various peaks in our operations. I would also like to see the acquisition of new clients and more growth opportunities in certain expect channels via whatever method we can employ.”

How do you see customer expectations evolving in the warehousing and logistics space—and how will Expect stay ahead?

“Customer expectations are fairly standard, they want us to deliver on our obligations. Expect tries to offer more than the customer’s standard expectations and is quick to highlight any issues when we see them. We also have regular customer meetings to ensure we are meeting their needs, which helps us to move with them as they grow or change.”

Collaboration & Culture

Collaboration is key—how do you work with other departments to ensure seamless service for clients?

“It’s essential we work together as one team. Open communication and mutual respect between departments are key to delivering consistent service. I’m a big believer in cross-functional working to get things done more effectively.”

Getting to Know Howard

Outside of work, we hear you’re quite the creative! How did you get into oil painting, and what do you enjoy painting most?

“I found it a way to relax. I prefer to paint animals, my koi carp, my dog, any nature subjects really.”

You’ve got koi carp and a wildlife garden, that sounds peaceful! How do your hobbies help you unwind from the busy pace of logistics?

“The garden is large and full of beautiful wildlife which helps me relax and take me away from the moment. I’ve got a substantial collection of koi carp. I just enjoy being outside in the garden, it’s my own little oasis, almost like being on holiday in your own garden.”

If you could describe your leadership style in three words, what would they be?

“Open, honest, and fair.”