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The UK trade body for direct-to-consumer retail, the Direct Selling Association (DSA), has announced the appointment of Ayo Olaseinde as the new chairman of the board.
Olaseinde, who joined the DSA board earlier this year, takes on the chair role alongside his position as president at Saladmaster, the US-based international cookware firm, which operates exclusively in the D2C channel.
Olaseinde has over 40 years of experience in the D2C retail channel, including 20 years spent with Kirby Vacuums. Upon joining Saladmaster in 2025, he led the launch of the global cookware brand in over 10 new markets across EMEA.
The DSA is the recognised trade body for the direct selling industry in the UK and is responsible for upholding standards and promoting best practice.
Brands under the DSA umbrella include many of the UK’s major D2C operators including Avon, The Body Shop, Usborne Publishing, Ann Summers and Oriflame.
Susannah Schofield OBE, director general of the DSA, said: “Ayo has a tremendous track record in the D2C space, and I am looking forward to working with him to continue to grow the channel’s presence in the UK retail sector.
“Direct to consumer retail is undergoing a transformation in the UK, as we are seeing with the current evolution of brands such as Avon, and the opportunity for the sector as we look ahead to 2024 is significant – not least through people looking to join D2C brands to earn additional income as independent sales representatives as the cost of living continues to rise.”
Olaseinde added: “This is an exciting time to be stepping up into the chair role. I look forward to working with my fellow board members and the association’s member companies to continue to build on the work done in recent years to educate and modernise views about the sector, and to drive forward best practice.”
