A NEWLY appointed chief executive is keen to put his not-for-profit members’ club on the map.

Carl Fillery has been appointed to the top job at the Brighton-based CSMA Club, which generates an annual spend of £120 million among its members and employs 240 people across the group.

Carl has been part of the senior leadership team at the 90-year-old membership organisation for eight years and was instrumental in modernising the group back into profit.

CSMA has a membership of more than 280,000 – more members than the Conservative party and Greenpeace combined.

Carl said: “Historically, we have behaved like an exclusive club, but I am keen that we not only shout about the great work we are doing but let more people benefit by becoming members.

“We have recently embarked on expanding membership eligibility to employees in the education sector and the police force. Initial feedback has been positive and it is definitely a step in the right direction.”

During the economic downturn in 2007 the demographic of the civil service changed, forcing a reposition of the brand amid broadening membership.

The organisation offered members discounts on groceries from supermarkets, deals on credit cards, savings on gas and electricity and money off cinema tickets. The strategy worked and consistently delivered year on year growth both in terms of membership and product sales.