LONDON, UK. July 25th 2025 – Lisa Montague, Chief Executive Officer of Sanderson Design Group, has called for increased Government support for British manufacturers in light of rising operational costs that are impacting investment in innovation and digital technologies.
Speaking as part of the “Inspiring Leaders” interview series with professional interviewer Linda Walmsley, Montague shared insights into her leadership philosophy and the challenges facing UK-based manufacturers.
Lisa Montague, who has led the AIM-listed interiors group since 2019, is now calling on the British Government to provide better support to UK manufacturing. Describing her first hand experiences, she said: “You know we’ve been saddled in the last few years with, apart from the obvious challenges, utility prices increasing, which for manufacturing is really painful.
“We’re also a living wage employer, which I’m incredibly proud of, but I get challenged on that now because the wages have gone up on average 7% in the last few years. That’s meant a £2m utility hike, another £2m wage hike which has meant that we couldn’t invest the £2m in digital technologies earlier. I think more support for British manufacturing and understanding our challenges would be beneficial.”
Montague also discussed the importance of maintaining a balanced perspective in leadership. “There are always opportunities, sometimes we are all so aware of the threats and the risks, but we do all need to keep our focus also on the opportunities and keep persevering.
“Keep trying, that’s quite important – not to the point of being naïve but to apply that strategy to maintain one’s focus on outcomes and goals, whilst being aware that we may have to shift the tactics accordingly along the way.”
Sanderson Design Group, which employs around 500 people globally, owns six British heritage interiors brands including Royal Warrant-holding Sanderson and Morris & Co. Under Montague’s leadership, the company has embraced digital and AI technologies to enhance manufacturing processes and design capabilities.
“I’m passionate about all of it because I think if we don’t embrace new technology then the world moves on and leaves us behind, particularly in design innovation. We need to move forwards and be looking for new solutions all the time. I don’t think many other wallpaper manufacturers really have our range of print techniques or the ability to colour-match fabrics and wallpapers as we do; it gives us a competitive advantage by having invested and embraced new tech solutions.” Lisa noted.
Linda Walmsley, co-founder of Walmsley Wilkinson, added: “It was a pleasure to meet Lisa Montague and understand more about her career journey and her CEO insights. When I asked her, how others would describe her, the adjectives she used were courageous, energetic, kind, strategic, focused. I believe that they are excellent traits for any Chief Executive to demonstrate and I’m sure her leadership style has a very positive impact on the culture of the organisation.”
About Sanderson Design Group
Sanderson Design Group plc (AIM: SDG) is a UK-based luxury interior furnishings group with a portfolio of high-end brands. The company combines heritage craftsmanship with innovative design and technology to supply wallpapers, fabrics, and home accessories worldwide.
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