From family-firm to global leadership

By Emma Peterson. 

Tracking the career of fifth-generation roofer and industry leader Graeme Millar.  

Roofing has been in Graeme Millar’s ancestry for as long as anyone can remember. It goes back to a man named William John Miller, who started a family firm in 1868. That man was Graeme’s great, great grandfather and the firm is now known today as Bain & Irvine Ltd. To learn more about Graeme’s familial ties to the industry and his personal experiences, we interviewed him.  

He opened the conversation by telling us a bit more about his personal history in roofing, sharing, “I first became involved in the roofing industry 46 years ago. I followed my father’s footsteps. He in turn was following my grandfather, great grandfather and great, great grandfather’s footsteps.”  

Eventually, that path then took Graeme to the International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD). He shared, “My involvement with [IFD] started in 1999 when my company joined into the U.K. IFD branch. Soon I found myself working the committee for the Scottish region (where Graeme’s business is located) and then I became a board member.” As a board member, Graeme served on five separate technical commissions – metal roofing, pitched roofing, flat roofing, facades and the health/safety/wellbeing board. 

By the time 2019 came around, he was a clear choice for the organization’s presidency position. As then outgoing IFD president Walter Bisig put it, “Graeme is the right person to step into my shoes. He inherits an internal IFD structure that is ready to grow the organization. With his charm and vision, he is the right person to take the IFD forward.” 

As president, Graeme faced a variety of unique challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit. But he and the rest of the IFD team rose to meet these challenges, and he was able to pass the presidency torch on to Dirk Bollwerk in 2024. When asked to about his thoughts on his work with IFD, Graeme shared:  

IFD is really about bringing people together. You can see that emphasis on networking and community in our yearly assembly, and in our World Championships of the Young Roofer, which bring lads and lasses learning the trade together, building camaraderie, skills and friendships that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. 

Listen to our full interview with Graeme to hear more about his insights and experiences.