John Hornby Skewes & Co. Ltd., (JHS), is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Smith to the role of Managing Director.


Paul Smith
Founded in 1965, JHS is a family owned and led SME and one of the world’s most well-established distributors of musical instruments and accessories, offering a range of over 4500+ products across a blend of third party distributed and proprietary brands through a variety of channels in over 150 countries.

Paul’s talent, drive, creativity, diligence, determination, technical knowledge, people skills, empathy and his many other attributes will stand him in good stead in his new position in directing the Company’s overall activities, direction, and future path.

JHS is also pleased to announce three other important appointments to its management team.

Adam Butterworth
With effect April 1st, Adam Butterworth, who joined the Company in May 2006, is appointed to the position of Director of Sales. Adam, who has been instrumental in the growth and consolidation and success of JHS’ export business, will be bringing his considerable commercial acumen and sales skills to bear across JHS’ export and domestic sales activities.


Simon Turnbull
Simon Turnbull, another long serving JHS team member is appointed to the position of Media and Communications Manager, looking after all aspects of the Company’s strategic and creative design team, managing the overall operation and creative thrust of The Company’s web, social media, PR, media and content creation, communications, publications, packaging and graphic design and exhibitions activities.

Simon, who has been with JHS since 1984 is well known to the industry and in this new and exciting role will be building upon his decades of experience to align the JHS Media Department to the ever-changing needs of todays and tomorrow’s markets, products and customers.


Dominic Rossington
In our Purchasing Department we are pleased to announce the appointment of Dominic Rossington to the role of Senior Buyer. Dominic brings a wealth of knowledge and a quarter of a century’s experience to this crucial position.


Dennis and Linda Drumm
Effective 1st April 2022, as Dennis Drumm hands the JHS Managing Director baton to Paul, he will be taking up the role of CEO, and will be working with Paul, the Directors, Managers and staff in all departments across the Company and with external sources and contributors, with a focus on future commercial and brand strategies, direction and specific projects, ensuring that nearly five decades of all facets of commercial sales and business management experience in both retail and MI distribution remains available to support the JHS management team, our customers and our suppliers.

JHS will continue to be very ably Chaired by Linda Drumm, who has worked in every department in the Company at one time or another since she first became involved in the family firm in 1975, ensuring that her experience, diverse attributes, ethic, and the essential family connection she represents remain a fundamental part of the Company’s dynamic, continues to underscore the Company’s activities and inform its ‘raison d’ȇtre’.