The new managing director of Dawson & Sanderson says the group is back on track after a ‘tough year’.
Annelene Hutton joined as finance director in March last year and was promoted to MD of the travel agency chain in September, a role briefly shared with retail director Jane Fawcett.
Hutton (pictured, right) said the company’s new Atol-registered auditors had completed a full and detailed audit for the last two and a half years following an “individual error” in the accounts for the year ending August 31, 2020.
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The company refiled its accounts at Companies House in January, later than originally hoped due to greater than anticipated work required.
“It’s been a tough year – not easy by any stretch of the imagination,” said Hutton, adding the business could now “put that behind us.”
“We’re on an even keel now and we have our next set of accounts to publish, which we expect to do in July.”
Hutton said the focus was now on growth and ploughing profits back into the 20-strong agency and its staff.
“Historically money was taken from the business, rather than being reinvested; we’ve drawn a line under that now,” she said.
Her plans for Dawson & Sanderson include expanding its chain of branches in its northern England heartland, overhauling its website and rebranding in a bid to attract a younger client base.
Hutton said: “We are looking at our branding, and what message that sends, but we don’t want to lose sight of who we are.”
The company has recently introduced a new retail structure, with two retail managers covering half the shop network each, and is also reviewing staff salary packages.
Hutton said she considered herself the “gatekeeper” of the company until David Chambers, grandson of the company founder Tom Dawson, takes over the reins at an as yet unspecified date. Currently in his mid-20s, Chambers joined the board last year.
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