Get to Know… Stuart Gray, Dawsondirect’s new General Manager

Where are you from originally?

I’m from Great Barr, which is a few miles north-west of Birmingham. I’ve moved on from there and now live a few miles outside Cannock in Staffordshire.

What was your first job?

When I was 13, I worked at a local greengrocer’s, Meakin’s, which was located in Great Barr. I had to get there by 6am, which meant early morning alarm calls and running down to the shop whilst half asleep.

I had to move all the fruit, veg and flowers out from the fridges and onto the shop display. It was then a rush to get showered and be at school by 9am. I was paid £15.00 a week, but at that age, I thought I was rich!

What jobs did you have before joining Dawsongroup?

I’ve worked in the transport and hire industry since finishing at the University of Wolverhampton, working at Nightfreight as a Customer Services Assistant, WCR Municipal as a Rental Assistant and most recently at Gulliver’s Truck Hire. I initially started there as a Sales Representative before becoming Rental and then Depot Manager at the Brownhills site.

What was your first job at Dawsongroup?

I started with Dawsongroup as the Branch Sales Manager at truck and trailer’s Birmingham Branch. I was there for six years before moving to Dawsondirect at the beginning of April 2024.

What’s your current job and what does it involve?

I’ve recently been promoted to General Manager at Dawsondirect.

It’s a new role and my responsibilities include developing the Dawsondirect brand and business. I’m really looking forward to working with the rest of the team.

One of our priorities will be to define and set minimum standards for our customers and create a platform that aligns with wider Group initiatives. In particular, we need to ensure that Dawsondirect continues to make a significant contribution to the future success of Dawsongroup.

What’s been the highlight of your time at Dawsongroup?

There have been many highlights, but the main one so far was the growth my team and I achieved at truck and trailer’s Birmingham branch.

We put in a lot of hard work and, with support from across the wider business, we increased revenue by 75% within five years. In particular, we made significant new contract hire gains and were successful in widening our customer base.