Dukes looks to grow with the support of new Managing Director Rob Jackson
Dukes Bailiffs is pleased to announce Rob Jackson has taken over as Managing Director this month.
Founders Colin and Elaine Naylor have decided to take a step back after 25 years, with the hopes that a fresh new perspective can take the business to the next level.
Colin, who is now CEO, and Elaine, CFO, have grown the company from an office in their home to a thriving business with more than 50 employees.
Becoming a truly family run business three years ago, when the couple’s twins Laura and Sarah joined the company, Colin and Elaine are confident that Dukes will thrive in the hands of Rob and their daughters.
Marketing Manager Laura and Bid Manager Sarah are supporting the growth of Dukes in a new London office, which they have opened this week. Rob will be based at the head office in Stone, Staffordshire.
Colin said: “When we were given the opportunity 25 years ago to take on our first client and set up our own company, I never thought it would still be going 25 years later.
“We took Rob on earlier this year as Sales Director as he has a fantastic amount of energy, enthusiasm and experience, which I think will really benefit the business and will help take it to another level. What’s more, he has fresh ideas and shares the company’s ethical values, which is really important to us.
“Rob will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the business, however Elaine and I will still be on hand to offer our advice and guidance in our new roles, as well as lead on key strategic initiatives.”
Elaine co-founded the business, taking responsibility for finance, accounting and recruitment whilst also raising three children under the age of two. She will now oversee the work of long-time employee Karen Wright, who will be taking on Elaine’s day-to-day tasks.
Elaine added: “It’s the right time for us to take on a more advisory role. We’ve got a strong management team that we can rely on and we trust Rob implicitly. What’s more, our daughters are integral to the business so we know it’s in safe hands.”
Rob, who himself has 25 years of experience in the industry, fit right into the company culture and was tasked with enhancing the brand.
He said: “I’m hoping to continue the legacy of Colin and Elaine by providing the best service I can for clients. My aim is to sustainably grow the business and establish Dukes as a UK-wide operator. We don’t want to become a big corporate machine, and will maintain both our family culture and our respected status in the industry.
“We will continue to use cutting-edge technology and automate our processes to increase our efficiency and collection rates for our clients. The idea that I would step up was always in the pipeline, but I didn’t expect it to happen so fast. I just seem to have fit in well, and Colin and Elaine have the confidence in me as I have been the Operations Director at a bigger company prior to being at Dukes, so I feel comfortable with this new challenge.”
Colin added: “I’m excited to see the business step up with Rob at the wheel. Rob and I are very similar in the way we do business and the values we share, so I’m confident in his ability to drive the business forward.”
