Staff Stories

At Gray Dawes, we value our staff as individuals. We embrace the myriad of personalities that define the unique culture of our organisation and take joy from all of the different stories that form the narrative of our history so far. Here are a few of those stories from our people in their own words…

READ THEIR STORIES

Niamh Pennington

Executive Assitant to CEO

“First and foremost, I am the Executive Assistant to Suzanne Horner, but I have many other secondary roles within the company including Office Facility Manager and Approver for Staff Travel & Expenses. I am also a part-time Finance Assistant and help reconcile many internal Gray Dawes accounts for example dealing with write-offs and supply relations.”

“In February 2025, I will have been part of Gray Dawes for 30 years and I’ve loved every minute of it. I particularly like the culture of our office, the family values the company promotes, and the brilliant people I have worked with over the last three decades. I also enjoy the variety of my role and the fun I continue to have!”

“In the future, I am most excited about our increased global presence. I look forward to learning how different countries operate within my various roles and expanding my knowledge internationally.”

Tony Howes

Operations Manager

“I am the Operations Manager for Gray Dawes and I’m based in London. The company I worked for was acquired by Gray Dawes approximately 8 years ago, but I have worked for the same organisation since 1982 so this year is my 42nd year with the same employer.”

“On a day-to-day, I manage the running of the operation in London alongside my Reservations Manager and my two Team Leaders. I look after 24 people over 3 teams called Whiskey, Tango, and Victor. Though I try to fulfil a more overarching, strategic role, I do get involved in monitoring the inboxes when called upon – this helps me understand the challenges my staff face while also looking after my portfolio of clients and representing the Operations team on new client meetings.”

“The reason I like Gray Dawes is largely due to its ambition – the size of the company has almost quadrupled in the short time I’ve been here. It’s therefore an extremely dynamic environment while still being a family company at its heart, as was the situation when I started my career at the age of 16.”

“I am also lucky to work with some fantastic people who all share the same vision. Gray Dawes has proven that it’s a good company to work for by the way it looks after its staff, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The thing I’m most excited about in the future is seeing the company continue to expand into the global arena and the new possibilities that this expansion will open up for staff. My long-term ambition is to help make the London office the flagship location for prestigious clients in areas such as law and finance.”

Grace Bullimore

HR Coordinator

My name is Grace, and I am a HR Coordinator at Gray Dawes. I have been with the company for just over a year and half now, starting my journey on an apprenticeship. I have now successfully passed my apprenticeship and I am a fully-fledged member of the HR and Training Department.

No two days are the same in the HR and Training Department, so the team and I are constantly kept on our toes! Most of our duties involve supporting and helping the staff at Gray Dawes, including Managers and the Senior Team. My duties include adding job posts to our LinkedIn page, sifting through CVs, helping onboard new staff, and maintaining accurate staff data on our HRM system.

What I like the most about working at Gray Dawes are the people. Everyone, especially my team, has been so understanding and supportive of the fact that I came into my role with little HR experience. I have been so lucky to grow my knowledge, skills and experience in such a supportive environment.

I think the most exciting thing for Gray Dawes in the future is the continuation of our global expansion. I look forward to seeing how the opportunities presented will help me develop my role.

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