All Twenty Questions articles

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    UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: 20 Questions for Wayne Harrand from MPK Garages

    2024-06-17T09:53:00Z

    Wayne Harrand says that working with his team, who have helped navigate MPK Garages through a period of transition, is the most rewarding part of his job. But they had better not copy him into too many emails, and he might be tempted away if he was offered the top role at Lego!

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    Interview

    UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: 20 questions for David Charman from Parkfoot Garage

    2024-04-22T09:19:00Z

    David Charman might fancy himself as the next Jack Reacher, the capable and likeable former military police officer and protagonist of Lee Child’s crime series. But don’t show him a snake or call him Dave or mate. 

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    UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: 20 questions for Andy Cotton from Pearl Forecourts

    2024-03-22T15:49:00Z

    From his trusty comfy slippers to trips to Canada, Pearl Forecourts’ Andy Cotton shares what he enjoys doing when not working a typical 12-hour shift. It is lucky that he describes his role at the Bolton-based business as his dream job, despite, as he says, never really being off duty.

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    Interview

    UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: 20 questions for Sam Clarke from Gridserve

    2024-02-28T13:09:00Z

    It is fair to say that Gridserve’s Sam Clarke is a fan of electric vehicles: he has owned one for 20 years, hosts an EV podcast and even set a Guinness World Record driving one. He says being a key member of the team behind the ubiquitous chargepoint provider is his dream job.

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    Interview

    UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: 20 questions for Arthur Renshaw, Experian Catalist

    2020-05-12T00:00:00Z

    01 Career history: I joined the oil industry way back in 1975. I joined Elf just after they entered the UK market with the acquisition of VIP Petroleum and worked for them for 12 years. I left Elf to join US-based consultants MPSI Systems where I looked after oil company ...

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    Under the spotlight: Kathiravelu Kumanan, area manager, NTS Retail Ltd

    2020-04-07T00:00:00Z

    Name: Kathiravelu Kumanan Job title: Area manager Company: NTS Retail Ltd 01 Career history: I went from being a skilled aero engineer to a cashier then area manager for various oil companies. 02 Dream job (if you weren’t doing this): Flying high in the aero space industry. 03 ...

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    Under the spotlight: Matthew Bellamy

    2020-03-10T00:00:00Z

    Name: Matthew Bellamy Job title: Head of company-owned and operated retail Company: Certas Energy 01 Career history: I’ve spent 11 years in the industry working for Total and then Certas Energy. I’ve completed a number a roles within retail, most recently a project role to build an unmanned retail business ...

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    Under the spotlight: Shane Bowering

    2020-02-10T00:00:00Z

    Name: Shane Bowering Job title: Pace/RNC development manager Company: Certas Energy 01 Career history: I worked in London as a chef before taking up various roles in restaurants around the world. I then ran a very successful pub in London before returning to Devon to work as a head chef. ...

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    Under the spotlight: Jack Aplin, Eurotank

    2020-01-13T00:00:00Z

    01 Career history: I have spent almost my entire career with Eurotank except for a short spell at Tesco on the checkouts. As the company expanded I was given the opportunity to take on more responsibility and I have grown with the business. 02 Dream job if you weren’t doing ...

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    Under the spotlight: Elaine Houston and Steve Cunningham

    2019-12-16T00:00:00Z

    Job title: Directors Company: Abbiecraig Services 01 Career history: We have been 35 years in the business, which is a family business and we own two petrol filling stations. We’ve had Abbiecraig Services for seven years. It was a knock-down rebuild and it was then that we went with ...

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    Under the spotlight: Debbie Dodds, owner Spar Salley’s Filling Station

    2019-11-15T00:00:00Z

    Name: Debbie Dodds Job title: Owner Company: Spar Salley’s Filling Station, Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone 01 Career history: I have been in the family business all my life, expanding from forecourt retailing into hospitality with our family restaurant Salley’s in Aughnacloy. 02 Where did you grow up: Aughnacloy, Co. Tyrone 03 ...

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    Under the spotlight: Oliver Müller, retail business manager, Phillips 66

    2019-10-10T00:00:00Z

    Name: Oliver Müller Company: Phillips 66 Limited (Jet) Job title: Retail business manager 01 Career history: I joined the business in 2002 and have since worked in a number of retail roles in the organisation in the States, Germany and now the UK. Before relocating to London earlier this year ...

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    Under the spotlight: Nicola McKeown, retail national accounts manager, Gulf Retail

    2019-09-09T00:00:00Z

    01 Career history:I started, in 1991, as a commercial sales rep with Mercia Fuels in the West Midlands. They were a distributor for Kuwait Petroleum. In 1995 I went on to become a depot manager and in 1999 I was given the opportunity to join the Kuwait Petroleum retail team ...

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    Under the spotlight: Phil Withers, director, Withers Holdings Ltd (MFG franchise)

    2019-08-06T00:00:00Z

    Phil Withers - director, Withers Holdings Ltd (MFG franchise) 01 Career history: I started my career very early by working in my father’s convenience store stacking shelves after school at the age of 14. In 2001 he retired so I bought the business; I developed it then in 2005 I ...

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    Under the spotlight: Tim Garner, director, Garner Group

    2019-07-09T00:00:00Z

    01 Career history: I qualified as a precision engineer following a five-year apprenticeship. I joined the family business in 1980 and then purchased my own site in 1984, before joining forces with my brother in 1988 to facilitate expansion. We increased the group to eight sites. We built two blocks ...

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    Under the spotlight: Sasha Evans, business development manager, Shell UK retail

    2019-06-07T00:00:00Z

    01 Career history: After university I went straight into retail, managing a store for a health products company. From there I joined a conglomerate called BTR, performing a central function role in Group Buying. I then moved into Shell, based in Manchester, and have spent most of my career in ...

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    Under the spotlight: Sam Edwards, regional business manager, Certas Energy

    2019-05-06T00:00:00Z

    01 Career history: I recently returned to the Gulf network after three years as a territory manager with Essar. I’d previously spent nine years with Certas Energy working in distribution, lubricants, commercial and retail. My various roles included depot manager, business manager for alternative fuels and retail area manager. 02 ...

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    Under the spotlight: Andrew MacDonald, md of Refuel & Go

    2019-04-08T00:00:00Z

    If he wasn’t MD of Refuel & Go, Andrew MacDonald would have loved to have been a drummer in a successful rock band Name: Andrew MacDonald Job title: Managing director Company: Refuel & Go 01 Career history: After a period in publishing and the leisure industry, I worked for Shell ...

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    Under the spotlight: Dave Morris

    2019-03-11T00:00:00Z

    01 Career history: I graduated from the University of the West Of England with a law degree. I started my property career with estate agents, Countrywide Plc. After working with them for four years, I moved to Christie & Co as a retail business agent, specialising in the sale and ...

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    Under the spotlight: Richard Garrie

    2019-02-11T00:00:00Z

    Richard Garrie, retail manager at Adam Purves Galashiels, says his favourite team is the one he works with! 01 Career history: I ran a successful courier company with my wife for many years. I then got into the retail sector and have worked my way up through the ranks to ...