Haskins announces recent CFO appointment
Haskins Garden Centres has appointed Wendy Axford as its new Chief Financial Officer to lead the company’s long-term strategy and transformation.
Axford brings extensive experience from senior financial roles in retail, FMCG, manufacturing, and agriculture including positions at Hillier (2015 – 2017) and Vitacress.
She said she was “thrilled to now join them and become part of an established, trusted garden retail brand.” She added, “Haskins is known and loved by its customers for its high-quality offering across its sites. It’ll be great to bring fresh perspectives to help strengthen the brand’s existing reputation in the industry.”
Continued investment
Her appointment comes as Haskins has invested in digital capabilities, including a new customer app, giving users access to special offers, competitions, and purchase tracking. In addition, its West End site is due to undergo a significant refurbishment of its restaurant and retail spaces at the end of the year.
Axford emphasized, “Efficiency is critical to driving profitability and managing costs, ensuring every aspect of a business is working seamlessly together.”
She concluded, “The retail industry is constantly facing significant challenges, from economic pressures to changing consumer behaviours. It’s more important than ever before to have a solid business model in place to navigate such challenges… I look forward to working closely with teams across the whole business to futureproof the brand’s success.”
Haskins has approximately 750 employees, with five garden centres across the south of England including Dorset, Hampshire, Sussex, and Surrey. The business also owns Birdworld in Farnham. To find out more about the brand, visit https://www.haskins.co.uk/.