Barking Mad has new hands on the lead

Barking Mad welcomes new MD as its founder retires after nearly two decades holding the company’s lead.

Barking Mad has welcomed a new managing director who is looking to take the business to the next level. The news was revealed in an interview with Proactive Investors’ Andrew Scott, who questioned head of parent group Franchise Brands, Stephen Hemsley, about the change in the pet & dog franchise’s leadership.

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Business Development Manager, Rachel Stewart, has taken over the role of Managing Director and hopes to take the business from strength to strength over the next few years. She takes over from Lee Dancy, who founded the business back in 2000 after struggling to find a suitable alternative to kennels for her beloved pet pooch Bronte.

Speaking about Stewart’s takeover, Hemsley expressed his delight at how well the management change seems to be going so far.

“[Rachel] has been able to integrate Barking Mad more into the Franchise Brands systems and marginally reduce overheads at the head office in the Lake District, while using more of the group systems in marketing, in recruitment and in IT to grow the business. Early signs are looking good, she’s doing very well.”

Hemsley expressed his excitement for the rest of the year and beyond for all of Franchise Brand’s franchises and said that the momentum that is currently within the businesses shows no signs of slowing down.

Barking Mad is an award-winning franchise that has picked up the HSBC BFA Franchisor of the Year award, Micro Business and Franchisee of the Year accolades over the years. It also claimed the #GrowingBusinessAward from Real Business in 2016, in association with Amazon and the CBI, and became part of Franchise Brands PLC back in 2016 so that it could continue to grow throughout the years.