Dawsongroup has appointed the daughter of chairman Peter Dawson to the group's main board, after eight years managing the firm's property portfolio.
Freya Dawson has become group property director and said the appointment was certainly not because of her family connections.
She said: "When your surname is Dawson, people understandably expect you to have an easier time in the business. I can tell you the reverse is true! I have been fabulously supported by people at every level in the group as I have moved forward, but nobody made life easy for me – and to be honest, that’s how it should be."
Dawsongroup CEO Steve Miller said: "This has always been a family business, and for many years has been brilliantly led by Freya’s father, Peter Dawson. He continues to be an active and committed chairman for us, but it’s great to have another family member now reach main board level. Our property interests continue to develop, and Freya has always reported into the board on those. She now takes a seat in her own right and we look forward to her continuing input, both on those property matters and also on a far wider variety of business aspects now across the group."