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Specsavers has seen 100 employees graduate from its Pathway joint venture partner development programme at a ceremony in Manchester.
Some of the aspiring joint venture partners already have a store lined up while others will wait for the right opportunity to come along said the firm. Dame Mary Perkins, Specsavers co-founder was on hand to make the presentations and congratulate the graduates. ‘We are all passionate about our people – the secret of Specsavers’ success is the people and the partnership. It is core to our way of doing business,’ she said.
Joint managing director Paul Marshall said: ‘Thank you so much for all the hard work and accomplishments that have brought you to where you are today. I also say thanks to your families, as well, for the support I know they have given you in your career so far. Around 90% of Specsavers’ partnership requirements are met by Pathway which finds partners for new stores, expanding stores and replaces those retiring.
Optometrist, Wayne Watson was also named winner of the overall Pathway project with an entry about growing the contact lens business in his store in Newry, Northern Ireland. Dame Mary said: ‘We felt Wayne was a genuinely worthy winner of the overall project of the year. The fact that he stepped so far out of his day job in the testing room was alone remarkable. He showed excellent communication skills, he praised and encouraged at every daily huddle, and in the end he totally transformed the culture of an entire store towards contact lenses.’
