Consumer >> CEO Interviews >> February 21, 2000

James Barnes – Dobbies Garden Centres Plc (dgc.l)

JAMES BARNES became Financial Director in November 1989 and Managing Director in 1994. In 1983, he joined the City firm of L. Messel and Company and became an associate Director in 1986 shortly after the company had merged with Shearson Lehman. He was with Prudential Bache Capital Funding from 1987 until his departure to join Dobbies in 1989. James Barnes comes from a family with a long and distinguished history within the horticultural industry. His great grandfather, a keen plant collector, was instrumental in the creation of Waterers Nurseries in the late nineteenth century and his granfather positioned Waterers at the forefront of azalea and rhododendron production. He was a stalwart of the RHS being on the Rhododendron and Camellia committee for 58 years. Profile
TWST: Give us a bit of a background summary or a short historical sketch

on the company. And then can you bring us up to date and describe what

you see as your business and company today.

Mr.