Logistics firm Magnus Group has revealed its push into the ‘new normal’ will feature a further celebration of the company’s important family origins.
Olly Magnus, CEO and son of the business’s founder, has appointed sister Emma as Head of HR.
Just 12 months after the award winning Suffolk-based firm was taken over by 47-year-old Olly, Emma Lightfoot now takes responsibility for all aspects of recruitment, retention and staff welfare.
The company has enjoyed an impressive period of growth and development under Olly’s helm, and now has a workforce of 125.
Emma, 50, is determined to use her considerable commercial and people development experience, to drive the thriving business forward in the country’s ‘recovery chapter’, following the pandemic outbreak.
“Like Olly, I grew up in the thick of the haulage sector, watching Dad at work, and seeing how hard he worked to generate a company which provided a great service, but which, fundamentally, did great things to look after its people,” she said.
“I feel a sense of incredible pride to now be able to join Olly, and to take that side of the company on, true to Dad’s important values around staff support and appreciation, but in particular to do so at a time when the company is growing and changing rapidly.”
Also a director of Orwell River Cruises (which is owned by the Magnus family), Emma is a graduate in Psychology and Sociology – a degree she gained at University of Suffolk.
She is proud of the way in which Magnus has adapted rapidly and successfully in the light of the unprecedented circumstances of Covid-19.
“Olly and all the team here at Magnus have worked so hard, and with such innovation and enthusiasm, over these challenging few months of the initial virus outbreak,” she added.
“They’ve secured new contracts – in particular for warehousing – adopted new ways of working to conform with social distancing, and kept many companies up and down the UK supplied with goods which were urgently required by customers.
“While it has been a challenge for them, I am proud of how the company has adapted and am looking forward to playing my part alongside my brother. I’m sure Dad would be smiling at the thought of his children working together to keep his business name as strong as ever.”
Based in Blakenham, Magnus Group was originally formed in the 1970’s by Paul Magnus.
It quickly developed a strong reputation for providing warehousing, transportation and freight forwarding for companies all over the UK and Europe.
With a fleet of over 50 articulated vehicles, it has some 250,000 sq ft of warehousing space and announced a rebrand at the start of 2020.
