The Great Annual Savings Business Advice Hub

Paul Johnson is very much a home-grown talent.

He joined Great Annual Savings Group in its infancy, fresh from a youth career as a professional footballer with Hartlepool United.  He quickly established a reputation within the business and aced all required accountancy qualifications in the space of four years to become the Group’s Management Accountant.

Several successful projects later, Paul was promoted to Head of Finance.  When the former FD left GAS, he took on the mantle of the business’ most senior finance professional; boasting a string of incredible achievements all under the age of 30.

Quote:

“I have witnessed phenomenal growth at the Group over the many years I’ve worked here and I’m looking forward to guiding the Group into an exciting new chapter.”

Interesting fact:

Paul made his professional debut for Hartlepool United against Bournemouth in the Football League.  Some say Danny Ings still resides in his pocket to this day.

Paul Johnson is very much a home-grown talent.

He joined Great Annual Savings Group in its infancy, fresh from a youth career as a professional footballer with Hartlepool United.  He quickly established a reputation within the business and aced all required accountancy qualifications in the space of four years to become the Group’s Management Accountant.

Several successful projects later, Paul was promoted to Head of Finance.  When the former FD left GAS, he took on the mantle of the business’ most senior finance professional; boasting a string of incredible achievements all under the age of 30.

Quote:

“I have witnessed phenomenal growth at the Group over the many years I’ve worked here and I’m looking forward to guiding the Group into an exciting new chapter.”

Interesting fact:

Paul made his professional debut for Hartlepool United against Bournemouth in the Football League.  Some say Danny Ings still resides in his pocket to this day.

A graduate of Sunderland University in 2011 in Sports Journalism, Adam spent the first few months of his career working as a Journalist before deciding he would enjoy applying his skills on the other side of the fence.

Adam says
"Journalism just wasn’t for me. Like all students when they graduate, I felt obliged to pursue a career in my chosen area of study, before quickly realising I had a diverse skill set that was better suited to the Communications and PR side of things. I gained a wide range of knowledge of writing and the media through my time at University and in the industry, so it was a smooth transition.

In December 2015, Adam leapt at the opportunity to join Great Annual Savings, tasked with the responsibility of setting up and establishing the Marketing Department.  In his short time with the company, he has expanded the team to seven members, with additional scope to grow further.  He has also implemented a successful PR strategy which has seen the company develop its brand reputation in a very competitive market.

Judith was part of the team who initially set up Great Annual Savings in 2012, she brings with her an abundance of senior management experience, managing the HR/Resourcing functions in numerous fast growing FTSE250 companies including De La Rue International PLC, Blacks Leisure Group PLC and most recently G4S PLC. Judith has played a pivotal role in helping move the business forward with our ambitious growth plans and her impact has seen our head count grow significantly year on year with significant plans in place to manage and lead the continued growth going forward.

Judith says:

"Businesses who are pro-active continually look at managing their costs effectively, those who wait until a recession hits, are reactive and often too late. We want companies to be pro-active and take the pain away by saving costs now, letting GAS do the fully managed cost solution just makes good business sense for any company, whatever the size or industry. Our business ethos is something I truly believe in and want every company to benefit from our help and support, working collaboratively together is a great way to build long term relationships.”

Did you know?

Outside of work, Judith is a member of the Employer Committee for the East Durham area, which helps businesses network with one another in the Durham region as well as helps to attract people & companies to this area. When she’s not networking across the North East you’ll find her doing some form of health & fitness and be having a coffee somewhere with someone!

Having founded GAS in 2012, Brad has overseen the company’s huge growth in a short space of time. Starting from modest surroundings in South Shields, rapid progress has seen the business move to its current office in Seaham, which is being expanded across the business park to create an 80,000 square foot GAS campus, featuring one of the finest headquarters buildings outside of London and Manchester.

The majority of Brad’s career has been spent on the boards of FTSE companies, at board level in the private sector and in turnaround private equity.  He was Group MD of Caudwell Group and worked on its sale in 2006 for £1.5 billion.

​Brad says:

"Certain businesses we’ve worked with have made six-figure savings over their contract terms. We cover the widest range of business variable costs in the market in one place.  When we get involved with a company, it allows them to focus on their core business.  The extra time we allow them to spend on their strategies can often prove as valuable as the cash we save them."

Did you know?

Brad is the proud Owner and Chief Executive of Spennymoor Town Football Club, who have achieved four promotions and eleven trophies since his takeover in 2009.  His interests outside of business and sport include a passion for animal welfare and he has been an avid dog owner for decades.