Don Grover

When the Chairman of Dymocks needed a new leader to guide the iconic Australian bookseller into the 21st century, he didn't need to look far. Don Grover had been providing strategic advice to the Group, and with his passion for retailing, and close to three decades of grass roots and senior management expertise in the area, he was the perfect choice for CEO; a position he has now held since December 2003.

Dymocks is now in its 130th year of trading, but with Don at the helm for the past five years, it is not resting on its laurels. The strategic direction of the business has evolved from a bricks and mortar bookseller to a multi-channel business which is seen (locally and internationally) as a leader in bookselling innovation, challenging boundaries to satisfy and grow its customer base.

Dymocks is looking for growth; so a key aspect of Don's roles includes investigating appropriate acquisitions. Under his guidance, the strategic review process is ongoing, and the Group continues to roll out changes; recently these have included website enhancements and digital technologies.

The scope of Don's position with the Dymocks Group of Companies includes the operation of 76 stores in Australia, 11 in Hong Kong and 7 in New Zealand under the Dymocks brand.  Don also has accountability for the Property and Farming divisions of the Dymocks Group.

Before joining Dymocks, Don spent 25 years at David Jones Department Stores, the last nine as Stores Director responsible for the operations of 36 department stores, overseeing new business acquisitions and focusing on implementing best practice customer service delivery for over 10,000 employees.  In addition he had responsibility for the David Jones Property and Store Development teams.