Early life
Dawson was born in Plymouth, Devon, the son of a market trader. He attended Hooe Primary School and thenCareer
Dawson started as a market trader in Plymouth. He sold seafood from the back of a van with his father, and later started his own venture selling perfume and jewellery from a suitcase.CDS Stores
Dawson started CDS Superstores (Chris Dawson Superstores) in 1989, and opened an outlet store in Sugar Mill Business Park in Plymouth called 'The Range Home, Garden & Leisure'. The store sold toys, home wares, DIY equipment and Jewellery.The Range
A 'The Range Home, Garden & Leisure' brand store was opened in Cardiff in February 2000; Dawson later bought the business park where this store sits. The Range was featured in The Sunday Times Top Track 250 companies from 2003 to 2012, once ranking at number 48. In 2015 the retail chain has about 100 stores, all of which are owned directly by Dawson. Dawson's CDS Superstores International company started a subsidiary, CDS Group Services, a shop fitting company that has clients that include Lego, Lush Cosmetics, Levi's jeans and sister company The Range. CDS Group Services was listed in twelfth place in the Real Business Hot 100 Companies in 2012.Awards and recognition
Dawson was an ambassador for the ''Channel 4 Jobs Report'' in 2012, named the Ernst & Young Overall Entrepreneur of the Year in 2011, and in the same year advised the Prime Minister David Cameron on issues facing growing businesses. In 2012 he was interviewed by Justin Leigh onPersonal life
Dawson lives in Plymouth with his wife Sarah. They have two children who also work for The Range family business. As of 2014, Dawson owned a Rolls-Royce Wraith with the personalised number plate "DE11 BOY", a reference to the fictional character Del Boy Trotter.References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dawson, Chris 1952 births Living people British retail company founders Businesspeople from Plymouth, Devon English billionaires