Retail entrepreneur Mark Dugdale, former managing director of Arcadia’s home shopping business, is sharpening the strategic focus at Flying Brands, the chequered Jersey home shopping concern.

The low-cost gifts venture, which traded above £5 a share in its heyday, before profit warnings upset City followers, has a dotcom share chart.

However, under chief executive Dugdale, who joined in 2002, fortunes are starting to fly once more, and sales over the web should drive growth.

‘Developing the internet is crucial to attracting customers,’ he explains, ‘and we are on the springboard right now.’

A recent second half update revealed sales up 14.5 per cent. Dugdale also has his eye on acquisitions, and is looking to unearth value from Flying Brands’ property portfolio.