A Briton with a heart for Filipinos
Mention David Charlton in the local salon industry, and you’ll hear nothing but praise for the Briton’s amiable personality and nurturing leadership. In a competitive business, Charlton made everyone feel like friends. His significant contributions included introducing world-class standards in salon operations and pioneering academic education in hairdressing during the late 20th century’s beauty industry boom.
“The secret to his business success was his personal management style. Everyone was treated as a member of the David’s Salon family, fostering loyalty and commitment within the organization. In return, the salon invested heavily in personal development and skill enhancement to achieve international standards,” said his youngest daughter, Laura Charlton, marketing and creative director of the company and head of the beauty department of David’s Salon Academy.
Charlton passed away from a heart attack last Tuesday at the age of 69.
Aside from Laura, he is survived by his two other daughters, Helen and Lee, from his wife Angela Charlton, who reside in the United Kingdom, and his Filipina partner, Joy Casabuena.
Paternal role
Trained at Durham Technical College and Vidal Sassoon, a proponent of the precision haircut, Charlton came to the Philippines to manage the international luxury salon chain, Rever, in Makati. His three daughters were born in the Philippines but educated in the UK.
In 1989, Charlton established David’s Salon, offering international-standard service at accessible prices. Today, there are 240 salons nationwide.
Marivic Aguibiador, VP for finance and operations, explained that the expansion model began with partnerships: 87 branches under the SM Group, 34 with other partners, 96 franchises, and 31 company-owned branches. Nine more branches are set to open soon.
“My dad took on a fatherly role with everyone. I used to joke that at Christmas, I have more than 2,000 kapatid (siblings) because all the staff are like family,” said Laura, 39, who has been working in the Philippines for 17 years. “Dad wanted to take care of everyone. He guided them because he wanted everyone to be in a better position.”
Charlton encouraged his staff to pursue their aspirations, such as building homes or providing quality education for their children.
While other salons provided internal training for their staff, Charlton established the country’s first academy with a curriculum he developed alongside training directors Boots Bonifacio and Lorna Sandoval, who began as one of his first junior hairstylists 39 years ago.
Academy alumni migrating to the United States and Canada can bypass additional schooling for state exams, as the education meets international standards.
Triathlete
Laura was tasked with creating the beauty training curriculum based on the City and Guilds London Institute, an educational organization that developed a system of technical education. She explained that hairdressing encompasses not only cutting but also theory, techniques, mannequin practice, and soft skills for professional customer service before students encounter real clients.
Both Charlton and his daughter have taken up residency in the Philippines. Laura preferred to stay because clients here desire more varied hairstyles compared to the West, where tastes tend to be more conservative.
“As a creative, your mind stays active. It keeps you more alive. We thrive on variety,” she said. Meanwhile, her father retired from haircutting to focus on management. “He made sure we could cut as well as he did,” she added.
Off hours, Charlton was a weekend triathlete, despite undergoing two bypass heart surgeries. “As he got older, he became a frustrated athlete. His mind was running as fast as his legs used to run. Yet, he never stopped exercising,” said his daughter.
He had a weekly rowing class and went swimming with the staff. The Charltons would go biking, in addition to doing Pilates and stretching exercises.
Team David’s Salon was revived postpandemic, composed of professional riders and staff from the head office and salons. Last month, Charlton, his daughters, and his partner took the management team on a team-building trip to Turkey. He was gearing up to get the head office staff back on the roads again. Until their trip to Fontana, Turkey, he was preparing for the Audax Randonneur Philippines, long-distance cycling events scheduled for late November.
The family and staff shared jokes and laughter on their way to Cappadocia. “I’d like to think he was tired and went to sleep,” recalled Laura.
Laura recalled her father’s words of wisdom. “He’s up there saying, ‘It’s okay to be emotional, but it’s not going to help you. Have a good cry, take a deep breath. Nothing stops so keep on moving.’”
