Much of my working life was spent abroad, in the employ of food companies, initially in marketing and advertising and later in general management, which lead to involvement in property. I worked for a wine and spirits company in South Africa, a frozen food company in Australia and with the Hong Kong Land Company based in that former British colony prior to it being handed back to Chinese rule.

A chain of 65 retail outlets were added to my responsibilities and as a result I became more involved with property issues which were at the core of the Hong Kong Land Company's business. I was negotiating leases both as landlord, representing Hong Kong Land, and as a tenant when trying to expand our retail business. I little realised, at the time, how valuable the experience of the cut-throat Hong Kong property market would be to me later.

When I returned to the UK I offered my services as a consultant and for several years made a reasonable living working largely for the United States Government investigating export markets.

However, among my first consultancy clients was the developer of the Bayswater block of flats in which I lived. He was not happy with the way the managing agent was performing (or rather, not performing) and asked me to become part- time Company Secretary to keep an eye on things. There followed a frustrating two years when I seemed to be more of a private detective trying to find out what was going on. One day I had what in marketing terms is known as a GOBO (Glimpse of the Blindingly Obvious). If the agents could not improve, then it would be less difficult if I was the managing agent! I already had the office infrastructure. The other directors agreed and we gave the original agents three months to improve their performance; if they failed then they would be dismissed. They did not improve and bowed out reasonably gracefully six months later.

When Muriel Guest- Smith became Chairman of the FPRA and sought to expand the membership of the Executive Committee I volunteered as I felt I could usefully give a managing agent's perspective while still being concerned that residents get good service. Also, at the time, I lived only about 300 yards from the FPRA office, then in Bayswater. Shortly after I joined the Committee, they promptly moved the office to the other side of London!

My property management business has grown and we now manage a portfolio of blocks and have expanded into rental properties. I helped found the UK Association of Letting Agents. However, my first love remains block management and it has been rewarding to see blocks improve and experience the satisfaction of well pleased leaseholders. We have also helped a number of blocks thread their way through the maze of buying their own freeholds.

When I can, I like to sail competitively but now on other people's yachts. The halcyon days of Hong Kong when I had my own boat are long since gone!