Luxury Property Industry Leaders - In Conversation with Andrew Paulson (Lees Associates)
Meet Andrew Paulson RIBA ARB, Architect and Partner at Lees Associates
Andrew, it is great to have you here today and we are so pleased to have you as a founding member of The LPF. To start, please can you tell us a little more about Lees Associates.
We are progressive, market-leading prime-specialist architects based in London. We are recognised as an experienced, reliable and trusted practice, fastidious in our approach to design and holding ourselves and our work to the highest standards.
What inspired you to join Lees Associates?
While neither of us were here at the start, Kath and I have served over 50 years between us and we remain as dedicated to our mission of providing the highest level of service to our discerning clients as we were when we joined.
What a great mission. So sets you as an industry leader and Lees Associates apart from others in the luxury property sector?
We recognise that we are the curators of our client’s dreams; clients with the highest aspirations. We respect their time, budget and quality expectations, as we guide them through the design and construction process to realise and exceed their vision. We are attentive to detail and relentless in our pursuit of innovative solutions that deliver a sustainable premium product.
Thank you so much Andrew. What does a typical day look like to you?
No two days are alike but typically my days are split between meeting clients and other connections to look at what solutions Lees Associates can provide to help them achieve their project aims. Our time is also spent reviewing the status of our current projects with our job runners to ensure we are on track and delivering at every stage. It is sometimes a challenge to find the right balance between these two sides to my role. However, it is hugely rewarding to be out meeting prospective clients, helping tailor our solutions to their needs and being part of our team that is delivering operationally. Having a Partner involved in every project is fundamental to our commitment. It is my job to know what is happening at any point in time on all our projects and to ensure we have a strong pipeline of new work lined up to feed the machine!
What are some of the greatest challenges you have faced in your business so far?
It takes time being in a leadership position to recognise that the biggest challenge we constantly face is recruiting the best talent to our team. We are nothing without our people and our reputation depends upon the consistent quality of everything we do, manifested through our team. We are lucky that over the last few years we have steadily built a really strong team of fantastic people who share our values and are a perfect cultural fit.
What are some of the highlights you have experienced since starting your company/joining your company?
It has been a privilege to work on some genuinely special and unique projects at the most prestigious addresses. To have personally worked on two of the four penthouses at One Hyde Park has been a particular highlight. To be entrusted with the responsibility to oversee the delivery of some of the most valuable real estate in the world is a genuine privilege that I will never take for granted. The restoration project we did at Dixton Manor in the Cotswolds between 2006 and 2008 was also formative for me.
We launched a new side to the business in 2020, offering in-house measured surveys not just for our own projects, but also as a standalone service. We uniquely offer 3D point cloud measured surveys by architects whose knowledge and understanding of the buildings they survey is unparalleled. From the surveys, we build BIM (Building Information Modelling) models of the properties, from which all the drawings are generated. Having an accurate and reliable model of the existing property at the start of a project is so valuable to an architect that, if we are appointed as architect to take the project forward, we will refund the cost of us building the BIM model. The popularity and success of this has been incredible and we are really excited about how this side of the business will blossom.
The BIM side of the business is so integral and an exciting chapter. So Andrew you as an industry leader are very inspirational but who inspires you?
Our team inspire me with their passion, energy and drive to deliver on our projects. Knowing that I have a team behind me that will approach every new challenge enthusiastically and professionally is incredibly empowering. Their dedication, commitment and desire to never stop learning is a constant strength. And, of course, my children inspire me every day.
What advice do you have for people looking to become an industry leader in the luxury property business?
It takes time. Reputations take years to make and seconds to lose. There are no shortcuts: become the best at what you do, learn from those around you and share your experiences. Never stop learning; never stop pushing the boundaries. Build and refine your skill base to become an invaluable trusted advisor to ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) and their representatives.
Brilliant advice! In an ideal world, what does the future hold for you and your business?
We are on an exciting upward trajectory as we continue to grow the business, which is presenting so many new opportunities in terms of clients and projects. Our objective is to ensure our growth is organic and sustainable, ensuring we continue to deliver for our clients each and every time.
And finally, what does “luxury” mean to you?
Luxury is taking something that is desirable but normally scarce and making it accessible. That applies as much to time or experiences as it does to material possessions. One of the greatest luxuries we are able to offer our clients is time. By overseeing their projects with care and precision, and relieving them of the stress and pressure of managing the process themselves, we are able to give them back time for themselves. And the luxury of their completed project itself is having an exceptional home, tailored to their exacting needs and desires.
get in touch
LEES ASSOCIATES
Telephone
+44 (0)20 7403 1000
Address
Lancaster House
38 Southwark Street
London
SE1 1UN
