Just one minute, Graham Richardson

Continuing the series of quick-fire profiles of the region's leading property players, meet Graham Richardson, chief executive of Cheshire-based Métier Property Holdings.

Your first job: After qualifying at Shirecliffe College of Building, Sheffield in 1975, I was appointed as management surveyor at Bernerd Thorpe & Partners, which is now part of DTZ. There I qualified as an associate in the Incorporated Society of Valuers & Auctioneers in 1977. I then moved to Edward Rushton & Kenyon in 1979, which later became King Sturge.

Current job: In 1980 I made the leap from agency practice to join newly formed property development company, Sibec, as a director and shareholder. Thanks to significant financial backing, the company grew to become a leading innovator of the property sector in the 1980s with offices in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and mainland Europe.

After selling my shares in Sibec in July 1987 to Hudson Conway Properties, a venture capital company, the funds raised provided the seed capital for me to establish Métier Property Holdings in 1987, where I am now chief executive, working with co-directors Andrew Hine and Aidan Murphy.

First deal: My first deal involved the acquisition of two high street shop units on Deanery Way, Stockport.

Last deal: Our latest deal to date is the development of Metis Sheffield, a £27m, 14-storey mixed-use scheme adjacent to the central business district, incorporating apartments, offices and car parking.

First car: I'm proud to say my first car was an Austen Mini Cooper.

Current car: Thankfully my car Bentley Continental GT is now a little more spacious.

Best decision: This question's easy - marrying my wife, Gill and having two fantastic sons, George and Jack.

Worst decision: My biggest regret is not believing in the inner city residential market early enough.

Current projects: We are heavily involved in schemes across the country, the largest of which as a principal partner is the £90m of a Kwiksave portfolio. Other schemes include: an £11m office development, known as Whitemoss Business Park in Skelmersdale; a landmark £30m residential and leisure development that is central to the Ouseburn Valley regeneration area in Newcastle upon Tyne. We are also involved in a planned 90,000 sq ft, 22-storey office and hotel building with external media space and ground level exhibition area, situated on the southern gateway to Manchester city centre.

Five-year plan: Thanks to strong financial backing from private institutions, banks and private sources, we have succeeded in building a robust development and investment track record across all property sectors.

Over the next five years we are looking for a mix of traditional property development projects from £10m to £100m and are particularly keen to secure further joint venture and corporate transactions, taking the lead role in all the joint ventures.

As the principle partner and financier of a new specialist hotel development and investment company, which we set up last summer, we are committed to invest £100m in this sector over the next two years.

The company has an enviable record across all sectors of the market, in addition to which it is rapidly emerging as a niche financier, by way of joint ventures and corporate investment in new companies where it identifies long term potential in the management.

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