Paul Orchard-Lisle

After school, Paul went into the army for several years, and then to Cambridge University to study to be a chartered surveyor; his degree gaining exemption from the professional exams. He briefly describes the role of a surveyor, but notes that nowadays the profession is much different from the 1960s and 1970s. Today, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is enormous; it aims to ensure that the standing of its members is such that people will want to employ a chartered surveyor. His father was a partner in Healy & Baker (H & B), surveyors, and after University Paul joined the firm and spent his career there, working primarily on retail lettings. He has now worked for the firm for 40 years, whic he says is now ‘a little unfashionable’. H & B were involved in many aspects of MK’s development; including the first letting of the shopping building.
After the closure of Milton Keynes Development Corporation, Paul remained with H & B as they diversified into all forms of real estate throughout Europe and he headed this expansion, travelling virtually every working day to European centres: he describes this as: ‘a fantastic opportunity’. He has been senior partner of H & B for 12 yearsand also had a period as President of the RICS..