News

Paul joined SHW in 1978 and quickly established himself as a trusted specialist in lease advisory, working across all forms of commercial property and advising Pension Funds, Institutions, Property Companies and private clients with a calm authority that became his hallmark.

 

His journey with the firm began in the Brighton office before he moved to Eastbourne in 1982, later returning to Brighton in 1994. Over the years he became an integral part of SHW’s Professional Division, leading it between 2003 and 2009 and becoming a co‑owner of the business in 1997. Paul’s expertise and leadership shaped the Sussex Coastal Region, where he served as Head of Professional and Lease Advisory. His professional standing is reflected in his Fellowship of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and his position as an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

 

Throughout his career he advised on some of the region’s most notable assets, including Trafalgar Place and Sovereign House for Aberdeen Asset Management, 3 City Park in Hove for Claymore Group Limited, and the Freshfield Industrial Estate for The Hargreaves Group.

 

Managing Partner Russell Markham captured Paul’s impact with warmth and precision, noting that “Paul’s contribution over four decades has been immense, and that his depth of expertise has created a long list of satisfied clients alongside the many personal qualities he brought to the firm every day.”

 

To mark his retirement, we asked Paul a few questions about his career. True to form, his answers were concise, thoughtful and quietly revealing. He explained that his father, a Chartered Surveyor, influenced his decision to enter the profession.

 

When asked how the industry has changed since he started, he reflected that while there have been too many changes to list, “the one constant has always been the people”. His favourite moments in the job were simple but telling: “Any occasion when a satisfied client paid his invoice by return.”

 

When asked why he stayed at SHW for so long, he credited the quality of clients, the quality of instructions and, once again, the people. And his advice to newcomers entering the property world was as succinct as it was wise: “listen, learn and never be afraid of change.”

 

Paul’s career is a testament to loyalty, professionalism and the enduring value of relationships built over time. His influence will continue to be felt across SHW, not only through the work he delivered but through the colleagues he supported and the standards he set. We thank him for everything he has contributed and wish him a long, happy and fulfilling retirement.