Team Spotlight on….. Gareth Richards-Jones, Managing Partner
We are a friendly bunch here at Jones Battye, and thought it would be a nice idea to start 2017 by putting some of our team in the spotlight. Hopefully, you can get to know us a little better and put a face and personality to the name.
First up is our Managing Partner, Gareth Richards-Jones:
Hi Gareth. Tell us about your typical day.
“It’s a cliché but no two days are the same, especially as I also work on the family farm and the jobs to be done vary hugely with the seasons. Generally though, I have breakfast with my children and I’m in the office for about 7.45am. I like to write reports then, when it’s nice and quiet and before the ‘phone starts ringing! Then it’s up to the farm by about 10am until lunchtime. At this time of year we are getting ready for lambing, so it’s mainly feeding extra hay and sheep nuts to the ewes and making sure everyone is ok. I love farming and being out in all weathers, but it does mean that I have to have plenty of changes of clothes as I can’t drive the quad bike in my suit!”
What about the afternoon?
“The rest of the day I am out and about doing surveys and meeting clients. At about 5pm it’s back to either the Aberdare or Cardiff office to catch up with staff, make ‘phone calls and check my emails. Then it’s home for tea and bedtime stories with my family. I usually go back to the office about 8pm for another couple of hours of report writing, otherwise it’s easy to be behind for the next day.”
What’s the best thing about your job?
“Meeting people on their own turf and really seeing the full diversity of human nature makes the job fascinating and at times extremely funny.”
Really? Give us an example.
“I could write a book! I think I would have to publish it anonymously though!”
What’s the oddest thing you have ever seen?
“Again, it’s a weird old world out there and you see it all when you are surveying. People do the craziest things to their homes. I once surveyed a terraced house where the owner had tried to create his own cellar by just lifting the floorboards and digging. He had undermined the foundations of the whole house including the front wall and had begun excavating under the road too! There were no supports just mud.
Any New Year’s Resolutions?
“Well, we opened the new Cardiff office just 2 months ago, so this year I want to concentrate on building upon the excellent start we have had, growing the business further and establishing a solid professional reputation. Perhaps I should start writing that book too!”
To find out more about Gareth, see his staff profile at http://bit.ly/2jvcNMq
