Argent chief reveals plans for the future
ONE of the leading members of Birmingham’s commercial property and business community has revealed he plans to leave the industry – but not for another eight years.
Gary Taylor, joint managing director (UK developments) for property developer Argent, said he wanted to leave the firm and the West Midlands, for a while, to see some of the world while he “was still young enough” to enjoy it.
Mr Taylor, 44, has two children and plans to wait until the younger of them finishes her full time education before quitting the rat race to go travelling.
He told TheBusinessDesk.com: “In eight years time, I won’t be doing property. Me and my wife never did the gap year thing and never went travelling.
“Before I joined Argent, I was working for Arup the engineers and had agreed terms to go out to Hong Kong for two years.
“I never did it because I had the job offer with Argent, which I’ve never regretted, but I am going to do something completely different in eight years time and it won’t be in property.
“The key thing is wanting to be fresh and go and do different things. The first winter that my daughter is off the financial books, I’ll be doing a ski season somewhere. I’ve got into skiing and I love it.
“Come the age of 52, you are lucky to be still young enough to do a winter in a ski season or go cycling across France and do those sorts of things.”
He added that he would also like to return to university to study history and possibly complete a masters course.
- Mr Taylor was talking to TheBusinessDesk.com as part of our new monthly ‘In Conversation With….’ series of interviews. Sign up for the Property Email to read the full interview next week and his thoughts on the new city centre Enterprise Zone and the future of Brindleyplace.
