Duckers & Diving: The end for Bucknall?

THIS week our debonair diarist bids a fond farewell to one of Birmingham’s commercial property stalwarts…but is it really the end for David Bucknall?

It is the second time David Bucknall has ‘retired’ but in truth, there is every likelihood he’s no more serious this time than he was the first time he said it.

David Bucknall is not that sort of guy – even if he is 74.

After all, prior to his ‘farewell bash’ at Moseley Rugby Club this week – the last of six around the country – he played in a Sevens competition which featured some players 50 years younger.

Not so long ago he trekked to Everest base camp.

He is though stepping down as chairman from property and construction practice Rider Levett Bucknall.

“It just felt right,” he said. “It is time to go. Nobody like me wanted to be Old Mr Grace … even with the blondes.”

It is mostly rubbish – don’t believe it. We’re going to see him around for a long time yet.

For starters he is currently chairing the quantity surveyor professional group in the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Secondly, he has no intention of putting his feet up.

“I still have a lot of enthusiasm to help the industry,” he tells me.

Thirdly, non-executive director offers are pouring in.

Fourthly, he says he will be reducing from 60-70 hours a week to a mere 50 hours.

The mind boggles.

He told me: “I will be considering my position over the next few weeks. I will have made my mind up by Christmas.”

But he promises it will be nothing that crosses over RLB, a global alliance with over 2,800 people in more than 100 offices.

In a decade, the UK arm has gone from a turnover of £18m to £40m. It is a remarkable achievement.

Naturally, in such an illustrious career there have been downs as well as ups.

Fourteen years ago he packed in for the first time when the then Bucknall Austin was sold to venture capital group Citex.

It was a disaster and five years later he bought it out of administration against the odds “for not a lot of money”.

It was a BIMBO – a buy in management buyout.

He recalled: “There was no way we should have won the buyout, but we won it.”

And the first thing was to raise £1m to cover the monthly wage bill.

There have been setbacks.

The Citex period was one, described by colleague Ann Bentley, Bucknall’s successor as UK chairman, as “the dark days we try not to talk about”.

His efforts to help charity Nechells Baths have partly blown up in his face – a civil court case involving a claim against a fund-raising former vicar and supposedly disappearing money is on-going. He has been a witness.

And the wags would claim the third debacle is his continued support for his beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers!

The troops praised his “inexhaustible drive” – a man always running at 300 mph.

He is a man who cares deeply about bringing on young people; a man of vision but also a man of idiosyncrasies.

Ann insisted: “David knows more swear words than I knew existed.”

And she added: “Most of us have some experience of his terrifying driving.”

Revered at Moseley as a hooker who twice in his rugby career, during the course of separate seasons, turned out at every level from 1st XV to 6th XV.

Yes, Young Mr Grace has a bit left in him yet!