Monday Interview: Nadeem Shah, managing director of Vigo Group

Nadeem Shah, a Doncaster-based veteran entrepreneur who has been in the property development industry since 1973, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of over 40 years of supporting his town at the Doncaster Chamber Business Awards late last year.

“As an entrepreneur I don’t think of things as challenges,” he explained. “I never lose – I learn. Challenge is part of the job and that’s what makes the job interesting.”

He is managing director of Vigo Group, which builds houses, offices and commercial units within a 50-mile radius of its offices in Doncaster and constructs high end residential properties in London. It is currently building at sought-after locations in Chelsea, Fulham and Marylebone.

The business also has a residential and commercial rental arm and specialises in transformational projects to bring previously neglected properties back to life.

Shah said: “We started out with just a couple of houses in Doncaster. The first houses I bought I got for £400 each.

“We’re still a family business, now in its third generations. Both my sons as well as my daughter work here.

“At the moment we’re concentrating quite heavily on residential developments and hope to have planning approved for a couple of large schemes in Doncaster and one in Sheffield.

“We’re going to be applying for planning permission for a leisure park on a 400-acre site in Doncaster.”

Shah said Vigo Group thrives despite not being a “mass producer” and takes a real pride in what it creates. “We have clients who prefer to deal with us rather than with the larger builders,” he said. “We can be very agile as we don’t have shareholders to please.”

He said the business had changed massively since he first joined in 1973, adding the industry now features much more red tape than previously as well as more health and safety.

“The health and safety side of things is brilliant,” he said. “There was very little of that when I started.”

Born in Pakistan, Shah came to the UK in the early 1960s with his parents. His father, Ahmed Hassan Shah, set up his first business in Doncaster which Shah joined after leaving Doncaster College at 17.

Commenting on his award, he said: “I am humbled, honoured and very grateful to be recognised for my contribution to Doncaster over the last 40 years and to have received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

“I feel there are others who are more worthy of the honour than me! Winning however, is in no doubt down to the support of my family and business colleagues, as well as to the many friends I have made in this most wonderful town.

“Over the next few years I want to build on what I have learned in life and business.

“My vision is to continue developing high quality schemes that enable communities to flourish; and I personally want  to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit of young people, to guide and mentor and help to develop them into people who add value to our economy and society, a society in which everyone has opportunity.”