Meet Harrison Gray, Senior Associate, and property cost saving champion.  He brings expertise, enthusiasm, and a passion for saving our clients’ money to the table.  Balancing property challenges with a love for MK Dons and family walks.  Harrison dreams of Everest basecamp and wishes he could talk to animals, despite an aversion to horses!  Discover more about Harrison in this Meet the Team feature…

Tell me about your background and how you got into service charge & lease expense consultancy?  I grew up in Milton Keynes, and after finishing school I went to university to study Geography.  After graduating, I worked as a Letting Agent, but my interest really lay with commercial property.  I approached Lee Mason to learn more about what Assure did and was instantly keen to get involved!  I joined Assure in 2016 and have since completed a master’s in real estate management and am currently completing the APC to become a commercial surveyor. 

What attracted you to work at Assure?  I wanted to join a thriving business and establish a career in commercial property.  Joining a team with a dynamic and forwarding-thinking culture was crucial for me, and that’s what I found at Assure – I’ve always been averse to the notion of being merely a number in a vast organisation.

How do you describe to family and friends what you do?  I tend to use the analogy of a local shopping centre or retail park, explaining that all tenants contribute towards the cleaning and maintenance of the common parts, mostly the car park in retail parks.  Explaining that my role is to make sure our clients get value for what they pay and are paying correctly in line with their lease agreements.  Sometimes this is met with blank faces, but most of the time people seem to get it!

What would your perfect weekend look like?  Perfect weekend would probably be a quiet Saturday morning with family, followed by going to watch a football game – I’ve held a season ticket at MK Dons for nearly a decade. On Sunday, a long walk with family and our dog, capped off by a visit to the pub for a well-earned drink and a roast dinner to round off the weekend.

What’s one thing people don’t know about you that they would be surprised to find out?  I’m genuinely afraid of horses.  Being in close proximity makes me uneasy, except when I’m watching horse racing – that’s when I’m perfectly at ease with them!

 If you had three wishes, what would they be?

• To be able to talk to animals, I would love to know what they think.
• The ability to see the future.
• The ability to control time.

 If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?  While there are many places I’d love to visit, if I had to pick one it would be India/Nepal.  Exploring different cities and taking on the challenge of hiking to Everest Base Camp is something I’ve always wanted to experience.  However, with a young family, finding the right time for such an adventure may have to wait a few years.

One thing you would tell your 13-year-old self, what would it be?  Take your time and enjoy the moment, and don’t worry if things don’t happen first time around.

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