The Property Chronicle is delighted to be a supporter of the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity’s Oak Cancer Centre Appeal. To help them raise awareness and money we thought you would enjoy it if we asked Mike Slade, chairman of the appeal, a few personal questions ….
Mike Slade OBE is one of the best-known figures in the property world, not only for his commercial acumen but for his tireless championing of charitable causes. A former chairman of UK-listed property company Helical, he stepped down in 2019 after 35 years, having helped grow its market capitalisation from £500,000 to £440m. He was awarded an OBE for services to charity in 2019, particularly his work with LandAid.
The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity’s Oak Cancer Centre Appeal, which he chairs, aims to raise £70m to build a brand-new, state-of-the-art cancer treatment and research centre based at the Royal Marsden in Sutton. Mike and his team have raised over £65m to date and are in the final push to secure the remaining funds. Find out how you can support the appeal here.
When you were ten, what did you want to be as a grown up?
Playing for the England cricket team – I have fond memories of beach cricket in Rock.
Describe your parents’ influence on you
My father was a big character and a strong supporter of many charities.
What were you like at school?
A bit pushy, sporty and head boy.
What are your favourite clothes?
Circa 1968 King’s Road: bell-bottoms and velvet lapels.
What books are by your bedside at the moment?
The Gambler by Boris Johnson.
What is your favourite all-time TV series?
Fawlty Towers.
What clubs are you a member of?
Too many! But the most recent ‘club’ I joined is the Oak Cancer Centre appeal board, a great group of individuals raising money for a wonderful cause.
What is your favourite building?
The Shard.
What qualities in others do you value the most?
Forgiveness.
How do you deal with difficult times?
A very strong gin.
What are you frightened of?
I suffer from FOMO (fear of missing out).
Name the artist or author you just never ‘got’?
The Sex Pistols.
Do you have a useless talent?
Giving answers to questions like these!
Which historical and which fictional character would you most like to meet?
Sir Winston Churchill and Superman.
What is your most embarrassing habit?
Pushing my way to the front of queues, to my wife’s embarrassment!
Which CRE sector would you ‘short’ right now?
Retail.
If you could have been CEO of any other company, which would it have been?
It would have been wonderful to work alongside my good mate Alistair Elliott at Knight Frank.
Which industry figure left the biggest impression on you?
Sir Stuart Lipton, an industry great.
Five years from today, will sterling be higher or lower versus the euro and versus the US dollar?
Higher versus the euro; lower versus the dollar.
If you had to generate the maximum sterling total return over the next ten years, what would you invest £1m in right now?
Helical.
