Sun 30 Mar 2008
The diary of… Jason Leonard
A week in the life of Jason Leonard, a director of the Wyse Group, England’s most capped rugby player and a World Cup winner. Monday
Breakfast at Simpson’s in the Strand; lunch at Langan’s and a charity dinner at the Grosvenor House hotel. Well that is a popular misconception of my ‘working’ day!
In reality I am in the Harrow office in Middlesex early, organising team meetings in my role as managing director of Wyse Logistics (www.wysegroup.co.uk). Our work involves organising a variety of construction site support services, including security, health and safety, site processes and waste management. I was in the building game a long time before rugby turned professional and started out as a chippie working for my dad, gaining experience on most of the trades. It is a great industry to work in, with tremendous prospects for hard-working, driven people, passionate about the business. Whether you are digging a hole or a chief executive, take pride in what you do.
Tuesday
Wyse works across the residential, commercial and rail sectors in terms of construction support services. My clients include Persimmon, Barratt, Taylor Wimpey and Redrow on the housebuilding front, as well as Carillion and Laing O’Rourke. A lot of nerves about at the moment, but from my conversations it seems that properties outside of the south-east are bearing the brunt of the credit crunch when it comes to residential. Don’t knock the location, location, location cliché. Still very keen to help the housebuilding industry confront its severe skills shortages and attract more school-leavers. What a role model John White is. He went from apprentice bricklayer to chairman of Persimmon, a FTSE 100 company. John was a good rugby player in his day, playing for Northampton Saints before a bad knee injury. Pop down to the London Capital Club for a couple of drinks with clients. Chat about the regeneration of East London and the 2012 Olympics. As a Barking boy it is an area close to my heart.
Wednesday
When I am not eating, I am playing golf, is another popular myth about yours truly and if you saw my golf you would realise that I am clearly not getting much practice! Jimmy Tarbuck once suggested I cut a foot off my clubs. “To improve my swing?” I ask. “No to fit them in the bin,” replied Tarby. Must remember to reschedule a dinner with Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the HBF and Tim Trueman, chairman of TC Communications. I had to postpone because I was hard at work at MIPIM in Cannes. I am no longer the slim, finely tuned athlete I was on the rugby field, largely as a result of invitations to a lot of benefit and charity dinners. I try to help where I can. I organise one charity dinner a year in my name and the guest list usually reads like a who’s who of construction, with my industry mates so supportive. Have to dash to various sites, checking for damage after the storms and rain and to see how our specialist teams are doing. Then rush home for the kids’ bedtime. Sandra and I have two boys Harry, eight, and Jack, seven, and a little girl Francesca, who is four.
Thursday
I hear Eddy Shah has had a pop at the trades in Show House online, criticising electricians, plumbers and painters as lazy and incompetent. He obviously needs to talk to Wyse about his supply needs. Must remember to have a word with Eddy about his charity golf day at The Wiltshire Club in August. Eddy, like me, is a regular patron of Langan’s and a good friend of the restaurant owner Richard Shepherd. I may have a reputation as a fun, easy-going bloke. But just as you would not want to cross me when I had my rugby game head on, I equally do not suffer fools in business and if somebody needs a bollocking, I will deliver it. My clients are senior directors of construction companies and they expect and deserve the best service. My work is hugely important to me and we are building a business to be proud of at Wyse, slowly but surely growing and looking to give the bigger boys in our sector a run for their money.
Friday
I obviously get plenty of rugby-related calls. Lunch at Fishworks in Richmond with Rupert Bates, the editorial director of Show House, is interrupted by Richard Hill, the former England forward, looking for advice about work post-rugby when the Saracen retires at the end of the season. I order the seafood and shellfish grill. “That dish is for two sir”, says the waiter. “So?” The best lunch of the year? Undoubtedly the What House? Awards. Book me a seat Batesy.
Saturday
To the gym for a full English breakfast, sorry full workout. If it is a Twickenham international day I will swap my hard hat and hi viz for a suit and a spot of corporate hospitality, entertaining Wyse clients before, during and after the match. I got stick in the office after England’s defeat at Murrayfield from the Scots, although the Irish, including Wyse supremo Tony Mills, were uncharacteristically quiet after Twickenham. If I had a pound for every time I am asked what’s happening with Martin Johnson becoming England rugby manager, I would be richer than Johnno, which is saying something. I may be an RFU council member but I am as much in the dark as anyone else. What a farce. One journalist rang up asking for a comment about Johnson and I said why don’t you speak to the man himself, who I was having a drink with at the time. I get to scribble about rugby in my Evening Standard column.
Sunday
Time for some quality time with the kids. With his birthday coming up I ask Jack what posh restaurant he would like to dine in. He’s narrowed down his choice to a Chinese takeaway or a Happy Meal. Methinks he might be a front-row forward. Read some choice words from Sir Clive Woodward about the Johnson saga in The Sunday Times, saying above all Johnno must be a coach. Clive never coached us and the players always joked that when he was caught on camera celebrating an England try was that it was first time he had ever seen the move. Former England teammate Brian Moore takes the micky out of me in his Telegraph column about trying to explain to me what oxymoron meant. Mooro might have the brains, but at least I have teeth! We all believe Brian fell asleep with his head underneath the pillow and the tooth fairy came along and took the lot. Check my diary for the week ahead on one of my BlackBerry’s. Yes I’ve got two. The trouble is they obviously did not think about prop’s fat fingers when they designed these gadgets!
Posted by Show House
in Comment on Sun 30 Mar 2008
Have your say and comment on this article