George Kyriacou is the managing director of CIT Developments, a London-based property developer redeveloping the former King’s Reach tower on the South Bank. The tower will be converted to luxury flats aimed at Arabian Gulf investors using backing from Middle East banks. The 51-year-old Briton of Greek heritage has been leading development at CIT since 1998. He has been involved in developing More London, a 2 million-square-foot development which includes the Mayor of London’s City Hall headquarters. He is also a visiting professor at Southbank University.
What are your favourite things to do on the weekend?
The demanding working week can eat into the hours I spend at home, so at the weekend I like to spend quality time with my wife and children. My son plays in an under-11s football team each weekend and I go along to support him – I sometimes stand in as a linesman, too, which is good fun.
What do you consider to be your favourite hobby?
I grew up in Islington and have been a great fan of Arsenal Football Club since I was seven years old. I am a season-ticket holder and love going to see my team play live at Emirates Stadium.
What can’t you live without?
My wife and children.
What do you consider the secret to your success?
Tenacity. My philosophy is to always try my best and to never give up. In my industry, you are faced with numerous challenges on a daily basis and it is essential to be persistent to overcome them. I tell my children this all the time – it’s important to be resilient in today’s competitive market. Resolution and doggedness are key in achieving solutions. My children are probably fed up with me telling them, be focused, work hard and never give up.
What advice would you offer other people starting out in your business?
Identify ambitions and goals at the start – without them it is impossible to reach them. Set yourself apart by getting up earlier than the rest and working harder. Make sure that you prepare well for your daily projects and tasks. Make sure that you understand your subject well. Having said that, there is bound to be the odd curveball along the way – beware of the unexpected. Don’t take things for granted and assume success, so be ready. I always remember the saying: ‘Fail to prepare and prepare to fail.’ Once again, be unfalteringly tenacious. I firmly believe that you can achieve almost anything in life if you try hard enough. Also, successes are due in part to failures, so try to learn from the mistakes you make and also the ones you see others make.
How do you achieve a work-life balance?
Have an agreement early on with yourself that to reach certain business and personal goals there will have to be compromises. Learn to make it work for you but understand that in this digital era, the divide between work and life isn’t so clear and make it work to your advantage. A work-life balance can be difficult, and it is the nature of my job that I have to resolve issues and make decisions whenever they crop up – even if it is late at night, at the weekend or during holidays. However, I love my job and it’s my nature to be as hands-on in the company as possible – I am lucky to have an understanding wife and family and I try not to take things personally. An old friend of mine once told me that there are three things in life: work, family & hobbies. At best I believe that you can do two out of three of those successfully – so you have to decide which two you really want.
How do you relax after the working day?
By spending time with my wife and kids. And I also like to read in a quiet place at home, which is a nice contrast to the hustle and bustle of central London. I would say my taste in books is eclectic – I have just finished Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag Montefiore and am now reading The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce, which is very different and much lighter.
If you weren’t managing director of this company, what else would you be doing?
I would always work for myself or be a partner in a business. I am a visiting professor at South Bank University and do some lecturing in development, which I quite enjoy. When I retire I would like to live in the country with a few acres where I can enjoy a simpler, quieter life and grow my own vegetables.
lbarnard@thenational.ae
