Paul is managing director of corporate interiors firm Management Construction Newry. He is also the new owner of Newry City Football Club and recently featured on the BBC NI/Invest NI documentary Chasing the Dollar

How’s business?

Been a whole lot better! We are suffering like other service providers that work with financial institutions, solicitors, accountants and professionals in the property sector.

Any exciting projects in the pipeline?

We are currently fitting out the new headquarters for Citigroup the American banking giant in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, it’s a challenging project of 110,000 sq ft over 11 floors to be completed this summer.

Our Prague office is also starting a rolling refurbishment of the Iconic Kotva Shopping Centre in Prague — it’s an 850,000 sq ft project, over six floors and will be a real test of our ability given the local stature of this building.

What are the long-term prospects for your company?

After six heady years of controlled growth this will be a period of consolidation, we intend to match last year’s group turnover but our geographical spread will change dramatically from 70% of our turnover in Ireland to 75% outside Ireland... all within 18 months.

What are the biggest challenges facing your organisation?

Managing the answer to the last question.

Could the Government help you to do business better?

The sooner they remove the toxic debts from the banks and normal lending procedures return the sooner supply companies like ours, will have local customers/ clients again.

For the record, the corporate interiors industry in Ireland hasn’t shrunk or slowed down it has virtually disappeared.

Why would someone work for you?

We are the industry leader in innovative stylish corporate interiors; we have a young committed staff with a very low turnover rate — even in this uncertain market.

You could be working with leading design teams on projects for clients like Citigroup, HP, Sony, Google, etc in places such as Belfast, Dublin, London or Prague where we hold offices.

Your views on the economy, please.

Unfortunately Ireland has been hit with a double whammy, firstly we have the property crisis followed by a worldwide credit crisis — hence the current feeling of despair among many employers here.

It’s only now we are starting to question the politicians, the policies and the mistakes they have made in the past.

This current crisis will have many more victims and many companies will not survive. Those that do will be better equipped, leaner, more profitable and will be able to deal with the upturn when it finally arrives.

The business climate — good or bad?

Obviously our sector is hurting badly due to the banking crisis, what we will see is a return to good old fashioned values like obtaining value for money, quality above quantity, and real service returning to the industry.

Many employees who took advantage of the skills shortage and drove up costs are now facing the difficulty of realignment in salaries.

What ambitions do you have on a personal level?

To be the first chairman at Newry City FC to lift the JJB Premiership title or the Irish Cup, not fussy.

Retire at 50, get my golf handicap down to single figures (14) and be at Anfield next season when we lift the Premiership trophy. Stay healthy and live long enough to have many grandchildren and achieve my other four ambitions.

What do you get up to in your spare time?

Watch GAA and Newry City FC, a little golf, holiday and spend time with the wife and kids.