Where are you from? I was born in Wales, and then lived in Birmingham until the age of 14. During the 'winter of discontent' in England, with everyone on strike, my family moved to Tasmania, Australia. In 1988, working as an architect in Melbourne, I was offered a job opportunity in Hong Kong, where I remain.

When did you first come to Phuket and what made you decide to stay on? I came to Phuket in 1992 to join the King's Cup sailing regatta with a bunch of Hong Kong guys and fell in love with it. For me it was the fresh air and natural beauty, not the nightlife. These days, I spend about one week a month here.

You've recently built a villa in Phuket. What made you decide to build a villa and live here part-time? I'd been visiting Phuket often over the years and bought my first villa here in 2005. Five years ago I thought it was time to put some roots down, and began building a three-bedroom villa on one rai of land initially; we've since expanded the plot into four and a quarter rai. The villa is complete with a cinema and games room, wine cellar and infinity pool, while still under construction is a three-hole golf course designed by Jon Morrow of Red Mountain and a helipad with a 16-vehicle car park underneath. We've created my idea of what a home is all about. I'm very sociable and we now have an ideal place for entertaining my friends. Though we always see ourselves as having a base in the UK and my business is in Hong Kong, Phuket has become a part of my lifestyle.

You're now a partner in DaVinci restaurant in Nai Harn. With your background in architecture, how and why did you get involved with a restaurant business? I'm an expert in restaurants having eaten in lots! My business partner Mark Norris had moved to Phuket, and his original plan was to develop a retirement village. Then, in 2009, we heard that DaVinci was up for sale. We saw its potential and brought in another partner, Jana Sasik, who manages the daily operations and whose husband Claudio – a chef with experience in Michelin-starred restaurants – provides a lot of guidance. It's exciting to build a business from the ground up, something
I hadn't done for 20 years.

DaVinci is evolving into more than just a restaurant. We're getting involved in lifestyle, leisure and real estate, and we're contemplating opening a second restaurant in Bangkok soon. We now have two yachts, a 39ft sailing yacht by Composite Catamarans and a 54' Manhattan Sunseeker, and have hosted regatta events. I believe there's a strong relationship between design and lifestyle; we provide the lifestyle for the design we create.

What kind of car do you drive? Where to start! I love cars and I collect them. In Phuket, I have a Range Rover Sport, one of the launch models in Vesuvius Orange, of which there are only about 200 in the world. I also have a Toyota Hilux for practical purposes, a Honda Jazz that our house guests use, and a vintage mini Mayfair. I also have seven more cars in Hong Kong and the Philippines, including a Jaguar XJ, a Jaguar XK, a Mini Cooper, a Kia Sportage and a Toyota Fortuner. Our next car will be a Range Rover Evoque, a 'baby' Range Rover for my wife. I'm also proud to have on display at DaVinci the V10 Ferrari F1 engine used by Michael Schumacher for his win at the 2004 French Grand Prix, given to us by its designer.

What do you like most about living in Phuket? The air quality is fantastic and I like the climate all year round. Also, I feel connected here. We've become part of the local community through DaVinci.
What's the hardest thing about living here? Going to the airport to leave!

Do you have family here? My wife Leirife, who's from the Philippines, travels with me between here, Hong Kong, the UK and our other island home on Boracay. I have a 17-year-old son named Lloyd Frank Roberts who's at King's School, Canterbury in the UK. He says he wants to become an architect, too, so he may have to do something about his name! (Ed: Similar to famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright) I have a step-daughter, 18, at university in Melbourne and a step-son, 16, in the Philippines. I should also mention Molly the Shih Tzu 'lion dog', our only family member living full-time in Phuket. We're planning to get two Dobermans soon, but we expect Molly to continue her reign over the villa after they arrive!

Are you involved with any local community organisations or charities? I'm currently Chairman of the British Business Association of Phuket (BBAP). We aspire to become one of the premier organisations in Phuket providing the opportunity for informal and relaxed business networking with interesting speakers at events, as well as the opportunity to socialise and meet new friends. We've just relaunched the website www.bbap.org and are keen to welcome new members of all nationalities. I also sponsor and support the education of two children through the Phuket Has Been Good to Us Foundation, and, through DaVinci, support a sailing programme for children at Ao Yon. DaVinci also donated a pontoon to the Ao Chalong Yacht Club earlier this year to improve accessibility to the club as part of our continuing support for the yachting community in Phuket.

For further information about DaVinci Ristorante Pizzeria
Tel: +66 (0)76 289574
Website: www.davinciphuket.com