Q: How did you start your business and what influenced your choice? I have always loved sailing and had owned several boats in England so when I had the opportunity to buy the classic schooner 'Seraph', I didn't hesitate. In order to offer her for charter, I then had to form a company.

Q: Tell us about ‘Seraph’. She was launched in 1906 and worked as a North Sea fishing boat for many years. During the eighties she reached Phuket waters and then actually sank off the Similans. My good friend Mark Horwood refloated the schooner and totally re-built her. She worked hard as a diving liveaboard for the next eleven years.

Again re-furbished, 'Seraph' now treats visitors to a more leisurely cruising experience in our coastal waters.

Q: What do you like most about living in Phuket? Just about everything! Nothing beats relaxing with a cold beer in one of Phuket's great watering holes. My favourites are Jimmy's Lighthouse in Chalong, Nikita's bar in Rawai and the Coconut restaurant in Naiharn.

Q: How has the island changed since you arrived? Phuket is developing at a breakneck speed-mostly for the better, I'd say.

Q: And your private life and lifestyle? '‘Work hard and play hard' is my motto. I live in Naiharn - still quiet and peaceful, and drive a classic Mercedes which is almost as old as '‘Seraph'.

I love to party with friends and play the occasional round of golf. I never miss a regatta of course and I'm actively involved with BBAP and PEGS.

Q: Tell us about your company BMP. My husband designs and builds houses and one of the problems he faced was getting good quality furniture. He began to import and it became clear that there was a considerable demand for such items. We decided to form a company to market the products and he put me in charge. I even went to Taiwan to learn about the manufacture of furniture, first hand. Apart from Phuket, we now have branches in Bangkok and Samui.

Q: Who are your customers and what attracts them to your products? I believe the main appeal of our products is exclusivity. Clients can select whatever they want according to their tastes and budget. I would say that in Phuket and Samui our customers are mainly foreigners, whereas in Bangkok they are primarily well-off Thais.

Q: Tell us something about your personal life. I married a Taiwanese and we have two children who are both studying at Kincaid International School in Bangkok. I'm afraid I'm a workaholic. I work every week day until 9.00 pm and at the weekends I fly to Bangkok to be with my family and to check on that side of the business. When I feel I need a break I will normally go overseas to 'get away from it all'.

Q: What do you hope for your children? I believe it is most important that they should grow up to be well-adjusted and happy members of the community.

Q: You once had a major business crisis. Can you tell us about it? Yes, as I have said we were in the building business and to finance this we needed to borrow from the banks. Back in 1997 we experienced a financial meltdown here and the Thai baht, which had been trading at 25 to the dollar for many years, suddenly collapsed to 56 to the dollar. Suddenly our debts doubled. We sold everything we could and somehow survived.

Q: What brought you to Phuket? In 1996 I came here for the first time to take up a position as Project Manager with Land and House Park. At that time Phuket was a small provincial town. Now it’s a thriving business centre.

Q: Could you please tell us about the business and your working philosophy? Land and House build residences aimed at the high end of the market-for well-off Thais and foreigners. Two new projects similar in size are on the drawing board. I believe that business depends on sound planning and market research. You can't just leave things to luck. I have learnt this approach from my boss Khun Anan Assawapokin-a very business-savvy gentleman.

Q: Could you tell us about your private life and what do you do in your free time? I'm married to a Phuket girl and, as yet, we have not started a family. We stay in a house provided by the company which is most convenient. I can walk to work. Sometimes I'll take time out and spend a couple of hours at a pavement café in Patong. It’s like a different world - all that hustle and bustle.

For relaxation, I enjoy jogging or a round of golf. I don't take the game too seriously, 'though-you don't want to end the round feeling more up-tight than when you started.

Q: What do you like and dislike most about Phuket? The island is now a cosmopolitan metropolis but is much more informal than Bangkok, where you have to get dressed up just to go to the shops.

The population is growing at a tremendous rate-we estimate that in the next five years it could exceed one million people. The public utilities are not keeping pace with the numbers living here. If we don't up-grade services like garbage collection, electricity and water we will be in trouble.