Joe Docherty, Chief Executive of Tees Valley Regeneration

Sep 19 2006 By Evening Gazette

What did you want to be when you were young?

A builder - my sixteenth birthday presents included a spirit level and a trowel and I promptly built a wall round my parents' garden. . . I should add I also got to take some pals to see Celtic.

How much was your first pay packet and what did you spend it on?

I spent two years working at a Homeless Unit - the wages were about £65 a week. I can't really remember what I spent it on.

What's your dream job, other than your current one?

Fronting a big band - I grew up listening Frank Sinatra albums, progressing to Dean Martin, and got hooked. Later it became trendy but I'd been listening to it for years and nobody called me hip! I can't watch Jamie Cullum without a tinge of envy.

What's the best piece of business advice you have received?

Get out of the low return areas of your business and reinvest capital in the most profitable. Blindingly simple - but often not done.

And the worst?

"I don't care if it works or not we're spending the money" - a truly jaw dropping comment made to me from a finance director in the public sector, who I should point out doesn't work in the Tees Valley!

What is your philosophy when it comes to business?

Study what you're successful at and improve on it. Instead of looking at what went wrong - examine what went right.

What are your hobbies?

Without knowing much about it, I do like art, or specifically paintings, and I like buying original stuff mostly by North-east artists. I go to the gym three or four times a week, thought I'm not sure I'd call that a hobby.

What's your top business or financial tip?

If you can see a bandwagon forming, you have already missed it.

Does anything scare you and if so what?

Not really, no.

What would you choose as your epitaph?

I'm not sure I believe in epitaphs - I'll not be around to read one anyway.