Name and role:

Richard Vann, managing director.

How long have you been with RVA Group?

Since the idea was conceived at my kitchen table — at 3:48 pm on 18 November 1992.

What did you want to be, when you were younger?

When I was very young, I wanted to be a pilot like every other boy. That aspiration was short-lived though, after I found out I was colourblind.

Was it always your intention to go into demolition? 

After completing my A-levels, I went on to study pharmacy, but I soon realised I wanted to get out into the ‘big world’ and embrace the challenges and risks of business.

And what are the most memorable things you’ve learnt during your career?

Be honest and always deliver on your promises — seize every opportunity to innovate and try to avoid disappointing others. Make friends, not enemies – life has a way of coming full circle.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

As well as spending time with my family, I like to write and record music in a studio. I’m also a big history enthusiast, with a key interest in the Second World War. Over the last 15-20 years, I’ve studied 20th Century European History and have completed distance learning courses at Cambridge and other universities.

What personal goals do you have for 2024?

Reading is a passion of mine, so I’ve tasked myself to get through one Charles Dickens novel every month in 2024. I’m currently running ahead of schedule but there’s a long way to go and a lot of pages to turn! As a second goal, I’d like to reach my first 100,000 streams for a single track on Spotify. The highest to date is 67,000, so still a little way to go.

Among all of the destinations you’ve travelled to, which stands out as your favourite?

Whilst I love lying by the pool with an interesting book, good food and great weather, I also enjoy long weekend city breaks. A favourite destination of mine is Rome and getting to walk through its ancient streets — I’ve been several times, and each visit is like a new adventure.

If you could meet any historical figure, who would it be?

Joseph Stalin — it would have been interesting to try to understand his strategies and thought processes that led to catastrophic consequences for millions of people.

What do you want to achieve with RVA in the future?

To continue to drive the business and consolidate its well-earned position as the leader in its field throughout the global marketplace.

Which one word would you hope colleagues would use to describe you?

Supportive.