ADRA…COMMON SENSE
BUSINESS ADVICE
AND STRATEGIC GUIDANCE

Welcome to the ADRA site and thanks very much for visiting us. By finding out a bit more of what we do, we hope that our approach to business may appeal to you.

As you will see from the following information, we are a business advisory consultancy with a difference, striving to make a big and positive difference to you and your company.

Focused primarily, but not exclusively, on the real estate sector, both residential and commercial, we are passionate about adding value to your organisation through solid common sense advice and a ‘leave no stone unturned’ approach to our service delivery, which deals with the issues facing your organisation, and provides positive strategic advice for the future.

ABOUT

SERVICES

TESTIMONIALS

CONTACT

ABOUT

ADRA was formed in 2019 by its managing director, J.Paul Burgess (BA Hons Law). Rather than go on about him please click here to download his CV.

As can be seen, Paul has gained so much invaluable experience from his 40 year professional career to date. He reached the point where he realised that he could only play so much golf and people actually wanted to have him and his experience, and that of his associates, on their side in their business activities and decision making processes. 

It is this demand for his services and advice, following stepping down from full time employment, that led to the formation of ADRA (incidentally the name comes from his two children ADam and RAchel, who he is immensely proud of, and who are building great professional careers in New York/ San Francisco (Adam) and Sydney (Rachel))

Paul has been heavily involved in some of the North West leading development and regeneration schemes (Middlebrook in Bolton, Horwich Loco Works, Lowry in Salford Quays to name but a few).

Other than his long main board experience, he has also latterly been COO of an emerging development company, incorporating a new construction division, and ensuring best practice and compliance, and laying the foundation for future strategic growth.

In a nutshell:- 

What we do
A nalyse & articulate
D iscuss and debate
R esearch and resolve 
A ct and achieve

How we do it
Consulting (day or hourly rates)
Short or long term contracts
Non executive/board/trustee roles

Where we do it
UK and International (primarily English speaking countries) 

 

SERVICES

GENERAL BUSINESS

  • Facilitate blue sky thinking.

  • Ability to swiftly understand a business  – its people, processes, operations and goals.

  • Objective SWOT analysis (strengths/weaknesses/opportunities/threats).

  • ‘Critical friend’ observations and advice.

  • Structured goal setting for the short,medium and long term and advice/strategy to achieve those goals.

  • Decision making assistance.

  • Access to and facilitating funding strategies.

REAL ESTATE BUSINESS FOCUS

  • A network of trusted professionals –  ‘One stop shop’ facility, through a large network of associates and colleagues, linking up with the best of professional advisers (legal, planning, tax, architectural, surveying, valuation, property management).

  • Strategic legal advice.

  • Contacts at highest level with most Councils, Local Planning Authorities, and ability to facilitate timely resolution meetings.  

  • Access to residential and commercial construction teams and project management professionals (all sizes and scales of projects).

  • Access to banks and funding institutions (debt, mezzanine, equity). 

MEDIATION/ARBITRATION SERVICES

  • Assistance in dealing with internal ‘issues’ (often management and character profile matters), and solving them before they become disputes, saving time and money in this process.

TESTIMONIALS & RECOMMENDATIONS 

TESTIMONIALS

Wayne Nash, Head of Manchester Office, Shoosmiths, Solicitors

“Having worked with Paul for nearly 10 years on all types of projects, I can recommend his pragmatic and to the point analysis of commercial /legal situations, and proven ability to achieve excellent timely and cost-effective results”

“My dealings with Paul over many years have not been so much in his professional life, but rather in his pro bono/charitable/educational roles, where he has given so much outside of his busy work schedules, especially for a local hospice and local schools.Paul is driven to achieve results and to make a positive difference in all that he does. He is a team player, and instils much confidence and energy to those around him. A very good listener, and objective in his decision making, but never frightened to put forward his point of view, however “blue sky” it may be. Having Paul on your side is a great start to any business decision making “

Kathy Cowell OBE DL ,Chair ,Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Henry Moser , CEO ,Together Finance

“ I wish Paul all the best with his new ADRA BUSINESS SERVICES advisory venture. His track record and CV are outstanding, and his proven experience will be invaluable to the progression of a whole range of businesses in the years ahead “

“I have known Paul for over 20 years and we have worked on major schemes together during that time. He is a very prudent Lawyer, commercial and completely thorough in his approach, and totally dependable in his work ethic and standing. In my experience of working with him he is a skilled and formidable negotiator, but to his great credit he will never take unfair advantage nor compromise professional integrity. Respect is an earned commodity, and Paul certainly has mine! His new consultancy business will provide invaluable advice to his various clients. I wish him well in this new chapter of his career. “

Ed Nally, Solicitor, Fielding Porter, Past President of the Law Society of England and Wales. 

Tracey O'Keefe CEO Hospice Quality Partnership

“I have known Paul over a long period, from times when he chaired a school governing body, through his strategic advice to East Cheshire Hospice were I was chair of trustees, and through his main board directorship at Emerson Group for many years. He provides good practical common sense advise and reasoned opinions, and his involvement within an organisation is invaluable in progression and growth terms. I recommend him to you”

“The experience and gravitas that Paul Burgess brings to the table in any business matter, especially real estate, is very considerable, and should not be underestimated. He has a reputation of timely delivery in a wide range of commercial matters and he is able to use his direct firm yet friendly and objective approach in favourably resolving even the most complex issues. He has the very important ability to strip matters down to the core facts and dismiss the trivia. I have known Paul professionally and personally for 30 years plus, and he has enjoyed a very successful career, and long may that continue via his new Consultancy business”

Senior North West Lawyer-Judge

Paul G Tucker QC , Kings Chambers, Manchester

“What Paul brings to a business, especially at this stage of his long career, is vast experience in the planning, commercial/residential real estate, and construction sectors, both as a lawyer and as a strategic Director, with a proven track record of success at the highest level, having been involved in some of the North West’s largest and most complex schemes. In my many dealings with him, he is clear, concise, articulate and grounded, and always injects energy enthusiasm and common sense into the matter in hand, and where appropriate humour as well. Having Paul on your side is a good step towards achieving success and resolving a matter positively in your favour  “

“Having known Paul Burgess professionally and personally for a very long time, I have no hesitation in recommending him to any prospective business. He will be a great asset. Paul is a rare find…. he has the analytical legal mind, and combine that with the high-level Board experience he has over 3 decades, he is able to advise on all sorts of issues from smaller schemes and portfolios to large complex matters. He has an enviable contact/network of likeminded professionals, and with funding institutions, and by nature he is a doer rather than a talker, with a CV which speaks for itself .It is an old cliché….but you cannot buy experience, and Paul has 40 years of it”.

Nigel Hunter MRICS , Director, Edwards & Co, Manchester

“Paul’s working career at the cutting edge of corporate transactions and property development, letting,procurement and planning, finance and funding has created a professional of considerable experience and depth of knowledge.

His understanding of how contracts should be formulated and completed coupled with a detailed knowledge of corporate and property law at the very top end of business makes Paul’s abilities unique amongst his peers.

He is a professional of the highest standing and trust, with an ability to cut to the key factors that makes a project work and what does not ,and encapsulating them into a business arrangement that ensures the project achieves the highest level of success possible ,in any given market cycle.

He is approachable, understanding and listens. He does not over react, is calm and rational in the hottest of situations and is able to explain his positioning and recommendations in the clearest of terms. In short Paul is someone you want on your side ,and involved in a project, to ensure the objective set by all those involved stands the best chance of being achieved. Paul is a deal maker.”

Professor Graham F Chase FRICS FCIArb C.Arb FRSA Chairman of Chase & Partners, Past President Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

CONTACT DETAILS

COMMON SENSE QUOTES

“The art of common sense is applying the best wisdom we know today, based on all our yesterdays.” – Wilfred Peterson

“No one tests the depth of a river with both feet.” – Ashianti Proverb

“Common sense is the ability to see things as they are without prejudice, and do things as they ought be done without influence of any kind.” – Winston Churchill

“Its called common senses, but its not common. Most people don’t have it..” – Theo Paphitis

“Common sense is instinct. Enough of it is genius.” – George Bernard Shaw

“What soul is to the body, common sense is to the mind.” – Amit Kalantri

“Common sense (which, in truth, is very uncommon) is the best sense I know of; abide by it – it will counsel you best.” – Lord Chesterfield

“The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense”. – Thomas Edison

“Is it just me or does there seem to be bewildering amount of resistance out there to what should be common sense?.” – Delhi Lama

“Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Common sense is not a gift, its a punishment, because you have to deal with everyone who doesn’t have it.” – Gertrude Stein

“Success is more a function of consistent common sense than it is of genius.” – An Wung

“I read, I study, I examine, I listen, I reflect, and out of all of this i form an idea into which I put as much common sense I can.” – Marquis de Lafayette

“Common sense is the measure of the possible: it is composed of experience and prevision: its is calculation applied to life.” – Henri  Frederic Amiel

“Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom” – Samuel Taylor Coleridge

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH AND WE WILL RESPOND ASAP

COMMON SENSE BUSINESS ADVICE

TEL: 07946 570927
Email: paul@adra.ltd
Web: adra.ltd

Business Hours
To suit individual clients needs
but primarily:
Monday – Friday: 8.30-5.30PM

Address
Castle Hill Court
Prestbury
Cheshire
SK104UT

ADRA BUSINESS SERVICES LTD – COMPANY NUMBER 11715215