125 Years Director Spotlight
Jon Booth
After ten years working in London post-university, Jon decided it was time for a career change. A master’s degree later, Lambert & Foster welcomed him as a graduate surveyor – and the rest, as they say, is history. Now a Director, he’s proud to have grown within a company that’s as rooted in tradition as it is open to evolution.
When Jon first joined, the business had a strong family feel and even as the firm has grown, he’s proud that the same warmth and camaraderie continue to thrive at its core. Collaboration is a cornerstone of the L&F culture, with departments regularly crossing paths and working together to deliver top-tier advice to clients. With its rich heritage, L&F has built a reputation as a trusted professional voice, something Jon believes draws in interesting work and even more interesting clients.
He describes the team as unpretentious and straightforward professionals who know their stuff and don’t need to shout about it. It’s this combination of quiet confidence and deep expertise that he believes keeps clients coming back.
Though he hasn’t quite clocked up enough years to work with third and fourth-generation clients just yet, he’s currently working with several families where the next generation is beginning to take the reins – a baton-passing that feels both exciting and meaningful to be part of.
There have been plenty of memorable moments along the way, but one particular auction stands out. Word has it that David Beckham’s chauffeur once attended a dispersal auction on the Isle of Sheppey and discreetly bought a George II ship’s cannon for £3,400. The bidder gave no name, looked suspiciously chauffeur-like, and arranged for the cannon to be taken to a secret location in a very nondescript truck. Whether Becks now has a 290-year-old cannon propped up in his hallway remains a mystery.
When he’s not working, Jon lives with his wife and two daughters on her family’s farm in north west Kent. Immy is pony mad and regularly heads to pony club rallies; Bridget is football obsessed, so weekends often involve dashing between training and matches, sometimes with the horse box still on tow. They share the countryside with a flat-coated retriever and a springer spaniel, and there’s never a shortage of jobs to do.
Sport plays a part in Jon’s life too, hockey in winter, the odd game of cricket in summer and plenty of outdoor time all year round.
Looking ahead, Jon sees L&F continuing to support its core client base of farmers and rural landowners across the South East. With growing pressures on land use, the firm is well placed to evolve organically, keeping pace with client needs while staying true to its roots.