Paul Downes
Export manager

Born 1953.
1972- After studying design and art started to work in Textile Industry.
After a few years I moved into sales in the computer industry and for 8 years
developed distributors and dealers in the UK and other European Countries.

Then spent two years developing capital equipment sales for a London company
and became involved in the furniture business as at this time computers were
for the first time being used in all a departments of companies.

In 1985 formed PS Interiors and started a new way of supplying European
furniture into the UK.

‘Before this time, most of the main European manufacturers worked exclusively
with agents in each country and invoiced in their own currency. We changed
this philosophy and took the risk of collecting the goods directly from the factories
and invoicing the client in £’s. Our idea was that our clients would be better served
and would pay invoices they could understand.’ We aimed at Hotel Groups and
large established businesses, as we assumed it was less risk of none payment
and we would have a chance of obtaining repeat business.
This must have worked, as many of those original clients still work with PS Interiors today.

In 2005 I handed over the business to my partner and my sons.
Since that time I have worked on property refurbishment in Spain and Brazil.