LES MANDEVILLE began his interest in construction in 1977 when he joined Biwater Shellabear Limited as Company Accountant for their plant hire operation. Having gained an insight to the industry in both the UK and Overseas, he was recruited by Berkeley Homes to run their Accounts Department at the Basingstoke office in 1984. Working alongside the Managing Director, he helped the division to expand its operations and was promoted to the Board of Berkeley Homes (Hampshire) Limited as Finance Director in 1987. His career continued within The Berkeley Group over nearly 17 years taking on various Directorships around the operating companies, gaining knowledge and an extensive insight into the House Building Industry. In his last two years with the company, he took on a key role in the development of the computerised management systems, visiting many of the subsidiaries and looking into the systems that were in place, comparing them with those used in other operating companies and advising on possible improvements.