Profile - Mike Schafer: The man who aims to give people what they want at Harewood

After a globe-trotting career with the likes of Lehman Brothers, he has carved out another life – protecting and enhancing old buildings and their estates.

In his new role, he plans to walk the thin line between commercialism and conservation to boost the income and profile of Harewood House.

His track record is encouraging. In 2007, Dumfries House – a majestic, if neglected mansion – was rescued for the nation in a move described by the Prince of Wales as "the save of the century".

In his role as Duke of Rothesay, the Prince led a consortium which stepped in and forged a deal to buy the stately home, in Ayrshire, for a cool 45m.

The Prince was outraged when he heard that the house, with its Chippendale furnishings and ornate interiors dating from 1759, was about to be sold off. The Prince brokered the deal to buy the house and its collections with a 20m loan, and the Scottish government chipped

in 5m.

The man chosen by the Prince to open the house to the public was Mr Schafer. Over the last three years, as chief executive employed by the Great Steward of Scotland's Dumfries House Trust, he's had the job of turning a time capsule into a visitor attraction.

He's also launched a number of projects on behalf of the Prince to re-invigorate the local economy. Schemes developed on Mr Schafer's watch at Dumfries House have included projects to establish apprenticeships in stonemasonry and animal husbandry.

At Dumfries House, Mr Schafer has also worked with Bradford-based supermarket chain Morrisons to revive a farm on the estate which will be dedicated to sustainable beef and lamb farming.

"It's a great house with great prospects,'' Mr Schafer said. "They hope to build an eco-village up there equivalent to Poundbury (a Dorset village which reflects the Prince's views on sustainable development) down South. The Prince is fully engaged on that. Sustainability has been our key word at Dumfries House."

In his new role at Harewood, near Leeds, Mr Schafer will be heading up a charitable educational organisation which was set up to conserve the house, its collections, grounds and buildings. He will take over in December from the present chief executive, Richard Mansell, who is stepping down.

Sitting in the caf at Harewood, with the estate's gardens and lake forming a stunning backdrop, Mr Schafer was conscious of the challenges ahead.

According to figures released last month, Harewood's income has risen by 8 per cent so far this year, to 1.17m, while visitor numbers are up by 9.4 per cent, to more than 217,000.

Harewood already hosts weddings, outdoor concerts and corporate events. But, over the years, there have been concerns that too much of the cash generated by these events walks out of the gates.

Last month, Viscount David Lascelles, the heir to the estate, said that he wanted to see a harder commercial edge, with more of the income from events held at Harewood coming back to the trust.

Mr Schafer's early life was spent among traders who

were certainly used to having

an edge.

For 15 years, he worked as a commodity trader and fund manager, including stints with Lehman Brothers, Rowe & Pitman Stockbrokers and the Commodities Corporation in the US and UK.

"I'm pinching myself today, because I can't believe I'm here,'' he said. "I'd lived all over the world. When I came home, I decided I was going to do something completely different. I ended up working for the National Trust in England as a recruiter. I fell in love with that position. I thought, 'I could run one of these places'.

"I worked my way through every division and every department to get to where I

am today."

Before being given the top job at Dumfries House, he'd worked for the National Trust as a property manager at Culzean Castle and Country Park, in Ayrshire, and as an operations manager at the Wimpole Estate, in Cambridgeshire.

"I'm a Londoner and I've moved all around the country,'' he said. "I was particularly drawn to Yorkshire because the countryside is so beautiful. It's the complete package.

"This (Harewood) is a great destination and very popular, but I hope to make it greater and busier.

"We will explore every avenue to bring more people here. I'm all for bringing more events to the estate and engaging with the public.

"But it's all about sustainability. it's not about destroying the place. It's about looking after it and protecting it and ensuring people enjoy it."

Mr Schafer should soon become a familiar sight around the estate.

Apart from listening to workers who have been at Harewood for decades, he's keen to find out what regular visitors want.

"I might not be an accountant, but I know the value of money,'' he said. "I know what these places cost to run. Their upkeep is expensive. I will be walking around talking to people. I want to know what people want from this property and I aim to deliver that."

The global economic gloom has encouraged more Britons to rediscover attractions on their doorstep.

Last year, Harewood entered into a partnership agreement with Boutique Catering, the hospitality company, and Logistik, the Leeds-based

design and communications company, to make the house and its grounds more accessible to the leisure and hospitality markets.

As part of a strategy to make Harewood accessible outside the peak summer months, a Christmas festival is being staged there from November 26 to December 19.

Mr Schafer has still to form detailed plans, but he believes the estate can welcome more visitors, which should help to create jobs on the estate and surroundings businesses.

"People will visit these properties more if things are tough,'' he said.

"We've got to offer value for money. The days are over of just having the house open for a few months of the year and then just closing it down and putting it back to bed.

"People want to visit places like this all year round. Provided they are not damaged in any way, that's absolutely fine. You have to be innovative and come up with new events."

"You can't re-invent the wheel. If I see a great idea I'm more than happy to steal it and use it!"

MICHAEL SCHAFER

Title: Chief executive of the Harewood House Trust

Date of birth: May 12, 1954

Place of birth: London

Education: "The university of life"

First job: Early career included work with financial institutions in the UK and abroad

Favourite films: Chariots of Fire and Gladiator

Favourite holiday destination: The south of France

Last book read: The Buddha of Brewer Street

Car driven: Range Rover

Thing I am most proud of: Getting this job