ABOUT
The principal behind Forward Land is Adam Gough.
He has a depth of experience having began working in the UK domestic tourism sector in 2006. Prior to this he worked on leisure focused private equity real estate projects in the US and New Zealand. Adam works on every project with passion which comes from having experienced the wide-ranging benefits well run tourism operations create. This is what he believes is the essence of sustainable tourism.
His experience covers the complete project lifecycle. He has produced research and accommodation studies and strategies that have informed local policy. He has led leisure focussed estate masterplans and delivered detailed valuable planning consents in sensitive locations. The lengthy operational expertise allows for input into the detailed design phase to ensure the end product is fit-for-purpose. He has also been able to put in place exit strategies for clients on projects that he has been involved with from conception.
Having experienced many planning applications in sensitive areas across the UK, Adam’s strength is his ability to describe the end result, what the operating product does and the benefits it creates.
Along the way he has learnt to be respectful of opposing contributors and has the optimism to believe there is space for everyone’s considered, respectful opinion.
When it comes to sustainability, his passion is balanced with realistic expectations of what is deliverable considering challenges often faced funding the sustainability premium and the upfront cost of making bold decisions.
Adam is numerically competent providing financial analysis of the sectors’ trends and performance as well as working with technical teams to produce realistic development appraisals.
Most engagements will require a level of commercial understanding. The time spent within operational businesses ensures the experiences gained are applied to each scenario to provide a sound financial basis for detailed operational forecasts.
Adam is good humoured yet professional and thoroughly enjoys what he does. This lends him to taking a personable approach to every engagement. The passion he has for the sector means he can be hesitant about providing advice and producing reports that will end up sitting on shelves getting dusty. His focus is towards the next steps and how a plan can be put into action. The approach will often use milestone led plans to manage risk and the rate at which new projects develop.
Forward Land utilises its size to its advantage, taking a collaborative approach by working with best-in-class specialist partners. This allows us to remain competitively priced and scalable without compromising experience and expertise. Practicing what he preaches, Adam takes the majority of his holidays in the UK with his wife, two dogs and young daughter. He is a marathon runner and long-suffering supporter of Everton FC. He is also a trustee of the SpeedoMick Charitable Foundation.