Q&A: Five minutes with Nick Hanmer, chief executive of Club Peloton

How did you join the industry?

This really happened by accident. In a previous life, I ran fundraising events for the Royal British Legion, some of which involved multi-day cycling. One of our riders was New London Architecture co-founder Peter Murray, who kickstarted Cycle to Mipim in 2006.

After three outings, he realised it was growing faster than anticipated and had the potential to become a major industry fundraising event. That’s when I had the call to see if I might be interested in taking it on. And the rest, as they say, is history.

What does your job entail?

My time is spent running the charity, looking for new ride opportunities and building relationships to grow the community to help drive fundraising growth as part of a planned three-year strategy.

What is your favourite building?

As a lover of travel, I have a soft spot for the TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport in New York. It is now a hotel but still evokes the golden age of aviation. The interior is stunning.

Who in property has inspired you?

Peter Murray. His energy, vision and ability to bring people together to get something off the ground have always been inspiring. He shows that with the right approach, near-enough anything is possible to achieve.

If you had not done this, what profession might you have pursued?

Growing up, I wanted to work in TV. Aged 10, I wrote to the BBC asking what I needed to do to work behind the camera. I still have the letter and brochure they sent me. But now, I’d probably say working with cars or planes.

What are you most proud of in your career?

Club Peloton is on target to hit the momentous milestone of £5.5m in grants next year – all raised from the individuals and businesses that believe in making a difference to others.

How did Cycle to Mipim come about?

Peter Murray first came up with the idea, sending out a call to anyone who was interested in joining him for the first ride in 2006. Seventeen pioneers left for Cannes in the cold March of that year, all inspired by Peter’s infectious enthusiasm.

What kind of people go on the Cycle to Mipim event or other rides?

Those looking for an adventure or to network in a more meaningful way, those who want to make a difference to those less fortunate and those keen to challenge themselves physically. We have lawyers, architects, developers, planners, engineers, consultants, finance, local authorities and agents to name but a few – all working in real estate. In a good year, 30% of our participants are women, but we’d love to see more taking part.

Do you need to be fit to do Cycle to Mipim?

You need to have done some training but, contrary to popular belief, it is a relay. You ride a minimum of 120km per day split into two 60km stages with a four-hour break between them. You can ride more; indeed, you can ride the whole thing if you really like, but only a small proportion do. From those jumping back on two wheels for the first time since childhood to lifelong riders, we bring a wide range of abilities together to support one another and learn how to ride as a super-efficient peloton.

For anyone tempted to get into cycling or property cycle events, what should they do?

Your first port of call should be to visit clubpeloton.org where you can see all our events, many of which are free to join, from leisurely spins around your local park to multi-day epic rides. If you’re new to riding, get in touch and we can support and help point you in the right direction. We’re hopefully near where you live or work as we have a presence in Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh and London, with more to come.