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The Property Section of the Royal Household is responsible for the upkeep of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and a diverse estate including residential properties, workshops and mausolea- Tim Maynard, Head of Property Projects, has been overseeing the delivery of high profile projects, across the vast royal estate, for over a decade
After starting his career in the property and construction sector and qualifying as a Chartered Surveyor (MRICS), Tim Maynard began a defining chapter in 2014 when he joined the Royal Household as Head of Projects, an appointment which few will get to experience, serving one of the most respected and internationally recognised institutions in the world.
It was a position steeped in prestige, trust and national significance. Overseeing projects within the Royal estate – an environment where heritage, security, public accountability and global visibility intertwine.
This rare professional experience became the foundation upon which he pursued his next major achievement: becoming a Chartered Director, completing the IoD’s Certificate, Diploma and ultimately earning the designation in 2024. Maynard explains why chartership is vital to his work protecting the most iconic estate in the UK.
He said: “I have always been motivated to keep on learning and growing in my career. With the position I held, I felt I had amassed a good level of technical knowledge. That said, I recognised that in order to continue in my career, I needed to enhance my learning in other areas – specifically what the Institute of Directors were offering with the Certificate in Company Direction.
“The IoD courses have helped broaden my understanding and duties in relation to corporate governance and boosted my existing leadership approach.”
Maynard continued: “As a Chartered Surveyor I was aware of the importance of ethics, especially as the property and construction industry has to adhere to strict regulations , however, as a Chartered Director the topic of ethics and director responsibilities are more far reaching and part of every decision made.
“Undertaking the course allowed me the opportunity to engage with a diverse cohort of people, all of whom bring their lived experience from around the world. This was invaluable.”
Maynard acknowledges how chartership has shaped his leadership style. He said: “It has helped provide me with more reasoned thinking and learning to act in a leadership position. I am better able to help shape, guide and challenge decisions with the skills obtained through the IoD journey.
“I arranged periodic strategy sessions throughout the year for the board to step away from the day job and focus on new horizons. Carving out time was essential to allow everyone to look beyond the immediate day-to-day issues.”
Maynard concluded: “I did not have any expectations heading into the course, but I came out of each stage with a strong sense of achievement and broadened horizons. The part that surprised me the most was the breadth of each cohort I was lucky enough to learn with. From all around the world, different sectors and industries – the knowledge and experience shared at each stage was so helpful in expanding my learning and was so much more than I expected.”
