Who We Are

Charles Dixon

BSc (Hons) FRICS FAAV

Partner

Jeremy Smith

BSc (Hons) MLE MBA MRICS FALA

Partner

Debbie Laming

BSc (Hons)

Operations Manager

Natalie Jones

MAAT, AAT Level 4

Client Accounts Assistant

Alex Neason

BSc (Hons) BASIS FACTS

Apprentice Rural Surveyor

Charles Dixon

BSc (Hons) FRICS FAAV

Partner

07798 627664
charles@dixonsmith.uk

I was brought up in Cheshire by parents with roots in South Devon and Lancashire. After reading Estate Management at the University of Reading in 1976, my first career post was based in the Midlands
and East Anglia initially as a Rural Surveyor and Land Agent, qualifying in 1979 as a Chartered Valuation Surveyor.

In 1983 my family and I relocated to the South West where I joined Stratton & Holborow in Cornwall, becoming a Partner in 1997 and then returning to
live on the edge of Dartmoor in 1998. Stratton & Holborow having merged with Smiths Gore in 2011, was acquired by Savills in 2015 and I became a Director of the Exeter office.

I have practiced as a Rural Land Agent throughout the West Country from the Isles of Scilly to Dorset and Bristol and have advised substantial West Country landowners and institutions for over 40 years. My expertise encompasses a wide range of professional work including Rural Estate Management, Residential Management, Landlord & Tenant advice, Planning & Development Advice and Valuations of both residential, commercial and agricultural property. I have held a number of appointments with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors including a member of the Ethics Committee and a Chairman of the Professional Indemnity Insurance Working Party.

My wife and I still live on the edge of Dartmoor enjoying expansive views over South Devon and being just 15 minutes from the office which has excellent communications to all parts of the region.

Jeremy Smith

BSc (Hons) MLE MBA MRICS FALA

Partner

07572 302085
jeremy@dixonsmith.uk

 

Achieving RICS qualified status in 2015 and qualifying as a Fellow of the Agricultural Law Association in 2017 and whilst continuing professional work completed an MBA from Exeter University in 2022.

I have been lucky enough to work with Charles Dixon since my professional training began in 2013, we have formed a strong and intuitive working relationship which compliments each other’s professional traits. The strength and effectiveness of this relationship was a key driver for the motivation to form DixonSmith.

I have in the past captained Topsham RFC 1st XV and still play the occasional game. I am married to my wonderful wife, we have two dogs and a small child which mostly keeps me busy.

Debbie Laming

BSC (Hons)

Operations Manager

01392 325178
office@dixonsmith.uk

 

Debbie is all things organised. She studied and worked in Bristol until relocating to Exeter in 2017. Having over 20 years’ experience managing offices for a diverse range of companies from International IT houses, Lawyers practices and the first and largest independent renewable energy firm in the UK.

She brings with her a passion for providing first-rate business and finance support thus enabling the smooth running of administration and accounts departments. Highly organised with a meticulous eye for detail, her experience and expertise enables our surveyors to dedicate their time to supporting our clients.

On a lighter note, another passion is food and with that comes cakes, chocolate and pasta making experiences for the team! If she’s not found hunting out the best chocolate she’ll be in her vintage motorhome hunting out stunning vistas.

Natalie Jones

MAAT, AAT Level 4

Client Accounts Assistant

01392 325178
accounts@dixonsmith.uk

 

Natalie Jones has joined DixonSmith as the businesses Client Accounts Assistant/Compliance Coordinator. Natalie has over 14 years finance experience and started her career within the recruitment industry. She studied and gained her AAT level 4 and also MAAT status and with that brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team and is looking forward to bringing this to the role. She has a passion for all things finance and is meticulously organised when it comes to all things numbers!

Aside from Finance, Natalie lives in Exeter with her husband and 2 young children. She enjoys spending time with her family which normally involves lots of trips to the beach, swimming, cinema and parks, which keeps her very busy!

Natalie is also a keen reader, loves a shopping trip and watching movies.

Alex Neason

BSc (Hons) BASIS, FACTS

Apprentice Rural Surveyor

07300 294292
alex@dixonsmith.uk

I was brought up in the West Country, predominantly Somerset but more latterly and currently Mid-Devon. From a young age my primary ambition was with farm management, after working on several farming businesses in the South West I decided to undertake a BSc in ‘Applied Farm Management’ at the Royal Agricultural University. I then applied to work for Velcourt Ltd, a national Farm Management business well known for their thorough training scheme and support network. I then spent the following five years within the system, starting as a grain dryer operator on a large contract farming business near Cirencester, to a trainee farm manager on the Hampshire/Wiltshire border where I gained FACTS and BASIS qualifications before finally becoming a Farm Manager on a diverse farming business c.10 miles East of Nottingham growing a range combinable, forage and root crops, encompassing 15,000mt on-site central crop storage and drying with a 1MW Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant feedstock arrangement. Throughout these early career years I found my interests lying increasingly with general rural and estate management, with greater scope for all and any project relating to land ownership/ estate management. I am now settled firmly back in the West Country, getting involved in a diverse range of rural projects and general management whilst studying at Harper Adams to gain RICS accreditation and my APC.

I enjoy all things outdoors. Cycling, walking and surfing are all important hobbies which I am now geographically well placed to enjoy. Of course before and after this you may well find me at the pub, although I try to keep it to just afterwards!