Although a British subject, Rainer Vogt was born in Germany in 1943 where he lived and was educated until he moved to England in 1957. He attended Oxted Grammar School, as it was known then, and the College of Estate Management in 1961-1963. He obtained his professional qualification as a Chartered Surveyor and became a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). He gained his early experience by working with West End estate agents until in 1968 he joined Hammerson PLC which at the time was one of the leading property development and investment companies in the UK. Initially he was concerned with major town centre redevelopments and later with office schemes in the City of London and other major towns. He became a main board director in 1981 and became responsible for the company’s international business in Europe and North America. He was part of a team that developed Hammerson into a FTSE 100 company in the 1980s and early 90s.

After his retirement he continued for a while in the property business in a non-executive role at two investment funds and other property related organisations. He was also became a Trustee of The School at West Heath for over 10 years, a school of charitable status established for the education of traumatised children.

Rainer married his wife Jane in 1971 and has two children and 5 grandchildren.

In 1984 he joined the Livery of the Worshipful Company of Fletchers and was its Master from April 2000 – 2001. During that year he championed the admission of women into the Fletchers and spent much of his time introducing the company to other City liveries who knew little about the Company. He was guest on HMS Sheffield before she was later decommissioned. He enjoyed a thoroughly rewarding and interesting year as Master with many invitations to other Liveries’ events resulting in meeting so many interesting people from all walks if life. He is now a member of both the Millennium Masters Association and the New Millennium Masters Association which offer the opportunity of maintaining contact with so many other masters he got to know during his term of office.

Rainer continues as an Honorary Court Assistant of the Fletchers. He is also a Liveryman of The Drapers’ Company.