Q Who is or was your mentor?
A I’ve learnt a lot from some of the many good managers I’ve worked with, but I’ve also learnt from the not-so-good. Learning doesn’t just move in one direction, though; I’ve learnt a great deal from some extremely good people who’ve worked for me.
Q Which businessman or woman do you most admire?
A I don’t know who to single out. The businesses that I most admire are the businesses that have built sustained, quality businesses over a long period of time, often in quite tough industries.
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Q Do you read books on management? If so, which has influenced you the most?
A Relatively rarely, although I do buy them. Peter Drucker was a seminal influence on me as a young manager, but a lot of management writing is pretty unexciting. Business coverage in magazines and papers is hugely better now than it used to be.
Q Which is more important: what you know or who you know, and why?
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A Knowing how to do things. The question implies there is an antithesis between knowing facts and knowing people, but I think there’s actually a third way, which is understanding processes — how to get things done and find things out.
Q What does leadership mean to you?
A Creating a team, setting performance standards and behavioural standards and giving the business the will to win. When I joined Ocean, my contribution was getting some good people together and giving the company a sense that it was going somewhere.
Q If you could change one thing about the business, financial and commercial environment, what would it be?
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A I think we are putting at risk our future as an economy by failing to get our transport infrastructure right. We need to invest more in trunk roads and motorways, even though it’s controversial, and in ports and airports. We urgently need to invest in our passenger transport system, if only to get private cars off the trunk roads. There isn’t a single magic bullet that would fix the transport system, everything is linked.
If I were to wave a magic wand, I would also do something about the educational system, even if that means in the medium term slightly higher taxes.
Q What is the most important business event, good or bad, to occur in your working life?
A Being given the opportunity to become chief executive of Ocean. I was lucky to get the chance to do something in a smaller, old-fashioned industry where I could make a difference without having the scrutiny that a chief executive of a major public company is under.
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Q Does money motivate you?
A Not hugely. It’s nice to have some rather than not to have it. My prime motivator is continuing to contribute to something that is long term and worthwhile and offers employment to people around the world. I think our people can go home at night and feel they are doing something to be proud of.
Q What gadget or piece of technology can you not do without?
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A A BlackBerry. I used to carry a PC around with me, just about everywhere, but now I’m liberated.