Quickfire Questions

Q: Who has been the most inspirational person you have met?

Nelson Mandela.

Q: Do you have a favourite book, movie, or TV show that you recommend to everyone?

Any atlas – start with it and go explore this beautiful planet.

Q: Can you describe your role at Clenergy in one line?

Yes, it’s about keeping score, past, present and future…by producing auditable financial statements, reporting current performance, and forecasting based on current transactions and assumptions…those are in my control, the rest depends on actions by each of us, our suppliers and our clients and drivers regarding what we buy, create and sell.

Q: What’s your favourite part of the work you do?

I’m passionate about leading or supporting organisations to grow and develop; as one of c.1,900 Chartered Directors globally I’ve worked a lot on this beyond Finance with all sorts of organisations and people.

Longer Read

Q: If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?

I love bringing things about from a vision of how they might be – growing organisations from start-up is one example.  Another example is transforming a green field on arrival on a Friday night into the best experience of young lives by Sunday – I served five years as a Cub and Scout Leader, providing structure and the opportunity to try new things, having been a Cub and Scout myself.  My historical figures have creative skill that captivates me but in a field so beyond my abilities, sculpture - they can transform blocks of stone into statues.  I’d choose two dinner guests, from different eras, as it would be fascinating to see what one made of the other.  So, Nicola Pisano c.1220-1284, considered to be the founder of modern sculpture, and Michelangelo, who first created the Pietà in 1499, David in 1504 etc.  But there are lots of interesting pairings in other fields such as political thought, for instance Thomas Hobbes who wrote Leviathan in 1651 and Dr Richard Price of Tynton here in Glamorgan who in 1776 wrote Nature of Civil Liberty which influenced the American Revolution and contributed to the Constitution; what would they make of government today?

Q: How do you relax after a busy working week?

Having just built our house before moving to Asia, we came back to a long list of finishing touches to make which we get to when we can – at the moment in this great weather it’s sieving topsoil to tidy up the lawn. And cycling when I get the chance...

Q: If you could job-share with anyone in the company for a day, who would it be and what would you want to learn from them or contribute?

Sam Arabastani, to understand how our product trio set up (product manager, designer, developer) is evolving and maturing, and facilitate collaborative development of the product vision.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received, professionally or personally?

Learning is lifelong if you’re open to it.  Even Machiavelli, in one of his more reflective moments, acknowledged una lunga sperienza delle cose modern ed una continua lezione delle antiche (a long experience with modern life and a continuous learning from antiquity) in his accomplishments!

Q: What’s the most memorable project you’ve worked on, either here or elsewhere?

Helping locate underground water sources for a regional Chinese government in what was then the 6th poorest region on earth.  The rural region has come a long way since: