The task of industry is continuously, year on year, to make more and better things, using less of the world's resources.

Problems can only be solved by the people who have them. You have to try and coax them and love them into seeing ways in which they can help themselves.

People who don't make mistakes are no bloody good to you at all.

People are unlikely to know that they need a product which does not exist and the basis of market research in new and innovative products is limited in this regard.

Everyone thinks I'm a smart arse who can solve any bloody problem. I'm not. I'm just a very old businessman and a very experienced businessman who made every mistake in the book and can recognise one when I see one.

It is surprising, in the welter of questions that one gets at (AGMs), how few actually relate to the performance of the company, or the decisions taken by the board in particular areas.

Go for civil engineering, because civil engineering is the branch of engineering which teaches you the most about managing people. Managing people is a skill which is very, very useful and applies almost regardless of what you do.