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.

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.

Planning is an unnatural process; it is much more fun to do something. The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise, rather than being preceded by a period of worry and depression.

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.

Good business should contain something for both parties.

How do you know you have won? When the energy is coming the other way and when your people are visibly growing individually and as a group.

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