Age: 53 Company: Macildowie Recruitment Turnover: £9m First job: I worked in the electronic design unit of Queen’s University designing microprocessor systems for some of the first mobile computers. I remember a new honours graduate working with us who nearly blew half of the room out after switching on his latest creation. He’d got the mains plug wiring wrong! I think the saying goes that knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit – intelligence is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad! Dream job: Drummer with Thin Lizzy or chair of a university business school. Innovation is everything for the UK economy, so I would go for the latter. Car: Mercedes Evolution Economy, business or first class: Economy. We’re in business to make money and lead from the front – particularly in these difficult times. Most extravagant purchase: Porsche 911 Turbo, for £108,000. Most played song on iPod: Let There Be Drums by Queen. Best business book: The Art of War by Sun Tzu and Winning by Jack Welch. Worst business moment: Making a huge investment in a dotcom just before the NASDAQ plummeted in March 2000. Proudest business moment: In my role as board member of Invest Northern Ireland, I was invited to the White House as a guest of President Obama and Hillary Clinton. This was part of a strategic trade mission where I was accompanied by the US Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland. Business mentor: John Wright, an international non-executive and former banker. (John is from an era when bankers had a positive reputation.) Next big thing: The recovery of the economy. Everyone has a part to play – ignore the overly negative business press and concentrate on driving up standards. One thing is certain: this recession will end.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.