BUSINESS TRAVELLER
Ian McIntyre, NYSE Technologies How often do you travel? Almost every week. I mostly travel from Belfast to London for a couple of days a week, and I would travel to New York approximately six times per year. Recently I have started to travel to Asia two or three times a year, stopping in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore. What three things could you not do without when travelling on business? Bose Noise cancelling headphones, laptop, credit card. What are your top tips for anyone embarking on a job that involves a lot of travel? Be organised. Plan ahead and try to avoid unnecessary stress worrying about being on time for flights. Also try to buy travel specific things (phone chargers, toiletries etc) so you do not need to constantly unpack and repack. What’s your favourite App for passing the time? Reading a book on iPhone or iPad, or Tiger Woods golf. What do you enjoy most about working overseas and what are the challenges? The most enjoyable part of what I do is getting out to meet clients and to help our sales teams close out new business. The biggest challenge is being away from daily life. When at home it is hard to fit in all the basic things like spending time with my wife Claire, seeing friends, doing DIY around the house. I would also love to have more time to play golf! What’s your favourite city in the world and where has disappointed you? My favourite city is 50/50 between London and New York. My worst experiences are always when cancelled or delayed. One time I was travelling to the airport in Brussels in the afternoon, it started snowing very heavily. I ended up delayed there for about six hours, then a horrific flight later I landed in Dublin at about 1am, and as it was snowing badly in Ireland my taxi could not make it to the airport. A couple of hours later and a 3 hour drive back to Belfast I made it home for an hours sleep before heading back to the office. What do you look for in a good hotel when away on business? A good gym is high on my list. A good shower, an iron in the room and preferably a good iron with steam, plus free wifi and a comfy bed. What’s the best airline you’ve flown with and best hotel you’ve stayed in? BA is the best all round airline, the lounges are great. However I think United’s business class is just as good when actually on the flight. The best hotel was the Fontainebleau in Miami for our recent sales conference, it was truly unbelievable. In London I prefer the Grange at St Pauls. Where in the world would you most love to work that you haven’t been to yet? In the financial industry I have been to most of the key market centres, the places I would like to go to are for holidays and not business at this point.
188 AUGUST 2013
Business Books The 50th Law by Robert Greene and 50 Cent (Profile Books). Building on the runaway success of Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power, the ‘modern Machiavelli’ teams up with rapper 50 Cent to show how the power game of success can be played to your advantage. Drawing on the lore of gangsters, hustlers, and hip-hop artists, as well as 50 Cent’s business and artistic dealings, the authors present the ‘Laws of 50’, revealing how to become a master strategist and supreme realist. Exposure by Michael Woodford (Penguin) When Michael Woodford was made President and CEO of Olympus, he became the first Westerner ever to climb the ranks of one of Japan’s corporate icons. Then his dream job turned into a nightmare. He learned about a series of bizarre mergers and acquisitions deals totalling $1.7bn - a scandal which if exposed threatened to bring down the entire company. Within weeks he was fired in a boardroom coup that shocked the international business world. As rumours emerged of Yakuza involvement in the scandal, Woodford fled Japan in fear of his life. Exposure is a deeply personal memoir that reads like a thriller. Rules to Break by Richard Templar (Pearson) In his Rules books, Richard Templar highlights the behaviours and principles of those who glide effortlessly and happily through life. In this brand new book Templar reveals the most common imposter ‘rules’ - the advice that we have taken on board without questioning - and points out when it’s a hindrance rather than a help. Above all else, Templar helps you master the ability to truly think for yourself, and follow a path you’ve chosen, rather than blindly following someone else’s.
All titles are available at easons. To win copies of the featured books go the Ulster Business facebook page.