My biggest inspiration is actually a couple of people. First and most importantly, my father.
"Like so many of his generation in England, the Second World War robbed him of the opportunity to obtain any semblance of an education, but he was able, in his own incredibly unique Liverpudlian way, to build a business running a pub that allowed his children the opportunity to obtain an education and the chance of personal betterment.
"He got by on a stunning work ethic and acerbic wit, and we his family have benefited enormously from that. On a different plane, Sir Winston Churchill. I have a plaque on my desk with a quote of his – ‘The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.’
"Having seen my fair share of difficulties throughout my career, this sentiment pretty much embodies my outlook on life. Thanks to my dad’s influence and Churchill’s lesson in motivational leadership, I am an optimist to an absolute bloody fault.”