I think my background, coming from Iran, which is a great country but is going through its share of troubles, really allows me to appreciate what we have here.

Desperation sometimes drives innovation.

I think I wanted to be a doctor. In Iran, the engineering and medical professions are worshipped. My father very much wanted me to be a doctor. I was certainly eager to please as a young man - as a kid, I should say.

One of the early lessons that I learned in leadership is that it's the leader's job to always go against the flow.

The thing I always liked about 'Pee-wee's Big Adventure' was Pee-wee's, obviously, an oddball, but nobody in that universe points a finger at him and goes, 'Look at the weirdo!' I think that's why weirdo, arty kids like it so much: because it's sort of like a utopia.

I'm a dirt road out in the country kind of person, but I remember thinking, I could live in Chicago.

We live at the edge of the world, so we live on the edge. Kiwis will always sacrifice money and security for adventure and challenge.

If I have time and the chance to travel in the Philippines, I would like to go to an island which is not popular to have a good vacation - you know, just chilling out.