Horses and dogs were part of my growing up years.

I am humble enough to understand there are many people who know much more than I do on many subjects, so I listen to them. Integrity is also critical to leadership, so I believe there must always be alignment between what you think, say, and do.

Leadership is more than just managing economic reforms. Leadership means giving broad direction, take up challenges which other people cannot do.

Our philosophy always teaches us that you can have intense activity, but inside, you have to have peace. The office has to reflect that.

I observed a man sourcing candle wax from South America and selling it to Japan. I thought: 'That's unbelievable. Talking on the phone in his office, that man made money moving candle wax from one country to another.' It really interested me.

We were told that we were attacked on 9/11 because the terrorists hate our freedoms and democracy ... not for the real reason: because the Arab Muslims who attacked us hate our Middle Eastern foreign policy.

Gen Y is depicted as self-centred and apathetic when it comes to politics, but it doesn't help that we are largely overlooked. There have been policies to woo parents, pensioners and the sick, but the young do not appear to rank high on any political agenda.

In Syria, for some time, they have been trading hostages for a number of things: for weapons, for money, for political influence, and for favors.