Andrew Recommends:
Book: “Racing Towards Excellence” – Muzaffar A. Khan
Song: “Will You Be There?” – Michael Jackson
Film: Van Wilder

Most Interesting Answer:

What is the most inspirational thing somebody told you?

The one thing I pass on to anyone is by a philosopher called Ayn Rand: “The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me.” The world will not stop you; you just need the support of those you love and trust. You only need 20-odd people to buy into your dream to make it reality, so go on, make it happen.

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When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I really wanted to be a cartoonist. I always wanted to film all day and paint all day, and its still something that I’m still interested in. Even though I haven’t kept up with it, it’s still something I’m attracted to. I think cartoons bring people a lot of joy.

What work do you do now and why did you choose to do what you do?

I work for BBC, doing behind the scenes work at Asian Network. In October I’m going to start at the Financial Times as a journalist, so I’ll be writing about companies and markets. Hopefully I’ll be writing stories about the likes of BP, Xstrata, HSBC and Barclays.

The motivation of my choices just came after a lot of soul searching and trying out things. At one point I thought that I’d like to be a politician, at one point I thought I wanted to go down the entrepreneurial route, and at another point I wanted to be an accountant, or possibly work in PR, like Max Clifford.

But the one thing I can confidently say I am good at is writing; I don’t think anybody can take this away from me. And it’s the one thing, the one talent I have which, throughout the years, has not disappeared.

What motivates me in life is meeting new people. I could do that all day and hopefully one day I’ll be paid to do that.

When you look back at your life, what was the most significant thing that happened to you in shaping who you are today?

The most significant event happened when my dad got ill when I was in year 10. It made take on a lot more responsibilities regarding my life and over my family’s lives. And this happened to me when I was about fourteen, fifteen; I didn’t know what the hell was going on! It made me grow up and mature a lot faster than my peers. And it was at this point that I decided that I had to make the most of my life and to follow every single passion and every single interest I have because you only have one shot at life.

What three qualities do I need to be a successful WorldMaker like you?

One: Be proactive, you have to go out and get it. Whatever it is, it’s up to you, but if you want something you have to go and get it. When it comes your way you have to take it.

Two: Responsibility. You are responsible for your own actions, to your peers, to society and to the rest of the world. I don’t believe that someone should dabble in things that ultimately harm someone else, and I think we should have a greater responsibility of what’s going on around us, while maintaining principles and values while working to achieve our goals.

Three: Follow what you want to do, follow what you love, follow your passions. Firstly, find out what exactly they are. It might take you a very long time to what out what it is you’re passionate about, but once you’ve found out what it is, just pursue it. Try and become the best you can be in that area, master it, be the expert

No matter your position, you can still be an expert at something. Read journals in the area you wanna be an expert in and work to be the most knowledgeable in your chosen area.

Believe me, over time you will get your chance, you will get your break. One day your lucky bounce will happen.

If you were a fruit, vegetable or animal, what would you be and why?

Bald Eagle: If I could pick anything, I’d be a bald eagle, always flying over, surveying the world. It embodies strong spirit, character, personality, being bold, being brave and ,above all else, being protective of its surroundings. That’s the kind of person I am as well.

What problem would you like to see solved before you die?

I’ll be realistic. If someone is capable, if someone is bright, and has some sort of ability, they should not be barred or excluded from certain opportunities in life. The problem of social mobility should be solved whether it be related to employment opportunities or higher education.

Being smart enough to go to university and not being able to pay the fees; these people should receive financial support because they are good enough to do the course. Fixing a problem like that is close to my heart. It’s something I would like to help solve.

What is the most inspirational thing somebody told you?

(Most Interesting Answer) The one thing I pass on to anyone is by a philosopher called Ayn Rand: “The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me.” The world will not stop you; you just need the support of those you love and trust. You only need 20-odd people to buy into your dream to make it reality, so go on, make it happen.