My life has been an adventure from my early years in a caravan to what looks like a stunning finale. I’ve experienced lots of success and some failures along the way and have had the good fortune to meet many amazing characters across the globe. I was encouraged by my family to recount some of the adventures I have had, which includes a near death experience on a business trip in Syria early on when my close friend was executed and I was released. This was my life-changing moment. The opencast coal industry is where I made my fortune, giving me money enough to do many other things, including corporate takeovers, building and running businesses internationally, particularly in the Falkland Islands, Middle East and Africa. Investing in the world of performance cars and dealing with the mercurial characters for many years on the inside of Formula 1 racing. Always challenging and nothing easy, but a great way to spend a life, with a few lessons learnt to be passed on to the next generation of entrepreneurs.