Davos

"In some ways we did. I remember that Davos conversation with Steve Schwarzman at the beginning of 2007. I said: ‘Aren’t the markets unusual right now? There’s too much lending. It doesn’t feel right. I feel like everyone is chasing the same assets but prices are still going up so I’ve started selling assets in Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. I’m a little bit of a seller and a bit sceptical about buying, but I’m still looking at doing a deal.’"

"As the money flooded in and I made that *Forbes* front cover, doors kept opening for me and I gained access to a new stratum of people and power. The World Economic Forum in Davos is one example. People talk about it being a networking magnet for the kings of capitalism, but that’s only half the story. I always came back pumped up, energised and with a notebook full of ideas and potential deals. The annual Davos meeting inspires people to make a change; it challenges you on a personal level to have a higher purpose, and gives you a deeper recognition of the challenges of the world. In one way it is like being back at school, and the closeting effect of so much wealth and power being concentrated in one small Swiss village is electrifying."