The last word: Simon Carr

Simon Carr, brand director, Fleetline

What has been your biggest achievement in your current role?

Continuing to grow the business year-on-year is the most satisfying result of my current role.

Who has had the biggest influence on your career?

There have been many influences – happily, most of them were positive.

What is your dream holiday?

A couple of years sailing around the Med would be up there.

Who was the last person you received a text message from?

It was a note about Andy Murray in the Wimbledon final...Maybe next year.

You are on a desert island – what three things do you take with you?

My wife, a long-wave radio to pick up Test Match Special and sun cream.

When was the last time you took public transport?

Last weekend in London.

What has been your biggest mistake in business?

Waiting for the ‘right time’. The right time is now. Plan well, get your head down and go for it.

If you won the Lottery, what would be the first thing you would buy?

Not sure, but I would do it all from my international headquarters in the Seychelles.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I encourage input and collaboration. Engagement is so important if you want to get things done.

What is your favourite sitcom?

Curb Your Enthusiasm – Larry David is brilliant; first Seinfeld, then this. It is only by a hair from Dad’s Army, though, just for the line: ‘What is your name?’ – ‘Don’t tell him, Pike’. Timeless.

And your favourite film?

Goodfellas. Such an obvious choice, but it is a fantastic movie.

What would you do if you were made Prime Minister for the day?

Allow a left turn at a red traffic light. It would probably create millions of pounds in efficiency savings.

What is your favourite book?

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl – a moving and important book which everyone should read.

What’s your least favourite food?

Bad coffee, it can literally ruin a morning.

Your favourite dish at a restaurant?

Salmon sashimi. I think I could eat my own body weight in it.

What is your fondest childhood memory?

Getting to the final of a regional poetry competition. I was so proud. Years later, I found out my father was on the judging panel – and I still didn’t win.

Who was your childhood hero?

Tony Kenworthy, midfielder for Sheffield United – you did ask.

When did you last feel guilty about the environment?

We do a lot at LeasePlan (FleetLine’s parent company) to minimise both ours and our customers’ impact on the environment. Because of all this hard work we put in, I tend to feel good about our contribution.

What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

Pizza is not a food group.

What is the one object you couldn’t live without?

My Macbook laptop – it is a fantastic device.

If you could work in another profession, what would it be?

I think I might move into dog walking when I retire. Dogs seem to enjoy it, so it must be good.

What would you say is your guilty pleasure?

A beautiful French cooker I bought. It took a while to arrive, but I swear food tastes better now.

Which superhero from comics would you most like to be?

Batman. He gets to drive the cool car everywhere.

What is your dream car?

Lamborghini Miura.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever been given?

A watch. It was a wedding gift from my wife and it always lets me know how late she is.