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  1. Wealth
November 2, 2010

At the Sharp End: Robert Gaines-Cooper

By Spear's

Entrepreneur and scourge of HMRC Robert Gaines-Cooper faces the Spear’s questionnaire

Entrepreneur and scourge of HMRC Robert Gaines-Cooper faces the Spear’s questionnaire

Q    What would your other career be?
A    I would have enjoyed being a star like my co-shareholder Tom Jones.

Q    Who is your greatest influence?
A    My mother — she told me to go into business for myself.

Q    What is your biggest fear?
A    A major downturn in my shareholders’ fortunes.

Q    What is missing in the world?
A    These days, honesty and fair play.

Q    In a year, the UK economy will be…
A    …still challenging, but hopefully following in Singapore’s footsteps.

Q    How many assistants do you have?
A    A sufficiency.

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Q    Who makes your shirts?
A    I don’t believe clothes maketh the man.

Q    Philanthropy should be…
A    Discreet.

Q    My business mantra is…
A    Don’t plan profitability — plan success.

Q    Which watch do you wear?
A    Omega(s).

Q    Where do you summer?
A    On the Tweed in Scotland.

Q    Favourite hotel suite?
A    Banyan Tree, Mahe, Seychelles.

Q    What is your guilty pleasure?
A    Breadfruit chips.

Q    When I drive, I drive…
A    Tropicalised Rolls-Royces and Mercedes.

Q    Money lets me…
A    Save lives. Our Laryngeal Mask Airway has been used in over 300 million operations.

Q    My greatest success in business was…
A    Floating Orthofix on Nasdaq.

Q    My greatest failure in business was…
A    Caused by the threat of secession of Quebec from Canada.

Q    Which restaurant is indispensable?
A    Food on Singapore Airlines.

Q    Where in the world are you happiest?
A    In the Seychelles with my family.

Q    How did you earn your first pay cheque?
A    Selling hamsters with a school friend.

Q    To me, wealth means…
A    My luck has not yet run out!

Q    Spear’s is sharp and to the point. I am…
A    Tenacious and hard-working.

Photography by Acuity Reputation



At the Sharp End is sponsored by KPMG

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