A career in the telecommunications industry has taken MBA graduate Andrew
Skelton all over the world including stints as Head of Commercial Strategy and
Planning for Vodafone Egypt and Marketing Finance Manager for Vodafone Ireland.
He is currently Strategy Director for Virgin Mobile Australia.
I made my career choice because ...
I wanted a solid base of skills that allowed me to work in businesses all
over the world.
If I had known then what I know now, I would have ... Bought
Google shares!
The greatest lesson of my career so far has been ... Every
problem has a solution, some just require a bigger hammer.
My most impressive achievement is ...
Surviving the roadside culinary delights whilst living in Cairo (although
there were anxious times).
My most exhilarating experience so far has been ... Spending
Anzac Day in Gallipoli with close mates.
My biggest unrealised wish is ...
To trek through the Kakadu (you always do your own backyard last).
Others say I ...
Talk too much!
At the moment I'm inspired by ...
Always Nelson Mandela. It's the gentle touch of a mighty hand.
Work and travel in Egypt and the Middle East
Best item bought was ...
A replica England football jersey... with four lions printed on it (it's
never about the attention to detail).
Best location visited ...
Walking around the pyramids was amazing. I got many chances to do it while
living just up the road.
Most important Arabic word learnt was ...
'Fil Mish Mish' .... Or 'in your dreams'.... It's local slang and very handy
when negotiating.
Best tale told was ...
By an excited guide telling us that on our desert tour we would see the 'very
rare' desert gorillas!
Toughest job in Cairo is ...
Crash scene investigators (there is just carnage everywhere with cars ending
up in the strangest positions).
Best advice for foreign car drivers is ...
Road markings are nothing more than elaborate paintings on the road, with
traffic lights adding nothing more than colour.
Best driver conversation ...
Having excitedly informed the driver that we were on a one way street (cars
coming towards us) he casually replied 'we are going one way'!
Biggest lesson learnt was ...
National actions are from the decision maker's viewpoint, not yours.
First rejected country ...
I marched back onto the EgyptAir flight after Libyan officials refused entry
at Tripoli. Thankfully our passports were updated with the new Libyan
requirements and we were back in Tripoli within 24 hours.
Best show of armour was ...
Beirut (these boys were serious, unlike the police on the street in
Cairo).
Best Airline safety briefing ...
EgyptAir... when behind schedule they do their pre-flight safety briefing in
the air.