So here is the follow-on to the interview with Alan Brown, Rentokil Initial’s CEO.
DJ: There was an interview in the press recently about your love of motor sports. Is your interest as a spectator or a participant? And do you prefer two or four wheels?
AB: I love old cars. In fact I have two, a 1931 Invicta vintage (the picture here is with my daughter Anneka) and a 1972 Porsche. One day I may start racing, but for now I just go to festivals In fact I went to the Goodwood Revival Weekend not so long ago. I also love two wheels, both cycling and motorbikes (I ride my brother-in-laws Motto Guzzi when I visit him in Wisconsin). Most people know that I cycle from home to Victoria station, catch the Gatwick express from there and then cycle from Gatwick to the office.
CM: Leathers or lycra?
AB: Lycra, it’s far sexier!
DJ: We all have one, mine is wasps. What is your earliest ‘pest’ memory?
AB: Well I was born and raised on a pig farm and I can remember it vividly. I was 3 years old and there was a large rat cornered in the kitchen, I was terrified. My mum called in the Handyman who arrived bearing a hatchet. You can imagine my terror. Not only did it decapitate the rat, but it made significant damage to the floor as well!
DJ: Share with us your most recent, funniest pest control moment or story; perhaps you know a Pest Control joke?
AB: I’m afraid I don’t know any pest control jokes, and you already know my rat story! My most recent contact with a pest was the fox that crept out of the basement of my London home (which is currently undergoing major building work). Urban foxes are a big problem. Also, the rats I see on a daily basis on the underground on the tracks, it’s amazing they survive.
DJ: If you were a pest which would you be and why?
AB: (Thinks a while…) I would be a spider because I like getting my tentacles into everything. That and weaving a web…
DJ: Please tell us one thing that people do not know about you!
AB: I think I have already told you quite a lot… How about the fact that I am not superstitious at all? Or that I played wing forward on the school rugby team in Ireland? I was lucky enough never to get injured during matches. But I did hurt my shoulder once coming off a motorbike.
With that, our time was up. I hope you have learnt a bit more about Alan Brown the man, rather than Alan Brown Chief Executive Officer of Rentokil Initial. I shall be making a point of finding more senior management team members to interview – so watch this space.
4 Comments
Its amazing the number of rats/mice on the underground. Apparently in London there is a rodent within 1 metre of you. Its time for the pest controllers to be called out!!!
Talking about earliest pest memories made me think of mine, which was related to ants. Although at the time, my sister and i did not think of them as pests, there were just loads and loads of ants emerging from in between the floorboards of our flat and we used to take it in turns to squash them one by one. In hindsight probably not the nicest of games for two girls to play but there you go. Would be good to hear other people’s early pest memories! Interesting how differently you see things as an adult and as a child…i won’t be playing that game again.
“Not only did it decapitate the rat, but it made significant damage to the floor as well!” — Well, it’s another good reason to use pest control service instead.
Hi, Alan – Funny, I don’t remember a pig farm at Lisbane. Could that have been at Valerie Millington’s? But I do remember you coming off your motorcycle – a 400/4, wasn’t it?
All the best – Edwin