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Patrick Whyman of Renault answers Barker's Dozen
Date: 11 December 2012
BusinessCar's Paul Barker puts 13 testing questions to another victim
1. What was your first job? Trainee on the David Brown Tractors Graduate Scheme, then their area sales representative for the south-east of England.
2. What was your first company car? Cortina mk4.
3. What did you listen to on your last car journey? Rock Radio (106.1 FM in Manchester) They play great music; I'm a big fan of Guns N' Roses, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bryan Adams etc.
4. What one thing do you wish you could do better? Play tennis. I've seen Andy Murray serving at 130-plus mph and realise I need to up my game.
5. What's your biggest achievement? In my private life I have a fantastic family with two wonderful children, while in business it's being appointed to my current role. We have a great team and many excellent customers.
6. Who are your role models? I've two. My father, at 89, remains very positive and upbeat with a 'can do' attitude. He went through WW2 - Normandy landings, Battle of the Bulge, etc; I guess everything is a walk in the park after that. The other is Carlos Ghosn, chairman and CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance and one of the greatest automotive industry leaders and business innovators of our time.
7. What's the stupidest thing you've done? Saying 'no' when asked to be an extra in Chariots of Fire.
8. What was the most hotly debated topic at your last meeting? Quarter-end stock control - Renault runs a tight ship.
9. What's in your garage? By the time you're reading this, the answer will be cars - that will give me the incentive to tidy it up this weekend.
10. What's the worst thing about your job? Traffic jams.
11. What one law would you make or change? I would reverse the new university tuition fees scheme, which is about to come in this year. As many young people as possible should be encouraged to go to university without being put off by higher fees and larger student debt.
12. What keeps you awake at night? An owl, which occasionally sits in a tree behind my house - other than that I sleep very well.
13. Who is your ideal celebrity date? I'd like to go to the Oscars in LA to meet all the celebs in one go. My date would be Julia (Whyman, not Roberts).
