As an expert in the management of IT systems Robert has travelled to some interesting places some of which he cannot say, but if he did he would have to kill you afterwards.

Robert served twelve years in the Royal Navy as an systems engineer on Submarine Sonar systems. Hungary was never on his list of places to goto; but as the wall came down it was time to change.

Being IT systems engineer was the vehicle for this change. Over time he has developed his managerial skills and amassed experience in developing, selling, operating and managing Telecommunications systems and service.

Currently operating as an independent contract he is working on advising organisations on the development and implementation of next
generation IT services.


1. When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?
1979. OK. I exaggerate. It was in 1999. Seriously it feels like a long time. A lot has happened, to Hungary, in these last ten years.

2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?
Yes. Lebanon, South Africa, Ghana and Bulgaria.

3. What surprised you most about Hungary?
The scale is so person friendly not like Jakarta and London. To me its was and is so relaxing, laid back and accessible.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
An morning coffee in the Duna park then Cycling along the banks on the Duna and dropping in one of the many restaurants for lunch meal.
Afterwards going to Széchenyi thermal baths followed by the Opera Haz.

5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?
Palacsinta.

6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?
Milk. Now it has to be low fat.

7.What is your favourite Hungarian word?
Csókollom. Such a nice round, sweet and expressive statement. Showing a bit of respect.

8. What do you miss most from home?
A broadsheet morning newspaper. The Internet is like reading the sun on steroids. So much rubbish passes before you can get to the real
news of the day.

9. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
Architecture. I love designing new homes and living spaces. Its amazing what colour, space and light can do to lift spirits and
motivate. Every new place I visit I look at what works and what fails and imagine how we can improve the spaces we visit.

10. What's a job you would definitely never want?
Lavatory cleaner. Nuff said.

11. Where did you spend your last vacation?
Austrian Alps. Its so pristine just like a manicured garden. Mind you there is a downside to living there. It looks as though you have
to mow the garden a lot. We saw a women, who was over sixty, using a hand rake to collect an acre of grass from the side of a hill by her self!

12. Where do you hope to spend your next holiday?
ISS. Ah the views and what possibilities? ;-)

13. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
Lord of the Rings.

14. What can't you resist?
My wife.

15. Red wine or white?
Red.

16. Book or movie?
Book.

17. Morning person or night person?
Night. Its when real decisions are made. Mornings are for implementing the decisions made overnight.

18. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?
The credit crunch. I am amazed how this come about. All I can say is someone was asleep at the helm and expected that it would be all right on the night for the bankers as they knew what they where doing right? Yeah. With all of the reporting, credit rating agencies, such as Standard and Poors, and government over sight how could we get into such a mess especially when you see how hard it was to get a bank loan back in the 1980's if you are in a small business.

19. Buda or Pest side?
Pest of course. Buda is nice in summer but hell in winter.

20. What would you say is your personal motto?
That's easy my clan motto "Touch not the cat bot a glove". As Americans say go figure.