Q+A: Guillaume P. Brochard

Q: How do you spend your weekend amid your busy schedule?

A: I have no real pattern as I live between several cities. I try to spend as much time as possible with my wife and children.

What are your hobbies?

Yoga and the piano.

What is the saying that you like the most?

Never say never. Life is so unpredictable. That's the beauty of it.

Which living person do you most admire?

I'm afraid there is no one. I respect many. I am impressed by some. I do not admire any.

What is the book you are reading now?

The Growth Path by Jim O'Neil. He is the mastermind behind the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China trading bloc) concept. A visionary man yet humble and simple.

What is your favorite book?

It's hard to say.

There are so many. I would still say A Barbarian in Asia written by Henri Michaux. It is the book that raised my curiosity about Asia while I was a teenager.

My life would have taken a very different path had I not read it.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Freedom wrapped in love.

What is your greatest fear?

None.

What is the quality you most admire in a man?

Listening ability.

What is the quality you most admire in a woman?

Can't make a public answer ... Just kidding!

What do you value the most in your friends?

Understanding.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?

Nothing anymore. I am too old to still care about my appearance.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

The close relationship with my two eldest daughters. We have been through a lot.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Sorry, I really feel good as I am!

What kind of "green" lifestyle do you have?

I try to limit my long distance flights to six to seven per year. Coming from 15 to 20 a few years ago, it is a great achievement.

Give three words to describe your impression of Chinese businessmen.

Sharp, short term, flexible.