International Women's Day, 8 March 2007

A happy Women's Day to all the women reading this.

Something I did not expect when I began working here: how many of the people I negotiate with, sign contracts with and rely on to solve problems are women. Chief accountants, legal directors, heads of logistics, and a considerable number of owners.

In several sectors, the person who actually knows how the company works is a woman with twenty years in the same building and a filing system that only she understands. I have learned to find that person early.

So today's flowers are appropriate and also somewhat beside the point. The more useful thing I can say is that the competence is obvious, widely relied upon, and less often reflected in titles than it should be.

A good day to all of you.