Tales of Hoffman
Page 75
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kfter Typhoon Rita, Mike Hoffman, 39-year-old chairman and nanaging director of Perkins Engines, blew through Manila, eaving, it is said, a trail of exhausted people in his wake. In an :ight-day visit to south-east Asia he flew for 50 hours and met more han 420 people of 15 nationalities or ethnic groups, including over 30 senior government officials and diplomats.
Seven different airlines took him to Indonesia, Malaysia, Singa)ore and the Philippines, and he endured temperatures ranging :rom 92°F, with 100 per cent humidity, to 20°F with snow. Each Jay started at 7.30am with a breakfast briefing session with Perkins ocal representatives. In the next 24 hours Mike squeezed in an average of four meetings, an official lunch, a visit to a minister, a VIP reception and a dinner party.
But life was not all work. He played squash for half an hour in nonsoon rains and a temperature of 82°F in Kuala Lumpur. There's ndulgence for you.