Brands chief Liam Murphy is so addicted to technology that he described the
recent loss of his phone as a ‘life changing experience’ and carries a
mobile office in his briefcase so he can work at airports.
“All my numbers were on my phone and I was going round for weeks trying to
piece them all together. It was a life changing experience,” he says. “Now,
of course, I download those numbers in case it happens again. My briefcase
has a laptop, BlackBerry, 3G card and is literally a communications centre
so that I can even work at airports. Mind you, the BlackBerry is a double
edged sword. My boss sleeps four to five hours a night and frequently sends
me an email at all times of the day and night.”
Murphy, 52, is the UK and Ireland managing director for Henkel,
which owns many household brands, such as Loctite, Sellotape, Pritt and
Persil. In the first quarter of 2007, Henkel’s operating profit was up 9.2
per cent to £323m. He travels frequently between the UK and Ireland, to its
European headquarters in Dusseldorf, and around the world meeting customers
and staff.
How do you travel on long haul trips?
I might go to the US from Dublin with Aer
Lingus or from London with British Airways.
Travelling to the States these days can be a bit of a nightmare, with
everything getting checked, including your shoes, but you go along with it.
If it is a sufficiently long flight, I need space to sleep and work, so fly
business class. I avoid the food on flights and usually my priority is just
to sleep. I have a support pillow and basically could sleep standing up.
Have you had some funny moments on trips abroad?
I’m a keen photographer and recently went on a trip to Cuba. On a day off, I
decided to hire a car and disappear into the rainforest. I saw a gleaming
Audi A4 and, although it was old, it was an exorbitant price. But I just
thought I would have it because it stood out like a beacon against the other
cars. But I was stopped by the police 10 times in four days, just because
they wanted to have a look at it. The roads over there are incredible and
very dangerous. They look fine and then suddenly you can hit a crater the
size of the moon.
Which airline do you use on trips to Ireland?
Often it’s Ryanair. I think it’s a much maligned airline. It’s genuinely cheap
and has all you need for a short trip, because it’s extremely efficient and
very punctual. In my experience there have only been three or four occasions
when there has been a delay because of a technical problem. Mind you, I’m
not sure about all that policy of charging a very low price and then adding
on taxes and fees. I’m not sure the public is impressed by that.
What about European flights?
I’ve tried Aer Lingus, British
Airways and Lufthansa and they’ve
all been good. BA has improved economy and the no-frills carriers have
forced them to cut their prices. Wherever you see competition, you see the
fares dropping. If there’s no competition, then you’ll pay royally on a
route. That’s what happens in certain areas of the US.
How do you stay fit on trips?
