What is your motto?
You can, if you believe you can.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
To realise at the end of my life that the way I lived was misguided, a mistake.
Where would you like to live?
Somewhere warm and sunny! I also like the buzz of big cities like London, Paris and Marseille (where I was born).
What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Knowing what I want/ought to do, and doing it.
To which fault do you feel most indulgent?
Stubbornness.
Who is your favourite character in history?
Nelson Mandela for the personal shift he made whilst in prison.
Who is your favourite heroine in real life?
Mother Teresa for her relentless and inspirational dedication to the poor.
Who is your favourite heroine of fiction?
Elizabeth Bennet of Jane Austen for a wit and vivacity unusual in her time as well as her sheer honesty.
Your favourite painter?
Vincent van Gogh for his passionate outlook on Provence.
Your favourite composers or musicians?
It really depends on my mood.
Which qualities do you most value in a man?
Honesty, authenticity, fidelity, reliability.
Which qualities do you most value in a woman?
Honesty, authenticity, fidelity, reliability.
Your favourite virtue?
Integrity. Walking the walk.
Your favourite occupation?
Being outside (with my children and/or friends or even for work), running, walking, playing golf, skiing, sailing; anything outdoors and somewhat competitive.
Who would you have liked to be?
Trying to be my best self is enough to me.
Your most marked characteristic?
Drive.
What is your principle defect?
To never stop.
What is your favourite colour?
Blue, like the sea and the sky in beautiful weather.
Who are your favourite prose writers?
Gustave Flaubert, Dominique Lapierre for their rich account of historical or fictional human inter-actions.
What is it you most dislike?
Duplicity.
How would you like to die?
As late as possible, but then as quickly as possible.
What is your present state of mind?
Energised.