Well, when you list them together—of course! Over the years my expertise has certainly grown and my interests have widened. I started as a humble graduate coastal engineer with Dobbie and Partners in the UK in 1988 and then worked hard to develop my career. I joined Mouchel in 1992 in the UK working—predominantly—on large marine projects in the UK and the Middle East, moving to Dubai in 1997, and took over running Mouchel's Middle East business in May 1998. During the time I was there, the team grew from a handful of people to almost 1,000 staff in 2009—and we ended up working on some of the largest marine and infrastructure projects in the region.

And after that?

After that? I helped develop new lines of business outside of infrastructure and marine design, taking Mouchel into project management and community services management. I am an entrepreneur at heart, you see; and I am always keen to start new areas of business!

Why the change?

By 2010, I was the director responsible for all international business at Mouchel for the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean. I was Project Director; Steering Group Director; Marine Expert. I'd exhausted what I could achieve—I wanted a fresh challenge. The companies, the governorships...

School governor?

Education is the key to the future. The future of this region—indeed, the world—depends so heavily on education. It was something that I'd wanted to do, and the opportunity arose—so I thought 'why not?' It also keeps me abreast of what's going on—tied in to young people; to new ideas. That's so important.

Ideas? Is that what brought about Z.65?

Yes—absolutely. After seeing Claude again after so many years—

—Chance? Or fate?

Who knows! We ended up four doors away from each other in Dubai after many years in different parts of the world—it was certainly fortuitous. We both had a passion for new ideas; for telling a story through what we do; for creating, designing and building—and most importantly, for projects—whatever they might be.

So, Z.65?

A full life cycle development, advisory and management company; a company that will be a long term sustainable business developing and managing new projects.

And Z.65 Vision 'Collaborative'—what does that actually mean in practice?

What it says. Isaac Newton had it about right when he said 'If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants.' Human beings are always more creative; more effective; more successful when they are part of a group. Human success is the result of collaboration. The success of the Enlightenment is down to the sharing of ideas and the collaboration of people with vision—but people wise enough to know that it's only working together that we find the greatest expression of what we seek.

Marco, thank you.

You're welcome.