Miles Young, Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific’s chairman – soon to be global CEO in January 2009 – and an art enthusiast, tells Christina Kautzky who’s the next big name in the collecting game.
You’ve had a massive impact through your job on branding and advertising all over the region, but how did you end up in Asia in the first place?
I was working at Ogilvy in London and my then boss gave me the option of moving out here. But he gave me just 24 hours to make up my mind, on the basis that if I needed any longer then I would probably just stay. I decided the moment I left the room after our discussion – and I’d never been to Asia before – that I would move. It was a wonderful decision and I think quite fortuitous.
How many people do you oversee here?
Well, with everyone (in Asia) we’re about 8,000. We are in all the major countries and cities and have about 200 offices.
And do you know all the people's names?
Well no, but I know quite a few of their faces because I travel a lot, very deliberately.
With being on the road so much, what advice can you share with our readers on how to make it a pleasurable and non-interruptive experience?
I have a series of travel survival tips I always follow. I always stay in the same hotel, and preferably in the same room. I think it’s important to ensure you’ve always got a friend in each place you go, so you can also have some social contact outside the office. And I never look at my mail or work after dinner – that’s the best rule – so that I can be sure I have a restful sleep. That involves other aspects too, like pillow types and beds, darkness of rooms, sheets, or anything that could potentially disturb you during the night.
We assume you must have a BlackBerry then. Do you love it or hate it?
Well, I love it, provided I control it, and it doesn’t control me.
How often do you get to travel for pleasure?
I probably get one of those once a year.
And whom do you like to travel with?
It varies, but I’m also quite fond of travelling by myself. I think if you’re seeking a certain experience, then some degree of it can only occur if you are by yourself. That said, I have a very good friend from university and every year we meet up somewhere in the world interesting or unusual, so that’s an annual event.
Where have you not been to that’s on your list?
I would like to visit North Korea. I’ve never been to Oceania and I would love to go there. And the two other countries in the world I’ve not visited but I think are quite important are Iran – which would be fascinating – and Brazil.What personal interests keep you sane while juggling the demands of your job?
I love to read – history, fiction, and recently I’ve been reading more about the spice trade as a result of having purchased the cinnamon farm in Sri Lanka. I also love to eat, though I don’t have the time or the energy to devote to it to be a proper foodie. I love a good meal and one of the great things about travelling is that you are exposed to such a variety of incredible cuisines.
Who designed your getaway in Sri Lanka?
I own a working cinnamon farm, and the house was built after I purchased the farm. It was designed by a wonderful architect called Anjelandran. We collaborated on the house design so that it would have an interesting connection to Sri Lankan art. Since I restored a plantation, it now harvests cinnamon sold on the market.
You’re known for your great love of art. Do you have a particular type of artwork you collect?
I collect Chinese contemporary sculpture, mostly because a few years ago I decided I couldn’t afford to collect Chinese contemporary art anymore as it’s gone through the roof.
Are there any artists currently that you are watching or interested in buying?
In Sri Lanka, there’s a very fine artist called Mohammed Caper, and I think he’s on the verge of international recognition. He’s a very wonderful artist so I’m collecting him at the moment.
As an art connoisseur, what is your favourite museum?
I’ve just been to Lisbon and I went to see the new Museu do Oriente (opened in May). It’s a fantastic museum of Asian art and culture in Lisbon in a converted art-deco warehouse; it’s very impressive. I also think that the Mauritshuis at The Hague is the most beautiful gallery in the world. No ifs, buts or maybes. Simply stunning.
