An electrical engineer by training, John Forbat worked with several well-known firms in the aircraft, avionics and electronics industries, which gave him ‘the experience of how large companies are managed – and mismanaged’. He then moved into a number of highly entrepreneurial businesses where his successes (and the odd failure) taught him the essentials of entrepreneurship. Much of his experience was gleaned in the US, where he lived for 20 years. He now lives in England.