Learning from people who see the world differently

I am currently writing books on two individuals who fascinate me: Elon Musk and Albert Camus.

I was drawn to Elon Musk through studying Tesla and SpaceX, having worked as an investor for twenty years at Goldman Sachs, The Carlyle Group and Ares Management.

And I was drawn to Albert Camus through observing how people seek purpose in their work, having worked in international development (Mid-East Advisor to Tony Blair and Chair of Save the Children UK).

Musk and Camus appear to be very different: one is a twenty-first century English-speaking engineer and businessman, and the other is a twentieth century Francophone writer and moralist. But they both faced existential crises in childhood and found a way out, learning to find meaning in life by creating things for others.

My approach is shaped by studying History at Cambridge University where I learned that, if you really want to understand someone, you have to look at them in their own terms and in the context of their heroes, their peers and their enemies.

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