Sir Alex Ferguson – I have been a massive Manchester United fan my entire life! Sir Alex Ferguson is the embodiment of what it takes to be a successful leader not just in football, but in life. There are endless parallels in what it takes to run the most successful football club in the history of the game (fact) and running not only a business, but also managing all sorts of interactions that we come across in our lives. Sir Alex is a mastermind of man management, strategy and success. I’d love to pick his brain on a few things!

Muhammad Ali – Muhammad Ali is passion. Most people recognise Muhammad Ali as an incredible boxer and, as much as I do too, I became more intrigued by the man outside of the ring. Ali was born into a very segregated society and had to be bold and confident to become the “Greatest of all time”. He was very passionate and committed to his beliefs and never strayed from his cause and purpose. He presented himself with utmost sincerity and was a man of tremendous faith. Even in his later years, when extremely restricted by his progressing Parkinson’s disease, he faced it with grace and dignity – never complaining and only acknowledging it as a test. There’d be endless wisdom to learn from that man! 

Marcus Aurelius – Marcus Aurelius was that last of the great Roman emperors who was very well known for his stoic and virtuous qualities.  As emperor of Rome, he was the leader of what was essentially the entire known world at the time. He could do and demand anything he wanted. Emperors before and after him were renowned for their callous and brutal exhibitions and general disregard for others whom they ruled over. Aurelius was different – he resisted all temptation to stray from virtue and was well known for his humility. He eventually wrote a book to himself that is referred to today as “Meditations”. This book was eventually discovered and published – I hugely recommend reading it! In this book, Aurelius lists a plethora of stoic principles that he constantly reminds himself of and lives by. I think we can all benefit from some stoicism from time to time as, ultimately, we must be at peace with things that we cannot control in life. As someone who is on the pursuit of this, I’d definitely have a question or two for him at dinner!