PETER MELHADO — Chairman, Sagicor Group Jamaica Limited.

As 2019 comes to a close, what has been the most memorable highlight?

Actually, Nicola [my wife] and I spending Thanksgiving with my two kids who both live abroad; we don’t get to see them often enough.

How would you define success?

Being at peace with whatever is happening in the moment.

How would you define the meaning of life?

Being present for every experience in this fleeting time on Earth.

Where is your happy place?

Home in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Mountains.

Nature or Nurture?

Nurture; the human spirit is able to overcome in nearly all instances.

Is it more important to be liked or respected?

Respected, although for much of my life I was very focused on being liked.

If you could be remembered for one thing, what would it be?

Someone who genuinely cared about others.

What is your greatest fear?

Not being able to provide for my family.

Animals or babies?

Clearly, babies – I have two children and look forward to grandchildren.

What talent do you yearn for?

I have always wanted to play the electric guitar but have only mastered the ‘air’ guitar.

How do you respond to compliments?

I have often brushed them off but have learnt the power in acknowledging the person giving the compliment.

What book do you recommend the most to others?

Very hard to narrow it down to one book: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle for the spirit; and Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev for the soul.

What’s the one business tip you got that you’ve never forgotten?

Never believe your own propaganda (delivered by my father some years ago when I got caught up in the hype).

What lesson has been the hardest to learn?

Saying no (the bane of all people pleasers).

What food sums up happiness?

A really nice piece of white yam!

What have you never understood?

Why my love of music is so perfectly correlated with my lack of talent for it.

What’s your 2020 vacay pick?

New Zealand.

Finally, what’s the one thing you want to do in 2020?

Beat my nemesis (Alan Beckford) in the upcoming Sigma 5K.