Business Traveller - Horizon Magazine Feb 2010

George Nicholls. CEO of Pasco, founded the risk consultantcy in 1996, growing into a multimillion-dollar enterprise based in Joburg with offices in New York. London, Dubai and India. The company provides advisory, forensic, business intelligence and security services to global companies operating in high-risk environments. Apart from employee background screening, business ethics and anti-corruption services, investigations and crisis management, Pasco offers what it calls TravelSafe, a protective-intelligence and security service.

How often do you travel? In South Africa I travel frequently and internationally once every six weeks. Travelling so often means that I concentrate on having the least downtime while away, taking direct and overnight flights where possible and packing in as much business as possible on trips.

How do you stay in touch with family and the office? I reckon I can get as much as 95 percent of my work done on my Blackberry phone and I also carry a Netbook. I can access all Pasco's systems remotely through our corporate network while I'm away.

What are your favourite destinations? I tend to keep business and holiday trips separate. On holidays I scuba-dive with my family: Maldives, Indonesia, Seychelles and Sodwana in KwaZulu-Natal are our favourites. For business. New York's fast pace makes it easy to conclude deals swiftly, with London not far behind in terms of the style of doing business. Dubai is a mixture of business cultures - it looks both East and West

How about hotels and restaurants? I tend to stay in the same hotels close to our offices. This way the staff gets to know you and there is something to be said for personalised service (not to mention qualifying for corporate rates!) In London I stay at a private club in Mayfair. In Dubai it's the Le Meridien Mina Seyahi and in New York, the Hilton on Fifth Avenue. The Gorton Hotel in London must be the only family-owned hotel left in London. I'm something of a gastronome and having meetings around lunch or dinner maximises the opportunities for business. I often visit the Soho Club in New York. London town in Chinatown, London, offers the greatest dim sum. In Johannesburg I rate Pigalle highest.

What are your top business travel tips? Pack a few extra sets of clothes and get a sturdy, well-designed suitcase with many compartments.