Penny speed meets... Giles Greenfield, managing director, Markham Private Clients

What was your first ever job — and were you any good at it?
I was a porter at Bonham’s Auctioneers London – probably not, although I have always had an interest in art. I left to combine art with finance and went into fine art insurance almost 20 years ago

If an MP3 player could only hold three tunes, what would you select for the ultimate soundtrack to your life?
Jokerman by Bob Dylan – the only poet I’ve ever liked; Englishman in New York by Sting – I spent two years in New York and loved it; and Flamenco Sketches by Miles Davis – great to unwind to

Who was your top teenage pin-up?
Nena (of 99 Red Balloons fame); she still looks great on YouTube

My colleagues won’t know this about me but...
It turns out I’m not motivated by money – but it helps

Favourite book of all time?
Restoration by Rose Tremain

What would be your chosen superpower?
Invisibility – for the fun you could have and the places you could go

If you could be Prime Minister for the day, what change would you instigate and why?
I couldn’t think of anything worse

How would a typical school report about you read?
I remember one that said “acts like a monkey in class”, which I am strangely proud of. Wish I still had the energy...

My top tip for climbing the insurance career ladder is...
Always fulfil what you have committed to and then exceed it. This is relevant to any career

What’s the most annoying thing people do in your office?
Have dog allergies, otherwise I would take my border terrier everywhere with me

My last supper would comprise...
Liver with some fava beans and a nice glass of chianti – or perhaps steak, chips and salad

Who has been the most influential person in your life?
My dad – he set up his first business in his 20s and I have inherited my entrepreneurial streak from him – as well as my dyslexia, it appears

When I’m not working I like to...
Listen to jazz and play golf

Last film you saw?
Silver Linings Playbook

If I wasn’t working in insurance I would probably be...
Back in the art world

Name your five ideal dinner party guests (dead or alive) noting what they bring to the party
Peter Ustinov – the ultimate raconteur; Miles Davis, to hear him play over a whisky at the end of the night; Oliver Reed – if it’s a once‑in‑a‑lifetime dinner party, you don’t want the night to be quiet; Allan Ganley – my father-in-law, who passed away a few years ago – he was a great jazz musician and would be a steadying influence on all those egos; and one of the last few surviving Spitfire pilots – they would put life in perspective

Marmite: food of the gods or work of the devil?
Food of the gods

Career high point to date?
Building, merging and then selling my old insurance broking company in 2010

Finish this sentence: Insurance is a great industry to work in because...
It is a constantly evolving and resilient industry that attracts diverse and entrepreneurial individuals, adds something to society and, most importantly, is a people industry

Would you like to be probed by Penny on one of her speed meets? Get in touch via stephanie.denton@incisivemedia.com

This article was published in the 17 October 2013 edition of Post magazine