August 2009 Archives

Most readers will be aware that since the merger of the US and European/Asian titles in 2007, ICIS Chemical Business has become a global magazine, with teams in New York, London and Singapore. I'm the deputy editor, heading up the European bureau based in the sleepy town of Sutton in Surrey, near London, UK.

Last week I had the opportunity, for the first time, to travel to New York and work with the editorial team out there, headed up by Joe Chang the global editor.

As you can imagine, there was something of a contrast between my usual Monday morning and my first day on the 17th floor of 360 Park Avenue South, New York.

To set the scene, let me first describe an average Monday morning. After hastily swallowing down a piece of toast, I normally rush down to a chilly Crystal Palace railway station to be met by an announcement such as "Southern Railways would like to apologise for the cancellation of this service". After a journey spent staring through the rain-spattered windows at the cheery folk of South London as they board the train, I arrive at the metropolis of Sutton; a small suburban town renowned for its snarling teen mums in gold hoop earrings, pushing prams, cigarettes burning.

Now to New York, where jet lag meant I awoke early on my first morning. The map showed a piece of open space called Madison Square Park near the office so I made my way down there, basking in the early morning sunshine. After buying a coffee and blueberry muffin I noticed some commotion near the park. It was a full outdoor film crew about to begin shooting. Park benches nearby beckoned so I sat down and watched the action. "Quiet please, film rolling", someone shouted, and the action began. I watched as a street scene was played out for a new TV series called White Collar.

A friendly New Yorker sat with me and after he'd finished moaning about the disruption caused by film crews blocking the sidewalk, we got talking about his great city and how clean and safe it was compared to the 1980's when he'd arrived from Guyana.

Madison Square Park became my breakfast venue each morning and I had a fantastic week working with and getting to know the team in New York. It's a shame I didn't get to meet pharma/fine chemicals editor Feliza Mirasol, but here are images of the rest of the team.

 
Clay Boswell, features, pharma outsourcing

 

 

 

 

 

Doris de Guzman, specialties/oils

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ivan Lerner, commodities

   

By John Richardson

I was sharing lunch with a highly de-motivated Singapore-based chemicals industry employee recently and the great British 1970s sitcom, The Good Life, came to mind.

In that sitcom, Tom Good, played by the actor Richard Briers, is meeting "Sir", the boss of the plastics processing company where he works as a draftsman. The company specialises in designing and moulding those little plastic toys you used to get (or might still get - I am not sure) free in your breakfast cereal.

"Sir" puts his arm around Tom, who he has noticed for the first time because he has been introduced by his friend Jerry, played by the late and great Paul Eddington, as "our top designer". Jerry is a monumental crawler and, as a result, is in an executive position.

Anyway, "Sir" says to Tom, or roughly words to this effect: "A new bubble has just come off the top of our think tank and I want you to take charge of this project - plastic hippopotamuses (or was it giraffes? Couldn't find on Google). Are you excited? Do you think you are the man for the job?"

He is speaking in one of those annoyingly enthusiastic voices you may have heard in meetings and wished "if only I could have the presence of mind to fake it that well".

Tom, is of course, supposed to show enthusiasm in order to crawl up the slippery corporate ladder, but instead bursts out laughing, goes home, quits his job, and decides to become self-sufficient by growing all his own food - and keeping livestock - in his suburban back garden.

To return to my lunch with the unhappy chemicals-industry employee, he had been ground down by having to bite his tongue in so many long and dull meetings that when his boss asked for ideas for a new corporate slogan, he replied: "How about 'The Relentless Pursuit of Mediocrity?' "

He lives in a condominium with a window box as a back garden and so growing fruit and vegetables for a new career is not an option.

Anonymous contributions would be gratefully received for comments you would have liked to have made in company meetings, but felt unable to do so. This is your chance to let off some steam.