More Personal

Most of this website is focused on my professional life, so here are a few personal details to keep it real.

1. I am father to Ethan, who is 19 months old, we once gave a talk together. .
2. I have an older brother and a younger sister.
3. I have done a parachute jump (a 14k ft skydive in Brisbane).
4. I’ve held a full motorcycle licence since I was 17, and once took a Harley Davidson around the Rocky Mountain National Park
5. Growing up, my strengths were in mathematics, art and sport.
6. My father is from Bangladesh, my mother from England.
7. I don’t drink alcohol (my father was an alcoholic)
8. I am pretty good at speaking and understanding Spanish (my wife is from Barcelona).
9. I once gave a lecture in front of the Queen of Sweden & International Olympic Committee President Dr Jacques Rogge, arguing on behalf of gene doping.
10. I am a keen photographer and own a Canon 5d mkII.
11. I love cinema.
12. I have travelled to over 50 countries in the last 10 years (mostly for work).
13. I believe in the value of professional journalism.
14. I (sometimes) have asthma and wrote about it in Nature
15. I’d rather be writing than reading.
16. My first web buddy was Kris Krug @kk way back in the Web 1.0 days
17. I own an Android phone – HTC Hero (getting slow now).
18. I’ve not owned a car for 11 years now, but used to have a VW Golf.
19. I once appeared on radio talking to Lesley Grantham (Dirty Den) from East Enders, where I was required to pretend I was from London.
20. I was in the Scouts throughout my childhood and spent a lot of time abseiling, climbing and kayaking.
21. I did karate, boxing and horse riding as a teenager, but each only briefly.
22. My specialist sport at school was volleyball.
23. I run (but usually in a gym).
24. I hold no religious convictions.
25. I am a long time Prince fan, as this explains.
26. I once gave Stephen Fry the hump.
27. I experienced an earthquake while staying in a traditional Japanese house in Tokyo.
28. I’ve travelled to over 50 countries.