"I stopped competitive motocross about five years ago."
We've taken time out with Professor Mike Ewing, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean, Faculty of Business and Law to ask some hard hitting questions about his favourite movie and other such vital considerations:
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Passionate, sincere, balanced.
Do you have any hobbies?
I stopped competitive motocross about five years ago and now go bush riding in the high country with a group of friends every other month. I used to play golf, tennis and fly fish, but these days its kids sport all weekend! In truth, I should probably list publishing as a 'hobby' – in that I do it for enjoyment – not because I have to.
If you could have a different career, other than what you are doing what would it be?
Something in medicine. Healing people must be extremely rewarding.
What is your all-time favourite song(s)?
Where the Streets Have No Name (U2), Through the Barricades (Spandau Ballet), The Whole of the Moon (The Waterboys)
What is your all-time favourite TV show?
Seachange (ABC)
If you could have dinner with any three people, living or dead, who would they be?
Bono (U2), Annie Lennox (Eurythmics) and Stephen Fry. Failing that, any three Chris Lilley or Little Britain characters. Dinner should be fun – hence no politicians, Nobel prize winners or Saints (dead or alive) invited!
What is your favourite app?
Cricket scoring apps are game changers (in my opinion). Hundred of years of scorebook use is now redundant. And the new apps are also online/real time.
Who do you count as a mentor(s)?
I have been blessed with many over the course of my various career(s): Major Dave Drew in the army, George Haward, Emil Wilms and Arthur Mutlow at Ford, and Professor Leyland Pitt throughout my postgraduate and academic career. Many great (marketing) scholars have also been very generous to me over the years: Professors 'Parsu' Parasuraman, Jagdish Sheth, Joe Hair, Gary Lilien, Arthur Kover and John Philip Jones, amongst others.
What was your very first job?
Cutting metal pipes at the back of a small engineering shop at 14 or 15. It was the single most boring and monotonous thing I have ever done (before or since) and paid next to nothing. In a funny way it was great motivation to work harder at school though. I decided then that Uni was a good option.
What motivates you in this role?
The privilege of transforming students' lives; the ability to positively influence colleagues' careers; the possibility of making this faculty an even better place to work and study; the dream of transitioning from being a 'good' faculty to becoming really 'great'; the challenge of staying competitive in a hyper-competitive global environment. Ultimately, I want to assist the faculty and all who work and study here to reach their full potential.
In your opinion, what are the key challenges facing the Faculty of Business and Law in 2014?
The single biggest short-term (three-month) challenge for me is to capture and articulate a far sharper and more compelling five-year strategic plan for the Faculty. Currently, we have the LIVE Agenda at the University level and then something of a void at the faculty level. Watch this space….