Five things you didn’t know about...

Don't be fooled...

You wouldn’t be able to tell it from my accent but I was born in Wolverhampton. I was educated at a convent school where my Midlands accent was beaten out of me!

Good choice...

My first job was as a trainee deck officer for BP. In the Winter of Discontent and three day week that seemed like a better option to me than going to university!

Against All Odds...

I like to think I’m quite a good cook – perhaps too good considering the size of my waistline! I used to help out a friend who did event catering and my claim to fame is that I cooked for Phil Collins for a few days on the Invisible Touch Tour.

Too scared...

I’m definitely not made to be a rally driver. I am sure that the most scared I have ever been was when I helped out for a few days on the World Rally Championships in 1986. Juha Kankkunen drove me through the Kielder Forest rally stage at full tilt. It made me realise that I can’t drive and that adrenaline is brown!

Top work...

I joined Mondial as a two year career move - 19 years later I am still enjoying the challenge of growing Mondial’s business in the UK as well as developing the business in Russia and the Middle East. And, apart from my family, my proudest achievement is being part of a team that has taken Mondial from a small loss making company to being the most consistently successful assistance company in the world.

Mike Webb is chief executive of Mondial Assistance in the UK.