Each week Bristol Business News gives a prominent member of the area’s business community the last word on its weekly e-bulletin. This week Nick Sturge, Engine Shed director and South West regional chairman of the Institute of Directors, answers our 10 questions.
What was the LAST: 
Film you watched? I’ve been watching OJ: Made in America, which has been fascinating, understanding the subtexts of racial tension, distrust – and the dangerous (and potentially inflammatory) nature of live news coverage. I’m not really a film person – but my all-time favourite is Brassed Off. Perhaps I should watch it again ahead of the election….
Book you read? I try to keep abreast of current leadership, innovation and ecosystems thinking – for the benefit of both my IoD and Engine Shed roles, but my days are so intellectually stimulating, I’m asleep after a couple of pages of a book! I also find some of the old classics quite enlightening – even if slightly out of date. So the book I last read, cover-to-cover, was Good to Great by Jim Collins. I use the material from there regularly. I am currently reading (or trying to) Jupiter’s Travels by Ted Simon. The inspiration behind Ewan Macgregor’s Long Way Round.
Music you bought or download? Still listening to my vinyl……. I think I may have bought a Black Sabbath CD within the last couple of years….
Sporting event you attended: Bath vs. Wasps at The Rec. It was a full stadium and really is a beautiful setting. But the rugby was not so beautiful. I guess everyone has off-days…..
Holiday you went on: My last proper holiday was Edinburgh Fringe last summer. But I’m off to Snowdonia on the motorbike with some friends this weekend, so hopefully the rain will hold off! I did manage to get some sightseeing and downtime in Japan in February when I had the privilege of speaking to a conference on innovation and entrepreneurship, about how Bristol has become such an innovative ecosystem.
Restaurant you went to: Brasserie Blanc in Quakers’ Friars. Fantastic (and historic) old building – many generations of my family worshipped there or next door. Shameful that it was my first time there as a diner as the food and service was superb.
Thing that annoyed you: Process and pontification. For me, everything needs to happen yesterday, so things getting stuck in process or not making decisions annoys me. Life is too short.
Thing that made you laugh out loud: Texts from my teenage sons. Their wit online is superbly dry. I was on a train back from a science parks conference in York the other day and found myself really laughing out loud.
Piece of good advice you were given: Aim to hire people who are better than you.
Nick Sturge is South West chairman of the Institute of Directors, director of Bristol’s highly successful Engine Shed enterprise hub and director of the Bristol SETsquared Business Acceleration Centre. He has a strong track record as a company director, entrepreneur, innovator and connector.
