This man looks at you with piercing blue eyes and challenges everything you say to him. Don?t go yet? He?s one of those people who will look at you in the eye and tell you that? the sky is the limit and you will reach it if you really want to. Read on?

His name is Nice but not quite?that nice. I don?t mean he is not a nice man, far from it. It is rather a play on words that Paul didn?t quite seem to enjoy? It?s pronounced Nice, you see, like the French town he tells me. Why? ?I?ll pass?? he replies smiling. I got the hint; the man doesn?t like talking about his name. Coming from London, he must have had his share of puns. We?ll just move on, shall we?

Paul was sitting in Ruislip one fine day in 1988 and he was already working for Barclays. On that day, he said to himself, ?I cannot do this for the next 25 years.? So he went to see his directors and let it be known that he was inte-rested in working abroad. They listened to him.

Next thing Paul knew was that he was travelling; you name it, he?s been there. Barbados, Bermuda, Bahamas, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Botswana? ?I have worked on three continents,? he tells me. He caught me raising my eyebrows. ?You?re a lucky man? I said. ?You make your own luck,? he replied. Paul is of the opinion that where he comes from, anyone working in the Indian Ocean would be considered lucky. ?But I chose to come here?you either act or you?re acted upon. Because if you are good enough, there is no place that you cannot go.? Such determination, such will is impressive. Looking at the tall man sitting opposite me, I thought his staff must be lucky?

And they are, if Paul is to be believed. As the retail regional manager of Barclays, Indian Ocean, Paul Nice is dedicating a lot of time to improving customer service at the bank. A task that he is not finding that easy. ?You can have all the training programmes in the world but if you don?t change the mindset of the people, you do not get anywhere.? He also believes that the example should come from above and every so often, ?I roll up my sleeves and I become part of the team?? he says with a smile.

Paul Nice pronounced-Nice-like-the-French-town is having a lot of fun working in Mauritius. When he wakes up every morning in his house in Cap Malheureux, he has the sublimely breathtaking view of the Coin de Mire and of the beautiful little red and white church. ?I am blessed?? he says thoughtfully. One gets the impression the man feels a bit bad about the luck that he helped make. ?No but sometimes I feel that had I lived someplace else, I would have known another side of Mauritius? but it feels a shame to be here for two years and not live by the beach?? It?s ok Paul; we shall not begrudge you this simple pleasure?

There are two things Mr Nice is not too proud of. He has not yet learned to speak French and Creole? (But his 16 month old daughter has) and he has not been brave enough to try Mauritian cuisine? ?It?s not about being brave!? he stops me and says that people need to force him to try the food. Oh and he also said he was desperately looking for someone to teach him French? in Port Louis? I may be wrong but I have the distinct impression the man was trying to get a message through. I wonder which one ?