Simon Sproule appreciates the benefits of globalization. "The world has globalized so much since I left the U.K. in 1998 that I can get access to British media or Marmite on toast almost anywhere, anytime," he says, referring to the popular yeast extract spread.
Marmite may be what fuels him, but what drives him is cars. Nissan's vice president in charge of global communications had a grandfather who worked in Britain's car industry and he spurred a lifelong interest in automobiles for the boy from Basingstoke.
"My grandfather not only collected classic cars — he had an Austin A30 and A35 — but he would always have a different new car when I saw him and he also used to take me to motor shows. I think in some storage unit in the U.K. I still have car brochures from the early and mid-1970s, which are probably now worth a fortune.