Five things you didn’t know about....

Lucky break...

I took a complete career break for nine months and travelled the world, during which time I narrowly escaped tragedy in New York, opting to have breakfast in Central Park rather than Windows of the World on the morning of 11 September, 2001.

Battleships...

I was in the Royal Navy for more than 12 years and became the youngest captain of a warship at the time at the age of 28.

Jungle fever...

For nine months, I worked for the UN, based in jungle of Sierra Leone. Being protected during this time by Bangladeshi troops has led to a basic knowledge of the language which comes in very handy in curry houses!

All aboard...

I have represented my country in sailing.

Lights, camera...

If I didn’t work in insurance, I would choose to be a movie producer. My film hero is Peter Jackson in honour of his Lord of the Rings trilogy, and my favourite film would be either Alfred Hitchcock’s North by North West or the 1997 black comedy Grosse Pointe Blank, starring John Cusack.

Matthew Reed is chief executive of Powerplace.