Royal Caribbean, eastward ho!

The growth rate for the company is between 3 and 5 percent, but the China market is growing much faster than that now.

It was a huge transition for you to switch from law firm into the cruise industry. how did that happen?

It was chance, really. I was interested in doing something in a business before I went to business school and I was fortunately connected to a shipping company in London that had many clients of shipping interests including cruise, including Royal Caribbean. So I went there and then I went to business school in 1987 in France. Later, Richard Fain asked me if I would work in the cruise part of the business in Miami, and I am still working for him 27 years later.

There are many negotiations and contracts situations, different transactions that we do, or even discussions about options and risks, where the background of the legal degree is quite helpful.

I am fortunate that I joined a business and an industry when it was beginning a long-term growth curve. I think our business is 14 or 15 times bigger than when I started at the company.

How do you define the effective leadership at a multinational company?

The very complex undertaking is certainly one to have a vision, so that you can lead people there; strategies, for how you are going to accomplish to that vision; the ability to get things done despite of many obstacles, to get things done on a timely manner and the ability to make decisions, including difficult decisions, especially the most difficult people decision.

You have to see yourself as a leader, and you need to try to be a good colleague with your peers.

What are your hobbies?

I am a competitive person, so I have competitive hobbies -- running, table tennis, rolling. I was on the canoe team in college, but stopped because of back problem. Luckily, I started again this year and I am supposed to roll in Venice, Italy, in May with my teammate from college.

We also like to ski as a family when we can, read magazines and take care of my two children. It's a good balance for me, to keep the business part of my life under control.