Times they are a changing

I recently had a conversation with my friend at a hostel in KL.
Whilst supposedly promoting my pet project in Malaysia, I
stayed at RED PALM a lovely hostel in downtown Kuala Lumpur.
I became more than a guest during this time, and mucked in as and when required!

Here I am painting the toilet/shower room

Tilo, a partner in the hostel being highly artistic

The painting team: Naim, John, Herry, Sofie, Siti, Tilo, Fahan
Life is about the journey. You meet some interesting people along the way. I can honestly say this was the case with my REDPALM experience.
I wish them all the very best.
Talking of KL I read today that Tengku Djan and his Proton R3 team won the Sepang 1000km race today (Sunday).
When I’m not painting hostels, Tengku Djan is one of the people I try to get on board for my MUM proposal.

This Djan driving round Sepang in his R3 Proton earlier this year.
Certainly more glamorous than painting and decorating!

He would definitely be a good ally should he ever decide to support the initiative.

UNIQUE SELLING POINT

Over the years, I have met and been in contact with several CEO’s regarding my Educational plan.
Whilst none have dismissed the idea out of hand, none have proactively decided to move forward.
Here is an ex CEO of Lotus.
In many respects our starting point is the same. I would have to say Dany is a far better salesman than me!
Dany's recent TOPGEAR interview
TG: What exactly did you see in Lotus? You saw something there deeper even than some of its most partisan fans.
DB: I learned a lot from Ferrari, especially with regards to history. It’s taken 67 years to build what it has. Perhaps I was naïve, but I saw similarities. Being pragmatic, you start with the foundations. Maybe the Lotus heritage is not currently present in people’s minds, but at least you don’t have to create everything from scratch – the history is already there! The 007 Esprit. The Ayrton Senna connection. The JPS cars. Seven F1 world championships… All there. Obviously it was more difficult than I thought, but there was so much wonderful heritage… I thought with the right investment and the right people, we should be able to unlock that potential. Look, I’m ambitious. If we wanted to achieve 100 per cent, I would go for 110.
MY PLAN WOULD ALSO UNLOCK THAT POTENTIAL.

Today, in the UK there are many good quality educational facilities offering Motorsport based learning.
http://www.ukmotorsport.com/starting/jobs.html

Bolton Institute,

Brooklands College,

Cranfield University,

East Berkshire College,

Farnborough College of Technology,

Highbury College,

Leeds College of Technology,

Loughborough University,

Myerscough College,

University of Central Lancashire.

Northbrook College,

Oxford Brookes University,

Football has similar courses…

One appears to be somewhat unique!


UCFB are a Football based University.
They have now opened their second Campus. Yes, at Wembley Stadium.

This Football based educational institution is a mirror of the physical campus aspect of my proposal.

Here are some of the people backing this institute.



Here is a picture of me trying to get this project off the ground.


Any help from people of real influence would be much appreciated!

My thoughts on the new Lotus plan... SUV and Sedan

I read that Proton and Lotus Management have met to discuss the way forward.
The plan may be to design and build an SUV and a Sedan car.
OK.
The last time Lotus designed a new car, the Evora, it competed with Porsche. Porsche did not notice any impact on its sales. I assume the R&D plus tooling costs for the Evora have not been effectively amortised in the sales.

So, is this the same thing, design an SUV which competes against Porsche?

The money for all this R&D will probably come from Malaysia. Certainly not from any profit Lotus makes.

So who is paying for this?

The Malaysian Government. Proton will ask for a grant.
Or
Petronas (Malaysian Government owned).

These two bodies will ask... "Whats in this for us?"

Convincing them that this will give long term employment to "Malaysian" engineers and will be highly profitable raising their profile internationally, and locally will be difficult. IMO.

Both DRB Hicom and Petronas have bona fide Universities, as standalone businesses.

Petronas has a large Motorsport budget/prescence... You can see where I am going with this!

If Lotus Styles and designs and new platform or two. Use this R&D work to produce saleable educational modules.

When the business case is made and successfully implemented, produce saleable "Entreprenuer" educational modules.

Package the homologation process into saleable educational modules.

Marketing the products can be modulised and sold as educational products.

I won't go on. I'm sure you can see where I am going.

This would be a Unique selling point.

University students are normally government funded (cheap loans or free) and often spend enough per year of study to pay for a small car.

So if we said a three or four year spend per pupil would equate to a car sale we wouldn't be to far away.

In America, Phoenix University has about 1/2 million students.

If we (yes I want to be part of this) target 1 million clients globally, lets say this would be like selling 250,000 cars per year.

This global exposure would give Lotus/Proton/Petronas a positive exposure.

It is potentially, financially sustainable. It is ethical. However, it requires a little bit of "Outside the box" thinking.

I'm sure the Proton/Lotus board would be more than capable of selling it to "Potential Investors".

Birthday and Life Purpose.

Todays my birthday.
I got a few cards. I phoned my relative in Ireland who has the same birthday. British Superbikes is about to start on Eurosport...
Life is good.
I am healthy. I am happy.

Professionally, I would love to move the MUM project forward.

As always, I am confident this will happen shortly. In the meantime, I will carry on promoting the project via my webpage, blog and the occasional email.

This time next year, I hope to be heading up a successful and sustainable corporate entity.

WISH ME LUCK!

As its my birthday. I thought I would share my Life purpose according to renowned Author Dan Millman who wrote 'Way of the peaceful warrior'

http://www.peacefulwarrior.com/life-purpose-calculator

Those on the 29/11 life path are here to combine creative energy with higher principles and integrity, finding ways to apply their creativity in service of others, aligned with higher wisdom. Such higher wisdom is revealed by spiritual laws, especially the laws 29/11s are here to live and learn. All 29/11s, along with other double 1s, have tremendous creative potential. But because their primary life purpose represents a kind of mountain to climb, they may not feel as creative as others who aren’t working 1 energy and who have few pressing issues or obstacles in that arena. Some 29/11s are still “stuck” working the 2 or 9 issues that precede the 11, which may block their awareness of the abundant energy available to them. Many 29/11s are extremely creative, but they have trouble handling the energy. Before 29/11s can open the floodgates of their inborn creative potential, they have to find themselves — their center, identity, balance, and boundaries. 29/11s display extraordinary potential; when they face their issues with awareness and commitment, they are among the most creative people on the planet. The energy of 2 entails a form of cooperation with others, and 29/11s are born to support humanity in ways both large and small. Whether businesspeople or healers, construction workers or hairdressers, mail clerks or athletes, they have the potential to bring the spark of creativity to life through their work, their hobbies, or their family life.

Picture Post. CSR Book and educational project latest.

My project has a CSR charity book.
All royalty payments go directly to ROKPA

The initial draft of the book was written in Red Palm hostel. Sofie (originally from Alor Star) and Tilo (Leipzig) were both associated with Red Palm. Here we are in the Pavillion, KL.

Tilo's dad Claus did the illustrations for the book.
Here we are celebrating Tilos wedding to Curtney (in Leipzig).

 

To read the story behind the story please click Here.

My most recent attempt to get the project off the ground was a letter to the new Chairman of Proton.

Here I am shaking his hand at ASLI Automotive conference in 2010. Tun Mahathir was the Keynote speaker.
I presented my project on stage with his Son, and Tengku Mahaleel.

I am happy to say, I have lost some weight since this photo!

I'm off later, to attend a spin class. My local GYM4ALL gave me a free membership, they were so impressed with my efforts.

I still have the upmost confidence that the MUM project will kick off sooner rather than later.

The importance of King Makers.

CEO's... How do they get their jobs?
Good question!
Contacts, Experience (track record), academic qualifications...

If the position is an academic one, then academic qualifications are very important. I volunteered in a local college, and some of the employees had kept records of all their qualifications since leaving school.

In my experience, Fords as a permanent employee, and a few contract houses servicing General Motors, SEAT (VW), Lotus (Proton), and Mercedes Benz. I have found that all three have a bearing, however, having someone backing you is most important.

You often see teams of Management ( Premier League Managers take their team, Number two, goalkeeeping coach etc) moving together.

I recently wrote a blog about Geely buying Emerald Automotive. Many of the CEO's team have worked with him previously in Lotus/Hawtal Whiting.

This is not unusual. Stick with people you know (and trust). Or sometimes, better the devil you know!

When you look to get funding, a prospective funder will always ask to see the Management team, and its (money making) track record. Obviously, they will also want to look at the business plan!

Me, I have a vision, I know who I want to partner with. Presently, I am a bit of a lone ranger with no funding. I need a backer, with influence, who will trust me to get the right team when the project kicks off.

Any influencial 'King makers' out there who wants to take a risk on me?  I would like to think so. And with the right support, I feel their decision will be vindicated.

Lastly, I have a CSR branch to my plan. Thanks to a few friends and family, I have published a Childrens book. All royalty payments go to charity.

To buy the book and read the story behind the story, please click this link:

Two of my book team, Sue, who's commendation appears on the back cover is fighting an ongoing battle with MS, and Dee my friend and Yoga teacher is slowly recovering from a bad fall. My very best wishes go out to both of them.

Caterham. Funding a project... Even successful businessmen get this wrong.

Today, I see that Caterham F1 has been sold.

I'm not an F1 insider, and I don't know Tony Fernandes. I have worked for Lotus engineering as a contractor in Malaysia.
I have added a few links and quotes after my thoughts so you can see where I'm coming from.

Tony is a very successful businessman. I assume he (or a team of professionals) does a business plan before entering a new business. He has access to accountants, and industry professionals.

IMO, Tony entered F1 in the hope of using it to promote his other business interests. Air Asia is the Ryan Air of Asia, and Tony had shown an interest in becoming involved with Group Lotus (Cars, Engineering services, blah blah).

In 2010 F1 proposed a cost cap of £40million.

The cost cap never happened. Tony ended up buying Caterham cars, and renaming his team.

The cost for all this was high. The return was obviously (at least in F1 terms) disappointing.

So does this make Tony an incompetent? No, very obviously not. However, Caterham F1 obviously hasn't met his expectations.

I have annoyed many people with my Motorsport Uni plan. Would it cost a lot?  Would it make money... Yes... and I think so...

Do I have the track record of Tony?... Absolutely not.

However, this project has been my baby for many years. I refuse to give up on it. Given the resources, and I'm confident I can deliver.

My plan has some parallels with Tony's.

I would like to get involved with Group Lotus. I would like to get involved with Motorsport.

Instead of using it (Motorsport) as a promotional tool, I would like to use it to support an educational project.

I was told by many people in Group Lotus that they NEVER make money with 'Training'.

Maybe they could just become vendors.

Phoenix University in the USA, presently has about 1/3million students. It has a healthy revenue stream, and is run at a profit. (The polar opposite of Group Lotus)

The University would have to be ethically run and monitored in order to be approved and its clients able to access government grants. Failure to meet government criteria effectively kills the revenue stream.

Article about Phoenix University.

DRB-Hicom now own Lotus. They have an approved University. The are not scared of entering the 'Training' arena.

This project has the potential to be global. Governments world wide finance and support education.

I hope that the new Chairman and CEO of Group Lotus look at my proposal with fresh eyes.

It could be vehicle that drives Lotus and its partners to new commercially sustainable heights.

I'd like to be a success. I'd like this project to be a success. Given the funding and support, I'm sure that this project can be a real game changer.

DRB-Hicom should give this serious consideration. Nothing is guaranteed in this life (other than death), but I honestly believe this could be one of the best investments you could make.

Education is a core business for DRB Hicom.




The Telegraph (UK) made this statement.

Fernandes had originally been seeking around £350million, but it is thought that Formula One's slowest team was sold for around one-tenth of that price. Sources suggested that an offer also fell through after the Monaco Grand Prix, when the team were dealt a severe blow by Marussia's ninth place.

 Tony Fernandes

SKY SPORTS made this statement:

Back then, they were known as Team Lotus and if Fernandes was already starting to take a dim view of the sport, those feelings would have intensified when he became embroiled in a court battle for the right to use the Lotus name.  
Rather farcically, two teams bore the Norfolk marque's name in 2011 after Fernandes' plans to buy Lotus outright were thwarted when owners Proton instead appointed Dany Bahar, formerly a marketing boss at Red Bull and Ferrari, to take charge.

The Guardian wrote:

After four and a half years on the Formula One grid without a point to their name, and after spending more than £250m on the organisation, Fernandes has sold Caterham to a consortium of Swiss and Middle Eastern investors.

In 2009 Formula1.com wrote:

Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, has revised its budget cap plans for 2010. Teams signing up for the optional cap must limit their spending to £40 million per year (£10 million higher than originally proposed) in exchange for greater technical freedom. This will not include driver salaries or, for 2010 only, engine costs.

Thirteen teams will be accepted for next year’s championship and all must apply by May 29, 2009, stating whether they wish to compete under the budget cap or not. New constructors will be eligible for a participation fee and assistance with travel expenses from commercial rights holder Formula One Management.