Roman Abramovich

I’ve never tried to impose pressure on the authority of the government through my business achievements. I cannot tell you what the others were doing.

In my personal opinion, Russia is no less democratic than it used to be. It is a democratic country. It is democratic enough.

I’m realising my dream of owning a top football club. Some will doubt my motives, others will think I’m crazy.

Money plays an important role in football but it is not the dominating factor. When Chelsea play a Carling Cup game in a small city and it could result in a draw – the excitement, the spirit, the atmosphere – that’s the real beauty of football in England.

The goal is to win. It’s not about making money. I have many much less risky ways of making money than this (buying Chelsea football club). I don’t want to throw my money away, but it’s really about having fun and that means success and trophies.

I have no Napoleonic dream. I’m just hard working and pragmatic.

Advertising people who ignore research are as dangerous as generals who ignore decodes of enemy signals.

I don’t make deals for the money. I’ve got enough, much more than I’ll ever need. I do it to do it.

The headline is the ‘ticket on the meat.’ Use it to flag down readers who are prospects for the kind of product you are advertising.

It took only 10 minutes to do Chelsea deal with Roman Abramovich but I had to Google him first … I wasn’t sure if Jeremy Beadle was going to jump out.

The more predictable the business, the more valuable it is.

One client didn’t want to go out so had us build him a nightclub in his house.

Competition whose motive is merely to compete, to drive some other fellow out, never carries very far.

Businesses that grow by development and improvement do not die.

Leverage: don’t make deals without it!

I get my design inspiration from Christian Dior and Chanel.

Do not spend too much time planning or trying to anticipate and solve problems before they happen. That is just another kind of excuse for procrastination. Until you start, you won’t know where the problems will occur. You won’t have the experience to solve them. Instead, get into action, and solve the problems as they arise.

It’s not just about being better. It’s about being different. You need to give people a reason to choose your business.

Listen more than you talk. Nobody learned anything by hearing themselves speak.

It is flagrantly dishonest for an advertising agent to urge consumers to buy a product which he would not allow his own wife to buy.

The art of effective listening is essential to clear communication, and clear communication is necessary to management success.