Roman Abramovich

After the situation with Kursk submarine, I started looking at Mr. Berezovsky in a completely different way. For me, it was a turning point in our relationship. I think that he took a completely dishonorable position.

It was impossible to operate in the aluminium business without krysha – very real physical protection.

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

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.

Our strategy [at Chelsea] is to bring up our own players through the academy, which we have invested a lot in, and hope it gives results.

I’m getting excited before every single game. The trophy at the end is less important than the process itself.

The competitor to be feared is one who never bothers about you at all, but goes on making his own business better all the time.

I live on a plane. I like to visit London. If I had to think where I could live if not Moscow, London would be my first choice, and second would be New York. In Moscow I feel most comfortable. I’m used to four different seasons; it’s difficult for people in London to understand. People brought up in Russia like my kids want to play in the snow.

Any business arrangement that is not profitable to the other person will in the end prove unprofitable for you. The bargain that yields mutual satisfaction is the only one that is apt to be repeated.

I have very good executives and great children. They’re very good.

Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.

I built a great company, one of the – some of the most iconic assets in the world, $10 billion of net worth, more than $10 billion of net worth, and frankly, I had a great time doing it.

Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.

The best of merchandise will go back to the shelf unless handled by a conscientious, tactful salesman.

We have had just one main purpose during these years, and that is to give the people transportation of the most dependable quality at the lowest possible cost. Our car was called the Universal Car thirty years ago, because it fulfilled so many needs; it is The Universal Car today for the same reason.

From the start I had my own ideas about how the business should run. I wanted it to benefit everybody who contributed to its success-stockholders, labor and the American public.

The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.

Our friendship was based on my payouts. That wasn’t a friendship when – as, for example, it’s me, my friends, we are friends for many years, and it doesn’t matter for me what the position is, where they work; we simply are friends. And with Mr. Berezovsky, our friendship was based on my payoffs.

I always look at it that I work with my employees as opposed to them working for me.

Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.

Set exorbitant standards, and give your people hell when they don’t live up to them. There is nothing so demoralizing as a boss who tolerates second rate work.