The Wheelhouse - Simon Pitout, Part 1: from deckhand to executive, and a brush with gun-toting cannibals

In this terrific interview, Simon Pitout - Vice President Commercial at DP World - talks about his rise to the upper echelons of the shipping terminal giant. From his blue collar beginnings as a deckhand and dockworker through the highs and lows of working in many West African nations, to his move to the United Arab Emirates, Simon speaks candidly about his love of the sea and his life on the road. Along the way, we learn that the only thing worse than a cannibal is a cannibal with a machine gun and that if you need to rent a dredger in Nigeria, it might be cheaper to build your own... in Holland. But you've got to watch out in case it unexpectedly blows up. This is an interview in two parts and it's well worth downloading both of them. For more information about Simon, and about DP World, visit http://web.dpworld.com/about-dp-world/people/ Follow Simon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonpitout Find him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonpitout/