The Williams boss on why books beat films, and which music band is the best in the world
JAMES VOWLES
Family
At the top of the list is my immediate family, my partner and my baby daughter. Because they can bring you a level of happiness that so many other things in life can’t, and you get it for free. Well, actually that’s not true, they’re both incredibly expensive, but conceptually that’s the love you get for free, every day of your life.
Flying
I fly helicopters. You’re by yourself, doing something that no one else does, unless you’re a bird. And it gives you a sense of freedom. And I really like that.
Music
My favourite band is Foo Fighters. I mean, if you’re only meant to know one band in the world, it’s got to be Foo Fighters – the rest, don’t worry about it. But between me and my partner, we listen to everything from classical to rock. You can use it as a distraction or you can use it as something to help you concentrate – it’s up to you how you want to use music. What I really enjoy is the fact that a group of creative individuals can take your mind to something completely different.
Technology
But it’s not just phones, I love technology in general and I’m always trying to keep up with the latest developments and try to incorporate that into my life. AI is part of that, of course, but it’s still underdeveloped. I think there are some really interesting areas there, but I believe technology has to make life better. If it’s just shiny lights, it’s not enough. Technology has to make your life better.
Adventure
Me and my friends have motorbikes and did a five-day tour around the Alps. There was a competition to see who had the best, let’s call it, efficiency in choosing hotels – the ratio of cost to quality. One of us found a decent room for 23 euros, but we’re still arguing about it because it was like a hostel. The next night we went to a Michelin-star hotel because he thought, “I’ll go for quality and forget about price.” It was a fun adventure we still talk about today!
A good book
When you start it, you don’t know what’s going to happen, and two days later you finish the book and you’ve been transported to another place. When you read the pages, you have a vision in your mind, you recreate what’s going on in your head – and I love that feeling. I much prefer reading a book to watching a film. Because the film is somebody else’s
