Manfred Pagel changed my life in under half an hour

It took Manfred less than half an hour to change my professional life in a profound and dramatic way. On a routine working day in summer 1984, he flew in from London in order to visit the Bonn Editorial, finally entered my office and offered me - typical for him without any prelude - the position of the first media business executive Germany ever. I accepted immediately under the impression of Manfred's serious persuasion. Nobody else would have managed that dramatic change into a new, open world - except him!

The background: I had served more than eleven years with the German Language News Service and a few weeks previously had received an attractive offer to return to the print media. I cancelled this offer the same day and remained at Reuters for a further 16 years. ■