Aberdeen's key strength is its Asian equities team. Hugh Young has one of the most consistently strong investment track records among his peers and the quality and stability of his team is unrivalled.

There's a lot of investment in these kinds of companies these days, so there's a sense of optimism here we haven't seen in five or six years. We have a lot of panel sessions, but often the best ideas are what people think of after two beers at a party or something. It's just a real creative, fertile atmosphere where new ideas come to life.

One thing to remember is the sheer strength of inertia of investment that is in place -- aided in many cities by insurance companies and financial institutions, ... The Resilient City: How Modern Cities Recover from Disaster.

I have no ego investment in being on the air. I don't knock others for whom that kind of attention is like oxygen, but I don't miss anything about it.

Corpus Christi is a notable example of the business efficiency enhancements, return on investment and positive community impact resulting from implementation of a city-owned wireless network.

There is a real strength in depth and when we see the finishing line we will be looking to push on this year. There has been no excuse for what we have done in previous years but we are better equipped this season than any to continue this run.