Source: http://worldcityweb.com/home/MIA/publications/magazine/41/790/

Sky Warrior

by WC

Olivier Puech, a member of the Nokia executive team for Latin America, is settling into Miami. Puech, from France, had only been with Nokia about three years when the company announced the relocation of its Latin American division to South Florida from Texas. Previously, he worked at smart card and security technology company Gemplus with sales and marketing responsibilities in Europe, the United States and Latin America. The move to Miami may slightly shorten his flight time to key Latin American and Caribbean destinations, but it won’t decrease the number of trips he makes a year currently between 25 and 30. With so much time away from his family, is it any surprise that Puech goes on the road with a quad band phone from Nokia?

Where do you most often travel?
Bogota; Buenos Aires; Santiago, Chile; and Caracas.

Your favorite among them?
Buenos Aires. It looks like home.

Do you have a favorite business hotel?
The Hyatt in Santiago, Chile.

Why?
Service, location and views.

What about restaurants you patronize?
Cabaa Las Lilas in Buenos Aires, Aqu Est Coco in Santiago and Harrys Bar in Bogota.

And how do you pass the time in flight?
Sleeping when flying south on flights of more than seven hours. Working on flights of up to three hours. Working and movies on flights of three to five hours.

What about in the airport between flights or waiting to depart?
I don’t spend extra time in airports. I arrive quite close to my departure times.

Do you have a favorite airport? A favorite airport lounge?
The airport in Santiago, Chile, because it is small and clean. The airport lounges are pretty much the same everywhere, but the best are those with showers, such as in Santiago or Miami.

What’s the most innovative service you’ve seen at an airport?
A nap room at one of the New York airports. You can rent a “bed” for up to 20 minutes.

Is there an airport you really dread?
So Paulo. Its a pretty dead zone, to say the least.

The most unexpected thing that’s ever happened on a trip?
Losing part of an engine at takeoff during a domestic flight from Bogota to Medelln in Colombia. Our speed was not up to the top so, fortunately, we were able to return to the gate without harm to anybody.

What’s the hardest thing about traveling on business?
Being far away from the family.

Do you have a pre-flight routine?
I pack my stuff pretty much the same way for each flight.

Any strange experiences at Customs or airport security?
No apart from the never-ending lines at any major U.S. Customs area when you enter the country.

Do you shop on the road?
Barely, and mainly to buy gifts for my wife. Generally perfumes.

Any business travel tips?
Keep calm at airports while checking in and going through customs. Take enough time to do so not like me. WC