To absent friends

by Martin Moodie |
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Martin Moodie

Martin Moodie

Martin Moodie is the Founder & Chairman of The Moodie Report.

It’s been a long, strange week. One of contrasting experiences and emotions.

This week I had to perform the worst professional duty I can imagine – to write the obituary of a close friend. I received the news of Alan Edward’s sudden death immediately after I got off the plane from London at Mumbai Airport. One is always a bit disorientated after a long flight, so such news can seem even more unreal and bewildering than it is.

The outpouring of affection for Alan via the Forum on our main website underpins the universal affection in which he was held. He was a lovely man, humble, kind and funny. I miss him hugely.

One’s sadness of course is inconsequential compared with the pain his wife Lesley and children Rebecca and Chris are feeling. There is nothing one can do to alleviate their suffering, or even much that will console. No matter how kind the sentiments, no matter how gracefully they are expressed, words seem inadequate.

I am now in Singapore, having chaired the prospective bidders’ workshop in Mumbai and spoken at the concessionaires’ conference at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

I am enthralled by Mumbai International Airport Limited’s grand vision for the new Terminal 2, and I loved the collective spirit that I witnessed in Malaysia, encapsulated by the quietly impressive passion of Malaysia Airports Senior General Manager – Commercial Services Faizah Khairuddin, someone I rate highly.

Here in Singapore, there’s been time here to catch up with some industry friends, including Jonathan Holland and Sunil Tuli, as we got a bird’s eye view of the practice session for tomorrow’s Singapore Grand Prix last night from Jonathan’s tenth floor suite at the Swissotel. This city by night is thrilling and the spectacle of an F1 race taking place through its streets is one of the great sights in world sport.

Tonight it’s back to London through Changi, for a week at home before returning to Asia for The Moodie Report’s 10th Anniversary Charity Ball in Hong Kong on 5 October. There, as always, we will raise a glass to absent friends. Never will a toast have been more poignant.