David MacHale, Marketing manager, Tokheim

David describes himself as a "battler", who is inspired by the entrepreneurial culture of calculated risk-taking; but readily admits his shoe collection is getting out of hand!

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Marketing manager, Tokheim

Your favourite grocery shop?

Hewitt’s in Monkstown

How long is your typical working day?
8.30am to 6pm (but can be 3.30am to 10pm when I’m travelling)

How do you describe yourself?
A battler

What’s your favourite Irish product?
King Crisps

What’s your favourite brand, outside of the brands you represent, and why?
Apple. Clean, crisp and clear branding that reflects a great set of ground-breaking products

What piece of legislation would you introduce/change?
The legislation governing the sale of petrol at unmanned stations. We’re using legislation from 1979 that doesn’t reflect the changes in society and technology. Ireland is the only country left in Europe that does not have unmanned stations

What historical figure would you invite to dinner?
Albert Speer or Jean Claude van Damme

The best gift you ever received?
A Mini-Racer I got from Santa when I was six

What possession could you not live without?
My electric piano

What was your first job?
Night packer at Roches Stores

What was your childhood dream/ambition?
To be a writer. I fulfilled the dream by the age of twelve, wrote two books, and then retired. I’ll make a comeback in later life

What’s your ambition now?
To grow the Tokheim business internationally and to one day to run my own business

What’s the worst ad ever?
Not sure about ever, but those new Vodafone ads with person singing “if I ruled the world”. Unoriginal, unclear, unimpressed

What’s your favourite ad at the moment?
Compare the Meerkat .com

Your favourite newspaper?
The Irish Times

Who is inspirational in Irish business?
I would have a lot of admiration for Denis O’Brien. In the general sense, I do find entrepreneurs and their culture of quick moving, calculated risk-taking to be an inspiration

In your opinion what’s the next big thing?
I think the next big thing in Ireland in my sector will be unmanned petrol stations

What (if anything) was the last thing you bought on the internet?
A shoe rack, my collection of shoes is getting out of hand

What’s your pet hate?
Airports. Between the queuing, the unpacking and disrobing at security, the inaccurate displays, and miles of walking

What makes you laugh?
Garth Marenghi and Larry David

Three essential grocery items you’d take with you for a week on a desert island?
Water, coffee and tuna sandwiches

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