Day 015 - 21 Jul 94 - Page 10

     
     1
         MS. STEEL:   OK.
     2
         MR. MORRIS:  One further question on that:  Do any of the other
     3        employees get fees from McDonald's?
              A.  No.
     4
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  You said you had partners.
     5        A.  Let me say that there are fees paid from McDonald's to
              my company for work that we do for McDonald's which is
     6        normally done through me, but obviously other people in
              the business can do some of the work which ultimately
     7        finishes up at McDonald's.
 
     8   MR. MORRIS:  But, generally, it is your responsibility?
              A.  I would be the lead person dealing with McDonald's on
     9        this particular contract.
 
    10   MS. STEEL:  Could we say that if you only make a small profit,
              then the loss of 20 per cent of your income could be very
         serious?
              A.  Well, clearly the loss of a major client would be bad
    12        news for the company for whatever reason.  I mean, if you
              were in business you would appreciate that yourself, I am
    13        sure.  But the fact is if that happens, then I would just
              have to go out and find other clients.  So far we have not
    14        had too much difficulty in finding enough clients to
              achieve the level of business we have set out to achieve.
    15
         Q.   When you started working with McDonald's in 1991 -- why
    16        did you decide to start working with McDonald's?
              A.  Because they asked me to.
    17
         Q.   They asked you to?
    18        A.  Yes.
 
    19   Q.   It was not a case of you going to them?
              A.  I went and talked to them.  We discussed issues such
    20        as healthy eating.  It turned out that there was actually
              quite a coincidence of interest, shall we say, and
         approach.  I have to say that during my first discussions
              with McDonald's, I was particularly impressed by what they
    22        had been doing in order to reformulate their products in
              line with the dietary guidelines which, in my view, was
    23        well ahead of the game in this country, and the exact term
              I used was that I said they have a good story to tell.
    24
              Basically McDonald's said to me:  "We would like you to
    25        come on board as a consultant in order to help us tell our
              story". 
    26 
         Q.   Just to tell the story? 
    27        A.  Well, that was part of it; obviously, there was a lot
              more to it as well.
    28
         Q.   Did you make the -- sorry, I lost my train of thought now.
    29
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Take your time.  It is far better, if I may
    30        suggest, that you pause for a while and get it straight
              rather than feel you are under pressure and hurry it.