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Meet The Worlds Most Elusive Breeds
[Maximo Grafterum]
This hard-working and reliable breed is always on the look-out for ways to keep on top of business in general, although they are less concerned with being top of the pecking order than with having their hard work acknowledged.
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Happy as larks, Company Influencers are loyal to their flock and notably apt to share anything good that comes their way - whether it's a morsel from an email alert or some of their £500,000+ net worth. They thrive in social groupings and, as the sun goes down, are rarely spotted without at least three or four companions at the local watering-hole. |
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Natural habitat
The more dominant of this breed tend to frequent mid-sized companies, although the middle-management and technical specialist varieties can be found in companies of all sizes. They are native to most parts of the world, with 35% in the US, 33% in the UK, 19% in Europe and 11% in Asia/Pacific. Company Influencers are generally content in their environment, where they feather their nest to the tune of almost £150,000 a year. Look out for them also in gyms, yoga classes, antique shops, bars and restaurants.
Feed
As dawn breaks, the Company Influencer pounces on the Companies & Markets section, scanning the indices and share prices that interest it, before checking on the latest management issues and thinking. But it doesn't leave the carcass for others to pick at: at the end of the day it takes the newspaper back to its nest to extract further goodness from it. This breed also feeds constantly from FT.com: swooping in and out of the site all day, it uses its hunter's eye and instinctive knowledge of the terrain to home in on what it needs.
| Migration | |
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Over a quarter of this breed travel frequently on business. However, unlike other breeds, the Company Influencer's migration is not always a regular but temporary move: half of them, feeling the urge to spread their wings, plan to move abroad and stay there. Perhaps they feel they would thrive better in a warmer climate, or maybe they wish to indulge their passion for water-sports. On the other hand, the comfort of familiar brands, people and places may keep them perched in their original habitat. |
| Distinguishing characteristics | |
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At first sight it can be hard to identify a Company Influencer, as its size can fluctuate. If you spot bands around its head and wingtips, and cushioned pads on its feet, it is in its slim and agile phase. However, this can occasionally be compromised by its enjoyment of eating and drinking, usually in large social groupings. Its plumage is often of the Ralph Lauren variety and you may well see a Rolex on its wingtip. The breed uses gadgets for both business and entertainment, seeing them as useful rather than status-enhancing. |
