Executive development specialists Ogilvie Ross have won a new export contract to work with a global asset management company in Luxemburg. The contract will provide contract negotiations advice and training to the client’s international management team. This is the second international contract Ogilvie Ross have won since January. Anthony Drew, the firms Learning & Development partner said “Winning more export work is really exciting but it does sometimes throw up unusual and unexpected challenges”.

One such occasion happened earlier this year when Anthony was working with a client in Sweden. Anthony had been asked to facilitate a two-day strategy session for the executive staff at the client company’s lakeside retreat on the Baltic coast. After dinner on the first night Anthony was about to head up to his room when the client team suggested they all go for a sauna. Not sure what to do Anthony said he didn’t have anything to wear. “Don’t worry” said the client as they passed round the bathrobes!

No wanting to offend the client’s hospitality Anthony duly headed into the sauna with the management team. After some time the client CEO got up and said it was time to “go out”. Not sure what was about to happen Anthony followed the team outside into the freezing, snow covered gardens and down to a small jetty. Someone had cut a neat hole in the ice and people started jumping into the frozen water. Anthony said “At this point I realised I was in serious trouble. This really was the Baltic Sea and there was no way I was jumping into it.” Thankfully the client indicted that it was not a mandatory requirement that people jumped in and several staff went back to the sauna which Anthony took as his chance to get to his room.

Ogilvie Ross have more export work lined up in Dubai and Anthony said “I’m not sure how many saunas there are in Dubai and I don’t expect to find out!”.