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"Yes, ma'am," the driver nodded, and soon we were on our way.
"Let's review the schedule for the next ten days," I said, pulling out my phone. "We’ll be busy with the conference team at the welcome breakfast, so we might not get the chance."
"Yes, Sir," she peeked and instantly pulled out her tablet from her briefcase.
"For today, the goal of meeting with the conference team is so that they can provide you with all the needed information for it as it officially begins tomorrow. You’ll be presenting a keynote speech on "Integrating AI and IoT in Renewable Energy Systems" at the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre. I've already compiled the notes for all the lectures and speeches you’ll be giving at the conference and sent them to you, but just in case, I'll send them again now. Please let me know if there's anything you want me to add, especially for the start of the conference tomorrow."
My phone buzzed then with an alert, and I looked down to see the files she had sent to me. I instantly opened it up and began to peruse the notes she had made for the speech.
I scrolled down even further then to see the remaining topics I would be presenting as well.
"These were the topics I chose for the last three days of the conference?" I asked.
"Yes, Sir, we finalized them a couple of weeks ago."
I went through the details. "Challenges and Opportunities in Southeast Asia’s Renewable Energy Landscape," "Sustainable Investment: Financing Models for Renewable Energy Projects," "The Role of Renewable Energy in Achieving Net-Zero Emissions Targets."
"Hm," I said and could sense her slightly turning backwards to look at me. I wanted to stop her when I remembered the strain in her neck, but since she was careful about it, I decided to mind my business.
"Is there a problem, Sir? Do you want me to adjust any of them?"
"No," I replied. "I'll deal with these later. What time is the opening ceremony tomorrow?"
"Just before lunch, Sir," she said. "10 am."
"Got it," I replied and put my phone away. I turned and focused my attention on the brand-new city we were in, trying my best to appreciate the sights.
I had never been to Thailand before, but this was one of the reasons why I had accepted to participate in the conference as soon as the invitation had come in. I rarely ever accepted functions like this, but due to the personal loss I had encountered the previous year, it hit me more than ever how much time was running out and how much of that time I was spending at work.
I loved my work and the impact it was making, but for too many years, I had been too focused on it to the point of cutting everything else out, including functions like this that I could have taken advantage of to take me out of the country. This was the change I had decided on and also why I hadn’t brought any staff along despite the fact that this was also a business trip. Killing three birds essentially with one stone.
"What's the schedule for the Swedish clients?" I asked her then, as I recalled.
"We’re meeting them later tonight, Sir, at a Japanese restaurant," she replied. "Their secretary sent the details over to me while we were flying over. They said it's the preferred location so that we— you can eat and dine with them as well."
I nearly rolled my eyes at this because eating and dining like this with clients was one of the parts of my job that I didn’t enjoy. I liked to eat on my own when my work was done and in silence so I could enjoy it. And I liked to have meetings be solely about meetings. Focused... short, to the point. But in this case, and like many others, I had to adapt especially since there was so much money on the line.
"Do you have any notes prepared or any materials prepared for the discussions? Were you given anything from the office?"
"Yes, Sir," she replied.
It took a bit of searching in her briefcase, and then she handed over a folder of documents to me.
"They're Swedish founders but based here in Thailand, and their goal is to secure investment and partnership for their renewable energy project to enhance energy efficiency and sustainability in Southeast Asia. They want to be our way into Asia."
I listened to her words for a moment, and then I opened up the file.
"Why did we reject them the first time?" I asked.
"Well, um..." She seemed stumped, and then I lifted my gaze to hers.
"You... weren’t interested in dealing with Southeast Asia until recently, Sir. In short, we didn’t reach out to them again; they reached out to us when the Renewable Energy Summit announced that you would be flying in to participate."
"Hm," I nodded and continued with my reading.
"Where’s their proposal?" I asked.
"There is a summary included in that folder, but if you want the full copy, I’ll send it to you right now."
