My biggest influence: Mark Franklin

One of the most influential times in Vector chief executive Mark Franklin's career came in his mid-20s when he changed direction, transferring internally from an engineering role to become a senior human resources manager at energy firm Pacific Power in Australia.

At the time, the firm's relationship with its staff and unions was strained and his first job was to help in cutting the workforce from 12,000 to 7000.

"While it wasn't one of the most enviable of tasks, particularly because I took a lot of flak from my old engineering workmates who accused me of being a deserter, it was one of those lightbulb moments when I realised my skills were transferable and I could look beyond a career in engineering."

Since then, Franklin has held several senior roles round the world.

"I believe this has helped me to develop a more rounded view of how best to run an organisation and, particularly, how important a strong internal culture is to a successful company."