FMG bosses talk about their faiths
Two of Fortescue Metals Group's most senior executives have spoken candidly about their famously strong religious beliefs and explained how their faith shapes their business dealings.
Fortescue chairman Andrew Forrest and the miner's executive director, Peter Meurs, open up about their views on the church in Thursday's edition of _WestBusiness _ Insider magazine.
Mr Meurs tells how a stint as a 19-year-old missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints gave him the tools to make it in the corporate world.
"You have a very regimented life," the former WorleyParsons boss says. "You study in the morning for a couple of hours, you have to get on with your companions when you're assigned to work together, which is a good challenge, and then during the day you go out and meet people and talk to them about their faith and the church.
"I found that I had purpose. Once I got into the workforce I wasn't scared of dealing with people. I knew how to plan, I think I could inspire people to catch the vision of something and I had the concept from the very beginning that the most important thing was to help people around you to be successful."
Mr Forrest, whose Christianity is part of local business folklore, explains that, contrary to popular belief, he does not carry a Bible with him everywhere.
"Some of the principles which have been a valuable ally in . . . determining what creates the most productive and embracing, unintimidating but still very challenging environment in the professional workplace - these are many of the principles you can find through just a quick skim of the New Testament, where everything hangs on your love of your fellow man," he says.
"I do think that a lot of the ability to look theoretically and over the horizon comes from that approach.
"It really does ameliorate behaviour and help a very imperfect person like me to be a slightly better person."
