Theory of relativity

The army has taught Eduard Meelhuysen to appreciate the relative merits of any situation he finds himself in

What was your first job, and how did you get into IT?

I was an account manager at Lutkie & Smit Papier, a paper distributor. I got into IT because my brother-in-law worked in the industry. He explained there is no way to add value in selling paper (how many things can you say about a piece of copying paper?) so he recommended that I sell something where the value was clear.

What never fails to make you sad or disappointed?

Dishonesty in people I trust makes me sad

Dishonesty in people I trust makes me sad. I always hope and assume that people will have the same standards as I do, so I put my trust in them 110 per cent and never doubt them. If a person doesn't do what they said they would, my view of them changes and is tarnished forever. That can be a very disappointing experience.

Tea or coffee, and how do you have it?

Skinny latte, double shot. It has to be skinny as I'm a keen runner and I don't want to pile on the pounds. I take a double shot for the energy kick.

What is one thing you miss from being a kid that you no longer do or can do?

I miss being ignorant and getting away with it. Kids are allowed to do stupid stuff and make mistakes and not care. As I grew up, gradually I became aware that this isn't possible when you're an adult but believe me, I stretched it out for as long as possible before letting go!

If you were given too much change in a shop, would you give it back?

I would give it back because I believe in honesty in all situations. It's also important to be fair. I abide by the principle of "do unto others as you would have done unto yourself". I want people to act fairly with me and I'll return the favour. If I left my wallet in the shop, I'd expect them to give it back to me.

Will there always be value in printed books and magazines?

In 20 years from now books will be vintage and will come back into fashion, so there will be great value in them. I would recommend hanging onto printed materials.

If you could only be one, would you rather be right, or happy?

I'd rather be right because being right makes me happy. So that's the best of both worlds.

What was your most important lucky break in life so far? Did you make the most of it?

Meeting the love of my life. I think I made the most of it - I married her!

What has been your toughest moment at work so far, and how did you resolve the situation?

Finding out a firm I joined was not what I thought it was. It had changed into something completely different, and not something I liked. I left.

What would you like to have as your epitaph?

Here lies Eduard, he tried really hard. Nobody can say that I don't try hard at everything I do.

What are your three greatest accomplishments (so far)?

My children, Olivier, James and Guillem.

What is more important: loyalty or morality?

Morality. Because I'd rather know that someone is honest and kind. Loyalty is in essence a very good quality but it can be used in the wrong way - being loyal doesn't necessarily imply that a person is good, or correct. Blind, unquestioning loyalty can cause a person to lose their moral compass and commit bad, or even evil, acts in the pursuit of a common goal.

How do you try to cheer yourself up when you're feeling down? Does it work?

I have developed the skill of telling myself that issues will be resolved and problems will come to an end, and that far worse things happen to many people in the world. I spent many an hour in the army learning this skill and I've continued to develop it through my life. For example, when my platoon was doing patrol at -10°C in the dead of night, I would tell myself that at least I wasn't soaking wet, and that it would all be over in a few hours. So even though it was really tough, I learned to convince myself that things could be far worse. Everything is relative.