By B4’s Richard Rosser
One of the things I enjoy most about B4 is that, whilst we’re known for talking business, it’s often the conversations between meetings that tell you the most about people.
At the B4 Members lunch at The Randolph Hotel yesterday with brilliant hosts Phil Lewis and Victoria Volonte, I thought we’d try something a little different to launch a new B4 Weekend series.
I asked the nine of us gathered around the table what I thought was a very simple question.
If you could invite just one person – living or deceased – to your dinner party, who would it be and why?
I expected nine names.
Instead, we somehow ended up with more than twenty dinner guests, proving it’s almost impossible to stop at just one once the conversation gets going!
What followed wasn’t a discussion about fame or celebrity. It became a fascinating insight into the people around the table – what inspires them, what makes them laugh and who has shaped the way they think.
Justice over celebrity
Jenny Harvey was first to answer and immediately surprised many of us.
Her choice was Amal Clooney.
Whilst many people might immediately think of George Clooney, Jenny’s admiration was entirely for Amal’s own achievements. A leading human rights lawyer who has spent her career defending journalists, refugees and victims of injustice, she was chosen not because of celebrity, but because of the difference she continues to make in the world.
It was a wonderful way to begin the conversation.
Leadership under pressure
Sport featured heavily throughout the discussion.
My own choice was Diego Simeone, the inspirational Atlético Madrid manager whose relentless energy, intensity and ability to build winning cultures fascinates me. Watch him for five minutes on the touchline and you’ll understand why.
Andrew Baud found it almost impossible to stop at one guest.
His dinner party became something of a cricketing dream team, featuring Ben Stokes, Michael Vaughan, David Gower, Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur—leaders who have inspired teammates, embraced pressure and demonstrated very different styles of captaincy.
Music that creates memories
Music produced some lovely stories.
Mark Zwinderman chose Bruce Springsteen, not simply because of the music, but because introducing his son to The Boss has led to unforgettable concerts and memories they now share together. It wasn’t really about Bruce Springsteen at all—it was about family.
Andre Vaux chose Freddie Mercury, imagining an evening full of charisma, humour and incredible stories.
For me, it had to be Frank Sinatra. I was fortunate enough to see him perform at the Royal Albert Hall in 1989 alongside Liza Minnelli and Sammy Davis Jr. It remains one of the greatest evenings of live entertainment I’ve ever experienced. Style, confidence and effortless charisma—he would undoubtedly be one of the stars of any dinner party.
Every table needs laughter. Phil Lewis wasn’t looking for philosophers or politicians. He wanted Bob Mortimer. His reasoning was wonderfully simple. Every great dinner party needs someone who has everyone crying with laughter. Nicola Stewart agreed that humour deserved a seat at the table by nominating The Marx Brothers, ensuring no conversation would ever become too serious.
Changing the world
Nicola’s remaining choices reflected a lifelong passion for wildlife and conservation. Her guests included Sir David Attenborough, Les Hiddins (better known as The Bush Tucker Man), Dame Daphne Sheldrick and Dr Jane Goodall—people whose work has transformed our understanding of the natural world and inspired generations to care for it.
Simon Robinson travelled back to Victorian Britain by inviting Isambard Kingdom Brunel, admiring the engineer’s extraordinary vision and determination to build things that others believed impossible.
Mark also nominated Michael Sheen, not only for his acting career but for his generosity and willingness to use his success to help others. Andre also mentioned Queen Elizabeth II commenting ‘I’m sure the stories would be wonderful after a couple of gin and tonics!’
Sometimes the best guests aren’t famous
One of my favourite nominations came from Victoria Volonte. Rather than choosing a celebrity, sporting legend or historical figure, Victoria chose her father, Daniel. Her reason was beautifully simple. “He’s incredibly funny and has endless stories.” She spoke about being able to spend hours listening to the experiences of his life and everything he’d created. It was one of those moments that changed the tone of the discussion. We’d been talking about world-famous figures, yet Victoria reminded us that the most fascinating people are often those sitting around our own family tables.
Perhaps that’s what makes a truly great dinner guest. Not fame. Just someone who makes everyone else smile.
The easiest invitation of all
Of all the choices, mine was probably the simplest. Tina Rosser. Every great dinner party needs someone who keeps everyone grounded.
And, of course… someone has to organise it too!
It’s the “why” that matters
As I looked around the table, it struck me that this wasn’t really an exercise about famous people. It was an exercise about values.
Jenny’s choice reflected courage and justice.
Mark’s was really a story about a father and son.
Phil wanted laughter.
Andrew admired leadership.
Simon’s choice celebrated vision and resilience.
Nicola’s reflected a passion for conservation.
Andre’s ensured we had charisma and character.
Victoria reminded us that family often provides the richest stories of all.
Those reasons revealed far more about the people making the choices than the names themselves.
And perhaps that’s exactly what The B4 Dinner Party is all about. At B4, we’ve always believed business relationships are built on trust.
Trust comes from getting to know people beyond the boardroom—discovering what inspires them, who they admire, what makes them laugh and the conversations they’d most like to have. This is the first edition of what we hope becomes a regular B4 Weekend feature, and if this discussion was anything to go by, we’re going to have some fascinating dinner parties ahead.
If you could invite just one person to dinner—living or deceased—who would it be and why?
Just don’t be surprised if you end up inviting twenty.
The B4 Weekend is about more than recommendations. It’s about conversations, shared experiences and strengthening the trusted relationships that have been at the heart of B4 for almost 20 years.
If you’re a B4 Member and you would like to contribute an idea—or curate a future edition—I’d love to hear from you. Contact me at richard@b4-business.com