A beer at lunch time in an old London pub. Left to right: Duncan Simpson, Philip Oliver and Tim Coney.

Tim, 27. is on his first overseas posting. He joined BP five years ago after graduating from Victoria University of Wellington with a degree in commerce. His first job with the company was as a systems analyst. He then moved over to the Sales Department and among other things gained experience as a sales representative in Hawkes Bay.

Now he is at the BP group's headquarters in London to gain wider experience of international marketing. His first attachment there was in the International Sales Department where he was involved with the problems of marketing marine lubricants. Then he moved to Area Supply Branch and more recently to Automotive Branch. When he returns to New Zealand he will be responsible for the co-ordination of the company's forward planning programme.

Does he think this two-year tour will be worthwhile'? "Since I've come to do a job and not merely attend a series of courses I believe it is very worth-while. Seeing things from this vantage point in London helps me to see how apparently obscure decisions in New Zealand are sometimes quite explicable."

Oil development

Duncan Simpson, 26, joined BP in 1969 after obtaining a B.Sc in chemistry at Victoria University. He worked in the company's laboratory at Lower Hutt and has also spent some time as a sales representative up in the north. In 1973 he was posted to London where he is attached to the industrial lubricants section of Technical Services Branch in which he is working on special lubricants for jet engines. This is the group that developed the oil for the Concorde's engines.

Duncan's visit to the United Kingdom is something of a home-coming because he was born in Scotland. "We are drunk with power" he says, "because we can send home advance news about Coronation Street."

Market research

Philip Oliver, 26, and his wife Elijabeth are on their way back to New Zealand after their two year tour in London. Having worked overseas they are entitled to a generous period of leave and can thus take their time on the journey back if they wish.

A maths graduate of Victoria University, Wellington, Philip has been doing market research in London, thus gaining experience which he will be able to apply in New Zealand.