“Carpe Diem.”

Ricardo Bäcker, Chairman and Founding Partner of Bäcker & Partners / AltoPartners Argentina, our high-performance, larger-than-life partner in Argentina, believes in living life to its fullest (and fastest!) – no regrets, no unfinished business.

Where were you born, and where do you live now?

I was born in Buenos Aires. My parents fled Vienna to escape Nazism, and my father, a PhD in chemistry with a knack for glass, landed a job as Director at one of Argentina’s largest glass factories. We lived inside the factory on a plot of land the size of a small country. My childhood was spent wandering through the factory, dodging massive furnaces – talk about a unique upbringing! Later, as an adult, I bounced around quite a bit, living in Mexico, Germany, Peru, and now back in Argentina, where I’ve been for a while.

What did you study and why?

Having survived the rigours of Argentina’s finest public school, the first and most famous, dating from 1863 under the umbrella of the University of Buenos Aires (so that no admission exam was needed), I decided on Industrial Engineering. It promised a future with lots of numbers and logic, plus it sounded like a job that wouldn’t make my mother worry. I graduated in just five years instead of the expected six – I guess I was in a hurry to get on with life. It was a fantastic education.

First job?

The ink was barely dry on my diploma when I landed a gig at Arthur Andersen’s shiny new consulting division, which later morphed into the behemoth known as Accenture. We were a ragtag group of 17 musketeers then, and when I finally handed in my notice after a last role as Managing Partner for Argentina and Chile, we were almost a small army of 500! Now, they’ve multiplied like rabbits to more than 5000. I’ve always had a knack for nurturing companies by bringing in the best people. That is really my mission.

First car?

Ah, my first set of wheels – a saga of triumph and tribulation! As a greenhorn at Andersen Consulting, I was forever trekking out to far-flung clients in the suburbs. My solution? A loan-fueled white Citroen 2CV that disappeared faster than a prime steak at a vegan picnic, courtesy of overnight car thieves. So, I replaced it with a fiery red 3CV. When the time came for my wife to get a car, I acquired another red 3CV, to the astonishment of our friends, who couldn’t understand why I didn’t just upgrade the family car! With these cars, we crisscrossed Argentina with our babies, suspended in a cot above the back seat.

Current car?

These days, I’m cruising in style in a Mercedes GLC300. It’s been my trusty steed for six glorious years – I keep telling myself to swap it for a newer model, but it’s holding up like a seasoned pro. What’s the biggest surprise about your job?

The biggest shock? They pay me to talk! Seriously, every day is a blend of business learning, applying people skills, and cordial meetings. And they call this work? It’s a pleasure cruise compared to implementing new systems as I did in the first few years!

What is the biggest risk you ever took?

My son, the entrepreneur, would scoff and say I play it safe, but when I struck out on my own, launching my first firm from scratch, I threw caution to the wind. I rented an office, hired staff, bagged clients, and invented and published a brand name – all in under a month.

What makes you feel better on a bad day?

Life has its ups and downs, a lesson I learned early when my father passed away unexpectedly, and we had to leave the factory, move to a new home and find a new source of income. I’ve learned to accept life’s imperfections and focus on the positives, trusting people, accepting life as it comes, and moving on from those who don’t deserve my time or trust. I am happy with my life, which I think is a result of making my loved ones happy.

My most redeeming quality is…

I’ve got more energy than a highly caffeinated Duracell bunny. People marvel at my perpetual motion, as I’m still writing and working long after others have hit snooze on life. If I do not do something that adds value to somebody on a day, I feel bad.

I have learned to come to terms with…

Acceptance is the name of my game now. I used to walk on streets like a racecar driver on an autobahn. Then came the accidents: First, I cut my tendon at Seattle airport. I had no sooner recovered from surgery than I fell off my bicycle and broke a bone. This put the brakes on my pace for a while, but through exercise, I have made a decent recovery, and I still beat the rush at airport immigration! It just shows that even when we get dealt a setback, we have reserves we can’t even imagine.

What’s the thing that people are most surprised to learn about you?

It’s a mixed bag of surprises – my age (just a number!), my weight (don’t ask!), my workaholic tendencies, my globe-trotting escapades, or my stunning wife. Take your pick!

In the last month, what was the most interesting conversation you had?

I’m always game for a chinwag with my entrepreneurial son, trying to stop him from being too risky and brainstorming his next big project. Recently, though, a chat with my eldest grandson’s Indian-born dynamo girlfriend really stood out. Her wit and wisdom were impressive – I’ve got a soft spot for India, having jaunted through it a few times myself. Then there was the discussion with my son, the MD, about the benefits of stomach reduction surgery and the more serious talk: instructions for not sustaining life if it makes no sense.

Last (or most loved) holiday?

Let’s talk about that cruise through Southeast Asia aboard the Silversea. The pampering was so over-the-top that stepping off that ship was like leaving a 5-star bubble. Exploring Japan, Korea, and China was a marvellous experience.

Best book you’ve read in the past year?

I loved getting caught up in The Bad Girl, a novel by Mario Vargas Llosa, Peru’s gift to literature and a Nobel Prize winner. His tale of a lovelorn man chasing shadows of love across continents struck a chord. Who knew heartbreak could be so amusing?

What have you binge-watched recently?

Binge-watching isn’t my style but give me Seinfeld or Friends reruns any day. I can’t stomach the suspense of thrillers like Fauda for too long – it’s a surefire way to raise my cortisol levels.

Best gadget?

You can’t pry me away from my iPhone – it’s practically glued to my hand for those 10-hour daily jaunts through WhatsApp, emails, LinkedIn, and world news. It’s a pocket-sized vortex of addiction. Another gadget worth mentioning is an external receiver connected via Bluetooth to my hearing aids, which greatly enhances my ability to understand conversations, particularly during my lengthy meetings as a Vistage Chair.

How do you relax and unwind?

Picture this: me at my beach house, nestled among trees, a stone’s throw from the shore, where our Golden Retriever and French Bulldog tear around like it’s the canine Indy 500. And when I’m not soaking up sun and salty air, you’ll find me lost in the drama of opera or jet-setting to visit my three offspring, who are dotted all around the world.

Charity/cause closest to your heart?

I’ve got a soft spot for jobless executives navigating life’s rapids. Offering guidance and a listening ear – it’s my way of paying it forward. And then there’s the Teatro Colón, the opera house in Buenos Aires, where I help with donations.

I have a collection of…

Who doesn’t love a stash of over-the-counter remedies? I’ve got enough pills to stock a pharmacy – insomnia cures, headache stoppers, and everything in between. You never know when a little magic pill will save the day!

In my fridge, you will always find…

Breakfast staples like yoghurt, a cheeky bit of gelatin for dessert, and enough meat for a barbecue fit for a gaucho. Eggs and cheese round out the essentials–what more could a fridge need? And outside the fridge, a collection of 50 to 60 bottles of good Argentine wine, although I recently received a wonderful Italian red for my birthday.