Dinner last night with the managing directors of our businesses in Greece, Brazil and Argentina.

What do the businesses have in common apart from all being run by exceptionally talented women? There is a deep desire to learn English. In spite of Chirac's histrionics last week when he walked out of a EU Council meeting because a fellow Frenchman addressed him in English, most people recognise that English is the language of business and essential in the modern world. The books used in schools differ significantly because of local curricula and culture but they are all demanding higher and higher standards of pedagogical and production quality and better value for money. They are all challenged by local piracy and illegal photocopying. The businesses are all growing their market share by working closely with teachers to make better teaching materials.

I was going to follow this with a description of the differences - the apostilas in Brazil, the Israeli competitors in Greece, Britsh English in Argentina - but realised that knowing the differences is what sets Macmillan apart from its competitors and I want us to remain apart.

So I'll end with a publishing quandary. We all know that elephants never forget. We also know that if publishers remembered all the times a book failed to live up to expectations nobody would ever publish anything new again. Additionally, we often try to remember a slight or a piece of betrayal. Perhaps Arthur Balfour got it right: 'I never forgive. I always forget.'

And from the source of quotations a truth from Auberon Waugh: ' Generally speaking, the best people nowadays go into journalism, the second best into business, the rubbish goes into politics and the shits into law.' I suppose publishing lies somewhere between journalism and business. I hope so.