You founded and chair the Adara Group [an international NGO working with communities in extreme poverty] and recently joined the Westpac board. There can’t be much spare time for reading?

I make time – reading is a joy and a great way to turn off the talking to-do list in my head. I usually have four or five books beside my bed. I read to be informed and also to escape. I try to read the Booker short list and most of the long list every year, and keep an eye out for first novels – they are often the best work a writer does. Sometimes I read all night, and often all weekend – especially in lockdown.