The subject under discussion was: "How can business change the world for the better?"This last topic has become increasingly central to Brand Branson in the past few years although social activism has been part of Sir Richard's repertoire since he opened advice centres for students in the 1960s.
In a strongly-worded foreword to the latest report, he and cabinet secretary and head of the civil service Sir Jeremy Heywood write that civil servants must deal "competently and straightforwardly" with ministers, providing open debate and candid advice.
On the other hand, he seems open to advice from serious corporate types.
Ivanishvili professes to be open to advice from the West on the rule of law, but he and some of his supporters also seem bent on retribution.
In our travels, one challenge for my husband Will and I has been to remain open to advice, while not being put off by scare stories.
But I need to explore this work experience-wise, which is difficult to come across (trust me, I have tried and I'm open to advice and suggestions, if you have any).
Having faced sharp criticism for the chaotic management of her 2008 campaign, which saw her defeated by Barack Obama, Clinton also signalled that she had become more open to advice as she contemplated mounting a second bid for the White House in 2016.
Oversight of some of those roles would be transferred, in a still undetermined form, to a newly created National Security Council, which would be open to advice from lawmakers and citizens' groups.
So while the Qatari sovereign fund is busy pursuing establishment jewels (auction house Christie's is on the shopping list), the ruling family is also open to advice on the wisdom of hooking up with more left-field collaborators: Sheikha Mozah, one of the emir's wives, was instrumental in establishing the Doha Tribeca film festival.
