He is credited with personally securing Russia's bid to host the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, a resort town on the Black Sea where he has a home.
He also brokered deals between the PKK and the Turkish military, in one case personally securing the release of a captured Turkish soldier from militant hands.
May attempted to break the deadlock over Qatada last year by personally securing reassurances from the Jordanian authorities that he would not face trial based on evidence obtained by torture.
That is an economic risk I cannot afford to take, and if airlines cannot guarantee me the ability to personally secure my own belongings, I will fly only for trips that are impossible by other means.
Personally securing UK funding for the project, he deemed it an issue of national and personal shame when he was unable to convince the British government to supply additional funding for the relocation of the Abu Simbel temples.
He was also involved in the design and construction of several modernist, high-rise post-war housing estates, namely Bethnal Green's Avebury Estate and Kennington's Brandon Estate, personally securing a sculpture by Henry Moore for the latter.
In fact, the best thing I can say about the people running the show in this case - who happen to be people I know rather well - is that they are smart enough, and also personally secure enough, to know and admit to themselves that they are making it up as they go along.
Asked what it would mean to him personally if Everton secured a first Anfield win during his 11-year Goodison reign, Toffees boss David Moyes said: "Nothing personally.
On an increase to the lieutenant-governor's salary being voted by the colonial legislature, Sir John declined to derive any advantage from it personally, while he secured the augmentation to his successor.
The Secretary-Treasurer, Bob Ellis, personally opened and secured a line of credit ($4500) so we could operate until we were able to raise meeting registration and build enough funds to cover our debts.
