The King of Oil Quotes

“Products can be sold for a better price when there is a shortage, and crises and wars can also offer business opportunities.”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“Dictum meum pactum—“My word is my bond.”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“Who is sitting on a commodity without recognizing its complete potential? How do technological developments or political events such as wars affect the demand for commodities? Crude oil, to take an example, was processed for lamp oil and tar for centuries before its monetary and strategic value was changed drastically by the invention of the gasoline engine in the late nineteenth century.”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“Work harder. Concentrate on your goal. Think big and bold. Be aggressive. Be successful.”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“Dealing”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“It was proof to his superiors that he had the talent to spot opportunities, the courage to grasp them, the patience to successfully conclude a deal, and enough common sense to avoid excessive risks.”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“Any economic network is largely dependent on trust if it is to function well. As economists put it, a high degree of trust lowers the costs of transactions and compensates for a lack of information. According to the American philosopher Francis Fukuyama, trust is a key prerequisite for prosperity.1”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“As a trader you often walk on the blade. Be careful and don’t step off.”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“sell a product at the highest possible price to a client in need is like taking candy from a baby,”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“It’s only a good deal when the two signatories are laughing together at the table. That’s the only way a partnership can have any future. Otherwise it’s the only deal you’ll make,”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“It is one of the ironies of history that the persecution and expulsion of the Jews is what made such an efficient trading community possible.”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“His 1952 report card describes him as “purposeful,” “actively creative,” “strongly controlling,” “deeply and generally concerned,” “assumes much responsibility,” and “exceptionally stable.”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“You cry a little and then you move on,” he replies when asked how he deals with defeat.”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“It is better to die on one’s feet than to live on one’s knees.”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“Mankind has developed through ambitions. Some wanted to climb higher, some wanted to run faster, some wanted to fly, others to dive. I wanted to succeed in business.”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“I’m driven by what drives most people: ambition,” Rich said to me.”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich

“Any economic network is largely dependent on trust if it is to function well. As economists put it, a high degree of trust lowers the costs of transactions and compensates for a lack of information. According to the American philosopher Francis Fukuyama, trust is a key prerequisite for prosperity.”
― Daniel Ammann, The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich