Get use to the security Alan – this is APEC.

Former Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard beat a swift retreat from the recent Russian APEC.

Bollard clearly wasn’t used to being tracked by big ominous looking Russians and did not hang about after being announced as APEC’s new executive director.The APEC role is the ultimate when it comes to “herding cats” – aka the many officials from around the region who have stacked the Singapore secretariat for some years now.

Bollard will have his work cut out getting regime change to focus on what really matters – reducing barriers to trade and investment in the Asia- Pacific against a rising tide of protectionism.