A trip to Milan: part 2

Some years ago I was working on an assignment where I had meetings with the European country CEOs of an American multi-national. On this occasion I was meeting the CEO of the Italian operating company. I arrived in Milan and got to the office a few hundred metres from the cathedral. I was confronted by a huge wooden door which opened as soon as I rang the bell. I entered a balconied courtyard with fountains and flowers - just stunning. I presented myself at reception. "Oh, the chairman is out today so we've put you in his office".

I was ushered into a large room full of antique furniture, at the far end of which was an ornate desk the size of a table tennis table. Happily there was a L-shaped arrangement of modern leather seating in the far corner so I seated myself there. No sooner had I done so than the coffee arrived and the PA told me that the CEO would be with me shortly.

He entered the room and walked towards the desk, realised I wasn't there, and turned to see me. He took me by the elbow, led me to the desk and seated me behind it. "Your place is here", he said, "we have to observe the formalities".

This was not a corporate viewpoint, so I can only imagine it was something to do with Italian culture. I don't have enough experience to know but it was an interesting episode.