Former professional ice hockey player and serial entrepreneur Rich Stromback seems best known in Davos as the last man standing – at night in the piano bar, that is.

In fact, this year at Davos he celebrated his 40th birthday in the piano bar with Richard Branson, more than 100 grandees and magnums of champagne liberally flowing.

For some reason Rich insists on calling me T-bone, often shouting across rooms crowded with CEOs and world leaders. He claims the nickname is a term of endearment.

“No self-respecting person from the part of Detroit where I grew up is called ‘Thomas’,” Rich explains. “You gotta have a nickname. A tough nickname.”

Um, gee, ah, thanks Rich.