The interview: Billionaire rich kinder on leadership, legacy and energy security

After 18 years at the helm of the pipeline giant that bears his name, Richard Kinder is stepping down this summer from his CEO position. To commemorate the occasion, Kinder agreed to sit down for a kind of exit interview. We discussed his legacy, the importance of learning from history, and his thoughts on where the energy industry stands today. This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity. 

Q: That bust of Winston Churchill is in a prominent position on your desk. What’s he mean to you?

I’ve always had that bust. In my view he’s a real leader. Probably the greatest person of the 20th century in in terms of the direct contributions of one individual. If he had not been in the place he was in May 1940 I think other leadership might have struck a separate peace with Hitler and the whole world of history would be different. Without the U.K. we would not have successfully attacked Europe maybe for a generation. Hitler would have defeated Russia. I recommend the book Five Days In London: May 1940 – a story of the internecine battles within the British cabinet. Churchill had just taken over. Lord Halifax, who had just been passed over, thought they should strike a deal with Hitler. 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2015/07/30/the-interview-billionaire-rich-kinder-on-leadership-legacy-and-energy-security/?ss=energy