The UK government was anxious to develop trading ties north of Athens, and launched a new division of the British-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, to stimulate business links throughout the Balkans.

Mr Webber says: “I was asked to run the chamber, their office was only 30 metres from our house, and I was even given a phone, which was a big deal in those days.”

The locals were enthused by the idea of finding new trading partners, and a series of events, seminars and parties soon filled the Chamber’s calendar.

“My favourite was when we flew in the top wine buyers from Tesco, Sainsbury and Waitrose, to show them what was branded as ’the wine routes of Macedonia’,” says Webber.

“It was a tremendous success, but unfortunately we then discovered that the amount Tesco demanded in samples, to test the produce for taste, quality and consistency was more than the whole production of Northern Greece.”

However, Webber certainly enjoyed his move into trade and commerce, and after five years with the Chamber, joined the Department of Trade & Industry, helping to promote British exports, in 1995.

Two years later, the new Labour administration decided to decommission the Royal Yacht Britannia, which had been flying the flag for Britain around the world, for some 40 years.

“I really thought that was a senseless, and very political, decision, made by people who perhaps saw it as a symbol of the past, but who certainly did not appreciate how important it was for promoting overseas trade,” says Webber, and his ire is evident.

“We held an event on board the yacht, in Greece, and they really were the hottest tickets in town. The Britannia had such a cachet that people talked about the night years later.

“I could have sold the tickets many times over, and the same was true wherever the yacht went.

“To me, it personified everything that we do well - pomp and circumstance and ceremony - and it didn’t half work in getting business people interested in Britain.

“I’ve still never met anyone who could explain just why a new yacht wasn’t commissioned.”

By then though, although Webber’s love affair with Greece wasn’t over, his marriage was, and it seemed a timely moment to return to the UK.

After working with the DTi, he was asked to join the BCCI, where he remains today as international trade director, and director of the chamber‘s India-Pakistan Trade Unit.

The latter venture has become the global portal for trading with South-East Asia, but even Webber admits its remarkable success wasn’t even remotely predicted.

“We created the unit simply to get all the information we had, about India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, into one place, and we later added Sri Lanka,” he says.

Now though, the six-language www.iptu.co.uk site gets a staggering 500,000 hits on its busiest days, attracts between 50,000 and 80,000 unique visitors a month, and has registered users in eighty countries.

“To be honest, it has become a bit of a Frankenstein in some respects,” admits Webber. “It is so big that we don’t know what happens next. It is operated by two part-time staff, which is clearly not sustainable. Its manager, Rupi Nandra, does an amazing job, but it needs significant funding to continue, perhaps through sponsorship, or perhaps as the secretariat for Advantage West Midlands’ India group.”

In May, the IPTU is being relaunched, and the new site will feature separate sections for every one of India’s 27 states.

“The functionality will be quite outstanding, especially when you consider that it is being upgraded in-house, by Rupi,” says Webber.

“For the future though, the chamber will need a new strategy to operate the portal, to continue to generate the maximum benefits, for companies based in this country and in South-East Asia.”

Webber’s demanding role involves leading at least one overseas visit each month, and he reckons he has now visited more than 60 countries.

Which of his many experiences stand-out then?

“My favourite place is Istanbul, which has everything I like; scenery, art, architecture and old books. It’s a great place to walk, and the weather is always warm, without being overpowering.

“The place I was most ill in was Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, and that was all down to the cooking at the Deputy High Commissioner’s home.

“My first overseas visit with BCCI was to Jeddah. The locals took me to Harry Ramsdens, which was bad enough, but I am also allergic to fish.”

His working life has already given him a rich wealth of experiences, and a brimming store of anecdotes, and there are sure to be more ahead.

However, one thing will not change as the future unfolds, and it is certainly no surprise.

“My ambition would be to take six months off, to find an old Royal Enfield motor-cycle, with a sidecar, and to go to India,” says Webber, with a dangerously serious gleam in his eyes. I reckon I could ride from the south to the north, and by the time I’d finished, I’d have found all my missing Wisdens.”