Dear Philip,
Please have a little respect for our intelligence, every business greases its way up in one way another; it may be respectable courses like supporting the big man's favourite charity, his village or naturally the party.
And on the assertion that anybody works their way up through sheer inguinity, even you dont believe the theory; hard work? Sure! Only hard work? Bull............! You did not hop in a plane... epiphany... hotels in Tanzania.
And by the way what did you expect the Sales and marketing to say to the say to you? Own up? I havent heard such a joke for a long time.