Like most residents of the capital, the businessman, who insisted that his name not be used, goes to work every day.

An American businessman has already gone into outer space.

The 44-year-old businessman, his short dark hair showing a few strands of gray, went into another room to take the call.

"The small businessman is going to work the business morning, noon and night to make it succeed."

Some French businessmen went overseas, but there were few permanent settlements.

"I heard they were where businessmen went to have parties and pick up girls."

To serve them, some local businessmen went into the brassmaking business.

"A businessman is not going to be a nuclear physicist," he said.

"It's very difficult to track their investment figures because most businessmen did not go through Government agencies," he said.

A former businessman has gone on trial accused of a two million pound investment fraud.