Shortly before the start of my term as MA President, a colleague asked me what my theme was going to be for the year. “Do Presidents have themes?”, I asked. He didn’t know, but thought it might be a good idea. As it happens, a perfect theme was handed to me on a plate. Planning for the 2008 Annual Conference was already underway when I joined Council, and it had already been decided that it was to be called ‘Joined Up Mathematics’.