As someone who has spent a considerable amount of time working in and around recent war zones, I have often seen at first hand the consequences of destroyed infrastructure and displaced communities. Much of my work took me to the Middle East, particularly to Lebanon and Jordan. I travelled to Lebanon shortly after the Israeli … Read more

The Falklands War In 1982, I was living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, overseeing the construction of a factory to manufacture uPVC pipe and fittings for soil, waste and drainage systems, under licence from Hepworth Plastics in the UK. While I was there, on 2 April 1982, Argentine forces invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands, triggering … Read more

My working life spans the period before Britain joined the European Economic Community, through our years of membership, and into the present day. In the 1960s Britain still lived largely in the world of pounds, shillings and pence. We measured temperature in Fahrenheit, length in inches, feet, yards, furlongs and miles, petrol in gallons, milk … Read more

What I found was that relationships and trust matter more than contracts, a contract based on personal friendship and respect is much easier to manage than one based solely on the contract terms. Cultural understanding is not optional, it is an imperative if business is to endure. Patience often wins deals, Local partners are essential … Read more

Britain’s industrial export strength in the 1960s–1980s, was in heavy engineering, infrastructure, manufacturing, at that time UK companies supplied products and expertise to major projects globally, but over time there was a gradual shift toward finance and services, what was gained was at a high price and what was lost can never be recovered. British … Read more

Western companies expect quick decisions, but in the Far East In many Asian cultures trust must be built first. Meals, conversation and social interaction are part of business, not distractions and repeated visits build credibility. It is a matter of long-term thinking vs short-term deals and in much of Asia, business is not simply a … Read more

Theme: How international business travel used to work. Idea outline: For most of my working life, international business was conducted face to face. A typical trip might last a month and cover several countries. Flights were fewer, visas were more complicated, and communications back to the office were limited. Preparation was therefore critical. Every meeting … Read more

Having spent the last sixty years in global sales and marketing, I became accustomed to communicating with people at every level — from the shoe-shine boy outside a hotel to government ministers. My work took me across more than sixty countries, selling and promoting everything from plastic plumbing fittings to aero engines. During that time … Read more