Digital Émigré • 16th May 2021

Living in Madeira in 2021: Portugal's most exciting hidden gem

Living in Madeira for the long-term is high on my list of 2021 goals. Funchal, the Madeiran capital, was the perfect place to wait out the worst effects of the 2020 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns. I believe that Madeira has excellent long-term potential as a digital émigré destination. Before I arrived in Madeira, I had no idea to what to expect. After just a few months, I’d already decided to make it my primary base while I work towards getting Portuguese citizenship.

Digital Émigré • 9th May 2021

Dual Citizenship: 8 GREAT Reasons to Get It

Dual citizenship is becoming a hot asset in 2021 as the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. In fast-changing and uncertain times, having a second passport is essential for any global citizen. Having dual citizenship can be the difference between being stuck and being free. Not all passports are created equal – and there’s a world of difference between them.

Telegraph.co.uk • 8th December 2014

Working online: The rise of ‘e-ployment’

Annual leave is a foreign concept for branding strategist Julian Stubbs. He can travel whenever he feels like it and manage his business uninterrupted from anywhere in the world, including beaches, airports and parks.

CityMetric • 8th December 2014

Why do most city branding campaigns fail?

So 86 per cent is a pretty high failure rate, right? Why would you even attempt a project with such shocking odds? Particularly if it was a costly undertaking, with a price tag that can run into the millions… Why bother?

CityMetric • 19th November 2014

Cork: Rebel county, smart city

Everyone’s getting excited about smart cities these days. Often planned from scratch, these ultra-modern metropolises bristle with the latest innovations in technology: environmentally friendly buildings and infrastructure; computers that control many aspects of urban dwelling; wi-fi as ubiquitous as oxygen.

Al Jazeera • 16th November 2014

Kurdish bookshop turns page on dark past

Istanbul, Turkey - In a narrow, haphazard alley beside Istanbul's busy Istiklal Avenue, hidden behind stalls of fake designer handbags and tourist junk, sits an unassuming little bookshop. Only a few titles are displayed in the window, and the shop's enigmatic name, Medya Kitabevi (Media Bookshop) does not give much away.

Daily Telegraph • 5th August 2014

Turkey abolishes mandatory health insurance for expat pensioners

Turkey’s complicated residence permit system has become easier for retired expats after an unexpected government decision in June to abolish compulsory health insurance for foreigners aged over 65.

The Daily Telegraph • 1st July 2014

Expats stranded in Turkey due to residence permit delays

Expats in Turkey have experienced difficulties travelling abroad since the introduction of new residency permit regulations in April, with long delays in paperwork being processed.

Fair Observer • 13th December 2013

The Snipers of Damascus

Chinese perspectives on reporting the Syrian war: My interview with a Chinese war correspondent based in Damascus

Bearing Consulting • 29th November 2013

No Money, But Love: The Case of Yubari, Japan

The story of a small Japanese city that collapsed financially, yet learned greatly from the experience.

Placesbrands • 29th November 2013

New Silicon Valley on the Emerald Isle

Ireland’s reputation has been on a roller coaster ride over recent decades. The ‘Celtic Tiger’ economic boom period came to an abrupt end with the financial crisis of 2008, which hit Ireland particularly hard.

Placesbrands • 29th November 2013

Izmir: Branding a Frontier Mentality

Izmir’s political allegiances were made clear during Turkey’s recent summer of protests. This city supports Mustafa Kemal Atatürk , the founder of secular Turkey. The huge rocky carving of his face on one of Izmir’s major highways proves it.

Digital Tourism Think Tank • 29th November 2013

Spotlight: It's Colombia, NOT Columbia

Created as a citizen initiative by a group of smart Colombian marketers, a simple idea aims to harness patriotic sentiment among social media users to correct a common spelling error, and promote the Colombian country brand in the process.

Bearing Consulting • 29th November 2013

Timbuktu: old legend, new challenges

The Malian desert city of Timbuktu is definitely real, but its legendary place image has developed in such a way that many people still doubt the city’s existence. In fact, the name itself has become synonymous with isolation, mystery, and unimaginable distance.