ABOUT ME
Business, Curiosity and a European Way of Life
I am a businessman, board professional and advisor, but my interests have always reached far beyond the boardroom.
Business, communication and leadership are an important part of my life, alongside a deep interest in culture, history, travel, design, books, cities, food and the traditions and ideas that shape Europe.
This site brings those worlds together. It is a place for reflections from work and business, but also for observations, experiences and stories from the places I visit, the people I meet and the things that catch my attention.
For me, work and life have never been completely separate. They influence each other, and together they shape how I see business, people and the world around me.
BUSINESS AND LIFESTYLE
My blog
Welcome to my blog, where I bring together perspectives on management, communication and board governance with a personal interest in style, culture, travel and the European way of life.
It is a mix of business insights, observations, experiences and the things that shape how I work, live and see the world.
There’s something unique about Bar Termini
There’s something unique about Bar Termini, and it’s the reason I return visit after visit. The tiny space, always packed. The immaculate waiters in...
A true masterclass in communication from Louis Vuitton
A true masterclass in communication from Louis Vuitton. They’ve transformed the entire window display into a set of train carriages, all...
We were on King’s Road, once one of the centres of London punk in the 1970s
We were on King’s Road, once one of the centres of London punk in the 1970s, with Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren right at the heart of it....
She said, “I wanna live like London. I wanna do whatever you do in London.”
She said, “I wanna live like London. I wanna do whatever you do in London.” I said, “I’ll see what I can do.” So I took her to an empty street in...
What’s your favourite saint to bring to the pub for a glass?
A pint after the cathedral in St Albans, together with my favourite saint. What’s your favourite saint to bring to the pub for a glass? St Bridget,...
Standing in front of an Abrahamic idea
Standing in front of an Abrahamic idea:“Seek first the Kingdom of God.” מלכות שמיםMalkhut Shamayim رضا الله والآخرةRiḍā Allāh wa-l-ākhirah My...
I am visiting St Albans Cathedral, a place where Christians have worshipped for around 1,700 years
I am visiting St Albans Cathedral, a place where Christians have worshipped for around 1,700 years, longer than anywhere else known in Britain. The...
Advent calendar from Fortnum & Mason
I just have to have this Advent calendar from Fortnum & Mason. Stunning. Come on, Ryanair, let me take it as hand luggage. Please.
The red hand
To be honest, far too many pubs nowadays are a real disappointment, filled with lager, pilsner and the same rather boring European beers. I am...
Where are we heading?
Where are we heading? 10 points We leave a place where travellers can begin their journey beneath a roof once considered one of the largest...
We got the action, we got the motion
Down in the tunnels.We got the action, we got the motion.Oh, yeah, we can play.
Make it to the pub before last orders and start a discussion about the Bayeux Tapestry
What a striking way English bookshops do it. A constant flow of outstanding publications, beautifully presented to an audience that is genuinely...
A never-ending walk along Piccadilly continued with late-night window shopping
A never-ending walk along Piccadilly continued with late-night window shopping. The hamper boxes at Fortnum & Mason capture everything that an...
A snapshot before heading out
A snapshot before heading out, with the badge on my jacket pixelated for privacy, as I leave the hotel in full dress code and make my way to St...
I’ve been looking so long for you on my Tube travels
I’ve been looking so long for you on my Tube travels.That I almost believe you’re there on the same line as me.Remembering the day you stood quietly...
Take me back
Take me back to the place where I once belonged.Take me back to the Piccadilly line.
Tim Marshall’s Prisoners of Geography is now available in a fully updated edition
One of the best books you can read if you want to understand the world. Tim Marshall’s Prisoners of Geography is now available in a fully updated...
My assignment is complete
The votes in all 6,626 electoral districts have now been counted, with Gothenburg the last to finish. My assignment is complete.
Taking the tram to the final count of the general election in Gothenburg.
Taking the tram into the city to take part in formally establishing the final count of the general election in Gothenburg.
My apples are starting to turn red
My apples are starting to turn red, and they are almost ready to go. And so am I. First, another match with the boxing bag under the apple tree,...