Thinking on leadership, partnerships and development
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Turn Debt into Hope
Do you remember much about what you were doing twenty five years ago? Maybe you can recall how you spent that final New Year’s Eve of the 20th century? Fun fact, that specific NYE, with only an hour left until midnight, I found myself responsible for introducing an old school friend to the woman who… Read more
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Why Companies Must Double Down on DEI
I have been working with companies for twenty years in a bid to involve them more in the delivery and improved impacts of international aid. What started primarily as a resource mobilization effort, for CARE International UK in 2006, soon evolved into something more integrated – global banks providing accounts for village savings groups; insurers… Read more
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Private Sector Engagement in Southeast Asia: The Moment for Bold Action
For fourteen years, as long as I’ve lived in Saigon, I’ve been blogging about ‘Private Sector Engagement’ – its evolution, its setbacks, and its vast potential to drive social and economic change. Time and again, I’ve emphasized one thing: alliances with business are not just beneficial, they are essential. Yet, at a time when global… Read more
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#IWD 2025
Tomorrow is International Women’s Day and I’ve spent much of my Friday so far pretending no one really cares about events such as “IWD.” This is an innately male inclination, it occurs to me, given us men have been in the firing line now for an uncomfortable amount of years (is it ten already?) hearing… Read more
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It’s Polarisation, stupid
Two hours ago, Melania Trump entered Congress to a standing ovation and what felt like genuine affection from those inside. Perhaps the Republicans were applauding her sheer presence and willingness to support her husband. Others, it would not be too far-fetched to speculate, clapping in sympathy. It is very difficult to ignore Donald Trump at… Read more
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Post-Card from Sri Lanka | Lessons in facilitation
It was approaching midnight at the end Independence Day in Sri Lanka, earlier this week, and Issy and me were at Colombo airport watching the stream of incoming passengers make their way to immigration as we, in turn, waited for our departure back to Saigon. As usual, our last twelve days gallivanting from Kandy to… Read more
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What a piece of work is man
Several high-profile shadow ministers, from the British Labour party, including Jess Philips, resigned this week. Philips told news outlets: “I have to use my voice to try and wherever possible, move a dial. And look, I think this dial will move. I think that it won’t be too long before the US and the UK… Read more
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RISE to the occasion
This week I’ve been working with a global organisation, RISE, that is seeking an end to the oppressive conditions faced by female workers in the garment industry. In the very same week we have seen Iceland, which consistently ranks as one of the world’s most progressive nations, convene a nationwide strike (that included their own… Read more
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Closing the digital divide in Czechia
On 31 December 1992, Czechoslovakia was dissolved, with its constituent states becoming the independent states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Thirty one years later, and the Czech Republic (known as Czechia) and Slovakia rest at #35 and #42, respectively, on today’s GDP list of ranked country’s (based on IMF’s gross domestic product scores). It… Read more
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What I’ve been writing about
international development business CARE International Collaboration Cross-sector partnerships CSR gender equality leadership development partnerships humanitarian NGO social impact capacity building consulting strategy