Knowledge Central

After graduating with a degree in Arabic from the University of Exeter, Rory trained as a chartered accountant with PwC (Coopers & Lybrand) in their financial services division in London, specializing in investment banking and fund management. He then moved to the firm’s office in Bahrain, where he became a partner in 1996. While in […]

Security. Compliance. Satisfaction. These words get tossed around so much that they can begin to lose their sway. But don’t allow your eyes to glaze over due to redundancy. These three elements are critical for a robust global payroll strategy.  Having control of these pieces at the onset of an overseas expansion is vital to […]

So, you’re setting sails to expand your business globally. Congratulations! But have you given much thought to how you’re going to put together your local team? Actually, have you considered what steps you’re going to take to make sure all your hiring is compliant with local laws and regulations? Recruiting and hiring employees during a […]

Looking for countries on a globe can be misleading. Entire regions are almost invisible or appear separated, while largely desolate places are immense in proportion. Oceania is one such place. With islands scattered across the Pacific hidden on a global scale – the smallest island nation, Nauru, is 8.1 square miles in area, surpassing only Vatican […]

You’ve done your research. In fact, you’ve done what feels like more research than you did for your capstone paper in college. You’ve asked close advisors their thoughts on the subject – but they prefaced their responses with something to the extent that international expansion isn’t really in their wheelhouses, yet gave their ideas regardless. […]

People looking to take their companies internationally spend so much time researching the advantages of doing business globally that they often fail to avoid simple mistakes. First and foremost, international business expansion is complicated. Quickly infiltrating broader markets isn’t something that organizations accomplish overnight. That’s not to say the transition cannot be done smoothly – […]

“What are the main things my company needs to check off before we expand globally?” I hear this question quite often. It’s a fair question and one that I could spend some time answering. With so many components to consider, it’s difficult for a business to have a smooth expansion independent of expert help. Of […]

Work from home has grown in scope due to the pandemic. “Digital nomads” once consisted of entrepreneurs, freelancers and the self-employed. Many companies have re-evaluated their work culture and include work from home in their strategic planning as it can offer many benefits. Unsurprisingly, a 2020 Gartner study found that 82 percent of company leaders plan to […]

Companies looking toward expansion into Asia should consider Taiwan as a first target market. The country ranks 19th out of 190 economies in ease of starting a business, averages six percent growth in the gross domestic product (GDP) over the last 30 years. It is a major platform for trade with China, and serves as […]

Where in the world do you go to find angels and unicorns? Startups must consider a number of factors during international expansion. As an international consultant, I’ve helped startups cross borders and maintain operations in various countries. Each location comes with its unique set of advantages and disadvantages—the languages spoken, taxes owed, working culture, availability […]

Japan is ranked #29 in the 2020 report issued by the World Bank for ease of doing business. There are a number of compelling reasons for companies to consider expanding into Japan. Notably, Japan is third globally in terms of gross domestic product (GDP), has a rich culture of innovation and offers well-established labor and […]

CFO challenges are greater than ever due to COVID-19. They include a potential recession, the possibility of a second wave of the virus and renewed restrictions, and further legislative changes, just to name a few. The virus has also amplified the need for internal change. The role of the CFO has evolved from managing and […]