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Background

🇮🇪 🌏 I'm Irish. However, with so many years spent in the transportation industy, I've become a citizen of the world. After having lived in 12 countries and worked in 60, I've been blessed with an international network of friends. That's taught me a lot about the world.

🏔️ I love mountains. I grew up with a sea view at the front of the house and mountains at the back of the house. In particular I love snow and ice. But give me nature of any kind and I'll be happy. Best way to unplug.

I'll talk with anybody and I make friends easily. That comes from growing up in a country where most people don't know when to stop (we call it the 'gift of the gab').

👪👪 I'm close with my family. My favourite Whatsapp channel is the one with my four brothers, four sisters, and 36 cousins.

🔎 I geek out on linguistics and geology. Although I'm interested in a wide variety of topics, I'm fascinated by the evolution of language ('geology of the mind'). And as a mountaineer, I've always marveled at how sea shells ended up in high desert plains and mountain tops.😲


I've lived with change all my life

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Raised in Ireland, the eldest of nine siblings, we moved house 4 times. There's only so many brothers and sisters you can squeeze into a bedroom.

🎓 My student day shenenigans took me to Dublin, Oxford, Paris and Berlin.
🌐 I've lived in a dozen countries over the last 30 years, have worked in over 60.

💬 I speak 4 languages (well - 5 if I include the occasional curse).

♟️ Early in my career I worked in scenario planning and strategy for a Canadian telecoms company (Nortel), writing 'long-term' economic and financial forecasts.

📞 I then led pan-European sales and marketing teams for two telecommunications software companies (Atos, Kenan Systems).

📈 I also led the international expansion of a subsidiary of Worldcom (MKI) across 7 European countries.

✈️ For the last 15 years, I was a travel industry exec. Airports are breeding grounds of innovation in hospitality, security, technology, and retail. I was involved in some incredible ventures - in retail, hospitality and technology.

💰 I've raised $60m for travel and tech ventures with a combined turnover of >$300m.

💻 I became a Certified Scrum Master and led two remote software development teams.

✍ I've just finished the second draft of "Think Like a Beringian: 21 Principles for the Nonlinear Life".


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