Blogs

And also for women…
September 2025
Last week I visited (for the first time) the Isle of Man, to meet with our colleagues in Douglas at Suntera Global.
Beautiful place; peaceful, rarely any crime, and a very favourable tax regime. (No, unfortunately I’m not on commission… but just being honest).
Made me realise there’s more to life than the fast city speeds at which we often travel, and everyone has options. It also made me realise how important it is to remain engaged with people and to keep in regular contact; particularly when it’s not that far to go.
I got chatting to an American lady on my flight back to London (who apparently often comes purely because she adores the tranquility and serene walks) and she asked, however wonderful it is to visit the island, could I not have achieved the same by video call.
Easy answer: absolutely not.
And that talks to what I’ve been saying for a long time. You never can beat an in-person meeting, to develop, enhance and cement a relationship. This is why Russell Bedford International continues to hold several physical events every year and, incidentally, with record numbers next month due to attend our Annual Global Conference in Madrid.
Thanks to Ian Begley for lining up a full day of meetings with heads of departments and colleagues from the major service lines. I learnt a lot about what they do and how much of it is unique, yet can highly complement the more traditional services of the majority of the accountancy firms in our network. In turn, I was delighted to provide an update on the network and all our latest offerings.
Great specialisms in fund, corporate and personal wealth services, helping clients navigate the responsibilities and complexities that come with managing wealth and cross-border capital. (Ok… I took that from their website, but I knew their marketing department would have already done a better job than I could!)
And so; I encourage our firms to look for opportunities to assist clients, and contacts at businesses around the world, further in these areas. And not just for the Isle of Man, but various other jurisdictions around the world.
However, regarding the Isle of Man, I might even move there myself (now I’ve discovered it’s not just full of men); and to save several thousands a year in tax!
Average commute time: 20 minutes… One of the safest places to live in the British Isles… natural beauty with stunning landscapes, including 95 miles of coastline, 169 miles of public footpaths, and 26 ‘Dark Sky Sites’ for stargazing… thriving economy with barely any unemployment… financial assistance to entrepreneurs… some of the lowest tax rates in Europe… excellent healthcare, high-quality education… and home to a world-class digital infrastructure, supporting industries such as eGaming, blockchain, and cryptocurrency.
Right, so now I feel I DO need a commission!