This new GLOBETROTTERS column is designed to keep the international community connected. Not only will it spotlight who is where in the world now, it will also describe the adventures we all experience by living a life of constant worldwide travel. If you’ve ever been hijacked, stuck in a revolution or committed an unforgettable cultural faux pas, everyone in our community will be curious to hear about it. Please do tell us, and don’t forget the photos! TO SUBMIT TO GLOBETROTTERS, email: deborah.malone@internationalistmagazine.com

Amer’s Foreign Transition
» Amer Yaqub, who had been responsible for international sales at The Washington Post for the last several years, has started the year with in a role as Publisher of Foreign Policy magazine.
Foreign Policy founded in 1970, became part of The Slate Group just last autumn, which is owned by The Washington Post Company. FP focuses on global politics,
economics and idea, and is a 2007 and 2003 winner of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence. Readers include leaders in business, government, and professional sectors throughout 160 countries. FP also publishes local language editions in Albanian, Arabic,
Bulgarian, French, Korean, Portuguese,
Spanish, Romanian, and Russian.
According to Amer, “my role at The Post has been one of the best jobs in the industry; however, I’m excited by this new position and working in an area that it is of critical today.” Amer has also joined just as a new ForeignPolicy.com website has been launched.
Contact: amer.yaqub@foreignpolicy.com

Mike Vaughton & His Swiss Life
» Eurosport’s Mike Vaughton has been promoted to the role of Regional Director-International Key accounts and Partnerships, and is now based in Geneva, Switzerland. Some may find the location odd for the Paris-headquartered company with a London-based sales group. However, the
location suits Mike perfectly. He and his English wife actually now call a little village near Annecy in Haute-Savoie, France their home. And it’s a reasonable drive from Geneva.

In addition to a time-consuming, globetrotting job, Mike has another portion of his life that reads like the Peter Mayle novel, Hotel Pastis. His family operates a bed and breakfast called La Ferme de Champ Pelaz. They have transformed a mid-19th century farmhouse to a welcoming home, which they happily share with guests. They have four guest rooms that overlook a pool in summer and have winter access to the ski resorts of La Clusaz, Chamonix, Mégève and Flaine.

There is a joke in America that asks, “How do you make $1million with a B&B? Start with $2 million!” Mike Vaughton may be an exception to the rule, though. Le Ferme’s website offers a Guestbook section with comments. Here’s a typical entry: “Always the warmest of welcomes from the most wonderfully friendly and helpful hosts, with superb local and regional knowledge. We always have a relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable stay. Le Ferme just can’t be faulted. Highly recommended!” Obviously Mike and his wife are going something right!
Contact: www.champ-pelaz.com or mvaughton@eurosport.com

JIM KOENE, A TRUE DUTCH MASTER, RETIRES
» This is not typically an Age of Loyalty. However, Jim Koene often defied convention —not with revolutionary zeal, but with old-fashioned decency. He spent his 40-year career loyal to but one company —The Netherland’s leading publisher, Elsevier, now better known as Reed Business Media Amsterdam. He retired at the end of 2008 to better enjoy an already rich life filled with family, friends and doting grandchildren. Yet, many can’t believe he’s actually gone — just on another round-the-world business trip.

Jim’s 4-decade marathon as International Account Director put him in touch with advertisers, agencies and media reps in nearly every country on earth. He never tired of the people in the business; he seemed to gain energy with every meeting. A truly global person and passionate Dutchman, I recall the first time I met Jim at his offices just outside Amsterdam about 15 years ago. He spent a long time talking about why the Dutch were historically great traders and explorers, and truly internationally-minded people today. (In fact, Professor Koene taught me a few things about the Big Apple as early New Amsterdam.)

Always a gracious host, Jim was an even more gracious guest. He attended the Connect Alliance meetings since their inception in an effort to support his representative companies in Europe.Although these meetings were held for the benefit of publishers like Jim, he always believed his role was to express appreciation. He made a celebrated tradition of taking center stage, offering praise and bearing gifts — typically hand-crafted gifts from Holland. (He not hesitated to remind people about the importance of his market!)

If I were to characterize the role that Jim Koene played in our industry, it was that of sage, elder, welcomer. Sadly, those roles don’t exist any more. Maybe he’ll return from retirement periodically, so we don’t forget those values.

Tom Smith Starts Trendstream
» Tom Smith, former head of consumer futures EMEA at Universal McCann London and contributor to this magazine, has left the agency after seven years to start his own consulting company, called Trendstream.

The new venture is dedicated to understanding global trends in web usage. Tom’s now busy developing research products that will provide unique data, insights and analysis on how consumers use the internet throughout the world.

He hopes that Trendstream will enable him to expand his reputation in digital research and insight. In his former role at Universal McCann, he
received strong acknowledgement for his Wave research on social media trends, which included the global media tracker, "Power to the People".
Contact: tom@trendstream.net

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