• Is AI now essential for Global Mobility, not just a nice-to-have? 
• Which new locations will benefit as traditional immigration routes tighten? 
• How are Mobility teams changing as standalone functions become harder to justify? 
• And why is immigration compliance about to land firmly on the board agenda? 

It’s time for Paul's annual Global Mobility predictions episode.

"This is my third year trying to step back and make sense of where our industry is heading, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that predicting the future is a great way to stay humble. Some trends accelerate faster than expected. Others take a very different path.

After another year speaking with hundreds of Mobility leaders, HR teams and partners across the ecosystem, one thing feels undeniable: the pace of change right now is wild. Expectations are rising, and 2026 is shaping up to be a year of real shifts for Mobility teams."

In this episode, Paul walks through his five biggest predictions for Global Mobility in 2026, exploring what they could mean in practice and why they matter.

"As always, this list could be much longer, but these are the five I think will most shape the year ahead."

Hope you enjoy, and we’d love to hear which ones resonate most!

• How do you identify where the right senior talent actually sits globally? 
• What makes leaders open to relocating, and what ultimately stops them? 
• What does strong onboarding look like for senior talent who relocate? 
• What’s the most underrated career benefit of relocating abroad?  

In this episode, Paul speaks with Inga Ezera, Principal at Pedersen & Partners with extensive experience hiring senior talent across global markets.  

Inga has spent her career working at the intersection of executive search, global hiring, and leadership decision-making. She supports organisations in identifying where senior talent actually sits globally, assessing leadership fit, and navigating the complexities of hiring across borders. Her work sits closely alongside global mobility, particularly at senior level, where hiring and relocation decisions are deeply connected.

Her perspective is shaped not only by placing leaders internationally, but also by her own experience relocating. Together, Paul and Inga explore global mobility through an executive search lens, focusing on hiring decisions, onboarding, and what really sets leaders up to succeed long term.  

We hope you enjoy :)
 

• What is the Talent Acceleration Model - and why is it the missing function inside HR? 
• What does a sustainable internal talent ecosystem look like? 
• Why do global companies struggle to operationalise internal mobility? 
• How can you encourage internal movement when managers resist losing their top talent? 
• How can companies justify internal mobility costs, from relocations to backfilling roles? 

In this episode, Paul speaks with Adele Squires, a global Talent Leader with two decades of experience across Talent Acquisition, Talent Management and strategic workforce transformation.  

Adele has spent her career rebuilding TA functions, modernising processes, implementing talent technologies and introducing data-driven insights across Europe and around the world. She has delivered consultancy projects across FMCG, life sciences, manufacturing, technology and professional services — bringing a uniquely broad perspective on how organisations attract, develop and grow talent.  

Her entrepreneurial background adds another dimension to her work, giving her direct insight into commercial performance, compliance and long-term organisational strategy.  

We hope you enjoy!

• What does it take to transform a decentralised Mobility setup into a centralised workforce engine? 
• When does a one-way transfer deliver more value than a traditional assignment? 
• How do you navigate internal barriers to Mobility transformation? 
• Which parts of the business benefit most from a Mobility function? 
• Which skills position Mobility leaders to step into CHRO roles? 

In this episode, Paul speaks with Saloni Lakhani, Associate Director, Global Mobility at Kimberly-Clark.
 
Saloni is a Global Mobility Leader who has built her Mobility career around creating seamless, human-centred Mobility journeys for employees and leaders. With deep experience across immigration, tax, relocation and talent mobility she brings a passion for innovation, partnership and building mobility’s influence at the table
 
We hope you enjoy!

• How do you align your team with the company’s bigger goals? 
• What skills should you hire for in a Mobility team, both technical and soft? 
• When is the right time to hire in Mobility - and how do you justify it to the business? 
• How do you decide where to hire your Mobility team globally? 
• Why should mobility leaders invest in networking and community? 

In this episode, Paul speaks with Khadeeja Islam and Nicole Millman, two seasoned Global Mobility leaders, about what it really takes to build a high-performing mobility team - one that supports business goals, protects employee experience, and can thrive under constant change.
 
Khadeeja Islam brings 19 years of experience across expat tax, immigration, relocation and talent mobility. Recognised among the Top 250 Global Mobility Professionals, she has led mobility programmes across multiple industries, driving operational excellence, strengthening compliance, and shaping effective mobility strategy.

Nicole Millman has over 20 years of experience in Global Mobility, spanning Big Four consultancies and Fortune 500 companies. Having lived and worked in six countries - including as an expat child - she brings both deep technical expertise and a uniquely human, global perspective to mobility leadership.

If you're thinking about how to strengthen your mobility function - or how to build a team that can sustainably support the pace and pressure of global work - this episode is full of practical, honest leadership insight you’ll take with you long after it ends.

We hope you enjoy!

• How can a strong internal brand be built intentionally? 
• What leadership skills matter most for modern Mobility roles? 
• How can Mobility leaders communicate their value and take ownership of the narrative? 
• How can Mobility leaders move from being mentored to being sponsored? 

In this episode, Paul speaks with Mehibe Hill, Leadership & Executive Coach at The C-Coach, about what it truly takes for Mobility professionals to build a strong internal brand and be recognised as the strategic leaders they already are.

Mehibe is a Leadership Coach with experience in leadership roles and leading in-house Global Mobility and HR programmes. She now supports senior Global Mobility leaders through her 1–2–1 and group coaching programmes, workshops, team coaching, and BE HER retreats, empowering clients to lead with authenticity, confidence ,and impact.

If you’re thinking about how to elevate Mobility within your organisation - or how to elevate your own influence as a leader - this episode is full of practical, human insight you’ll take with you long after it ends.

We hope you enjoy!

• What did WERC reveal about where Mobility conversations are really happening? 
• How do you turn conference inspiration into meaningful action? 
• Why is ‘equitable, not equal’ becoming the mindset every mobility leader needs to master? 
• How can lean Mobility teams scale their impact across global brands without losing consistency or care? 

Every conference season gives us new ideas - but the real question is what happens after the panels end.  

In this episode, Paul speaks with Ashley Hunter, Global Mobility Lead at Yum! Brands, about what this year’s WERC revealed about the state of global mobility - and how leaders can turn inspiration into lasting change.  

Ashley shares her reflections from her first WERC, the power of community learning, and the mindset shifts reshaping our field - from managing policies to leading with judgment.   

She built her career in HR and Total Rewards before discovering her passion for global mobility just over two years ago. She loves seeing the bigger picture of how mobility connects strategy, people, and performance - but at the heart of it all, she’s driven by one simple goal: putting the employee experience at the center of every move.  

We hope you enjoy!

• Why do settling-in and cross-cultural benefits deliver more impact than their price tag suggests? 
• How can leaders push back when pressured to make short-sighted cost cuts? 
• What role does empathy play in relocation ROI? 
• How can data and stories help reframe “small” benefits as strategic investments? 

When budgets tighten, the first things to go are often the most human.
 
In this episode, Paul speaks with Sam Estall, former Global Mobility Leader at Accenture, about what really happens when we cut “small” benefits - and why settling-in help and cross-cultural training might deliver the biggest returns of all.

From families struggling to integrate to the surprising role of empathy in relocation ROI, Sam shares what leaders can do to save smart - not cut blind.  

Sam recently left Accenture after a 27 year career with the last 13 in Global mobility leading cross-border moves and strategic mobility initiatives across Europe and beyond. Her focus was on compliance, driving efficiency, aligning mobility with business goals and delivering a premium high-touch service.  

She's passionate about making the transfer experience as seamless as possible, making complex moves feel simple for the business and the transferees.  

We hope you enjoy!

1. What’s the first thing you should do when you inherit a messy or non-existent mobility program?
2. How do you uncover critical compliance and immigration risks-without setting off alarm bells?
3. What’s the smartest way to build trust with Finance, Legal, and HR when fixing past mistakes?
4. How do you future-proof your mobility program while handling urgent, high-pressure projects?

In Episode 76, Paul sits down with Amanda Santamour. With over a decade of industry tenure, Amanda specializes in creating and optimizing bespoke Global Mobility programs to address key talent needs for rapidly growing businesses, while supporting employees with both empathy and efficiency. 

We hope you enjoy!

• How do you get the right people in the room during your first 90 to 120 days? 
• What’s the best way to talk to generalist teams like Finance or RevOps when the conversation feels daunting? 
• How can Mobility stop being seen as the ‘gatekeeper’ and become a true partner to the business? 
• How do you balance purpose, people, & technology in Mobility today? 

In Episode 75, Paul sits down with Chris Raines, Senior Manager of Global Mobility at The Trade Desk.  

Chris is a Global Mobility leader with 20 years of experience leading global immigration and talent mobility programs. He’s passionate about simplifying moves and building people-centered mobility strategies that drive business growth.  

Having grown up as an expat child, Chris brings a unique perspective to Mobility - combining empathy for the individual experience with a sharp focus on scalable processes and credible leadership.  

Before joining The Trade Desk, he led global programs across fast-moving, complex organisations and helped transform Mobility from a transactional function into a trusted business partner.   We hope you enjoy :)

• How does living through relocation change the way leaders design it for others? 
• What does effective Mobility look like in smaller, fast-moving companies? 
• Why do the simplest Mobility programs often deliver the biggest impact? 
• What does good judgment look like in Mobility? 

In Episode 74, Paul sits down with Katy Goldwater, CHRO at Remedica.

Katy is a senior HR leader with 25 years of experience spanning multiple industries from heavy manufacturing, financial services, pharma, and software. Katy started out as a management consultant and spent a large part of her career with large multi-national General Electric in various divisional and regional HR roles. She has worked for American and Japanese pharma companies in both western and emerging markets but during Covid she took a career leap into the big tech industry and helped Bytedance, the parent of TikTok, scale in EMEA.  

With significant transformation and programmatic experience in both the HR-function and the business more broadly, Katy loves solving complex problems in a multi-cultural environment and building great HR teams. She has lived and worked in the US and Russia, and in 2024, she relocated to Athens, Greece, with her husband (Vladimir) and two children, Gabriel and Iris.  

She loves variety and change in the context of HR and is especially passionate about helping smart people to develop science-based products that are good for our world.

We hope you enjoy :)

• How should Mobility leaders communicate in a demerger? 
• How do you keep assignees steady through a demerger? 
• How do you shield employees from payroll and visa risks? 
• Which relationships matter most during a demerger, and why? 
• How do you help the business understand costs & the value of reinvesting them? 

In Episode 73, Paul sits down with Diogo Matos, Head of Global Mobility at Solvay.
 
Diogo brings over 15 years of experience across project management, global mobility strategy and HR leadership, having led multinational teams and delivered large-scale transformations in global companies. He is an expert in designing and implementing mobility strategies, with a track record of driving process integration, strategic consultancy and international projects across Europe and Africa.
 

We hope you enjoy :)

• What immigration changes in the past year mean for Mobility strategy? 
• How can moving ILR from 5 to 10 years reshape sponsorship costs and budgets? 
• What’s changed in compliance and audit rules & how can companies keep up? 
• Despite the costs & complexity, why is the UK still attractive for global talent? 

In Episode 72, Paul sits down with Supinder Sian, Immigration & Global Mobility Partner at Lewis Slikin.
 
Partner in the Immigration & Global Mobility team, Supy supports clients across all areas of UK business immigration and global mobility co-ordination across the spectrum of sectors. Of note, he specializes and supports many businesses on their UK immigration compliance e.g. sponsor license audits and right to work.
 

We hope you enjoy :)

• How do you staff and forecast effectively when you’re operating lean in hypergrowth? 
• How can Mobility offer 90-day work-abroad flexibility while staying compliant? 
• How can Mobility leaders build trust and credibility across the business while being a small team? 
• What can you learn from Shopify’s approach to embedding Mobility into talent, workforce planning, & global operations? 

In Episode 71, Paul sits down with Sandeep Anand, Global Mobility, Immigration & Expansion Leader, former Airbnb and Ex-Shopify. 
 
Sandeep is a recognized leader in Global Mobility, named among the Top 250 Global Mobility Women Leaders; previously also recognized as a Top 100 Global Mobility Innovators and Top 250 Global Mobility Professional. With over 15 years of experience, she has built expertise across Global Mobility, Global Operations, Expansion, Remote Work, and Corporate Travel.
 
Throughout her career, she has held key roles at leading organizations, including BlackBerry, Target, Sun Life, Shopify, and most recently Airbnb. Sandeep is passionate about driving strategic, innovative solutions that influence the shape and future of global mobility.


We hope you enjoy :)

• How should Mobility rethink talent strategy in the AI era?
• What role should Mobility play in preparing talent for the skills AI can’t replace?
• What can Mobility leaders learn about workforce change from startup speed versus corporate pace?
• How can Mobility leaders use data on trust and sentiment - not just cost - to influence strategy

In Episode 70, Paul sits down with Jess Larsen is the founder of Thriving Humans, a consultancy helping leaders make AI transformation work for people by focusing on their performance, not just systems. 
 
She’s held senior HR and People leadership roles—including VP of People at fintech scale-up TrueLayer and Chief People Officer at Board Intelligence, along with an earlier career in relocation with BGRS as their EMEA HR Director then external Consultant to their relocation clients. In this work she advised on the intersection of Talent impacts of relocation to stakeholders like Rio Tinto, Honeywell, Morgan Stanley and others —and advised organisations on global mobility, culture design, and workforce strategy. With a career built at the intersection of technology and human performance, Jess brings deep expertise in how AI is reshaping work and what it takes for people to thrive through change.


We hope you enjoy :)

In Episode 69, we change format with our first-ever Mobility Summer Mailbag Special. Paul answers the questions we’ve been hearing most from the community this summer -  from technology to scope to long-term careers.  

This special covers: 
1. The reality of AI in mobility - where it’s already being used, and where the hype still outpaces the practice
2. The organizational debate - which functions mobility fits best under, and why sponsorship matters more than reporting lines
3.  The business travel dilemma - why more companies are asking mobility to own it, and how this shift can expand influence and visibility
4. Career growth in mobility - the skills, experiences, and choices that prevent silos and open doors for future leaders  

The episode closes with a myth-busting segment, cutting through some of the assumptions that still surround our field - from “AI is replacing mobility professionals” to “compliance is the core purpose.”  

A different kind of episode - built around the questions shaping mobility today, and designed to give you clear, practical takeaways!  

We hope you enjoy :)

• What drives assignment success in Africa -and what still gets overlooked?  
• What are some mistakes companies make when sending talent to Africa?  
• How is assignment length and structure changing across Africa? 
• Why are more companies hiring returning diaspora talent- and how is it changing policy? 

In Episode 66, Paul sits down with Rene Webster, Global Mobility Leader.
 
Rene is a global mobility leader and former expat with a decade of experience leading DSP operations, especially across Africa. Passionate about helping people thrive, she brings a human-centered approach. Her latest project launches a service centre based in Africa, supporting mobility providers with quality-driven outsourced solutions.

We hope you enjoy :)

• How do you maintain mobility awareness in corporations during geopolitical changes?
• How can Mobility effectively mediate between different company stakeholders during strategic and reactive transitions?
• What methods are there for staying informed of latest developments in the Mobility word when on a tight company budget? 
• How do you bridge the gap between Mobility and compensation? 

In the latest episode, Paul sits down with IQVIA's Global Mobility Manager, Tosin Adenrele, to discuss how Global Mobility can best prepare themselves, their teams and their companies for future strategic shifts and geoplotical transitions. Tosin is a seasoned Global Mobility professional with over a decade of experience across industries including FMCG, Financial Services, Oil & Gas, Pharma, and Tech. Known as a problem solver, she has led initiatives in change management, HR transformation, and global mobility centralization, earning awards such as the Ovation Award for Innovation (IQVIA, 2024) and Operational Excellence Award (BP). Tosin is also a regular speaker, ambassador for Global Mobility Journeys, and judge for the FEM EMEA EMMA and Relocate Global Awards.

• How can cities attract remote workers without relying solely on cash incentives? 
• What does a successful community onboarding strategy actually look like? 
• What role does social proof play in attracting and retaining remote workers? 
• How can relocation strategies shift to reflect freedom, flexibility, and purpose? 

In Episode 66, Paul sits down with Darcy Marie Mayfield, Culture Architecture & Experience Design Strategist at Shift with Darcy Marie.
 
Darcy is a strategist helping cities and organizations turn relocation into lasting connections. With roots in hospitality and early experience launching Airbnb Experiences, she now works at the intersection of place, mobility, and belonging. From launching TulsaBound to advising a variety of destination and tourism boards, Darcy helps design relocation programs, cultural infrastructure, and narrative strategy that transform how people land, and choose to stay.  

Her work is both about moving people physically and moving them emotionally. She believes that the future of talent attraction isn’t transactional, it’s personal. And people don’t just move for opportunity. They stay (and contribute) when they feel they belong.

We hope you enjoy :)

• How can global companies align their people strategy without erasing culture? 
• What does localised HR actually look like in action? 
• How do you measure global talent programs that truly work?  
• How will AI reshape global talent matching and employee engagement? 

In Episode 65, Paul sits down with  Lisa Rodriguez, People Leader.
 
Lisa is a seasoned Chief People Officer with 15 years of experience shaping the people strategy across advertising, media, and marketing industries. She leads with a focus on elevating the employee experience, cultivating high-performance cultures, and designing forward-thinking talent strategies.  

Throughout her career, Lisa has championed impactful people programs that attract, develop, and retain top-tier talent while fostering a culture rooted in engagement, agility, and innovation. She has driven key strategic initiatives-including talent acquisition optimization, performance management enhancements, talent assessment redesign, and the launch of dynamic learning and development programs. 

Her expertise spans the full talent lifecycle, including skills development, career progression, succession planning, and recognition strategy. Lisa’s track record reflects her commitment to building empowered, future-ready workforces and scalable talent ecosystems that support both individual growth and organizational success.

We hope you enjoy :)