Spring/Early Summer
Apart from covering Brexit, Theresa May’s resignation and the daily “who’s nominating themselves or dropping out” Tory party updates, I’ve spent much of the spring/early summer traveling to places near and far.
A return trip to Tokyo in April proved very lucky as I managed to arrive during Sakura, the 10-day cherry blossom season. I also met with members of the burgeoning startup scene, which made a stark contrast to my visit in 2015, when it was nearly impossible to find any startups in Tokyo, at least none reported in the English press. Among the highlights was learning about Startup Lady, a co-ed group supporting female entrepreneurs which I’ll be writing about for Forbes, Shiseido’s new Global Innovation Center, complete with scientifically-based, customized skin care, and Tsurutokame, a restaurant serving haute cuisine and run entirely by women. I’ve reported the story for the BBC’s From Our Own Correspondent and will be posting on my Portfolio page. I’ve fallen for Japan and can’t wait to go back.
I also spoke about how to find your story and position it to the press at LEAP Summit in Zagreb. And, I heard inspiring stories at Viva Tech in Paris as Master of Ceremonies for the Women Innovators Awards, sponsored by the European Commission for Research, Science and Innovation. I’ll be writing about one winner who founded her biotech company at the age of 58. Keep an eye on my Forbes page for more.