Being a global worker does not always involve traveling, but it does involve cross-cultural communication and understanding, patience and tolerance. Working in the area of international taxation requires adaptability to change, flexibility and critical thinking. And what our next podcast guest, Nazia Manji from Assurant, sees as most important in both situations is the willingness to keep learning.

About Our Guest

Nazia Manji is a certified public accountant in both the U.S. and Canada and is an international tax manager at Assurant, an insurance company that provides lifestyle and housing solutions that support, protect, and connect major consumer purchases. Working for a Fortune 500 company with a presence in 21 countries, Nazia appreciates the opportunity to be able to connect and build relationships with people from different walks of life from her office in Atlanta. She speaks seven languages and has visited more than fifty countries.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Inclusive Globalization and U.S. Competitiveness.

In this episode, we chat with a seasoned global HR professional whose newest role involves creating strategies and policies for a global workforce representing more than 78 countries. Gretchen describes what opportunities and challenges currently exist in her industry, and emphasizes the importance of humility and good technical, data-analysis and presentation skills for new hires.

About Our Guest

Gretchen Moxcey is a partner and the chief human resources officer at KPMG Lower Gulf, where she leads the People, Performance and Culture function in support of over 1700 Partners and employees in the UAE and Oman. She moved to Dubai earlier this year with her husband. Gretchen has three decades of human resources experience, including more than twenty years in "big four" professional services, most recently serving as managing director for Deloitte delivering talent strategy and programs between the U.S. and India.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Inclusive Globalization and U.S. Competitiveness.

It's never too early to go global! Our guest this week started her global career at the age of nineteen through a study abroad program and has kept pursuing this path ever since. Today she shares with us what motivates her to keep going and discusses her current role in consulting, pinpoints the main skills and knowledge needed to work internationally, and identifies a number of emerging workplace trends that excite her.

About Our Guest

Claire Meyer is a consultant at the Business Performance Institute in Milan, Italy. She is relatively new to the position but has spent many years studying and working in Europe. Although Claire grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, she opted to study abroad in Spain for her undergraduate degree in international business and then went on to complete her MBA at SDA Bocconi in Milan (with a semester abroad in China). Claire speaks Italian, Spanish and English, and has been passionate about having a global career for as long as she can remember.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Inclusive Globalization and U.S. Competitiveness.

What skills are needed to work for a growing global firm, in any industry? Today we hear from someone who often has to wear several corporate hats in order to ensure regulatory compliance, sustainable development, employee and customer satisfaction, and smooth manufacturing operations within a company that is looking for long-term advancement and global competitiveness.

About Our Guest

Gail Lehman is executive vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary at Hexcel Corporation, a global leader in advanced composites technology used in aerospace, defense and industrial applications. Gail oversees the legal and trade compliance departments for this $1.6 billion company with global operations, including 19 manufacturing locations on six continents. Gail has also held positions in human resources in a number of public and private equity companies.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Inclusive Globalization and U.S. Competitiveness.

Working globally often (but not always) entails companies moving employees overseas for a certain period of time, and there are experts who help employers handle the logistics of those moves. Listen as Steve describes what working in the field of global mobility is like, how the practice has changed over the years, and what new trends, opportunities and challenges have emerged.

About Our Guest

Steve McGarry is the director of Global Mobility at WPP, a world leader in communications, experience, commerce and technology. Headquartered in the UK, WPP has a global network of 100,000 people across 110 countries. WPP owns some of the biggest and most prestigious brands in advertising, PR and data analytics, including Landor & Fitch, Ogilvy, Mindshare, Wavemaker, Grey and BCW.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Inclusive Globalization and U.S. Competitiveness.

In the first episode of season two, which focuses on crafting your place in the new global work space, Christine introduces us to the field of public policy and government affairs services. She describes her work with small business and startups where she and her colleagues help them navigate business and trade regulations and access expert policy advice. Top tips for students today, including those pursuing a global career: be proactive in your learning early on in your career, become familiar with data collection and interpretation (and factor data into your decision-making process), and look at change as an opportunity, not a threat.

About Our Guest

Christine Davies is the CEO and founder of Poligage, an online marketplace for companies seeking policy insights and government affairs services. Christine started the company in May of 2020 after two decades of working at the intersection of public and private sectors, including the Asia Society, Microsoft, U.S. Department of State and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, as well as a stint in Thailand for the American Chamber of Commerce.

About the Global Careers Podcast Series

This podcast presents inspiring stories from seasoned professionals who have embraced a global role and reaped the benefits. We offer practical advice and insider tips across a broad swath of industries and fields around the world about what it is like to work globally. If you love adventure and thrive on taking risks and operating outside your comfort zone, join us as we explore the ins and outs of pursuing an international career!

About GW-CIBER

The George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) promotes the nation’s capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise related to the theme of Institutions, Inclusive Globalization and U.S. Competitiveness.

Leslie Howard’s (BBA ‘89) entrepreneurial journey demonstrates how surprise life challenges can create a “lightbulb moment” that reveals a new innovative path for an entrepreneur. It takes a very special kind of entrepreneur like Leslie, though, to turn that burning lightbulb into a thriving organization that makes an impact. In this episode, Leslie shares her unique lightbulb moment, which catalyzed the founding of the Cohen Howard law practice. Cohen Howard, LLP represents healthcare providers in the administrative appeal process on medical claims that are denied or under-reimbursed by commercial insurance carriers. Leslie's lightbulb moment put her on a path to advocate for change in our healthcare system, championing the needs of physicians and patients alike.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 80% of Americans tailgated at sporting events and spent $35 billion a year on food and drink alone. During the pandemic, millions of Americans found themselves “homegating” during sporting events. An avid sports fan from birth, GWSB Executive MBA alumna Daina Falk set out to create a lifestyle brand like Martha Stewart Living — but for the sport fan lifestyle. She’s built a fun and exciting brand, Hungry Fan, providing food and beverage products, recipes and party ideas, while building an online community of sport fans and foodies alike. In this episode, we learn from Daina about the challenges of being a female entrepreneur in a male-dominated industry, lessons on entrepreneurial resiliency when the unexpected happens, and how MBA skills can contribute to entrepreneurial success.

In this episode, we learn from Dr. Leo Moersen, our chief diversity officer and an associate professor of accountancy and business law, about the different ways the GWSB community promotes diversity, equity and inclusion. We learn what a chief diversity officer does, and we discuss the ways that students, faculty, staff and alumni can get involved in these important efforts.

In this episode, we chat with GWSB alumna and life coach Linda Mueller about what life is like for expats and how creativity and entrepreneurship can play a role in living a stable, healthy and resilient life abroad.