Biography
I'm a British writer based in Tokyo, focusing mainly on Japan-related features (on everything from business to sustainability to the arts) and travel writing.
My writing appears in media ranging from international consumer magazines and newspapers to in-flight magazines, corporate publications, and the web. I'm also the author of several Japan guidebooks, in addition to having updated and edited other books on Japan.
Prior to going fully freelance, I was the deputy editor of Japan's oldest bilingual (English-Japanese) magazine. I also spent a few years covering the finance industry as Japan correspondent for eFinancialCareers - not the most exciting beat, but invaluable experience nonetheless. Nowadays, I get to write about Japan's people, culture and most fascinating places for publications like TIME and National Geographic Traveler, while for publications like Eurobiz Japan I swap my backpack and beard for a shave and a shirt and get to meet remarkable people from the world of business; from entrepreneurs and NPO founders to economists and business leaders.
If you would like to see some of my work, I have a portfolio page here. Below is also a list of some of the 70 or so publications and broadcasters I've had the pleasure to work with in recent years.
If you would like to get in touch to discuss a project, you can send me an e-mail here. Or you could always say hello on Twitter: @tokyofreelance. I'm always happy to hear ideas.
Selected List of Publications
Magazines & Newspapers
- TIME
- National Geographic Traveler
- Lexus Magazine
- Eurobiz Japan (European Business Council, Japan)
- Morning Calm (Korean Air)
- Four Seasons
- Voyeur (Virgin Australia)
- Delta Sky Magazine
- iNTOUCH (Tokyo American Club)
- ACCJ Journal (American Chamber of Commerce, Japan)
- Holland Herald (KLM)
- Graffiti (Graff Diamonds)
- Continental
- Oryx (Qatar Airways)
- Sydney Morning Herald
- Voyageur (Carlson Radisson Hotels Worldwide)
- Tomorrow Today (Toyota UK)
- Open Skies (Emirates)
- International Paper Board Industry
- The National
- Singapore Airlines
- Thai Airways
- South China Morning Post
Books
- Travel Pack Tokyo, Tuttle, early 2014 (author)
- Travel Pack Japan, Tuttle, 2013 (author)
- Insight City Guide Tokyo, 2013 (full update)
- Insight Guide to Japan, 2012 (full update/co-author)
- Tokyo: 29 walks in the world's most exciting city, Tuttle, 2012 (full update/edit & partial ghost write)
- Fodor's Japan, 20th ed, 2011 (contributor)
- Rough Guide to Japan, 5th ed, 2011 (contributor)
- Insight Guides' Asia's Best Hotels & Resorts, 2008 (contributor)
Broadcast work
- BBC 5 Live
- BBC Radio Wales
- Sky TV News
- SABC
Online
- NationalGeographic.com
- eFinancialCareers.com (freelance Japan correspondent 2008-2011)
- TIME.com
- Jetsetter
- Vertu
- SCCJ.org (Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Japan)
I specialize in the following areas
- Features on topics ranging from business in Japan to sustainability to the arts
- Travel writing (articles and books; with a focus on Japan)
- Editorial management (magazines/books)
- Corporate assignments (corporate publications, consulting on corporate communications, CSR, etc)
Associations and Societies
- TravelWriters UK
- North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA)