There is nothing very complex about me, but I have achieved a lot in my working life. The Walking Critic is just an extension of those achievements.
The Walking Critic is also a role that I take very seriously, as the power of the pen can both hurt and help a business that I review.
Being a professional writer comes with a huge amount of responsibility. I know what I write matters and I take it very seriously. The Walking Critic is more than just a “voice”; it is a potent force. It has the power to benefit and harm a brand, especially in the hospitality and travel industries, where reviews can make or break a business.
Thankfully, I’m not a part-time, pop-up blogger. I’m an industry professional, with 35 years under his belt. One that Telstra recognised, as one of the top 5 small businesses in the country, out of 5,000 nominations for the Telstra Small Business Awards.
As the founder, creator and inspiration behind BlueSun Travel, I am immensely proud of our achievements and a brand that continues to rank as one of the top tourism names in the country.
My media experience, prior to The Walking Critic, spans over 35 years and three continents. In that time, I was the editor of two magazines, Country magazine in England and Campaign Magazine in the USA.
I spent two years acting as a regular contributor and freelance style writer for the Washington Times newspaper. In that time, I had the great distinction of covering the diplomatic corps, exhibitions, book launches, restaurants and pretty much anything they wanted under the Style Section.
I was the co-author of 50 Maps of Washington, DC (Spade & Archer) and a contributor to the West Australian newspaper.
I was a paid consultant to all three terrestrial TV networks in the United States of America (ABC, CBS and NBC), as well as the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the National Newspaper Association (NNA) and the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau (CAB).
I acted as a media consultant to political leaders from France, Germany, Israel, Jamaica, Japan Sweden and the United Kingdom. I was quoted in the National Journal as being, "One of the most powerful names in politics".
In those roles, I also donated my time to non-profit groups, becoming a key-note speaker and guest lecturer at the National Press Club in Washington, DC for the Close Up Foundation.
I have a huge background coordinating travel arrangements for the international live music industry.
Working exclusively for major internatinonal promoters, I was responsible for overseeing air and hotel arrangements for major performers like the Rolling Stones, Burning Spear, Huey Louis and the News, the Jacksons, Lucky Dube, Madonna, Phantom of the Opera, Phil Collins, Aretha Franklin, Lisa Stansfield, and many other notable names.
In 1990, I was featured on the front cover of the Washington Business Journal for being a world leader in travel management.
One of my greatest accolades was being repsonsible for meeting management worldwide for the travel industry. This included the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the American Air Transport Association (AATA), the International Association of Air Traffic Controllers (IAATC) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to name but a few.
Other clients included the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the Securities and Exchange Commision (SEC), the Saudi Royal Family, the British Embassy, the South African Embassy, the National Endowment for Democracy.
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