Advertising's Golden Era and the Hard Part: Coming Home
Today on Nomadic Diaries, I sat down with Peter Levitan, former Saatchi & Saatchi executive and serial entrepreneur, to talk about navigating international assignments, adapting to new cultures, and the challenges of returning home after working abroad. Peter shared invaluable insights on building trust, learning cultural nuances, and the importance of empathy in global business.
Peter was one of the few Americans hand-picked to transfer to Saatchi's London office during its heyday. At that time HR was not involved, there was no orientation, no cultural training, no HR support. He figured it out through pub conversations, workplace friendships, and learning to read the room in a very different business culture. He built trust, adapted fast, and thrived.
Then he came home. And that's when things got complicated.
Despite gaining invaluable intercultural experience, Peter returned to find nobody particularly interested in what he'd learned. There was no debriefing, no attempt to leverage his insights, and certainly no acknowledgment of reverse culture shock. The skills he'd developed, cultural intelligence, adaptability, the ability to bridge offices and cultures became invisible.
In this conversation, Peter shares the realities of corporate international moves in the 1980s, the resilience required when you're navigating a new country with young children, and why returning expats often feel like their experience doesn't count. He also offers hard-won advice: be proactive about seeking support, manage your "brand" carefully when sharing your overseas stories, and don't assume your company will automatically value what you've gained.
This episode is essential listening for anyone who's lived abroad and struggled with reentry, or for companies wondering why their international assignments aren't delivering the ROI they expected.
If this episode resonates with you, please leave us a review. It helps other expats and returnees find these conversations.
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