Kicking Off Our First Symposium Huddle of 2025

Kicking Off Our First Symposium Huddle of 2025

Our first Symposium Huddle of the year set a high bar for 2025. Hosted at Mercer’s London offices, with a stunning view of the historic Tower of London, the event’s theme of resilience and adaptability resonated deeply as we navigated the evolving challenges of Global Mobility.

Key Economic Insights for 2025

The day began with an enlightening session by Julius Bendikas and Hilary Winn from Mercer, who shared their geopolitical and economic outlook. Whilst the global economy is projected to remain stable, with inflation and interest rates expected to decline gradually, uncertainties loom. The impact of President Trump’s policies, the strength of the US dollar, and weaker forecasts for Sterling, the Euro, and major European economies like France and Germany, were focal points of discussion. These insights set the tone for a day of exploring challenges and opportunities in Global Mobility.

Learning from Member Experiences

Our corporate updates showcased inspiring examples of innovation and resilience within our member community:

• Leane Harding, Deloitte: Leane shared her experiences of harmonising shared services for onboarding and Global Mobility processes. She highlighted the importance of leveraging professional networks at events and taking advantage of tools such as Expat Academy’s benchmarking service to tap into the collective wisdom of members.
• David Langborne, Otis: David’s reflections underscored the ongoing struggle to shift Global Mobility from a reactive compliance role to a proactive business partner. His question, “Does anyone have groups of moves where cost is the main driver but you can’t go with a fully equalised package?” sparked a lively exchange of strategies.
• Cat Vose’s Future Leaders Programme: Cat illustrated the pressure to deliver mobility solutions cost-effectively, encapsulated in her stakeholders’ sentiment: “I want what I want, but I want it cheaper!” The group offered creative solutions, including ways to reduce housing costs for high-potential employees.

Collaborative Problem Solving in ‘Counselling Corner’

During breakout discussions, members tackled key operational and strategic topics, including:

• Rolling out digital briefings and using AI to refine policy language.
• Improving vendor RFP processes and recording final presentations for reference.
• Embedding Global Mobility into the onboarding process for international hires.
• Addressing policy gaps for early-career talent development.

These sessions showcased the collective expertise within the Expat Academy community, offering actionable solutions to shared challenges.

Adapting to a Changing Mobility Landscape

In a session led by Mercer’s Michael Grover and Phil McBride, we explored the shifting role of Global Mobility professionals. With traditional expat assignments on the decline, there is growing demand for flexible policies and skills to support locally and internationally hired foreigners, business travellers, and permanent moves. Key questions emerged:

• Who ensures employees understand local benefits like social security and parental leave?
• How should Global Mobility teams define their involvement in permanent moves and business travel?

The Future of Global Mobility: Debate Highlights

The day concluded with a spirited debate: “Global Mobility teams will be obsolete by 2030 unless they start owning business travel compliance.”

Participants exchanged compelling arguments, blending humour with thought-provoking insights. While some argued that compliance alone does not signify progress for Global Mobility, others highlighted the growing complexity of assignments and the regulatory environment which governs business travel.

Acknowledgments and Looking Ahead

We extend our sincere thanks to Mercer for hosting this Symposium Huddle and to our expert contributors – Santa Fe Relocation, Sterling Lexicon, and Equus Software – for their invaluable insights.

Join us at our next Symposium Huddle to connect, learn, and grow with the vibrant Expat Academy community. Don’t miss the opportunity to collaborate and tackle the challenges shaping the future of Global Mobility.