I don't sell holidays. I Engineer Exits.
After four decades in international finance and a life lived across three continents, I founded Your Next Chapter Abroad — because the most important retirement question isn't "how much money do I have?" It's "how do I actually want to live?"
- 40+ years of international finance experience
- Based in Ho Chi Minh City — lives this life every day
- 100% independent — no commissions, no products
The Credentials
1980s
Started life abroad
Ho Chi Minh City
Living it daily since 2005
3 continents
Lived experience
100% Independent
No commissions ever
“Most people planning retirement abroad are drowning in information but starving for wisdom.”
The Cousins Who Changed Everything
Back in 2021, I stopped off to visit my cousin Denise and her husband Peter in Wales. On paper they were in excellent financial shape — £600,000 in pensions and savings, a property worth £250,000, and good health. But they looked miserable. Three years of research into retiring in Thailand had left them more confused and more paralysed than when they started.
“We’re more confused now than when we started,” Peter told me. “And honestly, Neil? We’re terrified of making a mistake.”
That single conversation changed my direction entirely. How many Denises and Peters are out there in exactly the same position?
“I’m not a 25-year-old digital nomad writing this from a hostel. I am 64. I am your peer.”
LEARNING BY LIVING
I left the UK for the Middle East in the mid-1980s — long before Dubai became the glittering metropolis it is today. I spent over a decade working in financial services across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, learning what it meant to build a life in a completely different culture, to navigate systems that operated by different rules, to find community far from home.
In 2005 I found myself drawn to Southeast Asia on a more permanent basis. Over the years I have lived and worked in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Hong Kong, and spent significant time in Sub-Saharan Africa. Each place taught me something different about what makes a location work for long-term living versus short-term visits.
I am currently based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where I now call home. I navigate the healthcare system, deal with visa renewals, manage banking across currencies, and handle all the practical realities that travel blogs gloss over.
“I don’t sell you a dream. I help you assess whether your dream is realistic, identify the obstacles, and create a concrete plan.”
Why I'm Different
Financial expertise
Four decades of making complex money decisions. I assess whether your retirement vision is financially realistic — not just aspirationally appealing.
Boots on the ground
Based in SE Asia. I navigate visas, healthcare and banking every single day. This is my life, not my research.
Peer credibility
I am 64 and facing the same life stage as you. Not a consultant telling you what to do — a peer who has already walked the path.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because a qualified relocation agent has never lived this life. I have. Four decades in international finance, combined with firsthand expat experience across three continents, gives me something no qualification can — the real picture of what this actually looks like on the ground.
Yes. I live in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I deal with visas, healthcare, banking and daily life here every single day. When I tell you something about life in Southeast Asia, it is because I am living it right now.
Never. I do not sell products, take referral fees or earn commissions of any kind. My only income comes from the fees my clients pay me directly. That independence is non-negotiable.
What is the best first step if I want to work with you? Book a free 20-minute Discovery Call. It costs nothing, requires no preparation, and gives you an honest assessment of whether Southeast Asia is right for your circumstances. If we are a good fit, we can discuss next steps. If we are not, I will tell you honestly.
Every Great Exit Begins With a Single Conversation.
Twenty minutes could change the next twenty years. Book your free Discovery Call today — no cost, no obligation, no sales pitch.
Free · No Obligation · 20 Minutes · Via Teams
- 40+ years of international finance experience
- Independent — no commissions, no products
- Professional, verified, strategic guidance