His initial career developed in Local Government, to senior management positions in the London Boroughs and to other Boroughs around London, and from Bristol to Southend and Harrow, etc., then emigration with his family of six to New Zealand when he was required to return and face a three-month trial at the Old Bailey – at the end of which, he was cleared. Another setback enabled him to work in the then Soviet Union as a Project Manager, building the world’s second largest plant manufacturing Optical Glass Fibre, which was followed by a period in CeauÅŸescu’s Romania. Being one of the few Englishmen in these countries at the time proved to be very much to his advantage in terms of work opportunities and making many good friends.