The main priority during the last couple of months was to get my new career as an executive search consultant off to a good start. We began by sending out some 16,000 emails to all the people whose name cards I have collected over the years. A lot of you replied, and I want to thank everyone who took the trouble to do so.

Many of you submitted a CV and these are now safely stored in the Stanton Chase database. But remember, the people who pay us are the companies looking to hire. So we'll only be getting back to you if you look like a strong candidate for a position we've been given a mandate to fill. An especially big thank you to those who did contact me with a view to hiring us.

Meanwhile bubbling away in the background were the regular columns for the SCMP, repeated in Chinese on the HKEJ website, and the weekly radio appearances. Some of you will know that Backchat is now taking its summer break, so it is safe to tune in to Radio 3 on Monday mornings, at least for a while. I'm hoping in the next few weeks to break into the Wall Street Journal. And if ATV can work out who owns the company, perhaps we can re-start discussions on the new talk show.

Have a great summer everyone!