London, Paris, New York: Cities that signalled a new chapter in Brett Gosper's life

For a man whose fitness routine consists of jet-setting through some of the world’s busiest airports, World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper is a pro at starting over in a new city. But according to the former ad man, who spent 40 years chasing a dual career in advertising and rugby, the cities he has felt the most at home have been those that signalled a new chapter in his life.

“I liked being in my 20s and 30s in Paris,” Gosper said, who started his professional rugby career in Paris. “It was a good, energetic place to live – very artistic and creative. As I got a bit older and had a family, London was a nice transition.”

When his advertising career took off, Gosper made the shift to New York. “Suddenly the scale and the size of everything was much larger. In America, you just added zeroes to everything. Overnight you could win a $100 million account, but it was also worrying that you could lose a $100 million account overnight,” he said, with a laugh.