This article was originally published in InDaily on 9 April 2024. Click here to view the article.
Joseph John has worked in trade and investment in India, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, but he told the hosts of the Adelaide Connected podcast that Adelaide and the warmth of its people is where it’s at.
Joseph John and his wife Anumol made the decision to move to Adelaide for two reasons: family and opportunity.
“My brother lives here with his children. He moved from India to Sydney where he worked for a while before choosing to relocate to Adelaide,” John explained.
“While growing up in India, I grew up with my cousins and I wanted my children to have that experience as well.
“Had my brother lived in Melbourne or Sydney, we probably wouldn’t have considered it, but Adelaide has a real family-friendly vibe and helped with our decision to relocate.
“The second reason why we chose Adelaide is the city’s growth potential.
“There are lots of opportunities here and you can see South Australia is really on the cusp of a new wave of economic development and prosperity.”
With a background in commerce and economics, John had an extensive career in the UK where he worked as an insurance advisor, a currency and forex trader and as an associate for Goldman Sachs.
In 2013, he returned to India to take up a role as a trade & investment advisor with the British High Commission and then director of the commission, working with Scottish Development International, Scotland’s trade and inward investment agency.
“We originally stated making plans to move to Australia in 2019 but the pandemic put a spanner in the works, and we stayed in India for a bit longer than we intended,” John said.
“While the pandemic was an initial hindrance, it gave me an opportunity to care for my late father for a year, which I am really grateful for.”
In 2022, the family moved to New Zealand before deciding to make the move to Adelaide where John is now the senior economic development advisor for the City of Salisbury, bringing his wealth of business, trade and investment experience to South Australia.
John and his wife are on a skilled visa as a pathway to permanent residency, enabling the couple to contribute to the economy while they settle in.
“The city is very welcoming. The warmth of Adelaideans is something truly phenomenal, which doesn’t occur in big cities like London or other parts of the world,” John said.
“If you want to have a conversation or catch up with someone over coffee, people are more than willing to give their time and I think that shows a significant commitment from the [Adelaide] community to make others feel at home and that stands out.”
With John’s brother already established in Adelaide, the family had a relatively soft landing into their new home town but they also encountered some initial challenges, including finding rental accommodation.
“It took me about 16 inspections to find a house, so I had to pick whatever was offered,” John said.
“Real estate agents sometimes don’t understand that you may not have a previous rental history if you were a homeowner overseas.
“But I see that as an opportunity, not a complaint. If it took me 16 houses to find a rental property, it means there are lots of people moving to Adelaide and that’s a good thing.”
Joseph, Anumol and children on holiday on Yorke Peninsula
John’s role with the City of Salisbury sees him interacting with a wide range of businesses and people from all different backgrounds.
“There is so much diversity in Adelaide that I haven’t seen anywhere else. I was at an event recently, and I spoke to about 8 people and 7 of them were from different nationalities.
“The diversity and the cultural influence that Adelaide will have in the coming years is phenomenal. It makes Adelaide really, really unique.
“The kind of businesses I work with are also really interesting. One day I may meet with a company in the manufacturing sector, the next day I may be meeting with a company in defence or academia. Yesterday, for example, I was at the Parafield Airport interacting with the flying school.
“There is a lot of diversity and mix in terms of what we are trying to do and how we add value to the business community.”
John said Adelaide is also punching above its weight when it comes to innovation and as a hub for critical sectors.
“A lot of wonderful things are based in Adelaide including the Australian Institute of Machine Learning, the National Wine Centre and the Australian Space Discovery Centre … this presents a lot of opportunities for Adelaide to grow to its full potential.”
Adelaide is the place to be for this cricket fan
Drawing on his previous trade and investment experience, John is on the board of the Australia-India Business Council, which has a clear objective of educating South Australian businesses of the trade opportunities outside of Australia.
“The opportunities are there – hydrogen and critical minerals for example – all the ingredients are there, we just need to take it to the next level,” he said.
“And I think it’s already happening with the recent report that indicates that South Australia is number one in terms of exports compared to the rest of the states.
“If we keep going down that path and keep attracting new businesses as well, I think there will be a lot of prosperity for Adelaideans.”
Season 3 of the Adelaide Connected podcast is now live, with a new episode released each Wednesday.
Hosts, Naomi Marsh and Ali Chatburn, speak with ‘Boomerangs’, people who are originally from Adelaide that have moved abroad and have now returned, and ‘Arrows’, those who are from interstate or overseas and have chosen to move to Adelaide to live, work and play. We hear about their time abroad and delve into key topics about their journey to Adelaide, how important networking is, how we attract key talent, and how our state fares on a global scale.
Adelaide Connected is a key program, supported by a grant from the Government of South Australia and delivered by the Committee for Adelaide, that is helping to break down the barriers for skilled migrants, international students, and expats. The program provides opportunities for people to connect and network with likeminded individuals who have recently moved or returned to Adelaide, South Australia.
To listen and watch the Adelaide Connected Podcast, search for ‘Adelaide Connected’ on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.