#17 Rethinking Borders in the Age of Digital Nomads, with María Alejandra Londoño

In this episode of The We Are Innovation Podcast, host Federico Fernández sat down with María Alejandra Londoño, Research Lead at Liberty International, to explore the groundbreaking Digital Nomad Tax Freedom Index. As a finance expert with extensive experience in global mobility, María Alejandra shared insights into how different countries are adapting their tax policies to attract the growing digital nomad community.

Throughout the discussion, listeners discovered why destinations like Ecuador and Malta emerged as top choices for location-independent workers, and learned how factors beyond tax rates influence digital nomads' decisions. María Alejandra delved into the challenges of visa adoption, the methodology behind the index, and the delicate balance between libertarian tax philosophy and practical governance needs.

The conversation explored findings about digital nomad behavior, including why many preferred informal arrangements and what this meant for countries developing nomad-friendly policies. Looking ahead, María Alejandra offered her perspective on how tax policies might evolve as digital nomadism transitions from a niche lifestyle to a mainstream work arrangement.

Whether you're a digital nomad, policymaker, or someone interested in the future of work, this episode provided valuable insights into the intersection of taxation, global mobility, and economic freedom.

Our Guest:

María Alejandra Londoño (COL) leads the Training Department at Liberty International, where she also serves as Research Lead for their Digital Nomad Tax Freedom Initiative. A finance and international trade graduate with honors, she brings over seven years of experience advising businesses across various sectors. Her work focuses on building engaged communities and conducting data-driven research on global mobility, with extensive experience facilitating international events across multiple continents. 

Links and further reading: 

Digital Nomad Tax Freedom Initiative - https://cutt.ly/Be3rrXNK 

Tax Policy in a Mobile World: Insights from the Digital Nomad Tax Freedom Index - https://cutt.ly/Ie3rrvU6 

Nomad Visa in Spain: Sun vs. Taxes - https://cutt.ly/qe3rojTY 

#9 Unpacking Ethical Tax Strategies and Nomadism, with Danilo Silva - https://cutt.ly/je3rpvgX  

Follow We Are Innovation: 

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@weare_innovation 
X - https://twitter.com/innovationweare  
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareinnovation/ 
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/innovationweare/ 
Web: https://weareinnovation.global 

Music:
Summer - Bensound
.css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}