Global Entrepreneurs Are Choosing Sotogrande with Diogo Assis

Why International Families Are Moving to Sotogrande

What brought them here initially was education, sport and family life. His son could combine school with serious golf training, while the family discovered something increasingly difficult to find elsewhere: security, independence for the children and an international community where different nationalities mix very naturally.

But the interesting part came later. Once the children started becoming more independent, Diogo and his wife asked themselves whether they would still want to live in Sotogrande after the children eventually left.

The answer was yes. And I think that tells you far more about living in Sotogrande than any property brochure ever could.

Remote Working Is Changing the Sotogrande Property Market

COVID changed the relationship many of us have with work, something Sotogrande has benefited enormously from. Diogo can run an international business from here, travel when necessary and spend the rest of his time thinking more strategically, without all the noise that often comes with being permanently in a major city.

He described Sotogrande as somewhere where time seems to move slightly slower. He even bought an old Land Rover Santana, which physically forces him to drive more slowly, notice the landscape and enjoy what is around him.

It sounds almost trivial, but perhaps that is exactly the point. For many international entrepreneurs, Sotogrande real estate is not simply about buying a bigger house. It is about buying back a different pace of life.

Golf, Community and the Sotogrande Lifestyle

Golf originally brought the family here and remains an important part of their life. With Valderrama, Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, San Roque and some of Spain’s best golf courses nearby, it naturally becomes part of everyday living rather than something reserved for holidays.

But golf also creates community. Diogo has built friendships around it, while his son has taken the sport seriously enough to pursue it alongside his studies.

This is something I think people sometimes misunderstand about Sotogrande. The attraction is not one individual thing. It is the combination of sport, international education, security, nature and a community that somehow manages to remain very discreet.

What Global Business Taught Him About Leadership

We also spoke about VOKIN and the culture Diogo has built around the company. Before COVID, they were producing hundreds of events every year. Then suddenly there were no events at all.

Instead of simply waiting for the world to reopen, Diogo asked his teams to create new ideas. One of them became a digital events platform, developed inside the company during the crisis. His philosophy is simple: people need a safe place to fail. If you want innovation, employees need room to try something, make mistakes and learn without being punished every time something does not work.

I liked that because it applies far beyond events. Whether you are building a company, raising children or developing a community, people generally grow when they are given responsibility rather than being constantly controlled.

Why Sotogrande Works for Global Entrepreneurs

Diogo would like better flight connections from Gibraltar and perhaps a little more variety in the restaurant scene, but he does not want Sotogrande to become Marbella.

Sotogrande offers something else: space, security, golf, family life and the possibility of slowing things down without disconnecting from the world.

“We are in our happy place.”

🎙️ This post draws from insights shared in one of our episodes, available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcast. For more on Sotogrande’s insider tips, tune in and explore other episodes too.