The former brigadier had much to consider. He was taking a risk by staying in the land of his residence, Zimbabwe, where government-fuelled hostility toward the well-off and white runs high.

On the other hand, returning to the UK represented a different kind of risk. Considering his numerous years of professional experience within the military and business, some employers might well dismiss him as "too old" for any meaningful jobs.

But in early October, the landscape changed, with the onset of new anti-ageist legislation in the UK. Now he's looking for a new job in the UK's not-for profit sector that will require his experience and expertise - with the help of Gordon Murdoch, divisional manager of Premier Selection. "Now I'm researching opportunities for him," says Murdoch. "He'll be great news for a potential employer."

The brigadier, whose name Murdoch did not reveal, is one of "under a dozen" expatriate candidates Murdoch is working with who now live in Africa, but are returning to the UK newly optimistic about career opportunities - thanks to the anti-age discrimination laws.

Although the level of optimistic candidates who might have been previously been overlooked and are now coming home is still at a trickle. "The message is out there," Murdoch says.

Murdoch is not the only recruiter seeing change on the age-orientated landscape in the few weeks since the new law was implemented last month. Andy Finnie, founder and managing director of job board and diversity services company Aged2Excel, says his service has experienced "an upsurge" in interest from employers.

Companies want advice on recruiting employees older than those they might have hired previously "and how they can tap into that market", says Finnie. To that end, Finnie's company also helps out with search and selection, although "that's not something we've gone out of our way to do".

Elsewhere, it's business as usual. Keith Norris, managing director of Lincolnshire-based recruitment firm Apollo 2000, says he's seen no upsurge, or drop-off, in employer or candidate interest in age issues. "We've always considered age as immaterial," Norris says. "Most of our clients are aware anyway."

But at national advocacy body Age Concern, a different scenario is seen to be taking shape. The new anti-ageist legislation offers people wanting to work beyond the age of 65 less protection than those below. Some organisations, including NHS Trusts, that did not previously have specified retirement ages have begun requiring retirement at age 65, says spokesman Samuel Heath.

"That's the issue annoying us the most," says Heath.

The National Council on Ageing is taking the government to court, on behalf of not-for-profit organisation Heyday to remove the default retirement age of 65. It is set to be heard in the High Court on 7 December.

That argument is yet to be resolved in the anti-ageist issue. But the news emerging from the UK is sufficiently encouraging that expatriate talent which left years ago for new opportunities is starting to trickle back - for a new set of opportunities.