Having used a RTW ticket while employed by corporate America, I know how difficult it would have been to get senior management to understand origination at anywhere other than my home airport. Getting reimbursement for a flight to a cheaper originating point would have been impossible. Non traveling folks simply don't understand that concept. As it is, any creative ticketing gets looked at with a raised eyebrow, and a feeling that the traveler might be doing it for personal convenience and not company benefit.

So I suspect that though the habitues of this forum find that almost impossible to grasp, William is better off originating in the States, so that it makes sense to whoever authorizes his expense reimbursement.

(I remember needing to go to India on business a few years back. The biz class fare at the time was $14K. I could buy a RTW in biz for $8K. I had to fight tooth and toenail to get the RTW issued. The company was happy to pay $14K, and the travel agent we had to use was not familiar with RTWs, and had no motivation to learn.)