Leaders & Philanthropists
Our regular series interviewing top figures changing the game in luxury, culture and sustainability, including owners, CEOs, philanthropists, foundations and fund principals.
Hansjörg Wyss on his pioneering work in conservation
Philanthropist Hansjörg Wyss and the Wyss Foundation are committed to accelerating the pace and scale of conservation, supporting innovative academic research, and finding long-term solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss. Since its establishment in 1998,...
Alan Lau and Durjoy Rahman on the importance of art philanthropy
Alan Lau is Vice Chairman of M+ Museum, the era-defining new institution in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon district. Here he speaks with philanthropist and collector Durjoy Rahman about why private individuals need to support artists and art activations, and how Asia is...
Arnaud Champenois on preserving heritage and transforming experiences
Arnaud Champenois is Senior Vice President, Global Brand, Marketing and Communications at Belmond (LVMH). LUX Leaders & Philanthropists Editor, Samantha Welsh speaks with Arnaud Champenois about hospitality, sustainability, and how 2024 is set to be a...
illy CEO Cristina Scocchia on responsible leadership
Cristina Scocchia has led illycaffè, the Italian premium coffee company, through two years of record growth. She speaks with LUX Leaders & Philanthropists Editor Samantha Welsh about strong leadership, ethical behaviours and custodianship of a quintessentially...
Alain Servais and Durjoy Rahman on Art and Responsible collecting
Alain Servais is an investment banker and collector of art-as-ideas, whose family collection is showcased in The Loft, a repurposed factory in central Brussels. In a conversation moderated by LUX’s Leaders & Philanthropists editor, Samantha Welsh, Servais speaks...
Petr Pudil on entrepreneurship and supporting contemporary Czech artists
A decade ago, an entrepreneur bought a decommissioned power station located in a prime position opposite Prague Castle. Investing some $40M together with his Family Foundation he regenerated this brownfield site and in 2015 relaunched it as the landmark Kunsthalle...
An Interview with Mouton-Rothschild’s Julien de Beaumarchais
Picasso, Miro, Dali, Richter, Braque: supreme Bordeaux Chateau Mouton-Rothschild has had them all, and many more, create its wine label over the decades. Candice Tucker speaks to Julien de Beaumarchais, from the owning family of the esteemed first growth, about the...
Manolo Blahnik on craftsmanship, colour and staying ahead of the curve
Fashion designer Manolo Blahnik is something of a legend within the shoe industry. His career truly kicked off in 1969 after meeting US Vogue Editor in Chief, Diana Vreeland; after that, he devoted himself to designing shoes, opening the first Manolo Blahnik store in...
Cyrill Gutsch on saving the oceans through art and collaboration
Cyrill Gutsch is the founder and driving force behind Parley for the Oceans, an organisation dedicated to protecting the oceans through underutilised avenues such as art, design, fashion and collaboration. He speaks to Trudy Ross about the material revolution, the...
Ted Janulis of Investable Oceans on his hopes for COP28
Amid much scepticism about whether the global climate summit COP28, taking place in Dubai over the next few weeks, will actually bear any positive results, there are rays of hope. Ted Janulis, investor, entrepreneur and founder of Investable Oceans, outlines the...
Adrian Bridge on creating Porto’s new cultural wine district
Starting his career in the British Cavalry Regiment, Adrian Bridge moved to Portugal in 1994 and is now CEO of The Fladgate Partnership, which produces Taylor, Fonseca, Fonseca-Guimaraens, and Croft Ports. Here, Bridge speaks to LUX’s Leaders and Philanthropists...
YKK America’s CEO Jim Reed on creating sustainable products for less
The amount of zips produced by YKK each year far outstrips the number of people currently on Earth. So how can a company mass producing and growing at such scale stay true to values of circularity and sustainability? LUX speaks to Jim Reed, CEO of YKK America, about...
Markus Müller on financing sustainable development
There is a major issue with meeting our sustainability goals: the financial and structural support is, in many cases, just not there. Deutsche Bank’s Markus Müller explains to Darius Sanai what needs to happen to close the gap LUX: What is the sustainable...
Leslie Ramos and Aurelie Cauchy on the complexities of art philanthropy
Leslie Ramos and Aurelie Cauchy are co-founders of The Twentieth, a pioneering art advisory that focuses on supporting the arts and culture. Following the launch of Ramos’ book, Philanthropy in the Arts: A Game of Give and Take, Samantha Welsh speaks to the...
Karen Sack: Five Things That Need to Happen at COP 28
It is under three weeks until the start of one of the most important climate summits in history. At the end of November, world leaders gather in the UAE for COP 28, an ever-more urgent climate crisis looming amid growing geopolitical instability. Here, Karen Sack,...
Mae Anderson on nurturing Singapore’s art community
Mae Anderson, serves as the chairman of Art Outreach, a non-profit organisation committed to promoting art appreciation and nurturing the connections within Singapore’s art community. Mae’s contributions extend to her role as the Head of Philanthropy Services...
Enric Sala on working to protect vital areas of the ocean
After a number of years writing about ocean conservation as an academic, Enric Sala decided he wanted to take a more active role in protecting our seas. Here he tells Trudy Ross about his Pristine Seas project, which combines exploration and research to conserve the...
Francis Sultana: The life of a leader in design
World renowned interior designer Francis Sultana has been taking the world by a storm through his residential, hospitality and commercial projects. Here, he speaks to Samantha Welsh about how he went from designing his mother’s home in Malta to leading the...
Maison Courvoisier’s Thibaut Hontanx on heritage and celebration
Thibaut Hontanx is the seventh Chief Blender of the historic Maison Courvoisier. Here, he speaks to LUX about the brand’s famous past, and the importance of celebrating the present LUX: Can you start by telling us a bit about Maison Courvoisier’s history...
Boodles’ Honour and Jody Wainwright on sustainability in the jewellery industry
Boodles, the globally-renowned sixth generation family business, is pioneering sustainability in the diamond and jewellery industry, using technology to trace each diamond and working closely with their workers and the mines to ensure a healthy environment for both...
Anahita Taneja & Shefali Somani on building South Asia’s art community
Anahita Taneja & Shefali Somani founded Shrine Empire in 2008 with a mission to support South Asian artists. Here the gallerists speak to Samantha Welsh about the development of India’s art scene and the importance of collaboration to build up South...
Carl Hansen & Søn’s CEO on pioneering Danish design
Carl Hansen & Søn began as a small furniture workshop in Odense in 1908. Today, it is a company stretching across continents. Knud Erik Hansen tells LUX about continuing his grandfather’s legacy as CEO of the Danish furniture brand LUX: Carl Hansen & Søn...
An interview with Blue Latitudes: can oil rigs help save the ocean?
After meeting at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Emily Hazelwood and Amber Jackson founded the Blue Latitudes Foundation in 2018 to explore the untapped potential of decommissioned oil rigs. Here, they speak to LUX about how these infrastructures might be...
Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja’s legacy at Ornellaia and Masseto
Ornellaia, recently held its 15th charity auction dedicated to the Vendemmia d’Artista 2020 ‘La Proporzione’. The online auction, conducted by Sotheby’s, raised $300,000 contributing to a total of $2.5M since the project began. Here, Samantha...
Hans Sauter on environmental responsibility in the food industry
Hans Sauter is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Fresh Del Monte. He speaks to Trudy Ross about the company’s sustainability journey and the importance of creating a culture of respect for the environment LUX: Could you provide an overview of the company’s...
Aliya and Farouk Khan on the Malaysian contemporary art scene
Over the last 25 years Aliya and Farouk Khan have been carefully curating a collection of art works by prominent first generation Malaysian contemporary artists. Known as The AFK Collection, this is one of the most comprehensive collections of seminal artworks by a...
Salomon CEO Franco Fogliato on environmental responsibility in business
Can creating new products be sustainable? Franco Fogliato speaks to LUX about Salomon’s sustainability efforts and how he believes consuming differently can be more important than consuming less LUX: When did Salomon start focusing on environmental...
Mike Scarola on his vision for a new kind of luxury travel
Mike Scarola is the CEO of Butterfield & Robinson, a luxury travel company with the goal of making a positive impact. He speaks to LUX about connecting with local communities and travelling on two wheels instead of four LUX: What was the inspiration behind your...
Ryder Cup’s Guy Kinnings On The Future Of Golf
Guy Kinnings is the Deputy CEO, Ryder Cup Director & Chief Commercial Officer at European Tour Group & Ryder Cup. Ahead of the Ryder Cup in Rome this weekend, he speaks to Samantha Welsh about the growing enthusiasm for the sport from the next generation and...
Blazé Milano’s Corrada Rodriguez d’Acri on creating iconic style
Corrada Rodriguez d’Acri is a former fashion editor and stylist, and one of the founding members of Blazé Milano, the a hot Italian luxury brand on the womenswear scene. Here, she speaks to LUX in honour of the brand’s 10 year anniversary LUX: Tell us about...
Rapha CEO Francois Convercey on diversity and sustainability in cycling
Francois Convercey is the newly appointed CEO of luxury cycling brand Rapha. Here he speaks to LUX about the company’s sustainability initiatives and the need for greater age and gender diversity in cycling LUX: How has the structure of Rapha changed with the...
Pierre Barreau on the future of AI in the music industry
AIVA AI is an AI music composer which allows people to create their own personalised life soundtracks. Here, LUX speaks to its founder, Pierre Barreau, about the future of AI and its impact on the music industry LUX: Can you give us some background about your company...
Blue Ventures Founder Alasdair Harris on supporting coastal communities
Alasdair Harris founded Blue Ventures, an ocean conservation enterprise supporting local fishing communities. Here, he speaks to Trudy Ross about the work they do across the globe, and the greatest challenges facing our oceans today LUX: You have described yourself as...
Baroness Scotland on helping nations combat climate change
As Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations, a central pillar of Patricia Scotland’s diplomatic work is to help the group of 56 Commonwealth countries – many with historical links to the UK – adapt to the impacts of climate change. It is an issue she knows all...
Hilary Weston on creating the art community of Windsor, Florida
As co-founder of Windsor, a private residential community along Florida’s Treasure Coast, Hilary Weston is also Creative Director of The Gallery at Windsor. The serial philanthropist and scion of the retail family talks to LUX’s Candice Tucker about contemporary art,...
Jackie Savitz on why our governments must protect the oceans
Jackie Savitz is a marine biologist and the Chief Policy Officer for Oceana, an ocean conservation organization focused on influencing policy decisions. Here, she speaks to LUX about how and why governments need to be pressured to introduce fundamental policy changes...
Bell & Ross CEO Carlos Rosillo on the power of brand identity
Friends since the age of 15, Carlos Rossillo and Bruno Belamich founded Bell & Ross in the early 90’s. Despite stiff competition from centuries-old watchmakers, they have succeeded in leaving their mark on the industry. LUX speaks to CEO Carlos Rossillo...
Ben Goldsmith on the joy of restoration
Financier, philanthropist and environmentalist Ben Goldsmith explains how environmental conservation became such an important aspect of his life and why it should be at the forefront of all philanthropists’ agendas I am lucky enough to be raising a family on a...
Carolina Bucci on creating her own brand vision
She shot to success when Sarah Jessica Parker wore her brand’s Lucky bracelet in Sex and the City in 2002, and she has gone on to fuse playful designs with her family’s fine- jewellery tradition. Carolina Bucci talks to LUX’s Samantha Welsh about creating and...
Kering’s Marie-Claire Daveu on the future of sustainability
When Kering, the French luxury conglomerate that owns Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta, introduced a radical sustainability programme just over ten years ago, the rest of the industry was bemused. Now the group is seen as visionary. Marie-Claire...
Owner Antoine Chevanne on the future of the Byblos Hotel, St Tropez
Antoine Chevanne is the owner of the legendary Byblos Hotel in St Tropez. Opening in 1967, the hotel is known for its exceptional service, hosting many of the greatest celebrities in the world and for having the most exclusive location in the area. Here Chevanne...
A tasting of Vérité wines with Hélène Seillan
The French-American father-daughter team running Vérité make some of the world’s most sophisticated red wines, inspired by French classic styles, from vineyards in Sonoma, California. Darius Sanai catches up with Hélène Seillan to sip through a glorious...
Cindy Chao on heritage and emotion in jewellery
Cindy Chao is known for fusing art and jewellery to create unique collectibles. Here she speaks to LUX about the importance of her heritage, emotions and craftsmanship LUX: How has your upbringing shaped your career? Cindy Chao: Creating art jewels, for me, is a...
Jean-Baptiste Jouffray on the future of the world’s oceans
Ahead of World Ocean Day, LUX speaks to Jean-Baptiste Jouffray, researcher at the Stockholm Resilience Centre, about his work on the Anthropocene, the blue acceleration, and why saving our oceans must be a collaborative effort LUX: The use of the word Anthropocene has...
Parmigiani Fleurier CEO Guido Terreni on Horology and the Art of Luxury
LUX speaks to Guido Terreni, CEO of Swiss Watchmaker Parmigiani Fleurier about the definition of luxury and the key values which distinguish the classic brand LUX: What drew you to the world of horology and made you pursue a career in this industry? Guido Terreni: My...
Veuve Clicquot CEO Jean-Marc Gallot on the spirit of the iconic brand
Maison Veuve Clicquot has brought its travelling exhibition to London this May. Trudy Ross stepped out to Piccadilly Circus to interview CEO Jean-Marc Gallot amidst sunflowers, paintings, sculptures, and that iconic gleaming yellow LUX: Queen Victoria was the first...
Arcual CEO Bernadine Bröcker Wieder On Buying And Selling Art
Bernadine Bröcker Wieder is the CEO of Arcual, a blockchain software created by an art focused ecosystem for the art world. Here Wieder speaks to LUX’s Leader and Philanthropist Editor, Samantha Welsh, about buying and selling art on the blockchain and the...
Christopher Cowdray on the Dorchester London’s Latest Renovation
Christopher Cowdray is the Company President of the Dorchester Collection. Here he speaks to Darius Sanai about the iconic London hotel’s latest renovations and maintaining brand identity in the process of modernisation LUX: Can you tell us about the renovations...
3Sun Gigafactory’s Eliano Russo On The Clean Energy Transition
Eliano Russo is Head of Enel Green Power’s 3Sun Gigafactory in Catania. Here he speaks to Samantha Welsh about the way the factory works, its benefits on the local community and the clean energy transition LUX: What is a photovoltaic cell and how does it work? Eliano...
Six Senses CEO Neil Jacobs On Residential Wellness
Neil Jacobs is CEO of the iconic hotel and residencies group, Six Senses. Here, he speaks to Samantha Welsh about the brand’s wellness model LUX: How far are your wellness beliefs rooted in your personal values and lived experience? Neil Jacobs: It started after...