Leaders & Philanthropists
Our regular series interviewing top figures changing the game in luxury, culture and sustainability, including owners, CEOs, philanthropists, foundations and fund principals.
James Roy On The Future Of Sustainable Yachting
Managing Director of Lateral Naval Architects, James Roy, speaks to Samantha Welsh about innovation and sustainability in the yachting industry LUX: What made you embark on your career as a naval architect? James Roy: I grew up in a sailing family, and the sea must...
Why the German art auction market is booming
A record-breaking sale at a German auction house is reverberating around the European art market, says Sophie Neuendorf The 1943 striking self-portrait was hammered down for €20 million ($22 million) or €23.2 million ($24.4 million) with fees —the highest amount ever...
Noor Riyadh festival: the inside story
Nouf Almoneef of Noor Riyadh speaks to LUX about creating the biggest festival of light and art in the world, in the Saudi capital LUX: Noor Riyadh has engaged some of the world’s most significant artists and curators. What would you like its global reputation to be...
Dr Oxana Mulholland On Women Leading Technology
Dr Oxana Mulholland is the Investment Director at the London Technology Club, a space for investors and tech professionals to network and exchange ideas within the industry. Here, Dr Mulholland speaks to LUX’s Leaders and Philanthropists Editor, Samantha Welsh...
Sakshi Chhabra Mittal on Food Science
Sakshi Chhabra Mittal is the founder and CEO of FoodHak, a startup revolutionising the food industry by combining science, tech and traditional Ayurvedic principles to make healthier meals more accessible to all. Here Sakshi, speaks to Samantha Welsh about starting an...
How nature based solutions can benefit the planet and rebalance inequality
“Technologies like renewables have their limits,” says Markus Muller. “The real potential for a sustainable global economy lies in using the wonders of nature to help rectify the planet.” As has been previously discussed, a fundamental issue underpinning...
A tasting of Bond, California’s new luxury wine
Darius Sanai examines the creation of Bond, one of the world’s most desirable wines and brainchild of Napa Valley wine royal Bill Harlan, over a tasting with its winemaker Legacy is an important concept in the luxury industry. In a world where perception and...
Professor Connel Fullenkamp On The Value Of Nature
Can we put a price tag on nature? Valuing the carbon services of plants and animals is essential to bridging the gap between finance and conservation, says Professor Connel Fullenkamp, the leading academic working at the intersection of science and economics. Here,...
Dr Friederike Otto On Extreme Weather And Climate
Flooding in South Africa, wildfires in California, heatwaves in India: each new extreme weather event seems the inevitable conclusion of ecological breakdown. But how exactly are climate and weather linked? Leading attribution scientist Dr Friederike Otto explains to...
EY’s Steve Varley On A Sustainable Future
EY’s Global Vice Chair on Sustainability, Steve Varley, speaks to LUX’s Leaders and Philanthropists Editor, Samantha Welsh, about EY’s approach to sustainable investing, the future of sustainability and the steps that need to be taken to fight the...
Chris Gorell Barnes on investing sustainably in the oceans
Is it possible to make money out of our oceans while preserving and even enhancing them? Chris Gorell Barnes thinks so. The Co-founder of Ocean 14 Capital and Blue Marine Foundation speaks to LUX Editor-in-Chief, Darius Sanai about the possibilities in the blue...
Jean-Michel Cousteau: Choose Life
Darius Sanai speaks to Jean-Michel Cousteau, the French ocean explorer, film maker, educationalist, philanthropist and founder of the Ocean Futures Society, about how he is connecting with people globally to make a difference; and about his celebrated father, Jacques...
ORRAA’s Karen Sack On Deep Sea Investment
80% of the earth’s biomass is concentrated in the oceans. But how do we put a value on the deep sea? As the concept of natural capital — putting a price tag on the services nature provides — enters the mainstream, ocean expert and activist Karen Sack tells LUX...
Philanthropy: Nathalie Guiot, The Culture Booster
The Brussels-based French founder of Fondation Thalie is from one of France’s biggest retail families. Nathalie Guiot speaks to LUX about the need for an all-round vision in facilitating arts and culture to support sustainability and biodiversity – and why you...
Ronna Chao On Novetex’s Leadership
Ronna Chao is Chairman of Novetex Textiles Limited, CEO of Novel Investment Partners Limited, Director of Novelpark Investments Limited, and has taken on various advisory and leading roles in foundations. Here she speaks to Samantha Welsh about leadership,...
Kishwar Chowdhury On The Bengali Influences Within Her Cuisine
Australia based Bengali chef Kishwar Chowdhury was a finalist in the 2021 series of Masterchef Australia. Here she speaks to LUX Contributing Editor, Samantha Welsh about the ways her heritage influences her cooking LUX: Dhaka, London, Heidelberg, Las Vegas, how has...
Lazard’s Jennifer Anderson on the Evolution of ESG Investing
Jennifer Anderson, Co-Head of Sustainable Investment & ESG at Lazard Asset Management, speaks to LUX Contributing Editor, Samantha Welsh, about the history of her career, the changes in the ESG investment landscape over that time, and offers an insight into why...
Professor Nathalie Seddon On Biodiversity And Climate Resilience
The planet’s species population sizes have decreased by 70% since the 1970s. Yet while scientists have proven that biodiversity loss is intimately linked with climate change, it continues to be kept in the shadows of the climate agenda As the Nature-based...
Beam Suntory’s Kim Marotta On Sustainable Spirits
Kim Marotta is head of sustainability at Beam Suntory, the drinks behemoth behind Jim Beam, Courvoisier and Sipsmith with annual revenues of more than $4bn. She speaks to Ella Johnson about what the sector can do to help preserve water and agricultural resources, and...
GreenBiz’s Heather Clancy On Corporate Climate Action
Is there a one size fits all when it comes to corporate climate action? No matter how big a business is, says Heather Clancy, one thing is for certain: inaction is no longer an option. Clancy is Vice President and Editorial Director of GreenBiz, the media company...
Philanthropy: Anita Choudhrie on supporting women in parasports and art
Anita Choudhrie is at the forefront of building opportunities for women in both the worlds of art and sports. Here, the founder of Path to Success and Stellar International Art Foundation speaks to Samantha Welsh about where her passion for philanthropy in these...
Unilever’s Rebecca Marmot On The Sustainable Everyday
Rebecca Marmot is Chief Sustainability Officer at Unilever, the consumer giant whose portfolio spans everything from Dove soap to Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Under Marmot’s leadership, Unilever has made significant interventions in sustainability milestones like the...
A tasting of Dalla Valle wines with the owners
We taste some of the most admired vintages of Napa Valley, through the decades, with two generations of the owning family of the Dalla Valle estate, Naoko and Maya Naoko and Maya Dalla Valle make some of the most magical wines in the world. From their vineyards in...
Bovet’s Pascal Raffy on horological artistry & engineering
Swiss watch brand Bovet is renowned for its artistic and mechanically sophisticated high-end timepieces. On the company’s 200th anniversary, owner and managing director Pascal Raffy speaks to Ella Johnson about his plans and dreams Pascal Raffy is not, at first...
Michael Xufu Huang on Arts Philanthropy & Making Art More Accessible
Michael Xufu Huang is the co-founder of X Museum, a platform for cultivating talents and supporting young and mid-career artists within a global context.Here he speaks to LUX Contributing Editor, Samantha Welsh, about making art more accessible in China and the...
Patrick Sun on Promoting LGBTQ+ Art in Asia
Patrick Sun is pushing forward a movement very close to his heart through his foundation Sunpride, which seeks to give equal opportunities to LGBTQ+ artists in Asia. Here, Sun speaks to Samantha Welsh about what his foundation has done for him personally and the wider...
Markus Müller on the Importance of Global Sustainability Standards
The pandemic has accelerated the rise of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing. However, argues Markus Müller, we must improve global standards continually if ESG is to fulfil its promise of driving economic growth while having a positive impact on the...
LUX Editor-in-Chief Darius Sanai on Effective Climate Action
The wealthy play a disproportionate part in contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. They have an outsized responsibility to lead the way in combatting global warming. But, crowd pleasing knee jerk reactions will only lead to greenwashing and appeasing the lowest...
ZeroAvia’s Val Miftakhov on Zero-Emission Aviation
When the pandemic grounded air travel in 2019, it also brought grounding of a different kind: a chance to reflect on the aviation addiction which now constitutes 2 percent of all global carbon emissions. Far from settling into the flight-shaming craze, however,...
Dimitri Zenghelis on Investing in the Green Transition
Dimitri Zenghelis, Chair of the Responsible Wealth Committee at CapGen, is one expert in the concept of a zero-carbon economy. A PPE Oxon alumnus, Zenghelis is a lauded academic, entrepreneur, and advisor on fiscal policy – and that’s before we get on to his work as a...
Justin Travlos on Responsible Investment Strategies
Justin Travlos is Global Head of Responsible Investment at AXA IM Alts. His management of a diverse investment portfolio is governed by one underlying principle: all decisions are made in the context of understanding where risk is – from a sustainability...
Prince Robert de Luxembourg on Art & Fine Wine
Prince Robert de Luxembourg is taking Domaine Clarence Dillon and Château Haut-Brion, one of Bordeaux’s most prestigious wine estates, into the future by creating new winemaking facilities, a fine wine shop and a visitor centre. LUX speaks with him about mixing the...
Philanthropy: James Chen on providing vision for all
‘Moonshot Philanthropist’ James Chen speaks to LUX about the importance of risking capital for a mission that matters James Chen is on a mission to tackle a major problem that most of humankind doesn’t even realise exists. There are more than two billion people...
Philanthropy: Emilie Pastor & Sibylle Rochat on Nurturing Artistic Talent
Emilie Pastor is a scion of the Monaco real estate and art collecting dynasty; Sibylle Rochat works with her as art advisor. Here, they speak to Samantha Welsh about their unique style of spotting and supporting artists Emilie Pastor was born into art. She is a scion...
Neuroeconomist Portia Antonia Alexis on the Rise of Hard Luxury
Portia Antonia Alexis is a consumer goods analyst and researcher specialising in the realm of neuroeconomics, where she uses advanced analytics to determine the thought processes of consumers and how best to appeal to them. Here, the McKinsey alumnus speaks to LUX...
Sophie Neuendorf on New Wave Collecting
The pandemic has changed the art market forever. A new model of purchasing and enjoying art is amazing, and a new generation of collectors with different passions is coming to the fore, as our contributing editor and columnist Sophie Neuendorf outlines 2021 is proving...
Professor Peter Newell on climate responsibility
Academic Peter Newell made waves in the global media recently with a report describing how the wealthy have a disproportionate effect on climate change, and a duty to change their travel, business and leisure habits. As COP26 kicks off in Glasgow, he speaks to LUX...
Philanthropy: Cultural Changemaker Surina Narula
Based between London and Delhi, Surina Narula has founded philanthropic endeavours as diverse as Jaipur Literature Festival, the Consortium for Street Children, and the TVE Global Sustainability Film Awards, among others. The governing principle underlying them all? A...
Philanthropy: Helga Piaget on educating the next generation
Helga Piaget is the founder of the Monaco-based non-profit organisation Passion Sea, which reaches out to schools around the world with educational and artistic initiatives around ocean conservation. Here, Piaget speaks to LUX about pushing ocean conservation to the...
Vitalie Taittinger on family business and philanthropy
Vitalie Taittinger took over her family’s champagne house in 2020. As well as controlling the creation of one of the world’s most celebrated drinks brands, she is actively involved in supporting emerging artists in France and elsewhere. She chats to...
Philanthropy: Umberta Beretta on fund-raising for the arts
The role of philanthropy has never been more urgent, and is reflected in our ongoing online series. Here, Umberta Beretta outlines her work around women’s rights and art for the many Beretta was born into a family of prominent industrialists in northern Italy and is...
Hermès perfumer Christine Nagel on the emotional power of scent
Christine Nagel is one of the most admired perfumers in the world, and has worked as the “nose” of Hermès since 2016. Most recently, she created H24, the brand’s first scent for men in fifteen years. Here, she discusses her approach to creating...
Philanthropy: Manfredi Catella on sustainable development
Manfredi Catella is the CEO of COIMA, the real estate company behind Porta Nuova in Milan, one of the most important real estate developments in Europe. He is also president of the Riccardo Catella Foundation which aims to promote sustainable and responsible urban...
LUX’s Editor-in-Chief Darius Sanai on media
Our Editor-in-Chief on the role of media and convergence in sustainability and luxury, from the editor’s letter in the summer 2021 issue A curious thing happened to the media during the first lockdown last year. The media became everything, and nothing. If you...
Professor Peter Newell on why the wealthy need to act on climate change
Professor Peter Newell made waves earlier this year with a report describing how the wealthy have a disproportionate impact on climate change – and a particular duty to change their habits. The lead author of the Cambridge Sustainability Commission report on...
Philanthropy: Lady Edwina Grosvenor on prison reform
Lady Edwina Grosvenor is the daughter of Britain’s richest landowner, the Duke of Westminster, and a passionate advocate for prison reform. She is the founder and chair of One Small Thing, an organisation that works with prisoners and staff in both male and...
Philanthropy: Etienne d’Arenberg on Gen Z
Etienne d’Arenberg hails from one of Europe’s oldest families and is treasurer of the Arenberg Foundation, whose mission is the promotion of the understanding of European history and culture. He is a partner of family-owned Swiss private bank Mirabaud. He is also...
Olivier Krug on champagne and music
Olivier Krug, sixth generation director of the Krug champagne house, sits down for a tasting with a musical difference with LUX Editor-in-Chief Darius Sanai Olivier Krug is smiling on a Zoom screen, standing behind a row of bottles in his office in Reims, Champagne....
Philanthropy: Tiqui Atencio on the value of collecting art
Art collector and author Tiqui Atencio is the founder and chair of the Tate Latin America Acquisition Committee and a trustee of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation amongst numerous other philanthropic arts and culture organisations. As part of our ongoing...
Lamberto Frescobaldi on 1000 years of tradition and wine
Lamberto Frescobaldi is the 30th generation (yes, you read that right) head of Florence’s Frescobaldi dynasty which has done everything from build bridges and palaces in Tuscany to create one of the world’s most epic wine groups. In the first of a new series on...