Leaders & Philanthropists
Our regular series interviewing top figures changing the game in luxury, culture and sustainability, including owners, CEOs, philanthropists, foundations and fund principals.
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...
Kelly Russell Catella on sustainable urban planning
For International Women’s Day we are spotlighting Kelly Russell Catella, Head of Sustainability and Communication at COIMA, a major Italian real estate fund manager. COIMA has total investments of 5.5 billion euros with a declared focus on large scale...
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...
Philanthropist: Alice Audouin On Art And Sustainability
The Paris-based polymath has spent nearly 20 years enabling an ecosystem in which art and environmental concerns meet in meaningful and magical ways. Alice Audouin tells LUX about supporting a new generation of artists who invite us to consider nature via work of...
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...
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...
Octopus Energy Founder Greg Jackson On The Green Revolution
As the International Energy Agency warns that the worst of the energy crisis may be yet to come, governments around the world are stressing the importance of accelerating the move to renewable energy. We speak to Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy Group, the...
LUX Insider: International Gallerist Pearl Lam
Art-world doyenne and owner of Pearl Lam Galleries on the foodie culture of her hometown of Hong Kong, why NFTs are hot and how there’s always more room for Asian artists on the global stage My favourite museum in the region There are so many incredible museums: Mori...
Melissa Garvey On Saving The Oceans
Non profit environmental organisation, The Nature Conservancy, has over 400 scientists working and impacts conservation in over 75 countries and territories. With the UN Ocean Conference currently taking place in Lisbon, Melissa Garvey, Global Director, Ocean...
Serpentine Galleries’ Bettina Korek On Artists And Communities
Ahead of the opening of Radio Ballads, the new, social-minded exhibition featuring works by Sonia Boyce, Helen Cammock, Rory Pilgrim and Ilona Sagar, we spoke to the Serpentine’s Bettina Korek about how the gallery is working to build meaningful connections...
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...