The Entrepreneurs

Former DJ and Music Concierge founder, Rob Wood, explains his approach to designing the sound of luxury brands worldwide, curating music for clients including Rosewood Hotels, Belmond and Cathay Pacific. Plus: Hôtel de l’Arcade’s Laetitia Brandariz-Berrut on managing three Parisian properties and flying the Swiss flag for hospitality in France. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Other co-founders Jack Blumsom and Gleb Petrenko discuss how they started a wine company championing less-explored regions after a fateful holiday in Georgia, one of the oldest wine-producing countries. Plus: how a trip to Kyoto inspired Italy native Silvia Mella to launch New York-based Japanese tea company Sōrate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do brands down under need international approval before making it big at home? Dimitri Weber, founder of Australia’s first luxury fragrance house, Goldfield & Banks, talks about what businesses can learn from Aussie exports such as Kylie Minogue and Nicole Kidman. Plus: why the country is a surprising perfume powerhouse. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is there a new playbook for great, British brands? Founder Daisy Knatchbull shares the latest from Knatchbull, the first Savile Row shopfront exclusively for women. She discusses the importance of her global trunk shows and the brand’s ready-to-wear collection. Plus: Toby Gauvain on Gaudium, a new private-membership community. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luxury décor studio Rokos’s founder Jim Rokos on the creative advantages of dyslexia and his sculptural designs. Plus: How Vizzy is catching the eye of job-hunters and clients such as Burberry, Tiffany & Co and Louis Vuitton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mysterious objects spotted over the Nordics have sparked speculation online but they’re not aliens. Kelluu co-founder Jiri Jormakka explains the technology behind the company’s hydrogen-powered autonomous airships and how they operate in GNSS-jammed environments near the Russian border. Plus: travel expert Maggie Draycott discusses her new venture, Club Aviator. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belmond CEO Dan Ruff shares his journey from globetrotting foodie to leading one of the world’s most esteemed luxury travel brands. He explains why LVMH’s acquisition pushed Belmond to focus on desirability over growth. Plus: how childhood travel experiences at Disney’s Epcot and eating pasta in Venice shaped his career. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michigan native Carrie Solomon talks about moving from the Midwest to Paris, her unconventional path into the French culinary scene and how returning to the kitchen led her to open a neighbourhood bistro while rebuilding her life after personal loss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For many, smart glasses still carry baggage brought on by early flops in the space and more recent privacy concerns. Can they shed their bad reputation? Even Realities co-founders Will Wang and Nikolaj Schnoor outline their anti-camera, design-led approach and why clarity of vision could help to outmanoeuvre Big Tech. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter Harrison, Richard Mille EMEA’s CEO, on the Swiss watchmaker’s growth and navigating the changing needs of luxury consumers. Plus: Strawberry Group’s Emilie Stordalen on taking an active part in shaping customer demands. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet Frédéric Robles, CEO of French tech-hospitality platform Namastay. And: the CMO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority joins to discuss a district-transforming project just minutes from downtown Riyadh. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alistair Hughes, managing director for Savoir Beds, talks about the storied history of the century-old bedmaker who has, literally, supported figures including Winston Churchill and Marilyn Monroe. He discusses craftsmanship and changes in premium markets. Plus: we meet global strategist Farah Ragheb, founder of leadership consultancy The Simplified Model. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump’s threats about taking control of Greenland have thrust the island into the global spotlight, drawing journalists and tourists alike. In Nuuk, Monocle’s Andrew Mueller explores what this attention means for local entrepreneurs, speaking with Casper Frank Møller, CEO and co-founder of adventure travel company Raw Arctic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meadow’s CEO, Victor Ljungberg, shares how smart design can create a practical alternative to single-use packaging. Plus: Lombard Odier Group’s UK CEO, Mark Goddard, talks about Britain’s entrepreneurial environment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet Charlotte Staerck, founder and CEO of the UK’s first luxury aftercare and restoration service, The Handbag Clinic, to assess the health of the circular fashion economy. And: former Six Senses CEO Neil Jacobs talks about the changing expectations of travellers and his role at Capella Hotel Group. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahmed Elhawary talks about navigating the ups and downs of launching Mayfair Jets just weeks before the pandemic. Plus: The CEO and president of The Leading Hotels of the World, Shannon Knapp, on 2026 travel trends. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We check in with friend of the show Laurent Kleitman, CEO of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, to discuss its Austrian debut. Plus: Retail veteran Rania Masri El Khatib on her sustainable fashion label, The Giving Movement. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Designer Alexander Neumann talks about the creation of Misfits, a tactile wooden blocks stacking game that started as a student project and is now stocked by more than 35 retailers worldwide. Plus: we catch up with the co-founders of Suri about launching new products ahead of a busy season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nomad founder Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte tells us why he brought his remarkable, roaming design showcase to Abu Dhabi airport’s decommissioned Terminal 1 – a modernist marvel designed by Paul Andreu. Plus: the duo betting Indian food could be the new healthy morning staple. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Klättermusen CEO, Gonz Ferrero, talks about balancing heritage and innovation at the Swedish technical apparel brand. Then: Edzard van der Wyck joins us to discuss Sheep Inc’s success at the intersection of sustainability and style. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.