Forum Radio

Send us Fan MailFor our 20th and final episode of the third season, Jessica Fellowes, co-founder of Forum 500, talks to Charlotte Holl, our member with a foothold in New York, LA and Munich. President and co-founder of First Growth Brands, a French sparkling wine brand and family business that Forum 500 members in America have been lucky enough to taste. Produced using the 'méthode traditionelle,' Charlotte is very interesting to hear on the challenges of building an alcohol brand in America, with even today's distribution channels rooted in post-Prohibition laws. Charlotte began her working life in executive search, and will be launching her own search company in the new year. We particularly enjoyed her advice for young people seeking employment today, who find the AI bots making it difficult to stand out in a crowd. "I think that people are starved for human real connection. And I start the statement by saying that because if I'm hiring a manager, I am so sick of getting my AI generated report of who telling me who my best optimized hire is, right? If I'm a candidate trying to stand out at this point, I am writing my resumé myself. I am printing out copies on really nice, beautiful cardstock, and I am walking in the front door and handing my resume personally. I'm dressed well. Put on a shirt with a collar, comb your hair, be prepared to meet an executive, walk into the office and have the guts to do that. Especially if you're in the US, if you are trying to stand out and someone gets a handwritten letter from you, you show up, you actually have the opportunity to shake a hand because they're so stunned because nobody comes into their office anymore. Do that."This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailThis is a great discussion with maths-fiend, Mensa member Rachel Pether (Abu Dhabi), who trained as a journalist before switching to finance. She packed her bags aged 21 and moved from New Zealand to London, to pursue her dream of working for the BBC. Now settled in the UAE, where she has been for almost twenty years, Rachel combines her journalism skills with finance in a number of ways. She is a host on FinTechTV, Managing Director of 3iQ Assets and runs the Speakeasy Club, to help others find their own public speaking confidence. "What I found as the number one top tip was about mindset. So much of it can be down to nerves, and the mindset trick that I use can work with every single audience. So it's not specific to any situation, but instead of thinking: 'Oh my gosh, I'm so nervous.I have to speak in front of X,' or 'I'm so nervous. I have to go and ask my boss for a raise,' whatever it might be. If you just change your mindset and tell yourself, 'I'm so excited for the opportunity,' it really changes everything. If you are hosting an event, rather than thinking, 'I have to get on stage in front of 300 people who are all finance CEOs or successful entrepreneurs,' you think: 'I am so grateful that I get to be in a room with great finance leaders and entrepreneurs.'"This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailForum 500 member Manoj Gursahani (Mumbai) started India's first e-commerce travel portal, the beginning of a long career in which a blend of technology with entrepreneurial vision has been the hallmark. Chair of Tiger 21 in his home city, Manoj is an established mentor and coach of high networth leaders, and as co-chairman of the India Business Group, he strengthens India's role in internationa trade and partnerships. An established speaker, author and currently working with Vira Healthcare on AI-led health diagnostics, Manoj is also a dedicated father. This is a very enjoyable and relaxed conversation with a high achiever! However, Manoj is honest about the fact it took an intentional step to achieve this balance. "Personally, for my side, it was tough for me to be vulnerable. It was very tough. When my daughters were growing up, I did not give them enough time. And I was busy working and largely focusing only on the work aspect. And then I realized what I've been missing out on. I started ten years back deciding that, listen, we need to stop and smell the roses kind of thing... And then it was initially very tough to adapt that. When I'm working, I try to work with less distractions. And in today's world of constant pinging, I also try during the weekend to sometimes put my phone on airplane mode."This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailThis episode sees Jessica Fellowes talking to Sarah Anderson (Boulder), the founding partner of Vault Fund, which principally invests in company builders. Sitting in her round home office – a converted silo – where she lives on 100 acres with her family, Sarah talks with great enthusiasm about the world she works in, one that is very different from the enormous corporations she worked with when at J.P.Morgan (Proctor & Gamble, Facebook, Electronic Arts). With a great sense of humour and an ability to describe complex ideas simply, Sarah discusses A.I and the current concerns/hopes around it, as well as drawing nice comparisons with her former pole vaulting achievements! There's also a great moment discussing the number of women and people of colour in finance (not enough, less than there were five years ago...). "We definitely do still have women that are able to be successful against all odds. But I think when we start seeing large funders roll back, that's when it starts to hurt. And we have made so much progress. So to me, it's quite sad. I think that there are so many capable women. There are so many capable people of color. And to be honest, I don't know that a white man would have started this. It's too different. You have to have a very unique perspective to see it, to do it. And I think that there's just a natural hunger there to prove it out. Not that a white man couldn't have done it. They have so many more opportunities that someone like you or me may not have. "I tend to think that women and diverse people in this category actually have a huge advantage. Because we're remembered. There aren't many of us."This episode was produced by Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailFor this episode, we welcome a longstanding friend of Forum 500, James Arroyo, OBE. James is the Director of the Ditchley Foundation, an organisation established to strengthen democratic relations, to help sustain peace, freedom and the rule of law. The Foundation is based in the magnificent setting of Ditchley Park, a Georgian Palladian masterpiece, one of the last surviving country houses of James Gibb and where this interview took place. One of James's special interests has always been in technology – previously he was director for data at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office – and he has been looking at ways in which fast-developing tech can be aligned to the Foundation's purpose. "I think one of the things that's going to evolve is going to be an alliance...what do we build together? What supply chains do we have together? [Rather than] about what do we do diplomatically. You can think in some ways of the good old days, the unipolar moment, where it looked like serious questions were going to be settled in the UN. Then, it was important to coordinate between powers as to who would vote for this resolution, the drafting of this, who could find compromise. And that wasn't wrong, because it really was influential. But if very few things are being decided in that kind of forum, and instead things are being decided more combatively, then it changes the terms of trade. I think how are we relevant in Europe to the counterpower that America is now trying to build towards China is going to be really important."This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailAnthony Monckton (London, Vienna) is an expert on risk, security, negotiation and conflict resolution, having served as an army officer before moving into diplomacy, specialising in national security. He talks this week to Jessica Fellowes about ViennEast, the company he established over ten years ago as a risk advisory and due diligency consultancy. ViennEast deals with a wide range of challenges faced by individuals and companies, from retrieving money that has been stolen and transferred across several countries – one case involves dealing with lawyers in six European countries – to personal fraud. Increasingly, too, there are complicated ethical and legal implications around data training in AI. But his simplest and best tip for protecting your own digital data: do the updates on your smartphone apps!Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailThis week, we talk to Forum 500 member Hanlie van Wyk (Chicago), a social scientist, psycho-geographer and executive coach working with leaders and teams across borders, resolving polarisation and conflict. All of us, no matter what our industry, have faced something of this nature at some point.Hanlie talks about how her own upbringing, in which she witnessed first-hand apartheid and the 1994 transition in South Africa to a democratically-elected government, informed so much of the way she works today. Hanlie brings great insight, too, to how conflict at work often starts small but if left unresolved can lead to very difficult situations: 'Death by papercuts.' There are also the bigger challenges that occur when companies merge or expand quickly, which is often the point at which Hanlie is brought in to help. Hanlie has found recently that it's become even more important to shift attention to the layer just beneath the most senior level of management, to ensure an open and fair culture. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailWinston Fisher (New York) is a partner and third generation of the Fisher Brothers, the royal family of real estate in Manhattan, founded in 1915. Winston directs the company’s financing and investing activities, property acquisitions and dispositions and oversees all new development initiatives. One of the most exciting of these being Area 15 in Las Vegas, which was developed with Michael Beneville (NY/LA). Winston sits on a number of boards and is also seriously involved in several philanthropic activities, particularly the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Funds, participating in extreme sports to raise funds to support wounded US troops. Alongside all of this, Winston has an active, thoughtful interest in politics, writing a monthly newsletter on current issues. And on the subject none of us can get away from, Fisher has a stark warning for the use of AI in his industry:'I said three years ago, there's going to be two types of people who are employed. People who use AI will have a job and people who do not will not. At the end of this year, that's going to apply to everybody. Does that mean we're going to let everybody go? No, but if you're not able to utilize it, if you're not able to vibe code, if you're not able to understand sophisticated prompt engineering and multi-agent programs, I don't know if you have a place. It's not terrible. It's exciting.'This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailDruv Kent – aka ‘Dhruv’ – is a financier turned singer/songwriter, recording in both English and Hindi. HIs 2015 debut saw him become the first Asia-based artist supported by BBC Radio 2 in twenty years. He’s since scored several #1 hits on the World Indie Music Charts, the Euro Charts and the US Top 20. Recently, he featured in Rolling Stone magazine. Brought up in Kolkata before moving to America, Druv returned to India in the mid-90s to begin his banking career. In this he was very successful, and his work took him to Hong Kong and Singapore, for Credit Suisse and Deutschbank. But all the while that Druv was working as an investment banker, he was also a musician, and finally in 2013, he decided to pursue music as a career. There are some lovely thoughts in here about creativity and how to open yourself up to it: "What's changed [for me] is there's a level of quiet confidence... when I started, I was in such a rush because I could not believe that I was capable or I could channel this kind of energy through me. It's less about my own capability. It's more about this ability to get into the state of being able to move yourself out of the way, move your ego out of the way, and let the song come to you and, through exploration, figure out what it's trying to say and let it speak through you."Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailForum Radio host Jessica Fellowes talks in this episode with Lindsay Cooper (Singapore) about his transition from finance into the longevity and health sector. Lindsay attempted to semi-retire from business in 2017 but was scuppered when he was tempted into buying a convent in the Cotswolds just before the COVID pandemic. Initially intended as a wellness retreat, the project sparked an interest in preventative health and longevity science. Through connections in Singapore – he has lived in Asia for most of his adult life –Lindsay met leading experts including Professor Brian Kennedy and Professor Andrea Meier. Together they have brought longevity science research into clinical practice with Chi Longevity, rapidly growing the business through partnerships with luxury brands like Four Seasons. Linday argues that longevity medicine represents a fundamental shift in healthcare – from reactive, specialist-driven treatment to proactive, preventative and personalised care, driven by tech advances and increased public health awareness. "We've had this wellness menu for some time, with diet, exercise, sleep and so forth. But the real excitement – and the reason that everyone's putting such huge money into this space just now – is because of the medical breakthroughs, which are increasingly beginning to break and will only be helped by the AI revolution."This episode was produced by Vanessa Heaney. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailThis week, Jessica Fellowes talks to Hanspeter Kipfer (Zurich) about his extensive work in the tech industry, and his more recent transition to support start-ups as advisor and angel investor, focusing on emerging technologies such as AI, Web3 and blockchain. The discussion hones in on the balance between optimism and risk in AI – how prepared is society for the rapid, exponential growth that is coming its way? Hanspeter outlines the challenges but also presents some potential solutions, with the warning that the deadline to put safeguards in place is fast approaching. "Primarily by developing systems which are safe. Okay. Sounds really trivial, but as a matter of fact, that's the primary engineering principle. We need to apply everything we release as bulletproof technology wise. In addition, we also need to make things better aligned again with human values. [...] We need to ensure that humans ultimately remain the decision makers in development, and in releasing new functionality and bringing to market new products. We need to embed safeguarding systems, eventually override mechanisms, an emergency button, so to speak. We need to control access to this technology, because if it ends up in the wrong hands it could be misused to the disadvantage of all of us."This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Forum Radio, Jessica Fellowes talks to Kanna Fujita (New York). Kanna is the founder and driving force behind Reforma Medspa & Wellness, Kirei House, and Femly Labo. Together they form an integrated ecosystem at the intersection of regenerative health, aesthetics and luxury wellness. Kanna grew up in Japan, and is known for blending Eastern wellness philosophies with Western science and technology. At Femly Labo, a FemTech Award-winning innovation from Japan, they pioneer hormone balance and menopause wellness solutions through stem cell and NMN-based formulations. In this conversation, Kanna offers great advice on maintaining good health – blending the best of what she grew up with, alongside new favourites in her adopted home of New York, having moved there just 12 years ago with her son:  "We try to keep our feet grounded so that we understand both cultures and embrace both cultures. Because there is in both of the cultures something that I  really love. I have built my fundamental belief system and the grounding and respect – or Kaizen –  that like Japanese philosophy is grounded and rooted in myself. However, America grew me. This place really grew me and it gave me an opportunity to be able to do what I want, and be respected for going for my dream. So both cultures really have such a wonderful influence on my life."This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailThis episode of Forum Radio is a conversation with Philippe Teixeira da Mota in Lisbon. Phil is one of Europe's most active fintech investors and now co-founder and CIO of Shapers, a $75 million venture capital firm dedicated to backing early stage fintech entrepreneurs, launched in 2023 with his brother. Before he founded Shapers, Phil was the first employee at Hedosofia, an investment which he helped grow to 80 employees and where he deployed more than $2 billion across over 50 fintech companies worldwide and sat on the boards of a further 21, including Raisin and Viva Wallet, acquired by J.P. Morgan for an enormous sum. Phil has a great dynamic and optimistic energy, which he seems to enjoy channelling towards those young founders who are finding their way: "I think one of the most difficult things for founders is the transition from being a scrappy founder, when you have to do everything by yourself, then transition into a real CEO or into a C-level of an organization. This is where the name Shapers comes from. It's a beautiful definition – not ours, unfortunately. It's from Ray Dalio.  Shapers are people who can go from visualization to actualization. So it's not only people who can visualize or see the future or predict the future, but they make it happen by being very determined and very pragmatic leaders."This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailJames Ryan (New York) is the founder and CEO of RYCO Capital, a vertically-integrated real estate investment firm, which acquires, renovates and operates multifamily, mixed-use and office properties in NY and Rochester. In this conversation with Jessica Fellowes, James talks about the human side of real estate: managing hundreds of tenants means understanding their different perspectives and resolving conflicts. There's also the constant challenge that comes with operations, whether construction cost inflation or the weather. As a company, they know and understand NY and its laws extremely well – rent regulations, for example, require very close attention. Having been initially funded by a single family office, RYCO Capital is now planning to open co-investment opportunities. James particularly enjoys seeing how developing a mixed-use property sensitively can lead to greater benefits for the community around it. James says: 'We have a lot of capabilities for the type of construction and renovation and repositioning work that we do that requires a decent size team. We have a decent overhead and we're able to sustain that overhead, even during periods where we're not buying and selling and earning fees, earning profits.'But if you want to know the hip new place to move to (and invest in) then ask yourself: Where's the nightlife? Where are the artists? Bushwick is the place that is like Williamsburg fifteen years ago... This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailIn the week in which it was announced that Ananda Pharma has received MHRA and NHS Ethics approval for ENDOCAN-1, their Phase 2 clinical trial testing MRX1 CBD oral solution for endometriosis-associated pain (afflicting 190 million women worldwide), we are delighted to have this interview with the co-founder and CEO, Melissa Sturgess. Ananda Pharma has not only been taking CBD oil through a standard drug development regulatory approval pathway, they have also been working hard to explain the myths that surround its ancient, natural and mysterious (to many) properties. The journey to this point has already taken huge investment over several years, but Melissa is driven not only by the belief that they can succeed but by the lives they know they can change with that success. This interview is a fascinating insight into what it takes to enter the pharmacological industry, the regulatory challenges, the risks that must be borne and the mettle that is needed! As Melissa says: 'The key thing is focus, focus, focus, because you can talk and dream about the big opportunity as much as you like, but you get to that dream by being massively focused in the short term. And that's what we're all about.'This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailForum Radio this week is a conversation between Jessica Fellowes, co-founder of Forum 500, and Velitchka Hristova. Multi-linguist Velitchka has over 20 years experience in wealth management, and has recently established Sineva Family Office, based in Vienna, with much travel in the Balkans. In this wide-ranging conversation, we discuss how to raise financially aware children and Velitchka's work as a 'money coach,' which means helping people to establish what their relationship with money is, and how it affects the way they spend and invest it. Velitchka also talks about how she enjoys the challenges of the family dynamics, and working with families to establish what they want their money for. "You've bought everything that you could possibly need, and you're getting to a stage in your life where, from a purely developmental perspective, it's not the objects that you could purchase that really matter and the aesthetics, but more questions of how you show up in this world. How are you perceived by those around you, your family? What is your impact? Do you want to have an impact?"This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailJessica Fellowes talks to Dr Rhea Kotecha (Dubai) about health, longevity and the best porridge to start your day! Rhea studied pre-medicine and psychology at Boston University before completing her medical training as GP in the UK. Rhea's career began under high pressure, as a junior at Lewisham Hospital when COVID first struck. The healthcare system at that time informed the changes she subsequently made to her practice, and now, with a master's in nutrition and studying for a PhD in Functional Foods, Rhea's prescriptions for her patients include supplements, 'exercise snacks' and recipes. "If I look at myself in the last decade and what I am now, I feel like I'm much stronger, much more cognitively resilient and I'm about 20 times more productive than I was when I was a medical student going out drinking a lot and not eating as well, not prioritizing my health."High Fibre Porridge:Base1 tablespoon hemp hearts/ seeds1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds30g oats30g crushed walnuts2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds1 medjool date1/2 a grated parsnip1/2 a grated apple1 tablespoon chia seedsExtras- vanilla powder- cinnamon powder- turmeric - saffronAdd it all to saucepan and add 1 cup of milk of your choice and cook for 20 mins on low heatFun toppings - stewed blueberries/ raspberries- mix in cacao powder- mix in matcha powder- cook banana in butter and cinnamon (my favourite)This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailLondon Forum member Roy Moëd and his wife, Yvette Conn, are co-founders of LifeBook Memoirs, a private autobiography service that has produced over 20,000 books since its inception in 2011. They talk to Jessica Fellowes about the psychological benefits for their clients of writing out their legacies, often revealing things that no one in their family knew before!Keen philanthropists and charity volunteers, Roy and Yvette have long and successful careers as entrepreneurs and in the City, respectively. But it's this second stage of their work, which they engage in together, that seems to bring them the most reward. 'When you have someone with the emotional intellect and engagement actually interviewing, they're very adept at that. It's the hesitation, it's the sigh, it's the breath that someone takes before they answer a question that says a lot. AI can't do that.'This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailElise Madrick (Chicago) talks to Jessica about the huge change she had to bring about in her personal and professional life, and how it led to her establishing Cerené, following her own career path at the Kellogg School of Management and training as a psychotherapist. Those who wish to have a transformation in their own lives are guided by Elise’s team over 108 days to manage the process. You’ll enjoy the story of the private jet salesman who became an actor in a Hollywood movie! Elise discusses how people sometimes hold themselves back from the success they deserve: "A lot of times it is past experiences and it's not just the experience itself. It really actually has nothing to do with that. It's the story that somebody makes up about the thing that happened and that story – they make it mean something about who they are and what they're of and what their life is for... Often what happens is people make up these stories that they are not good enough, that they're not worthy, that they don't deserve a life that is free and exciting and adventurous because of these things that have happened or the stories that they've made up about these things that have happened. And so our goal in working with them is, okay, how do we figure out how to let go of those stories?”This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailDaniel Bernard (Tel Aviv) has enjoyed over twenty years’ experience in the sports’ industry, having built operations, companies and platforms across multiple territories and jurisdictions. Born in London, he has lived in France, Spain and Italy, starting work in television for the Sports Channel. Now, he is looking to create a positive impact on people’s lives through sport, for children and adults alike, in parallel via commercial and philanthropic initiatives. At the heart of this, is Ride for Unity, bringing together business leaders, trailblazers and athletes around the world to cycle together, spreading values of diversity, tolerance, inclusion and sustainability. "What I keep telling a lot of people is that being involved in sports doesn't mean you have to be one of the starting eleven. There's a whole system that works around the field of play from broadcast to data to stats to food and beverage to hospitality. It's an enormous industry."Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailTo begin 2026 and the third series of Forum Radio, we are delighted to be in conversation with our long-standing member and friend, Dr Efraim Chalamish. Condensing his CV is a challenge: Efi (as he is known) lives in New York with his family, but travels around the world frequently as an international economic law professor, advisor and commentator. He has been involved in legal practice in NY, Paris and Israel, teaches at NYU and is a Senior Advisor with Duff & Phelps/Kroll. During Forum in New York, Jessica caught up with Efi for a brief overview of the intersection between law and geopolitics, how best to bridge the gap between private sector and government regulation and his passion for taking complex systems and translating them into plain English. 'I think instead of speaking about post-globalization or de-globalization, we actually speak about a new form of globalization. We speak about a world where governments focus on unilateral actions, bilateral agreements, regional partnerships... instead of working on mega agreements on a global scale where  politics and bad governance kills the chances of getting things done.'This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, host Jessica Fellowes talks to Arnaud Saint Paul (New York/LA/Paris) during Forum 500 in New York. Arnaud's purpose is to help one billion people to open their hearts by pioneering his Heartful Method™. A philanthropist and award-winning serial software, finance, and social impact entrepreneur for more than 20 years, Arnaud has supported leaders around the world in building a heart-based economy — an ecosystem where inner alignment becomes the driver of outer success. This is a frank and insightful conversation,  full of warmth, too. 'For me, it was essential to find a way to lead from my heart and not trust the mind that is very fickle. It's funny because this mind of ours is 5,000 times less powerful than the heart electromagnetic field, but we spend 99% of our time with it and on it, which is completely paradoxical, right? So that little thing that we call the brain or mind can only be used as a tool instead of being the whole landscape of my reality.'This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailForum Radio talks to Simon Kaye, an Englishman in  New York. Simon is a third-generation transportation professional as CEO of Jaguar Freight, founded by him just over thirty years ago. In this episode, Simon talks about the challenges of international logistics and how these have changed in the last five years, as well as moving from a company that had several offices to managing an entirely remote team. 'We do a number of things to ensure that we keep the company culture strong. We have regular all-company meetings but every Friday we all get together on a team call for a "rose and thorn" session, where everyone shares either a positive, a rose, or a negative, a thorn, about their week. It can be personal, it can be business, but it allows everyone to open up, to be vulnerable, and for others to hear what's going on in their colleagues' lives and people who they may not interact with during the rest of the week.'This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailJessica Fellowes talks to David Kirshenbaum (Chicago), founder of MeadeCo, a Chicago-based merchant bank that works with companies on capital needs, business sales, restructuring and strategic connections. Given his extensive professional experience, we discussed the evolution of his career, what he's focused on now and how he believes larger economic and geopolitical trends are shaping the landscape. As well as the difficulty of describing what it is he does: "My family has a great deal of trouble understanding what I do, so it's down to 'Dad does deals.' I get approached a lot with, David, can you or do you know someone who can help me do fill in the blank? I've been able to do some very, very unusual deals in very short order because I generally always know a person to call."This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailForum Radio this week talks to Patrick Aisher (Gstaad), an Anglo-Austrian entrepreneur who has been involved in early-stage ventures since 1990. Over the course of his career, he has created or invested in more than fifty companies and has seen exits through IPOs in London, New York, and Madrid, as well as multiple trade sales and licensing deals. Patrick is Chairman of Kinled Holding, a private investment company originally founded in Hong Kong, which now operates from offices in London, Shanghai, Vienna, and Zurich. Kinled holds a broad portfolio across life sciences, digital technology, and financial technology. Patrick is also a founder or partner in several independently managed funds in Europe and the U.S., and he’s involved in the Swiss Corporate Finance and Private Equity Association. We talked about his experience across global markets, how he evaluates early-stage opportunities, what trends he's paying attention to. "Entrepreneurs, whether they're scientists or engineers, clinicians or financial people, they're deeply committed to improving human life or financial systems. When you back people that have that level of purpose, good things usually tend to happen. They're very focused on what they want to achieve."This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailLila Charif (Milan) is a Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist, cookbook author, former fashion entrepreneur and wellness advocate. Born in Iran and raised in France, Lila spent two decades in New York, a decade in London and several years in Paris before settling in Milan in 2025. Passionate about her work, Lila talks to Forum Radio host Jessica Fellowes about her rigorous training and her approach to nutrition and health, one which integrates  food, culture and lifestyle strategies to support modern living. She is also the co-author of 'Persian Feasts: Recipes & Stories From A Family Table,' named on multiple lists as the best cookbook of 2024. A key message from Lila is that we should address our health when we are feeling healthy, and ask ourselves how to maintain a good balance. 'Prevention is everything because you should not be waiting when your body is out of balance or out of sync or where you feel unwell to go and do something about it. It's something you should focus on on a daily level. And I always tell my clients, you know, health is effort. You actually have to put the time in and you have to focus and you have to learn what's a good combination of foods and you have to learn what is better than other.'This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailSteven Hirth (New York) is a longstanding friend and member of Forum 500. Both the consummate East Coast gentleman and a true international, Steven travels widely throughout the year for both work and pleasure. He is the Founder and Principal of S.H.Hirth and Associates, an international merchant banking boutique modelled after pre-World War II European merchant banks. His family office concentrates on North and Central American real estate and global private equities. Steven talks here with Jessica Fellowes about the values he holds dear, how his childhood as an immigrant shaped him, the importance of cultivating genuine friendships and, of course, the delights of grappa. 'One of the ethos which I live by is very simple. To the world, you're one person, and to one person, you are the world. I apply that to all of my investments. When we invest in growth companies or sometimes start-up companies, we focus on bringing our capital to the table. And when I define what, how I define capital, it's human capital, moral capital, social capital, financial capital, cultural capital. I always say marriage is cheaper than divorce. So we don't get involved in many projects, but when we get involved, we immerse ourselves.'This episode was edited by Vanessa Heaney. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailNathalie Latham (Tamil Nadu) was a documentary film maker and photographer until cancer halted her life. Now, she has re-emerged as an artist, with a beautiful book about her treatment, recovery and emergence into her new phase of life. 'I AM ALIVE" is a testament to resilience and creativity, and how the two intertwine. With eloquence and humour, Nathalie talks to Jessica Fellowes about how it felt to surrender to the process of intensive treatment, her move to India and her work as an environmentalist. The podcast ends with Nathalie's moving Love Letter to Life.'Beloved life, you are my love, my center. I honor you in all I do on this earth with these hands and this heart. In the meal I cook, in the tree I plant, in the hand I hold, in the drawing I create, in the joy I share.Sacred life, beloved life, I am alive.'You can buy Nathalie's book from nathalielatham.comThis episode was produced by Vanessa Heaney. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailElizabeth Linder (Florida/London) has spoken at several Forum events, and we are honoured to have her as our guest this week. She has an extraordinarily insightful mind that manages to encompass the ever-expanding worlds of geopolitics, social media and leadership. She is so clever, in fact, that she although she has worked for Google, YouTube, Facebook and Chatham House, she has never held a position with an existing job description. Now founder and Chief Diplomatic Officer of Brooch Associates, Elizabeth looks after a global portfolio of government ministers and private sector CEOs. Today, it's about building trust rather than a vast number of social media followers: "These days I'm focusing so much more on creating spaces for leaders with influence to create spaces where they can bounce ideas and find thought partners from different sectors and organizations to share those ideas and do that kind of thinking that you can only really do when you're not under the scrutiny of so many people around the world."Produced by Vanessa HeaneyMusic by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailRoozbeh Aliabadi (Lisbon) is an AI education entrepreneur, geopolitical commentator and former military service member with expertise in the Middle East, Central Asia and geo-economics. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, the BBC, USA Today and now Forum Radio! Roozbeh talks to Jessica Fellowes about his mission to make AI education accessible worldwide, as co-founder of ReadyAI. Roozbeh is also an enthusiastic resident of Lisbon, keen to welcome his fellow Forum members there! Roozbeh's insight into the position of AI in our world, particularly from the point of view of future generations, is useful and balanced:  "My advice to parents is: don't focus on what your kids should be learning in terms of jobs they will be having in 10, 20 years. Because, folks, we have no idea what those jobs are going to be like. Let me give you a very good example. If you look at the Department of Labor Statistics in the U.S., they have about 740 job categories. Guess what? Every year, about 36% of those job categories are changing, 10% are vanishing, and another 22% are evolving. The truth is, we don't know what jobs are going to be like. So spend your time teaching your kids to be good humans. And then we'll worry about the rest later. On the AI domain, and I cut it short here, is: whoever tells you what AI education will look like in a year, including myself, run away."Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailDoris loves gemstones. After listening to this episode, you'll understand why – and perhaps have a different appreciation for them yourself. Sitting in her beautiful atelier in Zurich, Forum member Doris Hangartner talks to Jessica Fellowes about her passion for gemology, how she matches personalities to stones, and the changing landscape of gem portfolios with recent discoveries of new and valuable stones. "I started buying stones for myself and the company in 2012 and if I compare some of the stones that I now buy, they have x'ed up to five times, so it is an incredibly interesting, beautiful investment diversification and I think it is a very beautiful way of seeing your wealth through your gems."Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailThe luckiest amongst us will enjoy living to a grand old age, but are any of us looking forward to those years? Zurich member Jan Garde is on a mission to ensure that we are... As founder of The Embassies of Good Living, Jan is building mixed-use developments combining retail, leisure and serviced living in the hearts of the world's most amazing cities. The focus on 'contemporary hospitality' is all about what's possible rather than necessary. Most surprisingly, the entry point for their residential Ambassadors is often people aged 60+ rather than 80+.Jan explains: 'Porsche, the car company, came in early as a shareholder, and they told us, ah, we think, there might be a chance that your customer is younger. So, we opened up a wait list to understand who's our customer, sort of what are their levels of interest, backgrounds, diversity, and age groups, and learned another really interesting bunch of lessons. Back then, let's say, on the global wait list, the average age was between 60 and 65. And now, going to market in Hamburg, we all of a sudden have people that come in at 21 and also at 78. And all joking aside, if you put both of them in the same room, they'll have a jolly good time.'Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailWould you invest in space? Raphael Roettgen (Zurich) talks to Jessica Fellowes about the ever-expanding universe for investment and why you don't have to be a rocket scientist to get into it. Raphael is the founding partner of E2MC, a space-focused early-stage venture capital firm with over 25 space investments to date. As a pioneering and complex VC, he lectures on space entrepreneurship and finance at several universities, is an accomplished podcaster in his own right with ‘Space Business Podcast’ and has written ‘To Infinity,’ an introductory book on the space economy. Raphael's vision is compelling: "We  believe – this sounds ridiculously futuristic – but in a 10-year timeframe, which is the timeframe for a venture capital fund like ours, manufacturing of things in space for use on Earth, like biological materials, advanced materials, is going to become a reality. And it may become a very significant reality."Episode edited by Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailTracy Hall is a former speaker for Forum in Singapore, talking here to Jessica Fellowes about her devastating experience as ‘the last victim’ of serial conman Hamish McLaren, currently in jail for fraud estimated at the value of $60-80m worldwide. Tracy talks to Jessica Fellowes here about the financial and emotional fall out of realising that the love of her life, the man she knew as Max, had defrauded her of her life savings and broken her heart. There’s practical advice, too. How to keep healthy sceptism without becoming cynical, when it comes to enticing investment opportunities as well as simple tips to keep yourself safe from AI-led scams. (Use the default voicemail setting, for example, so that your voice can’t be ‘scraped’ and used to defraud others.)‘What I do say to people is, when it comes to scams, and fraud, and financial crime, the most intelligent thing that we can do is to humbly accept that it could happen to us. And if you start at that place, then you're going to automatically be more vigilant and more aware.’Tracy’s book, The Last Victim, will be published in the UK in October, and in the US early next year. Further information is on her website: tracyhall.com.auEpisode producer: Vanessa HeaneyMusic by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailBala Chandra (Dubai) talks to Jessica Fellowes this week about ‘inorganic growth,’ how having a performance psychologist in his staff transformed his company and what Harvard Business school did teach him. Bala grew up in India and when he first arrived in London as a programmer, he came down to breakfast and couldn’t understand why he was the only person in the room. He had no idea that such a concept as daylight saving time existed! Now, Bala is the founder of technology group Propel, with 1500 people between US, Europe and India.  ‘Whatever your belief system is – God or universe or nature – it is always meant to help you succeed. Every shortcoming is yet another way of finding out.’Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailThis week’s episode of Forum Radio is with Parag Khanna. Technically a Singapore member, Parag is perhaps more accurately a citizen of the world, having travelled to more than 150 countries and lived in several of them. A leading global strategy advisor, founder and CEO of Climate Alpha, author of several books – most recently, 'Move' – and a frequent speaker at Forum events, you can hear in this interview about the childhood that inspired his career, how he learned to challenge received wisdom after a trip to Venezuela and Colombia and why governments need to look at what their young people are doing to measure success. Plus, he tells us why he loves Forum: 'If it didn't exist, you would have to invent it. It's very much the embodiment of what we're talking about...creating this sense of community wherever you are, wherever you establish it and wherever you found it.'Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailSeries Two of Forum Radio begins with Erkin Bek. As most of us would like to find a way to prolong the tranquility of our summer rest into our autumn work schedule, Erkin is the one to teach us how to do it. Founder of the All Here Organisation and the World Meditation League, Erkin is a scientifically accomplished meditation practitioner but comes to it from a background as an entrepreneur – albeit one who wanted to make the shift from the material world. 'What I was looking for out there all over the world, eventually I discovered that it was not there to look for but it was something that was within me...I found the fulfilment that was the most natural place to call home.'In this interview, we explore how meditation training builds long-term cognitive abilities and the shift from spirituality to consciousness with All Here's scientific approach. Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailJuliet Stannard is our guest this week on Forum Radio. A longstanding member, Juliet moved to Singapore from Britain in 1993, and has built a successful career in property in the region. Juliet also talks movingly about the tragedy her family suffered in the Asian tsunami of 2004, and how they came through it with the support of friends. Since then, there have been further challenges but Juliet's extraordinary resilience, and that of her children, has kept them close. In Singapore, Juliet enjoys everything the city has to offer, and gives good tips for fellow Forum members looking to travel there. Editor: Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailThis week is a special edition of Forum Radio – an interview with Forum’s founder, Simon Jacot de Boinod. Interviewed by his wife and co-founder, Jessica, Simon talks about how he came to create Forum and the exciting plans that are now in place for Forum 500, our future iteration of the club, launching in Singapore later this year. ‘I do see an opportunity for Forum 500 to be a think tank of practitioners. With careful positioning, I can see the outside world looking in at Forum 500 and wanting to know the opinion of Forum 500, because we’re all successful people across many sectors and cities. What’s more interesting is that we don’t have an agenda. We’re still at the coalface, working out how to run our businesses.’Editor: Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailZiad Salloum (Abu Dhabi) talks to Jessica Fellowes about his legal practice, advising governments and corporations in the UAE and elsewhere, his knighthoods from Italy and the Vatican, and how his father inspired him. Ziad grew up in the UAE – 'I used to be asked if I went to school on a camel' – and discusses the common misconceptions of the region that still exist today, as well as the exciting and fast-paced developments currently happening. 'Women enjoy the same legal status as men, the same access to education, the same right to practice professions. They're also guaranteed the same access to employment, health, welfare, everything. And the law also mandates equal pay.'Editor: Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailBetsy Pearce (New York) talks to Jessica Fellowes about her work as a lawyer and strategic advisor for creative businesses. In the past, Betsy has overseen deals with fashion giants such as Alexander McQueen and Gucci. She talks about how investors need guidance into how creatives work, and creatives need to understand the demands made by investment – sometimes the twain do not meet! 'Ninety to 94 per cent of investors have to go through a succession crisis, which is expensive: when a fashion company has a founder leave, there's a ten to 15 per cent drop in revenue for the next two seasons,' Betsy explains. Tune in for all this – and more! Editor: Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailThis week's interview is with long-standing New York member John McCormick. Jessica talks to John about his work at InnovaHealth partners, where investment in the healthcare space has brought him to some of the most cutting edge developments in recent years. John also talks about the importance of investing in women's healthcare – notoriously neglected and underfunded – and the new miracle drug, the likes of which only comes along every few decades. And, of course, AI: 'We see the large language model phenomenon as a real opportunity to design advanced devices in our research and development departments at our portfolio companies. It helps us do research and mine clinical data in ways we could have not seen before.' Editor: Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailIn this week's episode, Jessica talks to Anita Beacroft (Singapore). Born and raised in Sydney, before moving to Tokyo and Hong Kong, Anita began her professional career in finance and property. Following health challenges, she trained in energy healing modalities from Reiki to meditation, and now runs The Ascended Heart, a transformational coaching company. She talks about the unconscious divide between what people say they want and what their body says they really want.'The work that I do often requires you to suspend doubt for a moment and lean in,' says Anita. 'But everybody's looking for that something special, that invisible edge...that will optimise their skill set and allow them to achieve something important, powerful and impactful. It's unusual work but I absolutely love it.'Editor: Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailMichael Beneville (New York) is a familiar face to many of our members, as the co-founder of Beneville Studios, which hosts Forum breakfasts so brilliantly. An artist, storyteller and futurist, Michael talks to Jessica about his childhood inspirations, LA vs NY, how to ‘step into the shoes of your worth’ and growing a business that has no template. Beneville Studios today has created a wide range of innovative design, from the Empire State Building Experience to Area 15 in Las Vegas.‘It takes a long time to climb up through the creative ranks and maintain whatever it is that you wanted to do. That’s a long road. Arguably, it takes thirty, forty years to even have something to say that isn’t derivative of everything else.’Editor: Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailThis week's conversation is with New York member James Greenberg, founder of Greenberg Art Advisory, member of the Whitney Museum Library Fellows and Vice Chairman for The Center for Arts Education. He is also an artist himself, working out of a studio in Greenpoint Brooklyn. Jim talks to Jessica about his training in art history, finance and law, and how this gave him a different port of entry into the art world: 'I think I have a little bit of special sauce in that I understand all of the legal complications and ramifications with authenticity and provenance a little better having worked in the legal realm, and I also think my advantage includes a real understanding of materials from being a practicing artist who works in oil paint and stone.'Editor: Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailDaniel Widdicombe (London), CFO of Devolver Digital, and former head of investment banking for CBB (the world's second-largest bank), talks to Jessica about a career that has bridged east and west, the creative and the financial, and his plans to travel as widely as possible. Daniel told us what he has enjoyed about his Forum membership, too:  'It has broadened my perspectives on business and friendships, and also collaborative partnerships...You have people who are willing and hungry to experience together and work together and just interact. We're all so eager to interact and listen and learn from other people. So it's the perfect environment for that kind of experience.'Editor: Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailJennifer Schipf (London) is Global Chief Underwriting Officer Fine Art & Specie at AXA XL, which means she sets worldwide strategy for client solutions in the specialised market of fine art underwriting. In her conversation with Jessica, Jennifer talks about inspirational artists, the challenges of intersecting business and art, as well as her own work in the studio.‘I sit at this very unusual intersection of the two extremes, which makes it a lot of fun, a lot of problem solving, and no two days are the same.’Editor: Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailPano Anthos is based in New York, where he is founder and managing partner of XRC Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm. Pano talks to Jessica about how technology has disrupted and changed human behaviour in the retail space, now we live in an 'online first, offline second' world. The future, says Pano, is in increasingly beautiful wearable technology. And, of course, AI. 'I'm concerned that AI is a fundamental shift because the consumer cannot see the difference for the most part. It's almost indetectable, which means counterfeit grows dramatically. And if counterfeit grows dramatically and there is no truth in a small t, not capital T, we're not talking existentially here, but if there's no small t, then what are we left with?'Editor: Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailOur latest podcast is an interview with Shwan Ibrahim Taha, our member based in Istanbul. Shwan grew up in Iraq, worked in America (for Franklin Templeton, later co-managing a hedge fund sponsored by George Soros) and has returned to the  region with Rabee Securities, a brokerage and investment firm. You can hear his fascinating insights into the risk and reward that is investing in a country that is at long last experiencing peace.'It was a war-torn country for 50 years...We have arcane laws. We have very poor infrastructure for investments. The laws are murky still, not too clear. But if you can stomach that and navigate that, then it's a very promising country.'Editor: Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers

Send us Fan MailJessica talks to Dan Sandhu (London), CEO of Education Development Trust (EDT), a vast not-for-profit organisation working to improve education outcomes around the world. Dan talks about how COVID changed education globally, how remote learning is enabling education to scale faster in countries without structural policy framework, his plans to expand EDT's footprint in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and identifying opportunities for the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office. 'Education is a great export out of the UK,' says Dan. Editor: Vanessa Heaney.Music by Alex Vickers