The Entrepreneurs

Oribe co-founder Daniel Kaner talks about creating a luxury haircare brand that brings fashion, fragrance and performance together. He shares why the best time to innovate is when you’re gaining momentum. Plus: Dilli House founder Arpit Kaushik on going against the grain and creating an ‘anti-perfume’.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founder Aaron Benjamin shares how his Tokyo-based luxury fashion brand Ichijiku grew out of a collection of gifted kimonos and has since evolved into what he describes as more of an art gallery than a traditional label. Plus: executive advisor and tea ambassador, Rona Tison, on Ito En’s global expansion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet Jarkko Antila, CEO of Kuva Space, a Finnish company using AI-powered satellites with hyperspectral cameras to monitor activity on Earth, from timely intelligence to detecting dark and stealth vessels at sea. He explains the company’s technology and its mission to launch more than 100 satellites by 2030.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 talks about the creative advantages of dyslexia and why he sees it as an edge in designing his sculptural objects. Plus: How new work platform Vizzy caught 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. And: 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.

Dr Brendan Nelson, president of Boeing Global, talks about the company’s turning point as airlines in the Middle East place record orders. Plus: A catch up with Dubai Airports CEO, Paul Griffiths. And: Monocle’s Gulf correspondent, Inzaman Rashid, rounds up the deals and stories that defined the Dubai Airshow 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synhelion co-founder Dr Gianluca Ambrosetti joins us in Zürich to explain how his team is turning sunlight into usable liquid fuel. He talks about the big name partners backing the technology and why scaling solar-made fuels could transform the aviation and mobility industries without overhauling existing infrastructure.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Entrepreneur and Childs Farm founder Joanna Jensen shares how a know-it-all attitude can stall growth and why confidence alone can’t save a struggling enterprise. She discusses lessons from her new book, ‘Making Business Child’s Play: How to Build a Winning Brand’, a practical guide to creating companies that last. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicolas Budzynski, the CEO of globally acclaimed French Mediterranean restaurant La Petite Maison, shares his expansion plans and why he keeps his team focused on long-term vision. Plus: A dispatch from Aalto Founder School.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

L’Objet founder Elad Yifrach talks about the value of materiality in design, smart collaborations and growing a luxury decor brand celebrated for its commitment to craftsmanship. Plus: we meet the boss of Kachimode, a Japanese firm that investigates whether real estate properties are haunted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

António Amorim, the CEO of the world's leading producer of cork, talks about the surprising versatility of the material and its many uses in industries from wine to aerospace and construction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

N.Peal’s owner, Adam Holdsworth, discusses his measured approach to the company’s expansion strategy and collaborations. Plus: We meet Tomokuni Tsuji, the CEO of Sanrio, the Japanese entertainment business behind Hello Kitty.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We visit Wandl in Ruhpolding, Bavaria, where a husband-and-wife team host corporate retreats in a historic alpine farmhouse. Teams leave behind dull hotel rooms to breathe fresh mountain air and find new focus for leadership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rejoice! Rosé season doesn’t have to end. We meet husband-and-wife duo Stephen and Jeany Cronk, the founders of award-winning rosé brand Maison Mirabeau, which is now sold in over 40 countries. They share how a risky move to Provence paid off and why rosé deserves a place on festive tables.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet Ece Gözen, co-founder of Gozen, the biotechnology company behind Lunaform, a biomaterial now catching the attention of major fashion houses such as Balenciaga and offering a new approach to sustainable design.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Italy is positioning itself to become Europe’s next tech hub. Plus: author Mehran Gul on ‘The New Geography of Innovation: The Global Contest for Breakthrough Technologies’. And: Kagi founder Vladimir Prelovac on the search engine’s answer to combating internet AI slop.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet Pietro Collina, co-founder of Whitebox Cocktails, a company making full-strength, single-serve classics such as negronis, espresso martinis and cosmopolitans. Collina talks about creating canned cocktails and scaling the brand to international shelves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founder Scott Hudson shares the story of Henrybuilt and how the company constructed a business around custom kitchen systems that combine design, craftsmanship and function.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founder Natalie Enslöw shares how she launched Fjör, a skincare brand tackling dryness, sensitivity and other skin issues with advanced microbiome technology and a purpose-driven approach.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We explore different ways to build community through entrepreneurship. June O’Sullivan talks about the role of social enterprise in shaping modern business. Then: Alexei Korolyov meets the founder of an independent Viennese cafe chain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CEO of Cata, David Brunier, shares his journey to creating a next-generation SaaS platform that launches fully branded consumer apps with no coding and minimal upfront costs, including the top app in Singapore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aera co-founders Jas Minhas and Olof Larsson join us at Midori House to discuss how things have been ticking along at their watch brand since Minhas’s previous visit. Plus: Monocle’s Brenda Tuohy on Geneva Watch Days trends.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

French-Togolese architect and co-founder of Studio Neida, Jeanne Autran-Edorh, talks about the future of design in Togo and how her work is making an impact internationally.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonny Lake and Isa Bal, co-founders and masterminds behind the two Michelin-starred Trivet in London, discuss their latest venture. Plus: Simon Kim chats about shaking up the traditional American steakhouse with the acclaimed Cote. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roberts Treize shares the story of Sporonex, a Latvian startup developing sustainable acoustic solutions using mycelium and circular-waste materials.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Laurent Kleitman stops by Monocle’s Paris studio to reflect on the state of luxury hospitality, Mandarin Oriental’s takeover of the Lutetia hotel and the group’s starring role in season three of The White Lotus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Didrik Dimmen is the co-founder and CEO of Auk, an award-winning indoor smart-gardening system that makes it easy to grow fresh herbs, salad plants and even vegetables, no matter the season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We mark two centuries of passenger rail with a look at what’s down the line. Björn Bender, CEO of Rail Europe, discusses the direction of travel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to share something that’s rooted in place with the world? Naoki Mita discusses Le Furo’s “craft onsen” – concentrated hot spring solutions that capture the therapeutic benefits of Japan’s mineral-rich waters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feng Chen Wang is a Chinese, London-based fashion designer who embodies what it means to update tradition. Her eponymous brand creates pieces that are deeply personal yet globally resonant, merging traditional Chinese references with modern tailoring, sportswear influences and futuristic silhouettes. As her brand marks a decade of boundary-pushing design, Wang reflects on her upbringing in Fujian, collaborations with major brands such as Converse and why straddling cultures is her superpower in both design and business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie Maas, co-founder of Papa Salt, talks about testing 59 distilled recipes before settling on their gin, which uses native Australian botanicals. Plus: a florist’s mission to elevate the status of the country’s wildflowers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Archer Aviation’s founder and CEO, Adam Goldstein, joins to discuss  the UAE launch of the ‘Midnight’ eVTOL. Is a 20-minute Dubai-Abu Dhabi commute in the offing?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.