ME5

COVER 100TC ME5:feb09

16/3/09

08:45

Page 1

THE LUXURY LIFESTYLE • SPRING 2009

YSL.indd 4

16/3/09 10:48:49

YSL.indd 5

16/3/09 10:48:52

Ferragamo.indd 2

16/3/09 10:31:13

Ferragamo.indd 1

16/3/09 10:31:20

MKF08_100THOUSAND_CLUB_NOV.indd 2

16/3/09 10:33:14

MKF08_100THOUSAND_CLUB_NOV.indd 3

16/3/09 10:33:28

EdenIsland.indd 2

16/3/09 10:28:59

EdenIsland.indd 3

16/3/09 10:29:03

SunriseYAtchs.indd 1

16/3/09 10:46:08

UniMedia.indd 1

16/3/09 10:48:03

WolfAppliances.indd 1

16/3/09 10:48:26

Harrods.indd 1

16/3/09 10:43:45

Sonderegger.indd 1

16/3/09 10:45:31

CONTENTS ME5:feb09 18/03/2009 09:14 Page 13

CONTENTS PEOPLE

52 Tailleur Extraordinaire 59 The Talent Brokers 89 Climb Every Mountain 95 The Power in the Palace 128 Walking on Air 134 Checking in with Albert Herrera 138 Filming for Freedom

CONTENTS ME5:feb09 18/03/2009 09:14 Page 14

26 Flying High 38 Business Essentials 70 High Partnership 83 Light up the Night 107 The Best of All Worlds 124 What to Watch

CONTENTS FASHION & LUXE

MIGInvest.indd 1

16/3/09 10:33:55

CONTENTS ME5:feb09 18/03/2009 08:45 Page 16

50 Not To Miss 56 Private Islands for Purchase 87 Top Ten: The Faces of Time 100 Speeding Ahead

CONTENTS FEATURES

Chanel.indd 1

16/3/09 10:27:38

CLIVE CHRISTIAN MIDDLE EAST

CLIVE CHRISTIAN DUBAI, NABOUDA BUILDING, OUD METHA, DUBAI UAE TEL : +971 4335 5771 FACSIMILE +971 4335 6778 CLIVE.COM

CliveChristian.indd 1

16/3/09 10:28:25

CONTENTS ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:28 Page 19

CONTENTS TRAVEL

73 What Dreams May Come 114 Jordan Spas 120 Nile River Cruising

ED NOTE ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:31 Page 20

THE

EDITOR’S

NOTE

S

ometimes it is necessary to stop, look and

listen. Now is one of those times. It’s true that there is turmoil around the world – financial crisis, bleeding from every part of

the global body. This is just the top-coat however.

The most noticeable part of the landscape visible to everyone. But for those with a discerning eye, and selective hearing, there are still wonderful things happening. That is what you will see and hear when pausing for a moment.

One of the things that makes the Middle East special is its resilience. This is a part of the world that has seen every single extreme, on multiple occasions, and still produced more than its share of magnificence in the form of people, places, performance, art, and culture. It is a place to which people from all over the world have flocked over the last decade and a half, seeking and appreciating the fruits of the natives.

True, at this moment, there seems to be a backlash, and there is a bit of a halt in the development of new real estate, hotels, and the like. That doesn’t mean the magnificence has disappeared. Rather than worry about the current troubles, here at 100Thousand Club, we choose to focus on the things that will bring people back when all the dust has settled.

In this issue we take a look at Tony Ward, “Tailleur Extraordinaire,” a Lebanese fashion designer whose influence on the industry and plans for the future are as inspiring as the couture he designs.

We also meet Padma and Richard Coram, who founded Dubai’s first booking agency, and have been responsible for almost every major act and performance to play in the great city for the last couple

We also guide you down the River Nile on a luxurious cruise, and show you the best places to pamper your body and soul in Jordan.

Quite simply, there is something for everyone. And contrary to recent media blitzes of negativity, it will not be long before our region proves itself once again.

I hope you enjoy the issue.

decades. Elton John, Chuck Berry, Pavarotti – you name it, they’ve been responsible for it. Their recognition and respect is unparalleled in the region.

For someone who makes the region special now, we drop in on Hans Olbertz, the General Manager of the Kempinski Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, who has reached what many call the pinnacle of a hospitality ca-

Salutations,

reer. Manning the helm of a world -enowned property is interesting busi-

Harlan Davis

ness, and there is nothing in the world Hans would rather do.

Editor-in-Chief

Barnards.indd 1

16/3/09 10:16:16

CONTRIBUTORS ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:29 Page 22

CON T R IBU T OR S Kate Winick A lifelong interest in travel, fashion, and luxury goods, combined with a passion for writing and interviewing, brought Kate to the 100 Thousand Club to cover the best of the best for all three editions of the magazine. She has also written for Trump Magazine, Popular Mechanics, and other lifestyle publications.

Natalie Brandweiner Though Natalie began her career as a business writer, interviewing executives from a variety of industries, and still contributes to several business magazines, her understanding of the needs and desires of high-profile people give her unique insight into creating maps, lists, and feature stories that will grab her reader’s attention.

Matthew Buttell Matthew Buttell’s first work for 100 Thousand Club has been terrific.

His interests in the jet set lifestyle and shopping melding perfectly with his first two pieces on Aviation City and his look at Dubai shopping. Matt’s extensive and varied journalistic experience are a welcome addition.

Josh Sailor After working in production for the better part of his professional career, Josh eventually caved into his passion for photography, and hasn’t looked back since. Based in New York, his portfolio is as diverse as his experiences, and he creates fabulous shots of people, installations, and beautiful places around the world.

Norimichi Inoguchi Norimichi is a skilled photographer who focuses on images using movement and water. He is intrigued by the interaction of water and fashion, and incorporates his eye for movement into unique still-lifes. He holds a BFA in photography and was first in his class at the International Center of Photography.

CREDITS ME5:mar09 16/03/2009 09:30 Page 24

T H O U S A N D

C L U B

IN F ORMAT ION

Chairman/Publisher SPENCER GREEN CEO JAMES CRAVEN Editorial Director ADAM BURNS Editor-in-Chief HARLAN DAVIS Creative Director ANDREW HOBSON Associate Editor KATE WINICK Assistant Editor NATALIE BRANDWEINER Online Editor JANA GRUNE Contributing Writers ROBYN BAITCHER, MATTHEW BUTTELL, REBBECCA GOOZEE ___________________________ Design Director JAMES WEST Senior Designers ZÖE BRAZIL, SARAH WILMOTT Designers ELISE GILBERT, MICHAEL HALL, CRYSTAL MATHER, CLIFF NEWMAN Contributing Photographers JP GREENWOOD, NORIMICHI INOGUCHI, JOSH SAILOR ___________________________ Advertising, Marketing, and Client Services T: +44 117 921 4000 Executive Director: ANNA ASHBY Account Executives GEMMA FOX, ANDREW KING, ALEX WHITE Finance Director: JAMIE CANTILLON Production Manager: HANNAH DRIVER Production Coordinator: HANNAH DUFFIE, JULIA FENTON Director of Operations: JASON GREEN Subscription Enquiries T: +1 212.920.8181 www.100thousandclub.com General Enquiries info@100thousandclub.com Letters to the Editor letters@100thousandclub.com 100 Thousand Club (Vol. 2, Issue 2, Q2 2009) is published four times a year by GDS Publishing.

All rights reserved. GDS Publishing, Inc. 33 Whitehall Street, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10004, USA. Legal Information The advertising and articles appearing within this publication reflect the opinions and attitudes of their respective authors and not necessarily those of the publisher or editors. We are not to be held accountable for unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies or photographs. All material within this magazine is © 2009 100Thousand Club.

T H O U S A N D

C L U B

www.100thousandclub.com

Head Office GDS International Queen Square House, 18-21 Queen Square, Bristol, BS1 4NH, UK. T: +44 117 921 4000. F: +44 117 926 7444. E: info@gdsinternational.com

MAURICE SEDWELL. The discipline of bespoke tailoring at the highest level has been a living tradition since Maurice Sedwell began as a tailor in 1938. Our style comes from many years of experienced cutting, perfect fitting and skilful handcraft tailoring. With attention to the finest detail, classic tailoring remains vital since it responds to each customer’s individual requirements; not just their figure but also lifestyle and character. This ensures that every suit is unique. Bespoke tailoring continues to be relevant since its values remain modern. By injecting unique fashion touches, a Maurice Sedwell suit expresses the wearer’s individuality while maintaining an element tradition and elegance.

19 Savile Row, London W1S 3PP T: 020 7734 0824 E: mauricesedwell@btclick.com

www.savilerowtailor.com

Maurice Sedwell AD.indd 25

16/3/09 10:03:50

DWC AIR:10jan

16/3/09

09:08

Page 26

As your plane circles over the city of Dubai, skyscrapers shoot up to meet you and islands spread like sculpture across the sea below. For those in the know, white sandy beaches, first-class shopping, luxurious hotels and to-die-for cuisine, all set in an almost dream-like wonderment, lie below. With access to some of the best and brightest minds from around the world, Dubai is certainly moving in the right circles, tapping into real creativity and laying the necessary foundations to sustain competitiveness. In many ways, there is an intoxication surrounding Dubai that continues to attract both the world’s richest, trendiest, and innovative people. Not only does Dubai see investments that are truly breathtaking, with numerous free trade zones and tax-free earnings for corporations and individuals alike, it is now renowned as the capital of the modern world, a city that achieved a total GDP of US$37 billion in 2005, up from US$30.1 billion back in 2004. Currently, Dubai is experiencing an annual GDP growth of over 10 percent.

Known to be the least reliant on oil revenues among the GCC countries, experts say over 20 percent of the world’s construction cranes are currently at work in Dubai’s projects – projects that are worth more than US$125 billion. In addition to this, Dubai continues to offer year-round attractions both for residents and visitors, and the city welcomes more than six million tourists each year. And that figure is growing: with air traffic’s staggering annual growth of 16 percent, more than 15 million visitors are anticipated to visit Dubai by year 2010.

And this is a title now even more accurate thanks to the city’s biggest ever development. Dubai World Central (DWC) is a massive, multi-phase expansion centred around the world’s largest airport. The self-sustaining project already made urban history when its master plan was initially unveiled – at 140-square kilometres it is almost twice the size of Hong Kong Island – and it is set to transform the region into one of the most powerful global centres for logistics, tourism and commerce.

Located at Jebel Ali, some 40 kilometres south of Dubai city centre, DWC will essentially be a new city-within-a-city, encompassing all of the features that we have come to see as tantamount to modern Dubai living. Eventually the new city will provide homes and jobs to some 750,000 people – a population larger than that of present day Frankfurt.

But perhaps most importantly is the fact that Dubai World Central is the most strategically important infrastructure development yet to be launched by the Emirate, with designs to support Dubai's aviation, tourism, commercial and logistics requirements up until 2050.

26

100 Thousand Club

DWC AIR:10jan

17/3/09

15:22

Page 27

DWC AIR:10jan

16/3/09

09:04

Page 28

Why Aviation City • Dubai, the leading regional trading hub, serves over 2 billion consumers • More than US$17 billion in domestic imports annually, gateway to a market of US$150 billion per annum • More than 170 shipping lines and 100 airlines and an open market with

28

A closer looks reveals how DWC will in-

dence there; the Commercial City, which is de-

no exchange controls, quotas or

clude a cluster of specialised zones, including

signed as the business and finance hub of DWC;

trade barriers

the aforementioned world largest airport, Al

and a Golf Resort, which is to be offered on the

Maktoum International, that once completed will

open market to a private developer.

• Al Maktoum International Airport, the biggest in the world with 6 par-

be 10 times the size of the current Dubai Inter-

Lastly, but by no means any less impor-

allel runways, is to accommodate

national Airport and Dubai Cargo Village com-

tant, is Aviation City, an integral part of Dubai

over 120 million travellers and over

bined. Other sectors include, Dubai Logistics

World Central that is geographically and func-

12 million tonnes of cargo per year

City, a unique, truly integrated and multi-modal

tionally designed to form the centre of the

logistics proposition spanning 25 square kilo-

world we see today. Aviation City is a unique

emerging markets as well as the fast growing

metres; the Residential City, which is to be de-

concept, built to establish a complete aviation

market of the Middle East. In other words Avi-

veloped in several phases so that up to 250,000

cluster in one area that will cater to the region’s

ation City will bring together the best compa-

people can eventually set up permanent resi-

aviation growth, providing clients access to

nies, professionals and skill sets from around

100 Thousand Club

DWC AIR:10jan

16/3/09

09:04

Page 29

a consolidation of Dubai World's aviation investments, with companies including SpiceJet, SR Technics and Dubai Aerospace Enterprise.

IWA looks at its investment in DWC Aviation City as a huge step in its growth.

In fact, the two firms provide Aviation City with an interesting duality of investment: with Palm Aviation already an established leader in the region’s market, and IWA, a small company, now looking to grow.

Aviation City is also set to host end-to-end manufacturing, maintenance, research and training and development facilities, leading the region in aviation services, quality infrastructure and hitech research. The facility is spread over 6.7 square kilometres and is being designed as a one-stop centre for all aviation-related operations. In fact, construction on Aviation City is already well underway, with start of operations planned for later this year.

“We have to make history and approach the future with steady steps,” said Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum about DWC. “We cannot wait for the future to come to us,” he added. And Sheikh Ahmed bin the world. It is a hugely ambitious project, set

Meanwhile, Istithmar World Aviation

Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai

against the backdrop of the groundbreaking

(IWA) also announced that it will invest in ex-

City of Aviation Corporation has also said that,

DWC. Yet it seems the distinctly visionary as-

panding its executive jet operation by setting

“With Dubai World Central we are taking the

pects of Aviation City are paying off, with some

up an aircraft servicing facility at Aviation

future into our own hands,” – while the real

of the region’s (and the world’s) most prolific aviation companies already investing in the site. Palm Aviation, for example, a leading provider of on-demand aviation support, is already set to develop a fixed-base ground-handling facility there. The move is part of the

“With Dubai World Central we are taking the future into our own hands,” – while the real impact of DWC and Dubai’s future is still to be determined this is a truth than can be universally acknowledged”

company’s expansion strategy, which is set to grow Palm Aviation by an annual 35 percent over the next five years.

City. The company, which currently employs

impact of DWC and Dubai’s future is still to

It’s a huge investment as, as an internation-

just 60 people (including flight crews), proj-

be determined this is a truth than can be uni-

ally certified supplier, Palm Aviation currently

ects a significant increase of staffing in antici-

versally acknowledged. Before long, when

holds 30 percent of the UAE market share for

pation of the opening of the facility. IWA began

thinking of Dubai, those white sandy beaches

flight support services and it is hoped that the

just over 18 months ago as Nakheel Aviation,

and that to-die-for cuisine will always be met

new FBO (fixed base operator) facility at DWC

before subsequently rebranding itself as Is-

with images of architectural marvel – and

Aviation City will allow the company to grow their

tithmar World Aviation after it came under the

thanks to its innovation, size and exclusivity,

market share by a further five percent by 2011.

Istithmar World Aviation Holdings umbrella –

that marvel will be called DWC.

100 Thousand Club

29

EdgeWorth.indd 2

16/3/09 10:29:22

EdgeWorth.indd 3

16/3/09 10:29:27

THeFAirmount.indd 1

16/3/09 10:46:29

Couture

Nature

lace clip, 1945

Nature is one of Van Cleef & Arpels most emblematic themes.

A number of jewels are inspired by the world of fauna and flora and embody the idea of “Movement and Transformation”.

The floral theme, and all of its constantly evolving versions, has inspired many creations- peonies, poppies, camellias, roses, natural bouquets- as the animal (existing and imagined) theme. This inspiration endures today in all the collections.

Eclectism

Celebrities

CELEBRITIES

COUTURE

NATURE

ECLECTISM

France is known all over the world as the fashion capital.

The world of Haute Couture, with its colours, fine materials and the elegant muses of the Belle Époque or 50’s eras has greatly inspired the art of Van Cleef & Arpels.

The creations themselves are symbols of technical prowess such as the stunning jewelled “trompe-l’œils” representing ribbons, lace, Claudine collars, bows, buttons or gold mesh. The most exceptional piece is the recreation of a zipper as a dazzling necklace that also transforms into a bracelet.

Tiara wore by Princess Grace Kelly at her daughter, Princess Caroline’s wedding in 1978

The story of Van Cleef & Arpels is also that of the many unique women, be they famous or not, who have worn its creations. The House has often been associated with historic events such as coronations or famous love stories such as engagements or weddings. The most famous actresses of the stage or screen, the most adored divas have all coveted Van Cleef & Arpels.

Thanks to their beauty and talent; they are all “ambassadors” of the House. A true source of inspiration, these muses have sparked the creation of exceptional pieces. Van Cleef & Arpels remains the jeweller whose signature is linked to beauty and elegance, continuing to enchant the most beautiful and exceptional women.

Fan clip, 1937

Marguerite, 1964

Egyptian bracelet, 1924

Egyptian, Chinese, Japanese or African decorative details fascinated the French all through the 20th century. A curiosity and passion for all “exotic” things that also applied to the art of jewellery, specially during the Art Deco and 70’s periods. The exhibition displays the many jewels, fashion accessories and “objets d’art” that are a testimony of the extraordinary influence of the Orient and Asia on the creativity of Van Cleef & Arpels.

Buddha clip, 1927

Princess Grace de Monaco

Années Folles ring

Earrings Fleurs de Pommier, Les Jardins Collection, 2008

Zip necklace

Indian clip, 1924 Ring between the fingers Lucky Alhambra, 2008

VanCleef8pages.indd 2

Bird clip, 1963

Bow clip, 1955

Jackie Kennedy, 1934

Julia Roberts at the Oscars, 2001

Art Déco Basket brooch lapel watch, 1937

Eva Mendes at the Golden Globes 2009

16/3/09 10:52:14

Ballet Precieux

Savoir-Faire, Mystery Setting and Design

BALLET PRECIEUX

SAVOIR-FAIRE, MYSTERY SETTING AND DESIGN

Van Cleef & Arpels has made Dance one of its major sources of inspiration. From as early as the 1940’s, the House created graceful and poetic ballerina clips. In 1967, after meeting Claude Arpels, the choreographer George Balanchine created the Jewels ballet inspired by the three precious gems; emerald, ruby and diamond.

Pursuing this “pas de deux”, Van Cleef & Arpels pays vibrant homage to the Art of dance with its High Jewellery « Ballet Précieux » collection, offering spectacular and unique pieces that embody endless grace, harmony and poetry.

Van Cleef & Arpels is the only jewellery House on the Place Vendôme to have kept its original workshop. It is in this workshop or “atelier” that Van Cleef & Arpels completes all of its jewellery creations, including the mythical Mystery Setting jewels.

This exhibition will unveil some of the workshop’s best kept secrets of creativity thanks to the exceptional presence of a jeweller and a designer, along with a serie of mock-ups, archive, photos, illustrations and films.

Through its dedication to art, Van Cleef & Arpels has come together with Art Dubai 2009 in an effort to bring to the region a collection of masterpieces. Van Cleef & Arpels supports Art Dubai 2009 and host its own patrimony exhibition titled “The Art of Magical Jewels.”

Van Cleef & Arpels’ retrospective exhibition is the first of its kind in the region, leading Art Dubai visitors on a time-travelling journey of the House’s enticing craftsmanship and history.

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS The House of Van Cleef & Arpels is born of a love story at the dawn of the 20th century, between Estelle Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef. For Van Cleef & Arpels, the art of jewellery consists in never revealing its mastery over precious materials and techniques. This results in creations whose completion requires unfailing patience and genuine technical innovation. In this enchanted and enchanting world, droplets flow into rivers of diamonds or transform into dazzling snow crystals, the wind caresses the delicate wings of a fairy, the sun shines on gem’s reflections and flowers open mysteriously…

The famous Mystery Set Peony clip, 1937

clip Pavline, 2008

Claude, Pierre & Jacques Arpels, 1880

Dragoonfly brooch, 1944

VanCleef8pages.indd 1

clip Gloria, 2008

Camargo Necklace, 2008

Estelle Arpels & Alfred Van Cleef wedding, 1896

22, place Vendôme in 1906

Alfred and his Brother in law Charles founded Van Cleef & Arpels and move into the prestigious parisian boutique at the 22, place Vendôme in 1906.

Julien joined them in 1908 and Louis in 1913.

16/3/09 10:51:06

SukhothaiBangkok.indd 1

16/3/09 10:46:55

PRODUCTS ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:32 Page 38

Business Essentials

PRODUCTS ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:32 Page 39

CARRYING ON For a new twist on an old favorite, Samsonite collaborated with designer Alexander McQueen to revamp their perenially popular luggage staples with an edgy twist. While the textures, colors, and shapes are all-new, the indestructible quality that Samsonite owners depend on remains the same, making this a smart bet for stylish luggage for years to come.

PRODUCTS ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:33 Page 40

Business Essentials

PRODUCTS ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:33 Page 41

BULLISH BAUBLES Jac Zagoory’s handcrafted designs make a personal statement like no other desk accessory. We like the Bull stapler and remover, but the range of pen rests, card holders, and other functional items express a wide range of personality.

PRODUCTS ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:33 Page 42

Business Essentials

PRODUCTS ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:34 Page 43

SUIT YOURSELF The first weapon in a man’s style arsenal is his shirt—shouldn’t something you wear every day make you look as good as possible? That is the goal of Turnbull and Asser, who for more than 100 years has sworn by personal service and custom tailoring as the hallmarks of every shirt they produce, from readymade to bespoke.

PRODUCTS ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:34 Page 44

Business Essentials

PRODUCTS ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:34 Page 45

TRAVEL LIGHT Busy travelers don’t want to sacrifice style for efficiency, and Smythson of Bond Street’s travel wallet is the perfect way to keep your travel documents organized. Available in their full range of beautifully colored and finished leathers, there is sure to be one unique enough for every traveler.

PRODUCTS ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:34 Page 46

Business Essentials

LAP OF LUXURY Roomy and stylish, Tumi’s laptop bag transforms basic transportation into an art form.

Known for the durability and quality of their products, Tumi luggage is always a worthwhile investment.

PRODUCTS ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:35 Page 47

PRODUCTS ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:35 Page 48

Business Essentials

PRODUCTS ME5:feb09 16/03/2009 09:35 Page 49

KEEPING TIME Luxury goods company Asprey have upheld their dedication to classic British style for more than 200 years, and they have always had a handsome collection of business gifts, and these desk clocks are perfect to give or receive for your own taste of executive style.

Events List 2:10jan

16/3/09

09:10

Page 50

Not To Miss Formula One: Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, April 2009

The Gulf Film Festival, April 9-13 2009

Bahrain International Racing Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain

The Gulf Film Festival is an annual non-profit cultural event that aims to celebrate the highest standards of Gulf cinema. The Festival will host two competitions, in separate film and script categories, as part of its mission to encourage creativity and excellence among filmmakers from the region. The Festival will also present a selection of international films in order to develop the film culture in the Gulf and creating opportunities for the region’s filmmakers to build on future film projects.

The Bahrain International Racing Circuit hosts the third race of the 2008 Formula One season. The 2004 Grand Prix of Bahrain marked the first-ever round of the FIA Formula One World Championship to be held in the Middle East, and the Kingdom of Bahrain plans to continue hosting the event.

Amman International Theatre Festival, April 2009

50

Dubai Media City, Dubai UAE

Amman, Jordan

The Bride Show, April 2009

This annual festival is the only one in the Middle East and North Africa to be organised by an independent theatre company.

Performances are mainly in Arabic and English, from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Swiss, Italy, Palestine, Jordan, Sweden, and Turkey. The festival was first held in 1994, initiated by members of Amman's Al Fawanees theatre company to provide a venue for artistic exchange among independent and experimental Arab troupes.

Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Emir GCC Camels Race Final, April 2009

Bahrain International Boat Show, April 21-25 2009

Alshahaniya Race Track, Doha, Qatar

Amwaj Marina, Amwaj Islands, Bahrain

The final of the long-established Emir GCC Camels Race is held at Alshahaniya Race Track in Doha, attracting a select crowd of wealthy camel owners to compete against each other every year. The sport of kings for centuries, this is one of the most entertaining shows around

The first ever Bahrain International Boat Show will showcase Bahrain as an up-and –coming player in the marine market, with the addition of Formula 1 raching attracting a young, wealthy, exciting contingent. The show it is replacing, in Kuwait, attracts around 70 specialised companies exhibiting all type of sailing equipment, from yachts and boats to engines and other marine accessories, as well as more than 16,000 visitors from the region each year, so we can expect similar success from Bahrain.

100 Thousand Club

The annual show for the bride who needs anything comes to the Dubai International Exhibition Centre. More than 300 companies from 16 countries offer everything from wedding gowns and venues to honeymoon planning.

Events List 2:10jan

16/3/09

09:10

Page 51

Joaillerie Saudi Arabia, 3 May 2009

Aspendos Festival, Jun – Jul 2009

Riyadh Exhibition Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Aspendos Amphitheatre, Antalya, Turkey

Joaillerie Saudi Arabia offers a unique opportunity to see, touch, and buy everything that pertains to the Gem and Jewelry World, from rough to polished, from findings to finished, The exhibition is the only one stop location to find the most rare, exceptional, and sought after product from all over the world-all this under one roof.

Every summer, operas and ballets are performed in the 20,000capacity Aspendos Antique Theatre in Antalya. Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the 2000 year-old amphitheatre resounds with nine classical performances during the summer months, which this year include Verdi's Aida and Nabucco and Puccini's Turandot, performed by the state opera and ballet.

Formula One: Turkish Grand Prix, May 2009

Syrian Motor Show, July 1 2009

Istanbul Park, Istanbul, Turkey

Damascus International Fairground, Damascus, Syria

The Istanbul Park circuit hosts the Petrol Ofisi Turkish Grand Prix, the fifth race of seventeen in the 2009 Formula One season. A thrilling spectacle here as it is everywhere, the racing fans will gather to cheer on their favorite drivers as they race towards the grand prize.

The 9th annual Syrian Motor Show is an opportunity for vendors to meet new clients and to showcase their latest products and services in the automobile industry. Open to the public after the first two days of exhibiting, the show has separate pavilions for parts and accessories as well as the main show, and is the most comprehensive show of its kind in the region for decision-makers in the automotive world.

Chocolate Show, June 3-6 2009 Hilton Convention & Exhibition Centre, Istanbul, Turkey

Pearl Diving Festival, August 2009

Istanbul Hilton Convention & Exhibition Centre hosts Chocolate Show, Turkey's chocolate, confectionery and biscuit fair. The leading retailers (and consumers!) in the sweets industry will gather together to share their new products, as well as activities for the public like a chocolate-making working, a photographic contest and exhibition, 'sweet literature', for sale, consisting of chocolate-inspired narratives, and the show of course opens with the ever-popular chocolate fashion show.

Prior to the extraction and commercialization of oil, the pearl industry formed the basis of Kuwait's wealth. Every year in June, the country pays tribute to the old ways of pearl diving with a monthlong festival. Young divers are trained to use traditional neck baskets and toe anchors to dive and search for pearls, and at the end of the festival their efforts are celebrated with song and dance throughout the country.

Kuwait

100 Thousand Club

51

Tony Ward 4 PAGES text:10jan

16/3/09

09:37

Page 52

Tony Ward 4 PAGES text:10jan

16/3/09

09:37

Page 53

Tailleur Extraordinaire Interview by Natalie Brandweiner

100TC. Can you tell me about your background in fashion?

100TC. What affect did he have on your own designs?

Tony Ward. I was born in naturalies de couture, into a family that did

Tony Ward. I think I’m one of the rare Oriental designers that appre-

fashion, but I never worked with my family. They never wanted me to do this

ciate the suits, the cut, the daywear. I work a lot on this point, and this

business; they wanted me to do the doctor thing or something else. So I had

is something I took from Montana. Montana is a master in his jackets:

to go to Paris and I used to draw a lot, and there I met some people who were

the jackets and the dresses, and not only the very tailored nightwear

interested in my designs: the Lanvin group, and this was who I started with.

but even for the daywear – for every single moment that a lady can use.

The designer was Claude Montana, and this was the beginning of my story.

So this is something I did, this is something I learned in these years spent with Montana.

100TC. What was it that first made you interested in fashion and made you want to go to Paris?

100TC. How long did you work with him when you were

Tony Ward. I was going there on vacation, not at all to look for a job

there?

or something, and I ended up there for eight years. So I really don’t know

Tony Ward. I spent three and a half years at Montana's, at Lanvin,

what pushed me to go there but I know that I felt that I had to go there.

and then I moved to Dior, and then I moved again to Chloé with Karl

It was war in Lebanon. It was a very bad period, and I needed some

Lagerfeld. I did some time with Guy Laroche in 1993; I didn't like it

change, so it was two months of vacation that I was prepared for. I actu-

at all so I left for Italy, and I did some experience there in the prêt-à-

ally started work a month after I arrived in Paris. I’m a French-educated

porter line, and then I went back home.

person, I studied the language since I was very young, and I knew the country because I traveled a lot there before.

100TC. How did you find it going back to a family of fashion?

Tony Ward. I went back there because a lot of my clients that I used

100TC. How did you come to work alongside the likes of Karl

to take care of at Dior's, all the royal family that I used to work with at

Lagerfeld and Claude Montana?

Dior's and at Lanvin, were interested to continue to do clothing with me

Tony Ward. It was a great experience. It was very fun, very informa-

directly, and not only the couture. So it was a push for me because I

tive and it helped me a lot to build my personality and my style, and to

had a great amount of clients, and I had to business-wise it into some-

know how to work on myself and on my education. It was very interesting.

thing very interesting. At the same time, I always, as any designer, al-

Montana was the best school, because he changed a lot of the trends of

ways was trying to start my own line. So I went back, started my own

fashion. He bought the prêt-à-porter into couture. He did the big changes.

line, and here I am.

100 Thousand Club

53

Tony Ward 4 PAGES text:10jan

16/3/09

09:37

Page 54

100TC. What sort of women do you sell to in the Middle East,

I do the tailler, the things that they never do. 45 percent of my pro-

and really how are they different?

duction is for daywear and suits and very elegant outfit suite. I try to work

Tony Ward. You know, tell you truth, I’m Lebanese and Italian. I have

a lot on my style. It doesn’t work all the time, but it is a must for me to try

two passports, and my wife is Italian; I have four Italian children. I have

to do something different, not just something that looks like me.

my house not far from Milan. I spent more than half of my life in Europe, so most often see myself kind of a mixed melting pot of Oriental and Oc-

100TC. Do you prefer designing the ready-to-wear or couture?

cidental guy who lives in both countries, with one foot in the Middle

Tony Ward. I like the evening gowns a lot, but I also like the daywear.

East and one foot in Europe, and my designs look a lot like me. I work

I cannot say I prefer one thing or another, but I find a lot myself fasci-

for the same type of clients that I work for in Europe, in Russia and the

nated by the evening gowns and

United States – they look like the clients I work with in Dubai or in

I cannot explain how things come, how we work on it; we work a lot on

Qatar or in Riyadh. They all order almost the same things. My collec-

the designs, and I try to innovate on these things. I try to go inside the small

tions are a lot like me; it's a reflection of my personality. And these

details a lot, and this is what makes the difference between my collections

clients, the Oriental ones are looking for the Occidental touch cuts, and

and others – for instance, if you look on the latest collection, I had jackets

the Occidental clients are looking for the rich, for the richness of the

with more than 3,000 cuts; I had dresses with more than 20,000 cuts in the

Oriental designs.

dress. It’s a hell of a lot of work to do this, but when people look at it, they

Tony Ward 4 PAGES text:10jan

16/3/09

09:38

Page 55

would see this is a new trend; this is a new design; this is something that

I’m dressing them to bring out the best in them, and this is very impor-

we’ve never seen. It’s important.

tant for me.

100TC. Where do you find your inspiration for your designs?

100TC. How would you describe your spring/summer collection ?

Tony Ward. I work a lot on themes. I try to work on a story, and I’ll try

Tony Ward. My spring/summer collection – the one I presented two

to tell a story, and this is very important in fashion. I travel a lot, and I

weeks ago in Rome and which I have with me here in the US – is a col-

try to work my personality on my designs; I find a lot of ideas everywhere

lection for the summer and there’s a lot of color in the collection. There

I go, and from every single person I meet.

is the blue, yellow, lilac, and there is the black and white.

100TC. What type of woman do you envision your clothing

100TC. Who are your favorite designers and what collections

to be on?

are you wearing at the moment?

Tony Ward. She must be very sure of herself. Very often I will tell my

Tony Ward. I like leather, and I like jeans. Most of the time I’m in jeans

clients, “This dress must be a plus. It’s not something that should come

or in my leather pants. And I’m a very casual person – I like a lot of well-

and hide your personality; it must bring out the best in you.” I’m not

cut chemise. When wearing suits, I like to choose Armani and also Lanvin.

dressing them to do Halloween, to do someone else, do be someone else.

But, I think of the clients most of the time, I don’t think a lot of myself.

Private Island 100TCME:10jan

16/3/09

09:29

Page 56

Private Islands For Purchase

Pierre Island, Bahamas As offered by Vladi Private Islands USD 8,000,000 Situated near Harbour Island, just north of Eleuthera, the island hosts breathtaking 360-degree views of Three Islands Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and Harbour Island. Pierre Island itself is a mere 15 minutes from Harbour Island, but with 16 acres of rich greenery, exotic wildlife and over 150 coconut trees, there will be little desire to leave this private space. Located on the island is a main house and guesthouse, and with a substantial dock to be found on the south side, it provides you with an exclusive yet accessible retreat.

Coroa dos Ovos Island, Brazil As offered on www.privateislandsonline.com USD 8,000,0000 Teeming with tropical plantation and an exquisite collection of rare and exotic wildlife, this island exemplifies all that is exclusive. Coroa dos Ovos, or otherwise known as the Island of Cambridgeton, is to be found in the Amazonian part of the Maranhao State in Brazil, and hosts an extraordinary 12 miles of luscious, white sand beaches. The island boasts an exquisite selection of views no matter which direction you are facing, be it the continent or the Atlantic Ocean. With such a picturesque setting, the trip connecting the island with the nearest city, Guimaraesis, is a dream.

Private Island 100TCME:10jan

16/3/09

09:29

Page 57

Muandhhuvaa Island, Maldives

Narara Island, Fiji

As offered by Vladi Private Islands USD 8,500,000

As offered by Vladi Private Islands Price upon request

If privacy is your top priority for island buying, Muandhhuvaa Island is the

One of the many private islands located within Fiji’s premier

perfect match. Located amidst a group of uninhabited islands, it provides

island resort localities, Narara Island is situated off the south-

11.36 acres of peace and tranquillity from all civilisations. Muandhhuvaa it-

ern coast of Naviti, a larger island within the same group. In-

self is a roundish island in a square-shaped lagoon, accessible via a natural

corporated within the 112.69 acres of land are three very

entrance. However, with the nearest airport only 58km away, there is al-

private and tranquil beaches, giving you the perfect setting in

ways the option to retreat to the Maldives to appease any desire of return-

which to soak in the modest average island temperature of

ing to a faster pace of living.

25-27 °C. The island is accessible via helicopter, seaplane or boat and Nadi International Airport is just a scenic 15-20 minute flight to the island. The magnificence of the island is to be found in its expanses of space, making even the claustrophobic spoilt for choice.

St Thomas Island, Greece As offered on www.privateislandsonline.com EUR €15,000,000 St Thomas Island is a recent addition to the island market and is not predicted to stay so for long. Part of the Diapori chain in the Saronicas Gulf, Greece, an area synonymous with mythological beauty and natural serenity, the 300-acre island proves to be one of the most attractive islands in the world. It is accessible from Corinth by water taxi and is just 40 minutes from busy Athens, prefect for an exclusive retreat. If a slice of tradition is what you’re looking for, the near town of Korfos, a quiet resort village, provides a taste of Greece from the glistening coast.

AlexAlexa.indd 1

16/3/09 10:15:42

Coram ED 2:10jan

16/3/09

08:57

Page 59

The Talent Brokers

Coram ED 2:10jan

16/3/09

08:41

Page 60

D 60

ubai is not the kind of place you forget easily. Its

As the conversation begins, Padma reaches into her bag and pulls out

glittering oceanfront, vibrant social life, and hum-

a bound notebook chronicling the history of the couple’s enterprise through-

ming streets give this UAE city a deeply interna-

out the past thirty years. In some ways, it is the story of their lives. Glossy

tional feel, and the draw only seems to be

pictures of famous rock stars sit next to heartrending images of aid work all

increasing with each day’s fresh new hotel and

over the world. The couple is pictured at every age – Richard standing on

restaurant. It is a place of unlimited potential, of the best refine-

a stage in his twenties, Padma just a few years ago surrounded by smiling

ments in culture from every nation on earth collected and compiled

children in India. The Talent Brokers is the Coram’s life, work, and passion.

into something entirely defining of a city that is marked by its

It is also their greatest asset to help others worldwide, and after three

modernity.

decades Richard and Padma show no signs of slowing down.

And Dubai is all of these things. But the city’s ascension to a sym-

The story of the Coram’s success begins when Richard came to

bol of Middle Eastern success would have been impossible without the

Dubai 31 years ago to be part of the government set up of terrestrial Eng-

direction of some of the people who saw the city for what it was before it

lish-language radio and television stations. “It was obviously a huge hit

all started – people who envisioned the promise of this UAE gem 30

because there was really no competition,” he says. “It was the only

years ago and then made it reality. Richard and Padma Coram, founders

player in town, so you either watched it, or not. And so we had a captive

of Dubai’s ultimate talent agency The Talent Brokers, are undoubtedly

market, for want of a better expression. Of course advertizing was healthy

two of those people.

because it gave the local business community a chance to communicate

“It’s still a very exciting, emerging market,” said Richard over an

with the people who were living there and advertize their goods and

early morning breakfast at New York City’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel with

wares, and so it was a success for us from day one.” The prominence of

Padma last month. “We think we’re ideally placed for the Middle and Far

the television and radio stations quickly propelled Richard to notoriety

East Markets.”

in the at the time fledgling city of Dubai.

100 Thousand Club

Coram ED 2:10jan

16/3/09

08:41

Page 61

Lionel Richie, Rod Stewert, Chuck Berry and Elton John “I think like anywhere in the world when you work on radio and television, and certainly if you’re a presenter, then people know who you

‘Well, there’s obviously a market here for entertainment and people want

are,” Richard says. “And it opens a lot of doors, and I was getting ap-

to go out and be entertained, they want to see live entertainment.’”

proached to do all sorts of things.”

Richard decided to try to bring a few other entertainers to Dubai, and his

One of those things was a first-year anniversary party for a friend’s

first choice was a well-known British comedian. “People came, and they

expatriate leisure club. Richard agreed to help find an entertainer for

laughed and they had a good night. And that’s really the nucleus of where

the event, and he set his sights on a Beatles tribute band called the Boot-

the whole business sort of started from.”

leg Beatles when he saw them performing on an English TV show. “Bea-

Richard’s small enterprise was an overnight success, but that

tles music was loved by everybody weather they were Indian or British

success has continued to grow in size and scope. “We’ve since gone

or American, so I felt this would be a perfect thing for a first anniversary

on to do everyone from the Rolling Stones, to the Rod Stewarts, and

party. So by making a few phone calls to the TV channel and the pro-

Elton Johns, and sort of that level now. So it grew from that little acorn

duction company that made the show I got in touch with the Bootleg Bea-

into what it was today.”

tles, and introduced myself. I said, ‘Would you like to come and play three shows in Dubai?’ And they didn’t even know where Dubai was.”

Today, the presence of The Talent Brokers is completed and defined

by Richard’s dynamic and beautiful wife and business partner Padma.

After some explanation, Richard convinced the group to play three

She is by nature a people person, with a tremendous personality that

nights of sets for the leisure club. The result was an unexpected suc-

simply makes a room feel lit up and comfortable. She came to Dubai in

cess. “By the time you got to the third night there was such a demand for

1985 to join the Emirates airline. Richard was busy with the terrestrial

tickets that they had to move it outside onto the tennis court. They had

television station, but things changed in 1991 with the Gulf War. Padma

thousands of people there,” says Richard, commenting with a smile that

says the influx of CNN coverage quickly reversed Richard’s mind about

his friend made a “fortune” and he made nothing. “So then I thought,

the future of Dubai’s television. “Within two months he went and spoke

100 Thousand Club

61

PearlQatar.indd 2

16/3/09 10:43:22

PearlQatar.indd 1

16/3/09 10:43:27

Coram ED 2:10jan

16/3/09

08:41

Page 64

to MTV, which is Hong Kong based from there, and he started handling

ing him, it’s not like a husband and wife thing, though by then I was

the programming for MTV for Asia.”

married to him,” she says. “I said, ‘The only way I will work with you

At the time, Padma was flying around the world doing spot checks

is if we are really partners in the company.’”

for the airline. She describes how she was “obviously young, interested

The pair invested fifty-fifty, and The Talent Brokers was born. Padma

in music.” She started to meet up with Richard to help with his events.

drew deeply on her previous work in international companies to build up

“I was dating him at that stage, so I could fly wherever I wanted to.”

the business. “I came from a big corporate background, and my back-

Padma soon got recruited to do marketing for MTV in the Middle East

ground was marketing, PR, and people, handling celebrities, etcetera.

and Pakistan. At MTV, she made a name for herself discovering Pak-

That’s what I used to do with MTV.”

istani musical talent and signing the musicians with Virgin Records.

“So that was my role, and continued to be my role, was to be han-

“I used to work directly for MTV, Channel V as we call it, and Richard

dling as we call the ‘front-of-house.’ And working with people – front-of-

was doing the programming. So it was quite funny. He was somebody

house, press, PR. And Richard was the technical, so-called

I used to watch out and see if he’s doing his job right and be, not the

‘back-of-house.’”

spy, but to inform them, ‘Okay he’s done this, he’s done this,’ and

Padma recalls encountering resistance at first from big names when

Richard had to watch out to see if I was doing my job doing market-

she and Richard would solicit an event opportunity in Dubai. “They

ing and PR. It was very funny, but it was a lot of fun. So then we re-

wouldn’t want to come. Or if they did, they would throw silly figures, be-

alized there was a lot of synergy in what we did.” After MTV became

cause they didn’t want to come. And I don’t blame them – ‘Where are

pay-to-watch, Padma decided to join Richard in his work. “But joinElton John backstage with Richard, Padma, and their son

Cigaran.indd 73

16/3/09 10:27:59

Coram ED 2:10jan

66

16/3/09

08:41

Page 66

you?’ ‘Oh, Dubai’ ‘Oh is that near Iraq?’ That’s the first question. Or, ‘Is

Today, Richard and Padma say the entertainment market in Dubai

that near Saudi Arabia? Forget it we’re not coming.’ If they were earn-

is filling up with competition. Luckily, they have about a 23-year lead on

ing in those days, in ’94, one hundred thousand, two hundred thousand

the second-oldest international events company in the area. “Until three

dollars, they’d say, ‘We want six hundred thousand dollars to come.’ Sim-

years ago everybody was rushing in. Let’s start a magazine, let’s start,

ply because it was too much effort.”

let’s start, let’s start. But it’s fantastic,” says Padma. “Because that’s when

The Corams explain that in those days they had to truly build their

you get new ideas, new energy, new people. I think it’s brilliant. Healthy

business from the ground up. “I remember at one stage, when we did in ’97

competition is the best thing for any business, any country. Completely.

or ’98, we did international shows. We used to work on the back of a nap-

Otherwise you get jaded, you get cocky.”

kin. Because Dubai still wasn’t as big then. It wasn’t as established. And

The Talent Brokers’ secret to success is the Coram’s personalized

then we’d have to spend like a million or a million and a half dollars on a

approach to their work. Their connection to celebrities came easily dur-

show, which is make or break.” The couple remembers risking everything

ing the early years of The Talent Brokers’ work in Dubai, and the rela-

on a few big events while The Talent Brokers was getting established.

tionships the pair established during the ‘80’s and ‘90’s paved the way

“But it’s funny, now it’s the other way around,” Padma says. “They’re

for their fantastic success. “We’ve already established a rapport with

calling us to say they want to come. It’s a huge change. The shift is amaz-

people. We’ve kind of worked with them, and done things that nobody

ing.” The current The Talent Brokers’ resume includes work with most

else was willing to do in those days,” says Padma. The couple recalls

large Western names, royal weddings, and Eastern stars like Aishwarya

getting more than one, “So what are you doing for dinner?” from A-lis-

Rai and Ragheb Alameh. Richard and Padma have had a hand in most

ters when they would come to Dubai in the 1990’s. “If he’s doing a show

of the best concerts and events that have passed through Dubai for the

in New York, he’ll come in, do the show and then he’ll leave straight

past 30 years.

after,” says Richard. “Whereas, when he’s over with us, he’s hanging

100 Thousand Club

Coram ED 2:10jan

16/3/09

08:50

Page 67

have a dinner with because he knew Elvis, and he was there right at the start of it all. And if you talk to the Rolling Stones, who’s one of their biggest influences – Keith Richards would say it’s Chuck Berry. So, people like that, and having the chance to sit and meet and spend time.”

Today, The Talent Brokers is the foremost name in Dubai events.

Over the years, Richard and Padma have built up an impressive network of celebrities, government personalities, and entertainment corporations. No matter how big a name may be, Richard and Padma probably have it in their phonebook. Just ask Hillary Clinton, who was passing notes with Padma at a presidential brunch in Washington D.C. the day before we spoke in New York.

Padma says she always knew the business would be successful.

“Richard just loves this. He would jump out of bed every morning – even today – because he loves what he does…And I ask this question to him very often… ‘If you were a pauper, what would you do? And if you’re a multi, multi billionaire – trillionaire – what would you do?’ This is exactly what he would do. So money was never his motivation. Never. So he doesn’t even look it as ‘taking-off.’”

“He has never told me, ‘Oh, when I make my first million,’ or, ‘when I make my first ten.’ It has never been about that,” Padma says. “I always knew with that kind of passion, and when you’re willing to work 20 hours and 22 hours in a day, because you don’t feel it. You don’t look at it as number of hours. You’re just doing what comes to you naturally. That’s when I realized we will take off, and we would make it. There was no question he wouldn’t make it or we wouldn’t make it because he was just A production of Chicago and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

doing what he loves. And I love people. I don’t care what I do – enter-

around. He has nowhere to go, and he doesn’t know anybody. So you ac-

tainment, or events, or sitting in a missionary chair – I don’t care, or in

tually end up spending a lot of time with these people.”

the airline, I just love human beings. So for me, this was great.”

Padma agrees that the quality of The Talent Brokers experience for

The Talent Brokers’ prosperity has allowed Padma to follow what

entertainers is based on the personal relationship the Corams have with

she sees as her greatest passion: bringing people together. The Talent Bro-

performers. “The nice thing is in any business at the top there’s very few

kers’ sleek notebook holds descriptions of the many efforts the Corams have

people. So tomorrow, whoever comes from here, they’ll call the same agent,

put forth to help people around the world. Richard and Padma are deeply

the same manager,” she explains. “So it becomes a different relationship.

involved in philanthropy like the United Nations Foundation’s work to erad-

And that is kind of earned because we put our hearts, blood, sweat, and

icate malaria (the pair auctioned a Roger Waters guitar at a concert for the

tears in the early ‘90’s or mid-‘90’s into what was then an emerging market,

organization). “I’m looking at the moment as to how can I best utilize my ex-

and kind of established before. Like the promoters, when you speak to them

perience, what we do – which is celebrity-based or well-known-based –

today with their five or six years, they still don’t get it. They still don’t get

and help people in regions or bring awareness to regions,” says Padma. “I

to meet the artist as much, or it’s a different relationship. And they keep ask-

really want to help, through music, or through whatever, I don’t care, to

ing, ‘How did you talk to them? How can they talk to you? How did you sit

realize that there has to be integration.”

in the same car with them?’” And I’m like, ‘I don’t know.’”

Padma says she is proud that the face of The Talent Brokers em-

Richard explains that the ability to meet most of the artists that The

bodies that idea. Their staffing is highly diversified, reflecting Dubai’s

Talent Brokers represents is one of the highlights of his career. “There

drawing power for ambitious expatriates, but the full-time office staff is

are people that I’ve found very fascinating. It’s not necessarily been the

extremely small. Since each event requires a great deal of on-site short-

biggest thing we’ve done, but it’s been very interesting.” A favorite for

term work, Padma saw an opportunity to empower: her event staff is all

Richard was Chuck Berry. “He was just a very fascinating man to sit and

women, from the construction crew on up, giving local women who do not

100 Thousand Club

67

Coram ED 2:10jan

16/3/09

08:42

Page 68

have full-time work the chance to earn extra income for their families.

The Corams use their unique position to make good things happen, and believe in allowing people to do for themselves. They dislike words like “charity” and “less fortunate,” explaining that they don’t see people that way, and are eminently practical in outlining their goals for change.

In the future, Padma hopes to integrate even more philanthropy into The Talent Brokers’ work. And Richard sees the company’s business side as only looking toward a bright future. “I think we’re on a bit of a level plane at the moment, but long term, we’ll still go up,” he says, explaining that the success of the Coram’s enterprise is grounded in the success of Dubai. “I think the infrastructure’s going to be better.

Tourism is really going to be the big focus of Dubai, not just from the region but the world. And certainly drawing on the Southeast Asian markets, which are potentially huge. India, which is a very affluent country, is now really coming up as a super power in the region. So you’ve got all these things on the doorstep. And I think it will only make things bigger, better, and stronger.”

Top: Sir Richard Branson with Padma and Richard Middle: Luciano Pavarotti with Padma and Emirati Defence Minister and Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed alMaktum, before performing in Dubai, as part of his 2005 farewell tour Bottom: Chuck Berry with Padma and Richard

The cosmopolitan couple travels often, and they keep residences in the United Kingdom, India, and Dubai, which they consider their home.

They love to get away and vacation – one of Padma’s favorites is New York City – and wish they could bring their son along more often on their trips. “My theory in life is travel is the best education,” says Padma.

“I’m a hippie. If you don’t travel, you don’t learn.”

Over the years, Richard and Padma have weathered the storms of wars, economies, and the changing face of the UAE, all with grace and a clean confidence that helps them keep working despite any current challenge. They embody the effortless cool of their industry, and as the conversation turns to what’s exciting and what’s passé in New York right now it’s easy to see the way Richard and Padma seem to be able adapt to every lifestyle. The Talent Brokers embodies that idea—the Corams believe that the differences between regions can be their biggest asset— and the success of their business is all about cultural integration. They are equally drawn to the underground and alternative, the mainstream, and everything appealing about global society. Their work with The Talent Brokers brings these passions together – just add a dash of Michael Jackson – and they do it all under their own direction in the ancient yet youthful, inclusive yet distinguished, beautiful city of Dubai.

Curvelle.indd 1

16/3/09 10:28:44

FRANK NUOVO new:10dec

16/3/09

09:25

Page 70

High Partnership

F

Frank Nuovo is holding court in Vertu’s bouti que in New York City’s renowned Plaza Hotel, which after a redesign is now home to a select number of luxury shops. The look of the store is sleek without being overly futuristic, and show cases the phones like jewels. The lead designer of Vertu phones, he has worked for the company since 1998; prior to that he was the lead desig ner at Nokia for much of the ‘90s, influencing mobile phone style and functionality forever more. He is here to introduce the latest from the ultra high end company, a hot new collaboration with Ferrari that puts the power and style of the Italian icon into the palm of your hand.

FRANK NUOVO new:10dec

16/3/09

09:25

Page 71

FRANK NUOVO new:10dec

16/3/09

09:26

Page 72

How did the idea for the Ferrari collabora

phone. With Vertu, we’ve been very specific – this

How did this project fit into your vision of

tion come about?

is a phone – but that will evolve over time. We want

Vertu as a company?

At Vertu, the original Ascent line was inspi

to apply more proven technologies that are easy to

Although I came from a mass market brand, I

red by fast European sports cars (there’s a

use. I’ve been in the unique position of having

dreamed of a project that was so unique, a brand

spot for a Ferrari waiting in my garage, next to

been able to handhold the evolution of mobile

like Ferrari would want to work with us, and this

a beautifully restored ’52 Bentley) and this

communications throughout the years.

was exactly the kind of project I envisioned. I

phone in particular is tied to my roots and

72

feel that I brought ease of use and pop culture

dreams of Italy, where my family is from. It’s

How do you see your role as a designer evol

not just sexy and beautiful cars; it’s a legacy

ving? Are you involved in designing the re

of performance.

tail stores or do you focus on other aspects?

Do you see more partnerships like this in the

What we did for the stores was left to an agency,

future?

What was the design process like?

which I communicated with at all stages of the

The Boucheron alignment is a very good one,

I took time to sit down with Ferrato Coco, lead

process. I will be very involved in the renewal

but its very ‘them’ in the sense that the pho

designer of Ferrari, to get to know the heart and

of the stores, but the continuity in design has

nes are bejeweled in their style and they use

soul of Ferrari. It’s a racecar, it’s a performance

always been there.

the phone as a canvas for their expression.

to the phone – I brought fashion to tech.

car, it’s not for polishing little bits of chrome. I

The logo was my first project. With the de

We’re very much a part of the watch industry,

actually carved the cavalito myself, out of one

sign of the Vertu, the V logo happened first.

really – we’re sold in watch and jewelry sto

solid piece – it’s actually coming out through

The look was based on outstretched arms, it

res.

the case, it’s not glued on.

didn’t stand for anything. Then we found the

Alignments such as Ferrari are rare; it has

name, which we wanted to be something short,

to be done carefully so it benefits both of us.

How much of the focus is on design and how

and easy to remember. When we found out what

There are some nicer premium fashion phones

much of it is on functionality?

it meant [“vertu” is French for “quality”] it was

but they’re not really luxury, there is nothing

In general, design is driven by the needs of the

just serendipity.

like these.

100 Thousand Club

South Africa 100TCME5:10jan

16/3/09

09:33

Page 73

South Africa 100TCME5:10jan

74

16/3/09

09:33

Page 74

Working in perfect synergy, a pride of lions

open-sided Range Rover waiting to take you to

ice is impeccable, the room maintenance is truly

slowly meanders across the dirt road. Glowing

the property. The leaders of this pride, Greg and

uncanny. It was almost comical to leave the villa

gold and red in the late afternoon sun, the leader

Rianna Lederle, who supervise a staff whose

for the main pool at the central lodge, turn back

of the pack surveys his family and begins his

presence manages to be warm and friendly while

for more sunscreen five minutes later, and find

slow amble into the bush. He casually observes

their work remains invisible – and pride is an

your discarded clothes folded on an armchair and

the group of females and cubs who travel in his

apt word in more ways than one. Several staff

the neatly rolled towel you had plucked off a fluffy

wake, and yawns as he surveys the bush. The

members tell the story of accompanying Kirk to

stack replaced, and no staff member in sight.

kings of the jungle are thrillingly present here,

meet with the village chief to get his recommen-

You hear him before you see him. A rustle in

almost too perfect in their grace and power to be

dations as to whom he should hire for his staff.

the grass, the tips wave softly and suddenly the

real, and yet there they are, napping in the

The stack of resumes produced by the chief

large, dark shape is visible. The sun is setting,

shade, pouncing on their elders, coolly surveying

yielded a group of hospitality novices that were

glasses are clinking, but all conversation falls

their surroundings. And then, at the approach of

trained impeccably, with deference to their

silent, studying the spaces in between the trees.

a jeep, the lion roars. It echoes, reverberating on

needs and that of their community. Since the

Too small for an elephant, too far from water for

a deep, primal frequency that triggers something

property first broke ground 2 and a half years ago,

a hippo – could it be? Your guide waits for a lit-

ancient in everyone who hears it – that abiding

not a single staff member has left, and their devo-

tle more of the animal to emerge, and once the

awe of nature.

tion to the place shows in every imaginable di-

face is clearly visible, with two horns, a square

Working in perfect synergy the staff at

mension. The entire staff greets you upon your

lip, he points – there it is! The most rare of all

Molori, one of the most luxurious resorts in South

arrival with a welcome song and a round of cold

wonderful things in South Africa: the black rhino.

Africa’s Madikwe Game Reserve, create a world

drinks, but it is the pair who rises every morning

You hear him before you see him. It starts

for their guests that is truly magical. As your

to greet your return from a predawn game drive

as a whisper, then a whir, and then suddenly the

plane lands on the runway, the only sign of

with fresh juice and hot towels who reinforce the

helicopter appears overhead, headed for the

human life interrupting the landscape is the

feeling of care and attention. While the meal serv-

landing pad just inside the gate. The black four-

100 Thousand Club

South Africa 100TCME5:10jan

16/3/09

09:33

Page 75

seater is just one of a fleet of aircraft that owner

on my report card that I was a dreamer. I’m

over cure in the bathroom drawer (which actually

Kirk Lazarus uses to travel between his homes

thinking of buying a yacht called ‘I Told You

works – we tested it on several occasions) and

and properties in Russia, South Africa, and Aus-

So’,” says the native South African, half-joking.

the preprogrammed iPods waiting in Bose sound

tralia, making sure that everything is on track for

His roots in the country gave him an innate un-

systems to spill sound all the way out to your pri-

all of his friends, employees, and visitors. Kirk’s

derstanding of how to do business in the bush.

vate pool, to the fully stocked wine cellar and

property portfolio did not stem from a desire to

From the very first stage, when he bought the

humidor, his plan has succeeded on a grand

be in the hospitality industry. Rather, his prop-

land from a local chief and worked with local

scale; your every need and want is given equal

erties are a collection of private homes: specifi-

builders and artisans to create the look of Molori,

care and attention.

cally, his homes. His attention to detail is

he demonstrated that his property would be of

Kirk’s business interests are deep and broad

superb, honed over years of appreciating natural

the community, not apart from him, and he has

around the world, but include many investments

and man-made beauty all over the world, and of

naturally developed a new community within the

in the Russian oil industry. He is a fluent Russ-

experiencing the best and worst of high-end re-

staff village that is just over the hill from Molori.

ian speaker and has done business there for

sorts from the other side. “Some properties out

He talks excitedly of plans to build a school

many years, also putting down roots in his com-

here will have black water coming out of the taps

within the village, as more of his staff get married

munity in St. Petersburg, where he is currently

or things like that, and their excuse is well, it’s

and have children, and of staff days and pranks

building a synagogue and a kindergarten in his

the bush. I don’t think that’s any excuse,” he

that makes Molori feel like a home with a fam-

neighborhood. Having lived among Russians

says over a cigar on the hardwood deck over-

ily rather than a resort. “I want people to walk

and traveled with them for many years, it is no

looking the landscape, casually understating his

into this place as if they were walking into their

surprise that word of Molori has traveled fast

dogged perseverance and high standards that

own home. There’s nothing they can’t touch,

through his social circle, and many of his gusts

make the property everything it is.

everything makes sense, and everything they

since opening have been Russian. “Russians

“Molori means ‘my dream’ because when I

could ever think to want, we’ve already thought

like the resort because I really understand what

was a little boy, my teachers always used to write

of it for them.” From the signature Molori hang-

they want in terms of service,” he says, explain-

100 Thousand Club

75

South Africa 100TCME5:10jan

76

16/3/09

09:48

Page 76

ing that discerning and wealthy consumers

The vivid, graphic stripes and rounded

being precious, the design scheme is the bass

the world over have been impressed with

shape of the zebra, rolling in herds down the hill

line to the visual symphony of Molori, always re-

Molori, but that Russians tend to be partic-

towards the watering hole, is as whimsical and

inforcing the harmony of the larger idea. There

ularly discerning about their treatment and

comical a sight as exists in the harsh landscape

is not a corner of any room that has not been

are great communicators of their experi-

of the bush. Unexpectedly stocky and sturdy

touched, decorated, and designed to please the

ences – if their standards slacken, their core

close up, they move silently through trees and

eye, and yet there is never a feeling that any old

of Russian customers won’t be shy about let-

brush, until they are close enough that you can

thing had been brought in just to fill up a corner.

ting him know, he says.

see the brown shadow that traces their black

The design is deliberate, and effective.

He is currently developing a property on the

stripes down over their rounded bellies. Their

When the interiors were first being de-

beach in Capetown, the first of its kind in scale,

big dark eyes and open faces study you quietly,

signed, Kirk expressed a desire for a new kind of

as well as properties in Port Douglas, Australia,

ears flicking, until the scent of water becomes

hunting lodge. The traditional image conjured

and New Zealand. To keep his edge sharp, he

too much to resist, and their little hooves stir up

by those words is one of dark wood and leather

often visits and stays at other resorts in the area,

a cloud of dust as they canter towards refresh-

and mounted heads, a masculine but not neces-

and has taken the best idea from all of them, as

ment. Huddled together, their stripes blend into

sarily inviting space. Molori takes the best as-

well as applying his own intuition, for his prop-

a single mass of stripes and curves, running into

pects of this look and combines them with a

erty. These are all his houses, and they are full

each other in their collective reflection.

lighter touch, mixing in elements of the classic

of the objects, furniture, and décor that he has

The vivid, graphic stripes and rounded

Caribbean resort style: walls and French doors

picked up in his travels, contributing to the feel

shape of the zebra-hide desk chair is the perfect

that open out onto the view, spacious bathrooms

that you are merely in a friend’s incredibly chic

example of the perfection of Molori’s décor. A

unique to every suite, outdoor showers and

home, instead of a hotel. Many guests prefer to

simple, classic shape is transformed by the con-

white-upholstered daybeds turning the hard-

rent the entire property at a time, allowing them

trasting stripes and the unexpected, humorous

wood decks into outdoors rooms. Every surface,

total privacy to enjoy the comforts of their

inclusion of the zebra’s own mane, projecting

every piece, is finished, but not necessarily

adopted residence.

perkily from the seat back. Innovative without

smooth and sterilized: rather than going to full-

100 Thousand Club

South Africa 100TCME5:10jan

16/3/09

09:49

Page 77

on modern, the walls are roughly textured and

formal living and dining room to the bathroom to

ered deck just a short flight up, on a level with

the concrete floor is inlaid with patterned rocks,

the office, sleek Mac laptop already included.

the main office and the library, housing the

in a light neutral palette that mixes easily with a

More cutting edge in its décor, crystal chande-

property’s only television, an expansive collec-

white leather Fendi lounge and clear Lucite

liers and velvet-upholstered armchairs sit com-

tion of National Geographic back issues, and a

lamps from Kartell. Their aesthetic has proved

fortably side-by-side with a metal-framed

well stocked humidor. The airy white daybeds

so popular with guests that it is now possible to

outdoors bed and a bright red airy circular chair

that appear in each suite also make many ap-

order, through the property, any of the pieces

made of knotted high-tension elastics.

pearances elsewhere around the property, in-

seen in the rooms or common spaces.

Aside from the suites themselves, there are

cluding next to the main lodge’s two pools and a

There are two presidential suites, Metsi and

numerous common areas that are secluded yet

hot tub, and on several secluded sky decks far-

Molelo, two superior suites, Ngwedi and Lesedi,

functional. While many guests choose to rent the

ther up the hill above the villas. Speaking of the

and one superior family suite, Sephiri, all in sep-

entire property for the duration of their stay, as

sky—one of the gems of the property is the plan-

arate villas ranged side by side that share a

Molori will only accommodate up to 10 guests at

etarium, a stone outbuilding with a retractable

panoramic view of the game reserve, and exterior

a time, those who find themselves sharing the

roof, housing four of the largest beanbag chairs

colors and hand-thatched roofs to blend them

property have ample opportunities to enjoy

imaginable and one of the largest privately

seamlessly into the hills beyond. The presiden-

carefully engineered solitude, something the

owned telescopes in the country. Greg is as fa-

tial suites, both around 600 square meters, are

staff easily facilitates. The main lodge is, of

miliar with the stars as he is with the land, and

genuinely impressive, bringing a level of taste

course, accessible to all, and the spacious fa-

on a clear night before dinner, it is a pleasure to

and sophistication rarely seen outside of design

cility encompasses an open living room and

get up close and personal with a glass of wine

magazines to every corner of the space, from a

bar, two formal dining rooms, an elevated cov-

and Mars, Venus and the man in the moon.

South Africa 100TCME5:10jan

16/3/09

09:34

Page 78

No matter how lovely, how charming, how perfectly formed the smaller creatures of the bush are, the fact is inescapable: nothing is too beautiful to eat. The little springboks stand poised, nibbling on small shoots of grass, traveling in a vigilant pair up to an invisible territorial line, where an identical pair eyes them carefully. They traverse the boundary, marking as they go, until they catch on the wind the scent of something dangerous. Off they go, in leaps and bounds, muscles bunching and nostrils flared, the natural state for South Africa’s national animal – who can still be, at the end of the day, just someone’s dinner.

No matter how lovely, how charming, how perfectly formed the presentation on your plate, the fact is inescapable: when it tastes this good, nothing is too beautiful to eat. Chef Willie Malherbe is one of the many hidden treasures at Molori. His versatile, French-trained style makes incredible use of local ingredients and flavors, including the best renditions of colonial-era dishes (often unpalatable to foreigners who lack the seasoning of nostalgia) that one could ever hope for. In the early days of the resort, when it became apparent that fresh produce would be hard to come by without involving multiple airplanes and vehicles, Molori’s dedicated management set out and discovered an elderly couple in the area who had turned their slice of desert into an Edenic paradise—and after the application of a small amount of charm, the couple agreed to show them how it was done. Now fruits and vegetables are a central part of the healthy yet luxurious cuisine here, creating five-star fare that is resort-worthy without being cripplingly rich.

The freshness of all the ingredients is a testament to the chef’s stringent standards—prawn curries and spiced grilled squid are as delicious here as they are on the coast, and a talented use of light sauces and seasonings keep the dishes from being overwhelming. Selection is key—a filet of organic Chalmar beef is a superlative piece of meat, as were the salmon and tuna steaks. As ever, at Molori, ambiance and customization is key in creating a memorable ex-

FairmontMayakoba.indd 1

16/3/09 10:30:48

South Africa 100TCME5:10jan

16/3/09

09:35

Page 80

perience; the resort often engineers it so guests never dine in the same space twice, and Willie checks in with his guests at breakfast to see what they might be in the mood for at dinner. Make sure to go beyond the formal sit-down meals – the staff barbecue meal became such an underground hit with guests that they now offer their taste of springbok loin and slow-roasted chicken on an elegant, white-cloth setting in the barbecue pit, and the feast of barbecue served in the boma, a traditional gathering space, is a triumph of local ingredients and cuisine, including more and better sausage than is necessary or healthy, and an oxtail stew that will make you wonder why you ever bothered with oxtail before this one.

The food is of course complemented by beverage, provided with a smile and an infectious laugh by Isaac, the bartender who had never tasted a beer before assuming his position at Molori, but is now a talented and original mixologist, creating his own cocktails as well as all the old standards. Chef Willie is also experienced with selecting wine pairings, and the cellar from which he draws is both deep and broad, representing the absolute best of South African wines as well as some of the finest vintages from around the world – we enjoyed a particularly wonderful 2002 Chateau d’Yquem Sauternes with his homemade orange and Campari berry sorbet.

What a baby elephant lacks in size, it makes up for in charm and serious personality. These ghosts of the bush appear suddenly, silently, and then surround you, stripping bushes from the ground, nonchalantly chewing a tree branch, and trumpeting and blowing at each other in a casual whirl of activity, until the reason for all the noise peeks his soft trunk out from behind his mother’s leg. Still the size of a St. Bernard, still ears the size of dinner plates, but still a baby, to be pampered. Long trunks shoo him out of the road, under a shady tree and then finally, under his mother’s belly, where he relaxes, leaning against her leg, at perfect ease.

What the spa at Molori lacks in size, it makes up for in charm and serious expertise.

South Africa 100TCME5:10jan

16/3/09

09:35

Page 81

The small but fantastic facility is a full-scale rep-

and birdsong for a truly absorbing experience.

tion has chosen to disregard: patience, quiet ob-

resentation of Molori’s focus on customization,

All products are Dermalogica, and the name of

servation, and the meditative stillness of simply

privacy, and luxury. A workout area, filled with

the game here is service – personalized treat-

existing in the morning sun. The game drives are

all the necessary equipment, adjoins the hard-

ments, performed with dedication and great en-

an exercise in appreciation – visitors may expect

wood deck that hosts an outdoor area for private

ergy. While you can book one of the specific

to be disappointed if they don’t spot their Big

yoga and pilates sessions and a white-cotton-

treatments on the menu, a better bet is to simply

Five, but in the bush, there is no such thing as

swathed daybed. Before or after your scheduled

show up and let the technician guide you, as they

nothing. The small birds, the trees, the soil, the

treatments, or anytime during your stay, the

specialize in blending products and tailoring

mountains, are all there waiting to be explored

steam room and plunge pool are available, cali-

treatments to suit each individual. The land-

and appreciated. The wise traveler will simply let

brated to the owner’s specifications – and as this

scape suffuses the entire spa with a sense of

the experience wash over him, appreciating the

is a man who does much of his business with

peace and timelessness – so much so that you

talent of the trackers and guides leading the way

Russians, rest assured that you will receive the

shouldn’t be surprised if your masseuse adds an

and the sheer thrilling amount of life everywhere.

effect you are looking for. Treatments are avail-

extra half-hour just to make she she’s worked out

Visiting the bush is the experience of feeling to-

able in one of two treatment rooms, your room or

every last knot.

tally vulnerable and yet completely safe – as vis-

on your private deck, but we suggest the outdoor

To experience Molori in the Madikwe Game

iting Molori allows you to experience the world

massage table, draped in flowers and mosquito

Reserve is to immerse yourself in a culture that

at its most natural without sacrificing any crea-

netting and surrounded by miles of grassland

still values many of the things modern civiliza-

ture comforts.

“Visiting Molori allows you to experience the world at its most natural without sacrificing any creature comforts”

CEIBA RETAIL AD:10jan

16/3/09

10:27

Page 82

ERA Ceiba Realty

Imagine a place where you can

investors and expatriates alike.

hike

broadleaf

Located in the west of the country

jungle exploring unknown rivers

in the charming Cayo District, ERA

with unseen waterfalls, or explore

Ceiba Realty provides real estate

an amazing ancient civilization

services throughout the country.

which rivals that of the pharaohs

From small private farms, luxurious

of Egypt, or spend your day flat

homes

fishing, deep sea fishing, scuba

commercial oceanfront properties

diving, or just laying in your

and private cayes. With over 10

hammock rocked by gentle sea

years of experience in building

breezes on a deserted beach. This

and leading the industry ERA

is Belize; a unique and beautiful

Ceiba

country located just south of

through this important transaction

Mexico on the Caribbean Sea.

with

This is the country of choice for

protection you deserve.

through

large

and

Realty the

condos

can

to

guide

professionalism

We have the property to suit each and every individual need and work hard to get it for you at the best possible price...

large

you and

ERA Ceiba Realty Ltd. Belize Real Estate & Services, 76 Western Highway, Santa Elena Town, Cayo District, Belize.

Telephone: 011-501-824-4050, mobile: 501-610-4458, fax: 1-831-854-5983, e-mail: jonathan.lohr@erabelize.com, ceibarealty@gmail.com, website: www.ceibarealtybelize.com, www.4belizerealestate.com, www.erabelize.com

Fashion Spread:10jan

16/3/09

09:19

Page 83

Up the Night

Red dress, Marchesa, the shoes are Gucci, and the pearl necklace is by Ellagem. The cuff bracelet is by Di Modolo.

Fashion Spread:10jan

16/3/09

09:15

Page 84

Fashion Spread:10jan

16/3/09

09:15

Page 85

Oscar de la Renta Gown. Pearl Necklace by Mikioto. Pearl earrings by Di Modolo. Bracelets by Judith Ripka.

16/3/09

09:15

Page 86

Ralph Lauren gown, earrings are De Grisogono. Rings on right hand and left middle finger are De Grisogono. Left ring finger and bracelet are Tiffany.

Production: Rick Buske Model: Marla Boehr with IMG Hair: Deycke Heidoru for Next Artists using Profound Beauty Makeup: David Tibolla for Next Artists using Dior Beauty Stylist: Ise White

Fashion Spread:10jan

TOP 10 WATCHES:mar09 16/03/2009 09:41 Page 87

An 18K gold, enamel and diamond-set hunter case ‘tact’ watch by Breguet for Josephine Bonaparte, Empress of France circa 1800.

FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

Longines has formed a partnership with tennis great Andre Agassi and shall be creating special limited edition timepieces for auction.

Patek Phillipe

Breguet Currently part of the Swatch group since its

The Faces of Time

foundation in Paris in 1775, these luxury

Vacheron Constantin

Swiss Watchmakers Top 10

pieces are now manufactured in the Vallee de Joux in Switzerland. Most recognizable for their coin-edge cases, guilloche dials and blue

Omega

pomme hands, Bruguet pieces have been

The companion to every James Bond mission is

showcased on the likes of Tsar Alexander I,

an Omega timepiece with ‘Quantum of Solace’

George Washington and Marie-Antoinette.

boasting the limited and prestigious Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m. Founded in 1848 by Louis

Audemars Piguet

Brandt, Omega now manufacturers under the

Described as the ‘Rolls Royce of Watches’, this

Swatch group, retaining the same individual

brand of watches is revered for its commitment

craftsmanship used in the 19th century.

to grandeur and exclusivity. Its most famous collection is the La Grande Complications of

Rolex

which only 100 were made between 1915 and

By far the largest luxury watch making brand,

1989, along with its prestigious Perpetuelle

since its creation in 1905 Rolex has successfully

Calendar Watch and its Grande Sonnerie

expanded to produce around 2,000 watches per

model.

day. Most historically significant is the Rolex Oyster of Jacques Piccard and boasting most

Blancpain

prestigious is the modern day Cellini line.

Blancpain is most famous for its 1735 model and for the fifty platinum pieces created in

Omega

Longines

2004 and named The Equation of Time. Lo-

Renowned for its claim ‘elegance is an atti-

cated in the town of Le Brassus, the small

tude’, the luxury timepieces of Longines are

workshop consists of twenty meticulous

synonymous with sophistication found in the

craftsmen producing the beautiful Blancpain

sporting world. To mark its 175th anniversary,

timepieces.

TOP 10 WATCHES:mar09 16/03/2009 09:41 Page 88

Patek Phillipe A much larger company, Patek Phillipe produces around 30, 000 luxury timepieces each year. Its quantity does not compromise with its quality however as its subtle luxuries are displayed within its modestly named pieces, most notably Reference 5959.

Vacheron Constantin A brand of the Richemont Group, Vacheron Constantin is a brand established in almost 80 countries and a name tantamount to ele-

Raymond Weil

gance. Founded in Geneva in 1755, it is the oldest watch manufactuer in the world and in 2007 introduced its beautiful ‘Les Masques’ collection.

Raymond Weil Raymond Weil established his independent luxury watch manufacturing services in 1976

Movado

in Geneva, following prior work for other manufacturers. Weil’s vision combines luxury and innovative design, most notably displayed in his Shine collection for women and Nabucco Cuore Caldo collection for men.

Movado Famous for its range of luxury ‘Museum’ watches, Movado is a name synonymous with sophistication. Meaning ‘Esperanto’, Movado was founded in 1881 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and created the first wristwatch to be displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC in 1947.

Longines

M

eeting Rory Stewart, one immediately finds them

in awe, standing before one man who can claim to have achieved so much. He wears several hats in different areas of his life and work – author, histo-

rian and restorer of national identity – and is beloved by the Afghanis who he works with for his devotion to championing their cause.

Three years ago, Stewart embarked upon a project that was set to dramatically change the way in which indigenous Afghani people and their beautifully designed creations were to be viewed across the globe. Stewart created Turquoise Mountain, a project displaying contemporary art from Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan, completely from scratch. When the project was still only in its early stages it was already brimming with ambition and optimism. Stewart recalls the days when “the organization consisted only of me sitting in the front room of a tailoring shop in Kabul, and it’s now grown to 350 people.” He has always played an intimate part in its life, both in the foundational ideas and the hiring of 90 percent of the staff. Turquoise Mountain is a love that he will never be able to give up. Stewart’s philosophy is all about taking things back to basics, starting from scratch, and the project took only three years to propel its fine jewelry and beautiful hand crafted furniture onto the stages of Sotheby’s auction houses.

Climb Every Mountain

RORY STEWART:mar09 16/03/2009 09:37 Page 89

RORY STEWART:mar09 16/03/2009 09:37 Page 90

So how did an eloquent spoken Scotsman such as Rory find himself at the forefront of Afghani affairs, and where did his passion for indigenous restoration come from? He’s an avid historian and a well-respected professor at Harvard University, continuously highlighting the need for the regeneration of Afghanistan’s historical culture through his series of human rights lectures. But, his passion for Afghanistan runs far deeper than the embedded letters that fill the pages of his books. Stewart’s passion is real, and he’s certainly not ashamed to admit that hiding behind much of his historical reasoning lays a well of personal experience and emotional instinct.

While working closely with the British government in Iraq, Stewart found himself overwhelmed by the surrounding culture, or rather the lack of it following the desolation of the war. But rather than immersing himself further into governmental projects and strategic political surroundings, he found himself with the desire to return back to basics, and really understand the country which has been spoken of so frequently, and often so wrongly.

Embarking upon a 21-month walk across Asia is no mean feat, certainly not for a man accustomed to the fireplaces of Harvard and governmental meeting rooms. His experience walking across Afghanistan demonstrated his unfaltering commitment to his belief of the restoration of a diminishing culture of beauty, deepening further the intensity of his passion.

As he explains it, “The Afghan walk made me fascinated by Afghan culture and very, very keen to try to see if I could work at grassroots level there. My experience in Iraq was an experience of disillusionment of huge government projects where it seemed to be a lot of money was wasted and we failed to capture the imagination of Iraqis.”

Stewart wanted to create a project with a difference, one that wasn’t laden with all the signatures of a western development, but one

90

100 Thousand Club

A sampling of the beautiful Afghani art which Rory Stewart champions for the world’s enjoyment

RORY STEWART:mar09 16/03/2009 09:37 Page 91

that showed the rest of the world the breathtaking aesthetics of Arab society.

His experience during that grueling 21 months led him not only to start the beginnings of the Turquoise Mountain project, a project intended to foster the self-expression of the Afgahni people, but to spend time recording his own personal reaction. And what better platform for Stewart to do this than record his experience through a novel: “I was very lucky because I walked across Afghanistan just after the Taliban had fallen. It was mid-winter and it gave me the opportunity to see things directly. I felt very privileged to be able to walk through those areas,” he says in reminiscent tones.

It is those individual experiences Stewart describes that really make you understand that little bit more the extent of his passion; his love of the people and the culture deepen with every darkened moment he met upon that 21month trail. He tells of the “astonishing generosity” of the Islamic world in general, but becomes moved when he speaks of the “extreme generosity and hospitality” he found in Afghanistan. “One day I’d been beaten up by some militia men and I was sitting pretty grumpy. A man came out of his house, invited me in, sat me down, made a fire for me, cooked me some food, laid out my bed, brought me tea, and only after I’d been to his house for an hour and a half did he ask me who I was and where I was going.” This experience wasn’t the only one of its kind. The generosity of the village extended even further, as he was accompanied to the next, without any expectation or any kind of reward. “I think I’m absolutely enchanted by a culture where people’s sense of pride and their generosity and courage is so striking,” he pauses, “So, I’m very struck by Afghan culture.”

Stewart’s love for the people he had come to know grew as he saw of their astonishing warmth to him, and it is this that led to the formation of Turquoise Mountain. His disillusionment with government projects meant he

100 Thousand Club

91

HiltonMauritius.indd 136

16/3/09 10:31:37

RORY STEWART:mar09 16/03/2009 09:37 Page 93

walls of the city itself. Stewart’s dream was to simultaneously bring about a revival of Afghani culture whilst rebuilding the old city that had been so complacently demolished, and this was his vision behind Turquoise Mountain.

As he explains, civil war is responsible for tearing at people’s sense of national identity, and only through returning to the roots, the traditions that lay dormant within that identity can a sense of restoration really be brought back. A people will never regain its sense of self, without the medium of expression. It’s astonishing in itself that for a man so surrounded by words and formative theories, it is the aesthetics of a society that he really believes to be the answer to this crisis of identity. “So one of the things that one’s having to do here is to say that Afghan art and Afghan architecture is a valid, unified, exciting entity, which can find markets all over the world, which can shoulder-to-shoulder with almost any artistic tradition in the world, that Afghan calligraphy can find markets in Bahrain and Afghan woodwork can be sold to the greatest hotels in London, and Afghan ceramics in Japan,” he says, with pride.

He speaks fondly of the traditional craftsmen whom he met during his early days when he was in the first stages of setting up the Turquoise Mountain project. “When I arrived I found some of the great woodwork masters in knew he had to do something different. He recalls the only project he had

Afghanistan, who had no students to pass on his

worked on previously to have ever accomplished what he desired, which

skills to. So now we’ve put two classes through

was to catch the imagination of the Iraqis, and that was a children’s car-

the school of people who are learning these

pentry school set up by the suggestion of Prince Charles. As he explains,

skills. In the latest applications, we had over

“He wrote to me and said, ‘Why don’t you set up a carpentry school for

1,000 applications for 33 places in the school.

street children? And I did that with some skepticism, but it turned out

So we’re beginning to get, I hope, a critical mass

to be very successful,” he says with great enthusiasm. “Suddenly we had

of class people trained, so that even if I was

the local police chief and the local mayor coming to give speeches in

knocked over by a bus, I hope that there would

the school.” He proudly tells me of the outcomes: “Two hundred kids

be something there, which has been saved from

getting jobs, learning new skills. Somehow we really seemed to catch,

what I think otherwise would’ve been certain

somehow, a spirit in Iraqi society, which I never expected to do.”

disappearance,” he says.

Sadly, Stewart’s vision of further developments to be made in Iraq died

Stewart’s dream is to see in the future,

out. During his return trip to Kabul at the end of 2005 he found that in-

thirty years from now, a restoration of what was

stead of regeneration of the beautiful culture that had already suffered so

once a desecrated city into not only a place of

many attacks, it had been disintegrated further from the war, just like the

magnificent beauty, but also a country of pros-

100 Thousand Club

93

RORY STEWART:mar09 16/03/2009 09:37 Page 94

perity. “Returning to the city, you would see an area bursting and vibrant with jobs and incomes, attracting multiples of visitors, but we would’ve also trained up a new generation of traditional Afghani people. Currently, the significance of art in Afghanistan is growing. The country has just run its first contemporary art prize, won by an outstandingly talented female video artist from just outside Kabul, Saba Shams, and in addition to the beautifully handcrafted pieces made by the traditional craftspeople at Turquoise Mountain, the project is also working with contemporary designers to respond to traditional techniques.

Shams is a 19-year old mixed medium artist, and for someone such as her, the winning of the prize was really the first time she had been given such an opportunity to display her work, especially on an international stage.

The various ranges of emerging art at this time in Kabul has seen development of art galleries, patiently waited for by both the traditional and the contemporary craftsmen.

Stewart talks of the project’s new jewelry range and the role of modern art within this.

“Ken Ovram worked with our jewelers to design a contemporary jewelry range, and that’s now been sold in San Francisco and London,” he boasts. His client base for the craft creations is very high end, due to the sophisti-

The success of establishing his cultural program – success is cer-

cation and prestigious backing of Prince

tainly the word to describe Turquoise Mountain – has meant Stewart has

Charles. The craftsmen recently conducted a

achieved what he set out to do in the way of Afghanistan culture. Not

large exhibition in Bahrain, selling its most

only has he provided a platform with which aesthetics has flourished in

distinguished calligraphy and showcased its

various forms, but also in doing so, he has restored the identity of the

finely designed products at the Dubai Mil-

Afghani people. But not only has he restored the confidence of Afghani’s

lionaire Fair.

within themselves as a people, but he has shown the rest of the world the

As founder of the project, there is nothing else to expect from Stewart’s own taste than ab-

94

undiscovered beauty and sophistication of a region teeming with tradition and rich in offering of structural aesthetics.

solute distinction, and when asked of his own

So what’s his next goal, his next mission? He tells me of his involve-

particular favorites he emphasis the likes of

ment in matters of foreign policy and his vision for Afghanistan as a cen-

Istad Nasta, “an astonishing carver who I think

tre of culture to be brought about in a very different way to the methods

really could rank with anybody in the world”,

of troops and arms that were used with Iraq. There is only so much Stew-

as well as Usted Tamin, “who is a very, very

art can do to massage the relationship between Islam and the Western

delicate miniature painter and does wonderful

World, now all he can do is “wait for the rest of the world to develop a

culminations of calligraphy and painting.”

much more patient, tolerant, gentle and enduring relationship.” n

100 Thousand Club

The Power

in the Palace

W

hat kind of person can look back on

event facilities. We are the venue for exciting exhibi-

life and know that they played host

tions and concerts, such as the Emirati Expressions

to royalty, curated a Picasso exhibi-

currently and the two concerts with Boccelli and Cold-

tion, rubbed shoulders with political

play due later this month. Daily we receive VIP guests

dignitaries and celebrities, and traveled the world…

and delegations, global media, and, as we have unique

and of course, found plenty of time to play golf along

resort facilities with a private beach and Anantara spa,

the way? Hans Olbertz, the General Manager of Abu

we welcome leisure guests year round.”

Dhabi’s Emirates Palace Hotel is just that kind of man.

The Emirates Palace is the most expensive hotel

Running a $3 billion dollar, 7-star hotel is simply

ever built. It is marked by its opulence –5 kg of pure

all in a day’s work for this hotelier who has worked in

edible gold is used there every year, the hotel’s marble

hospitality for over 30 years. “To have the opportunity to

alone represents 13 countries, and guests can purchase

join the Emirates Palace was the highlight of my career,”

a one million dollar suite holiday. Olbertz came to his

Olbertz says, and though he has worked and studied all

position as GM with a great deal of experience, but it’s

over the globe, running the Emirates Palace is a grand

hard to truly prepare anyone for the striking attention to

undertaking even for such an established figure in the

detail that defines a landmark conceptualized around

world of elite tourism.

the idea of blurring the line between palace and hotel.

“Everyday is a different day at Emirates Palace. We

When you’re in the Emirates Palace, it’s sometimes

are a unique hotel with a wide variety of clients, guests,

hard to decide which is which. And it can be especially

and the largest most flexible conference, banquet, and

hard to remember you’re not royalty in the hotel’s Palace

100 Thousand Club

Hans Olbertz.indd 95

95

16/3/09 09:58:56

96

Hans Olbertz.indd 96

100 Thousand Club

16/3/09 09:59:07

Suite – it’s Swarovski Crystal chandeliers light up a

spent two years in the late 1980’s working as Resident

living space complete with Daum sculptures and a full

Manager for Hotel InterContinental Abu Dhabi. “Abu

living and dining room.

Dhabi is the capitol of UAE, and Emirates Palace the

“Emirates Palace is probably the most famous hotel

iconic landmark to showcase Abu Dhabi to the world as

in the world and attracts visitors across every segment

the cultural center of the Middle East and the venue for

and from every corner of the globe. The vibrancy and

world class events.”

positive nature of Abu Dhabi is formidable and the

“With the diary of events over the year and the grow-

capitol’s developments, whilst always exciting and in-

ing number of events such as Formula One in November

novative, are also planned with care to ensure a smooth

this year, Abu Dhabi has already established itself as

transition and ease of access for everyone, whether a

the capitol of culture and the place to host major events

visitor or resident. It is the most welcoming part of the

– whether in the sports, arts, music, fashion, film, dance

world and stylishly combines the culture and history of

or theatre arenas, as well as the venue for international

UAE with modern sophisticated luxury living.”

conferences such as the World Energy Forum.”

For any guest staying at Emirates Palace, Olbertz

In his short time as GM of Emirates Palace, Olbertz

says it’s the perfect place to “chill out and relax.” He

has furthered the reputation of both the hotel and of its

cites the “extensive sports facilities with four tennis courts, a Padal Court, and special facilities to occupy children. The Emirates Palace is located on a 1.3 km stretch of private white sandy beach, so whether you are looking for solitude or family fun, you can find both.”

For food lovers seeking a memorable meal, Olbertz oversees the Emirates Palace’s “amazing culinary experience.” “It is not only that you enjoy the fantastic food – the ambience, the setting, and the service in all our Restaurants creates for a perfect dining experience,” he says. And this is no small feat to manage: there are

At the Anantara Spa treatment room, top left and table setting in the ballroom, bottom right

“Abu Dhabi has already established itself as the capitol of culture and the place to host major events”

eleven bars and restaurants on the property, compiling

home city Abu Dhabi. He has received a laundry list of

a fantastic list of cuisines: French, Persian, Lebanese,

distinguished figures including celebrities, sports stars,

Mediterranean, seafood, a caviar bar, and even barbe-

and political leaders. “The Hotel hosts many official

cue, as well as a dedicated cigar bar and the option of

delegations, royal dignitaries, world celebrities such as

personalized in-room dining.

Former US President George Bush, French President

It’s easy to sense how much Olbertz loves his work.

Nicolas Sarkozy, Former Prime Minister Tony Blair,

He lives on the hotel property, so Emirates Palace is

His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain, Catherine

home for him as well. While some managers focus only

Deneuve, Elton John, Bon Jovi, Kimi Räikkönen and

on creating positive press when they talk about their

many others.”

properties, Olbertz fondness for the hotel is evident and

Throughout his time at Emirates Palace Olbertz has

utterly natural as he proliferates about the food, fun, and

remained committed to making sure guests experience

“fairy-tale atmosphere” at Emirates Palace.

hotel as the standard of luxury in the Middle East and

That passion spills over for the city of Abu Dhabi as

in the world. Since becoming GM, he has overseen the

well. Olbertz thinks Emirates Palace is a reflection of

addition of the new Palace Lounge that offers guests pri-

the future of Abu Dhabi, a globally recognized hotel in a

vate check-in and check-out and an exclusive concierge

city also well known for its iconic projects like Saadiyat

service, among other indulgences.

Island and Masdar City. He says he loves the mix of

Still, Olbertz thinks that the highlight of his experi-

expatriate and local ideas that the city represents, and

ence at Emirates Palace is the people he has met along

has been very happy to return to the place where he

the way. “To have the pleasure of hosting and welcoming

100 Thousand Club

Hans Olbertz.indd 97

97

16/3/09 09:59:08

these guests is an honour, and there is nowhere else in the world where I could experience this on an everyday basis.” He also enjoys having a hand in the kind of incredible experiences the Emirates Palace commands.

Olbertz says he is proud of the hotel’s prominence in hosting “amazing cultural events, for instance, the largest Picasso Exhibtion ever held outside of a museum, Art Paris exhibition, Art of Islam, and the Saadiyat exhibition, where the 6 most important development projects involving the construction of Guggenheim, Le Louvre, Maritime museum, etcetera, are introduced in Abu Dhabi.”

And at the end of the day, there’s nothing better for Olbertz when he wants to relax than a round of golf. “In Abu Dhabi, I managed to link it with business when I had the chance to sponsor one of UAE’s most famous sports events, The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in January 2009 here at the Emirates Palace, featuring 120 World Golfers known from various countries around the globe. The event was seen by millions of people through live coverage and was great success.”

Olbertz spent the early part of January planning heavily for the Emirates Palace golf event that featured 120 golfers from 29 countries. He then quickly changed gears from sportswear to business suits and spent part of February welcoming Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to the hotel.

Like his guests, Olbertz has an international background and lifestyle, and his favorite getaway is back home in Europe, as with many expats. “I have a town home in Vienna and a country home in Majorca. I am fortunate to be able to enjoy the dynamism of Abu Dhabi, peace and serenity of Majorca and of course as a European, Vienna offers me a great European city experience of an historical capitol city.”

And though he’s running one of the best hotels in the world, Olbertz is quite sure that things can get even better. He wants to see the Emirates Palace become established as the indisputable top resort in the field of hospitality. He sees “Emirates Palace being the cultural centre of UAE and the Middle East, and one of the worlds most luxurious resorts and world class venues for meetings and conferences.”

If Emirates Palace wasn’t that already, our bets are on Olbertz to make it so. n

98

Hans Olbertz.indd 98

100 Thousand Club

16/3/09 09:59:12

EzardHouse.indd 1

16/3/09 10:30:26

BERRO:feb09 16/03/2009 09:26 Page 100

100

100 Thousand Club

BERRO:feb09 16/03/2009 09:26 Page 101

Speeding AHEAD LEGENDARY DRIVERS, HIGH-PROFILE TRACKS, MILLIONS OF SCREAMING FANS, AND HIGH-SPEED CARS RACING TOWARDS THE ULTIMATE IN PRIZE MONEY—in the Middle East this year the excitement isn’t about Nascar, and it’s not about Formula One. Since January of 2008, it’s all about Speedcar. After a smashing success of a first season, Speedcar has come back with more races, better drivers, and faster cars than ever before. The race is a stock car series, meaning that the custom-built cars are all custom-built for the series, with identical engines, chassis, fuel, and tires to ensure there are no mechanical advantages. The 200 kilometer races are a two-day event, providing fans with more than 6 hours of racing excitement. As the winter season is nearing its end in mid-April, we spoke with the Operations Director for the series, Claudio Berro, about his first year managing the series and his plans for the future.

Hired in advance of the December season start, Berro arrived right in the thick of things. “I was invited by the Union Properties board to stay a week in Dubai during a round of testing before the second season began. By the end of the week I was convinced and I wanted to be part of the project.” He arrived on the scene with over a quarter of a century’s work experience in the world of motor sport including having served as Sporting Director of Peugeot-Italy, Team Manager and Press Officer of Ferrari F1 and then General Manager of Maserati and Fiat-Abarth respectively. Well-respected in the international car and racing community, Berro had a uniquely perfect background necessary to take over an organization of this kind.

100 Thousand Club

101

CArlton.indd 1

16/3/09 10:19:42

BERRO:feb09 16/03/2009 09:26 Page 103

He was intrigued by the way the series was positioned to grow in the

change its focus, however, as they feel it is perfectly situated where it is.

Middle East region, which has seen its racing fans expand in both num-

“The Speedcar Series was conceptualized and born in Dubai. Dubai is

ber and passion in recent years “The Speedcar Series was conceptual-

a new and exciting city. Logistically, its geographical location is perfect

ized in 2007 to create an important racing series in the Middle East and

for us to operate from and target the Middle East and Asia,” says Berro.

Asia regions to cater to the growing interest in motor sport.” Berro saw

The 2009-2010 Speedcar season will continue to try and build on

is as an interesting counterpoint to more established race series in the

those changes in every direction. The winter racing series is currently in

region, with its youthful energy and focus on speed. “Formula One is

its second season, running from December ’08 to April ’09, and the third

the pinnacle of motor sport and there is no comparison between the two.

season will be between ’09 and ’10. “We’d like to improve the next season

Speedcar is a stockcar racing series and our V8 custom designed and

by adding new circuits to our race calendar like Abu Dhabi for example.

built cars as well as some of the most famous F1 drivers has a fan fol-

We also plan to make the Series a lot stronger in the Middle East region,”

lowing of its own.”

says Berro, adding that “we do not plan to expand the Series to other coun-

Berro compares his role in the organization to that of an orchestra

tries other than the ones we race in at the moment.” Other changes may

conductor: “. I’m here to oversee and coordinate the various working

be afoot in the cars, if not in the choice of tracks, as Berro emphasizes

parts of Speedcar Series and the staff that makes it happen.” A large

that, “we’re always open to new drivers and drivers from other continents

part of their efforts this season involved expanding recognition of the se-

like America and Australia would be very welcome.” The series has had

ries into nearby markets, an exciting new development for them. “To

a great deal of success attracting some real racing stars to this very young

promote Speedcar Series in the GCC it is important for us to race on new

series, including crowd-pleasing drivers like Jean Alesi, Johnny Herbert,

circuits which we are doing this weekend in fact by running our first ever

Heinz Harald Frentzen, and other Formula One alumni, and this has been

night race on the Losail International Circuit in Qatar which we will also

an integral part of its growth. “I think the appeal to the drivers is that they

be racing on for the first time.” There are no plans for the series to

have to tame a Speedcar which is a new kind of vehicle for most of them

Clockwise from top left: Johnny Herbert (GBR) exits his pit for the start of a race; Claudio Berro presents Heinz-Harald Frentzen (GER) with a cheque for pole position; Programme autographed by drivers; Hasher Al Maktoum (UAE) on the grid.

BERRO:feb09 16/03/2009 09:27 Page 104

to be racing in. Also, every Speedcar is exactly the same in every way with no aerodynamics or electronic aids. Ultimately, it comes down to each driver’s pure driving talent and instinct. Apart from being a great car to drive, the Series also provides a lot of overtaking opportunities and makes for an exciting race for the audience.”

Taming those cars should be no simple task, especially since the redesign after the first season. “The testing of the new cars went very well and we recorded a better performance when compared to the cars we ran in the first season. The new cars are composite-paneled – it’s stronger and makes for a “stronger race”. The new engines are 620 bhp with recently introduced fuel injected,” and a number of other technical adjustments have been made to give the cars the individuality they need to stand out in the crowd of racing series. “All in all, the changes we have made to the car have been a good step in the evolution of the Series. The drivers are also pleased with the modifications,” adds Berro.

The cars are by no means foolproof, though, and provide a full complement of racing drama. In a recent bout at Losail in Qatar, Jean Alesi was forced to drop out due to a power steering failure, and a mechanical failure in Marco Melandri’s car was the only thing keeping him from a From top: Vitantonio Liuzzi (ITA) on the grid with Saeed Khalfan (UAE) Chairman of Dubai Autodrome; Speedcar Series grid girls capture the crowd’s attention; UP Team mid-race; Race winner Vitantonio Liuzzi (ITA) UP Team celebrates on the podium, third round, Losail International Circuit, Qatar.

shocking upset over Vitantonio Liuzzi, the eventual winner. This is par for the course in any race, however, and the drivers genuinely seem to enjoy battling it out for the finish in their racing machines.

While racing has always been popular in the region, the world of highspeed car racing has often been associated with the thriving economy. The Speedcar Series seeks to overcome that stigma, and thus far has been successful. “The Speedcar Series is growing in popularity and we are a Series for the people,” says Berro with pride. “We encourage an open door policy with the fans where they have the opportunity to meet the drivers and see the car up close in the pits – actually touch, smell and experience motor racing up close rather than from a grandstand. At the last race in Dubai in December we had 1,200 spectators, and that doesn’t even happen at football matches.” Fortifying this popularity is the presence of some up-and-coming local talent, making the ability of the fans to feel close to the drivers even more personal. “Sheikh Hasher Al Maktoum, who is one of our youngest drivers, currently stands 6th in the points scale and all the drivers ahead of him are F1 drivers. We have a lot of talent in the driver line-up and it is a very good experience for our younger drivers to be pitted against the more experienced F1 drivers.” While Berro refuses to pick a favorite for this season or the next, of the young Sheikh he will say that, “He is managing to hold his own in the big boys club and the young Sheikh is definitely one to watch this season.” n

RitzCArltonIStanbul.indd 1

16/3/09 10:45:07

RAFFLES AD:6NOV07

16/3/09

10:44

Page 10114

W With superb, landmark hotels that look like ships

in full sail, sky-scrapers that tear through the sand to reach up to a cloudless-blue, and swarms of lim-

ousines that line its sun-kissed streets, there are few places in the world that can match the scale of growth that Dubai has witnessed in recent years.

Today, a trip to Dubai is synonymous with luxury and beauty, and to go shopping in Dubai is like experiencing the touch, taste, and vision of that beauty. In just a few short years, it has become a shopping destination for the international jetset, attracted to the unique blend of Western designers and Eastern flair. Take the Dubai Mall, for instance, which opened in November last year with about 600 retailers, marking it as the world’s largest-ever mall opening in retail history. Sprawling over 12 million square feet, the Dubai Mall has between 10 and 15 distinct, so-called, ‘malls-within-a-mall’, and includes the world’s largest Gold Souk; the 850,000 square foot Fashion Catwalk atrium; Fashion Island Avenue, with 70 flagship stores dedicated to haute couture; the Middle East’s first Galeries Lafayette department store; the region’s first SEGA indoor theme park; KidZania, a 80,000 square foot children’s ‘edu-tainment’ centre; a 22-screen Cineplex, the largest in Dubai; and The Grove, an indoor/ outdoor streetscape with a fully retractable roof.

The Mall itself is situated at the foot, and is an integral part, of the Burj Dubai, which takes the title of being the tallest man-made structure ever-built, despite being incomplete.

THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS 100 Thousand Club

SHOPPING_DUBAI_100TC.indd 107

107

16/3/09 08:52:34

108

But while the millions of square feet of

being purchased, especially when paying by

already earmarked for tourist development,

shopping space is as impressive as it is expan-

cash. A pleasant atmosphere also provides

with the construction of a museum, cultural

sive, the somewhat futuristic-sounding list

an ideal escape from the overcrowded streets

centre and an art gallery showcasing local

of features is surely not for everyone tastes.

located nearby. The street is home to many

talent, the area’s archaic beauty becomes

Thankfully, smaller boutiques are still pres-

premier resort hotels, making the scene an

even more exceptional.

ent – offering an equal sustenance in luxury

exciting mix of tourists and locals.

Further aspects of Dubai’s old culture

and opulence as any of Dubai’s uber-malls. On

A trip to the bustling market and cultural

can be found by visiting places around the

the Jumeirah Beach Road, for example, fash-

area of Bastakiya is also a must. This area is

Creek, which splits Dubai into two halves,

ionable designer wear and stylish brand-name

known as the original, old city of Dubai and

Bur Dubai and Deira. The buildings lining

clothing is in abundance, arranged in a series

represents just one percent of the modern city

the Bur Dubai side of the Creek provide the

of small shopping plazas. The area is also well

to which we are now accustomed. Bastakiya

main flavor of the old city, with the Heritage

known to those shoppers who are hunting for

is filled with traditional courtyard houses and

Village offering a simulacrum of old Dubai.

a bargain, as it is customary to negotiate with

classic wind towers, which offer a look at how

The adjoining Diving Village offers exhibits

store employees for the best price on items

Dubai looked in yesteryear – and with the area

on pearl diving and fishing, while forming

100 Thousand Club

SHOPPING_DUBAI_100TC.indd 108

16/3/09 08:52:49

part of an ambitious plan to turn the entire

gious stores including designer brands such

been separated into six different themes to

Shindagha area into a cultural city, recreating

as Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Cartier Rodeo

represent some the countries that Ibn Bat-

life in Dubai as it was in days gone by. While

Drive, Stuart Weitzman, Ralph Lauren,

tuta – an explorer and traveler from the

this doesn’t have the same pull for tourists as

Escada, Christian Lacriox, Louis Vuitton,

12th Century – traveled to. These countries

the perfunctory shopping paradise, it is well

Aigner and MaxMara. It’s an impressive list,

include China, India, Persia, Egypt, Tunisia

worth a look for boutiques and stores that may

something of a Fashion Week’s dream list all

and the Andalusia and there is a truly varied

offer unique and authentic items.

located under one roof, and, as is the case

assortment of shops as well as a golf-cart

with all of Dubai, remains unchallenged by

shuttle to help shoppers get around with ease

any other place on our planet.

and comfort. Here, it is most recommended to

Nonetheless, for all the beauty that ‘old’ Dubai has to offer, it is the imagination and creativity of Dubai’s newest shopping centres

Other hotspot malls include the Ibn Bat-

visit Mumbai Se, which offers a collection of

that are city’s calling card. Similar to the

tuta Mall, the Mall of the Emirates and the

Indian accessories, jeweled mandarin tunics

Dubai Mall, BurJuman – located in the heart

Wafi Shopping Centre: The Ibn Buttata Mall,

and hand-crafted bags. The shopping centre

of Dubai – compromises 800,000 square feet

for example, is widely recognized as the most

also has a permanent exhibition of Islamic

of retail space and has more than 300 presti-

unique and captivating mall in Dubai, having

science, invention and astronomy.

100 Thousand Club

SHOPPING_DUBAI_100TC.indd 109

109

16/3/09 09:03:04

During this cultural highlight shops offer huge discounts, daily car raffles are drawn, and an extravagant firework display illuminates Dubai’s night sky. The image is truly majestic. Tourists from all around the world are lured not only for Dubai’s tax free shopping, but also for all of the events that take place during the festival, and as a counterpart to the January event is the Dubai Summer Surprises, where, for 10 weeks, special events in many of Dubai’s biggest malls take place, with themes changing weekly. This program has a distinctly family emphasis, focusing on both fun and education.

It is unsurprising that with all this on offer, Dubai has been called the “shopping A girl walks through the aquarium tunnel in Dubai Mall, which covers the area of 50 soccer pitches

capital of the Middle East”, and it’s an acknowledgement that is wholly deserved. With so many shopping malls and markets, there is no better place to find products at unbeatable

Meanwhile, near the fourth interchange

Best Restaurant, Best New Hotel, Best Spa

prices. Dubai’s numerous shopping centres

on the Sheikh Zayed Road is the Mall of

and Best Independent Boutique ¬– is located

cater for every consumer’s need: cars, cloth-

the Emirares, which houses more than 200

on Al-Qataiyat Road and focuses on luxury

ing, jewelry, electronics, furnishing, sporting

stores, including international high street

brands, jewelry and boutiques such as Chanel

equipment and any other goods will all be

chains, luxury brand shops, boutiques such

and Givenchy. The Egyptian-themed archi-

likely to be under the same roof. In many

as Charles & Keith, and craft shops such as

tecture in the new wing includes exquisite

ways, Dubai is bigger than just the shopping

the ever-popular Al-Jaber Gallery. The Mall

stained-glass pyramids that shoot enchanting

capital of the Middle East, and more a shop-

of the Emirates also includes many restau-

bursts of colored-light across the floor, and the

ping capital for the world. While it may be

rants and cafes, where shoppers can take

award-winning Spa and licensed bars that are

true that other cities instantly come to mind

some time out of the luxurious surroundings

connected to the mall add a new dynamic to the

when you think of shopping – Paris, Milan,

and unwind before experiencing a ski-slope

unabated sumptuousness of Dubai shopping.

New York – Dubai is hot on their heels, carv-

If all this richness was not enough, the

ing a name for its itself in elegant design,

And the Wafi Shopping Centre – which

Dubai Shopping Festival is held every Janu-

breathtaking architecture and, best of all,

last year won awards for Best Shopping Mall,

ary, with 2009 marking its thirteenth outing.

faultless fashions. n

and the multiplex, all under one roof.

110

100 Thousand Club

SHOPPING_DUBAI_100TC.indd 110

16/3/09 08:53:07

100TCMTB AD:feb09 16/03/2009 09:23 Page 111

Join now: www.meettheboss.com

200,000 Challenges.

100,000 Executives.

One Community MeettheBoss.com membership reads like an industry who’s who. CEOs, CIOs and other senior executives from leading organizations are just two clicks away.

But there’s more. Weekly interviews with industry leaders are webcast on the site’s dedicated channels. These are combined with live, moderated discussion groups, video conferencing, IM and secure e-mail in one easy-to-use app that’s dedicated to business.

New York 8:50 a.m.

London 1:50 p.m.

Dubai 4:50 p.m.

Tokyo 9:50 p.m.

John is upgrading some core business functions. He wants to know how to ensure a smooth transition, so he video calls…

Paul, who has seen the benefits of an upgrade and is now sharing project management tips with…

Georgina, the turnaround expert who’s moving on to a new project in Japan, where…

Ringo has the local knowledge.

But he’s also planning for tomorrow, and that’s all about core business...

If your network isn’t focused on your business, change it.

Dedicated To Business MeettheBoss.com is simple, intuitive, unintrusive and secure. It’s also free to use.

Membership restrictions apply.

BACK ISSUES ME5:sep08

16/3/09

08:33

Page 112

Join the Club...

Online. Every single limited edition issue of the 100Thousand Club is available at www.100thousandclub.com. Take a visit for more exclusive information on our partners.

www.100thousandclub.com Your exclusive online resource for all things luxury.

www.100thousandclub.com

Allamnda.indd 1

16/3/09 10:15:57

Spas in Jordan 114

Jordan Spa.indd 114

T

he spa getaway is as iconoclastic as the idea of vacation itself.

To experience a gratifying spa week or weekend is like no other time away from the world – there’s just something perfect about a day characterized by the classic white bathrobe and the essential indulgence of massages, facials, and fresh catered meals.

The spa holiday is something that you can get in almost every corner of the world, but trying out one on the Dead Sea in Jordan

is the experience we’re raving about right now. The relatively new delicious havens of relaxation in the region are making this natural landscape into a place as deeply soaked in history as it is quickly becoming the place to get an amazing milk bath soak. Spend a few days at one of the spas now sitting elegantly along the Jordanian side of this timehonored restorative corner of the world and you’ll feel so good you’ll swear you could walk on water – or hey, at least we can promise you’ll float pretty spectacularly.

The Dead Sea has been an iconic healing destination since ancient times. Some previous notables who have visited its shores include Cleopatra and Herod the Great. It’s one of the saltiest bodies of water on earth, so no fish live there. Instead, people flock to the Dead Sea shores to bob in the water as if sitting in scores of floating armchairs and to revel in the restorative properties this area offers. The water and mud here are mineral

100 Thousand Club

16/3/09 10:02:53

ParkHotel.indd 1

16/3/09 10:34:34

rich and said to improve skin and overall health. And, because of a mix of low pollution

spin off of dishes from around the region and around the

and a high barometric pressure, just breathing in this area is thought to be therapeutic.

globe—we like to start with happy hour overlooking the

These conditions make the Dead Sea an easy choice for a spa location. If you’re going to

Dead Sea at The Fishing Club Beach Bar at the Jordan

get slathered in mud anyway, why not go for the most famous mud in the world?

Valley Marriott.

Most of the spas on the Jordanian side of the Dead Sea have arrived within the

For travelers who want to jump right in to the ulti-

last five years, so this area is a good choice for spa-goers who are not particularly keen

mate Dead Sea spa sabbatical, the Kempinski Hotel

on roughing it. Since the spas are also usually attached to a hotel, pick up a suite for

Ishtar Dead Sea is an inclusive resort option whose spa

the night after your body wrap, or choose a multi-day treatment set that most of these

will put your senses in a state of pure Arabian bliss. The

upscale establishments offer and make your sojourn a little longer. Visitors to this region

Kempinski is arranged in a series of gardens, lagoons,

sometimes say they like to “spa-hop” from one hotel to another trying out the different

and lush walkways stretching alongside the Dead Sea

options, though most spas in the area offer similar menus. Of course expect treatments

and includes a total of only 345 guest rooms. However, if

inspired by the Dead Sea and it’s traditional healing qualities. The spas offer mineral

you’re going to the Kempinski for its Anantara Spa, you’re

scrubs (many of the minerals in the Dead Sea can not be found anywhere else on Earth)

going to want to book in one of the 28 Spa Suites. They

and mud wraps (Dead Sea mud is thought to improve skin) often inspired by or using

all face the Dead Sea and most have an outdoor terrace

the highest-quality ingredients available in this lowest point on the planet. When you’re

for watching the sun go down in the evenings. Invest in

done indulging, most of the hotel complexes also offer several gourmet restaurant op-

the Butler service – it’s available for all the rooms and

tions serving everything from takes on local Jordanian fare to exotic cuisine options that

suites at the Kempinski – so you can make sure your time

Outdoor massage at the Six Senses Spa

116

Jordan Spa.indd 116

100 Thousand Club

16/3/09 10:02:59

at Anantara is as unforgettable as the first moment you

drinking your Warm Ginger Tea and getting a Traditional Thai Massage. Or head inside

look out over the teal water that characterizes this place

and spend some time in the spa’s Watsu pool – a massage bath whose name comes from

that’s all about unwinding. The Anantara Spa opened last

putting together the words water and a massage type called Shiatsu. If you like the idea of

November and is one of the largest spas in the Middle

swimming in something other than the Dead Sea, Anantara’s lap pool is set dramatically

East, so you will probably find the experience you are

under a pretty star-themed fiber optic lighting system. Take a few turns, then put on your

looking for while you’re here. Pick out a two, three, or

terry-cloth slippers again and head back over to the pampering.

five-day “Journey” from the Anantara’s menu and sample

For another intensely indulgent option, the ZARA Spa at the Mövenpick Resort &

meditation, yoga classes, massages, scrubs, and wraps.

Spa Dead Sea embodies the natural, quaint village feel of this 5-star resort that comes

The Journey treatment packages will give you a few

complete with meandering stone walkways, a man-made river, and a pretend village

good hours of spa time every day but still leave you with

square with restaurants. The spa has received several awards in the past decade – in-

flexibility so you can explore the Kempinski property in

cluding recognition from Vogue and selection as the “Best Spa 2005” by the MENA

the evening. For a one-day option, try an Anantara Spa

Travel Awards. At the ZARA Spa, start off with the minty scented air in the Tropical

Signature Package, which come under catchy names like

Rain Showers. Be sure to take advantage of the Dead Sea inspirations at ZARA, and

“Solar Radiance” and “The Heat of the Matter” and will

soak up the spa’s bath salts and mud wraps made from Dead Sea ingredients. The aro-

keep you busy for as little as an hour or as long as an

matherapy massage is also said to be fabulous. If you’re going to stay for a few days, think

entire afternoon. Anantara also offers yoga classes and an

about booking one of the ZARA’s Royal Therapy Suites – with their exclusive entrances

indoor tennis facility so you can keep active in between

and private reception, they are really the way to go if you want to discover complete spa

Hydro Pool at the Anantara Spa

100 Thousand Club

Jordan Spa.indd 117

117

16/3/09 10:03:01

chardonnay overlooking the lights of Jerusalem, and the more adventurous can try out a meal with the Evanson’s “Zarb” experience, where you can eat in a traditional Bedouin Tent in the Evanson’s Olive Grove. When you’re not eating, the Six Senses Spa at the Evanson will keep you busy. It’s designed around a “SLOW” philosophy, and the spa is committed to using local, chemical-free, and natural ingredients – don’t expect polish with your pedicure. We love the Six Senses’ sexy steam cave and getting massages outside next to the waterfall. If you want to pick out a two or four-day package you can completely focus on spa cuisine, meditation, and mud wraps, or pick treatments à la carte and in the meantime take day trips to the Dead Sea or try Arabic tapas at the Evanson’s Wine Bar. For those not ready to make the leap to the more exotic Evanson Ma’In, the simply titled “The Spa” at the Jordan Valley Marriott® Resort & Spa appeals to international tourists with its familiar name and classic Dead Sea-inspired menu. From fun twists like the Arabic Coffee Scrub to traditional treatments like the Purifying Dead Sea Mud Facial, The Spa at the Marriott® is going to be popular with guests who are more interested

118

Jordan Spa.indd 118

decadence in private or as a couple. What sets the ZARA apart, however, is its fantastic

in specific services and less ready to invest in multi-day

set of supporting facilities. We like to get a treatment at the at the Mövenpick complex’s

packages. Director of Spa John Hopp has been at The

spa worth over JD 100 per day so that we can enjoy the complimentary “Zara Spa Experi-

Spa since 2007 and has perfected his expertise in mixing

ence” – unlimited use of the spa’s pools, showers, and lounges. The Spa Infinity Pool

of local and exotic spa options through work in spas all

Terrace and the Spa Lounge are Zara locations that are often dotted with guests in their

over the Middle East, in Mexico, and in the U.S. At The

white robes enjoying the warm Jordan sun during the day. After you’re finished, go flash

Spa, the sunny fresh water pool with its plush striped

your new manicure in the Zara’s Hydro-pool, where the view of the sunset over the Dead

lounge chairs is a good place to relax inside. You can tell

Sea is supposed to be unparalleled.

The Spa menu is intended to appeal to both vacationers

If your idea of relaxation is about a complete escape, a few days at the Six Senses

and business travelers, with a mix of longer options like

Spa at the Evanson Ma’In Hot Springs & Six Senses Spa– a resort set few minutes

the “Reconnection Couple Massage” (130 minutes) and

inland from the Dead Sea along the Ma’In Hot Springs – could be your ideal getaway.

quickies like the “Express Facial” (25 minutes). After

The springs feed the Dead Sea and three waterfalls define the slightly isolated Evanson

you’re finished indulging, book a private afternoon at the

Ma’In Hot Springs resort. It’s an eco-friendly place that feels like stepping into an oasis

Sunrise and Sunset Terraces so you can have appetizers

complete with mossy cliffs, pebbled footpaths, and the constant noise of the waterfalls

brought by a Spa Attendant post-sauna and spend a few

in the background. Be sure to eat at the cliff top restaurant where you can sip your

hours overlooking the Dead Sea. n

100 Thousand Club

16/3/09 10:03:04

MajorcalEstate.indd 1

16/3/09 10:32:10

Nile cruise new:10jan

16/3/09

09:30

Page 120

Nile River Cruising

120

100 Thousand Club

Nile cruise new:10jan

16/3/09

W

09:31

Page 121

With so many options to choose from, picking out the perfect Nile River cruise ship can feel a little like trying to read hieroglyphics. To start, it’s important to note that on the Nile it’s not about which company you book with, it’s about what ship you end up on. They run the gamut from satisfactory to outrageously sumptuous and come in different categories ranging from star levels to potentially deceptive descriptors like “Deluxe,” “1st Class,” and “Luxury.” Stressed? Don’t worry.

To make things a little easier for you, we’ve straightened out some of the finer points of the available Egyptian Nile River Cruise ships here. If you’re searching for the right boat, plan on splurging so you can be aboard one of the best options on the market – these ships’ amenities, privatization, food, and activities will one-up most available cruises, and your better experience will be well worth the money.

A cruise in Egypt is the perfect solution if you are falling into the predicament of buying too

much Chanel cruise collection off-white lambskin at the October fashion weeks (we know you are). Most cruises sail between Luxor and Aswan and can take between three and seven nights depending on how often and where your boat stops. Longer cruises may begin and end upriver in Cairo. If you choose the traditional Luxor-Aswan route, expect to see the Valley of the Kings and important archaeological sites like the Temple of Luxor. In the days, most boats provide at least some sort of guided tours that range from very free form to under the guidance of a private Egyptologist. In the evenings, you’ll be onboard making friends. If you have a specific idea about your trip it is a good idea to call the cruise company ahead of time so you can get an idea of the dynamic on the ship you’re thinking about. It’s best to navigate the Nile River vacation search based on finding the right ship. We put our four favorites below to start you out:

The Ships: The Oberoi Zahra, Luxury Nile Cruiser – owned by Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, the Oberoi Zaraha, Luxury Nile Cruiser is often cited as the best ship on the market for Nile River cruises.

With a total at 27 cabins, the Oberoi Zahra will give you a floating boutique hotel experience. It’s the same size as many other five-star ships on the Nile but has half the number of rooms. The Oberoi Zahra’s two Luxury Suites may possibly be the best accommodations on the Nile, and both have an attached terrace with a Jacuzzi. The Oberoi Zahra is also the only boat on the Nile with four massage suites and one of the few that offers a full-service spa. For food, acclaimed Chef Siddhartha Chowdhry runs the restaurant on board, and the menu changes daily. Regulars on the Oberoi Zahra say he’s happy to customize dishes, especially during dinner. As other luxury cruisers do, the Oberoi Zahra offers Egyptologists to guide guests on day excursions. The Cigar Lounge on the ship is a nice place to unwind. The Oberoi Zahra does a leisurely seven-day trip from Luxor to Aswan and back again.

Sun Boats – Operated primarily through noted travel conglomerate Abercrombie & Kent, the two Nile River Sunboats, the Sun Boat III and the Sun Boat IV, are both quite luxurious. The smaller, 18-room Sun Boat III is our personal favorite. Book in to one of the Royal Suites with a private balcony, but make sure to find time to mingle with your fellow Nile travelers on one of the Sun Boat III’s charming dark brown sundecks. Booking on to one of the Sun Boats will get you private docking at Luxor and Aswan, so you really feel like you’re getting the personalization you will pay for.

A&K also operates the Nile Adventurer, another luxury vessel that is a good option if you are going to plan a completely personalized, longer trip down the Nile. Depending on what trip you book, the Sun Boats can take anywhere from 3 nights to 7 to do the trip between Luxor and Aswan.

100 Thousand Club

121

Pimai.indd 1

16/3/09 10:44:11

Nile cruise new:10jan

16/3/09

09:31

Page 123

Sonesta St. George I – The St. George follows in the tradition of many great Nile River cruise ships - it sails from Luxor to Aswan, includes a spa, and offers nightly activities and guided sightseeing. However, what sets the St. George I apart is its incredibly beautiful French design.

The lobby’s chandelier throws pieces of scattered light on panoramic French windows, and pretty guests in big sunglasses watch the Nile float by from the shaded sun deck. You’ll definitely feel something like royalty on the Sonesta St. George I. Cruise experts say the main drawback to the St. George is its size – with 57 total rooms, it’s one of the larger luxury ships on the Nile River market. However, the rooms themselves are fairly glamorous, and the all the guest bathrooms get high marks because of their Jacuzzis. Sonesta also offers luxury cruises aboard one of the other four ships it operates. If you can’t get on the Sonesta St. George I, we like the Sonesta Star Goddess as well. The St. George I can take 3, 4, or 7 nights to make the Luxor-Aswan cruise.

MS Triton – We like the MS Triton because of its famed “Bridge Suite,” a single accommodation that runs the top of the navigation bridge on the ship and in our opinion is this boat’s defining feature. The Bridge Suite’s private “Promenade Deck” gives you complete views of the Nile River and your own outdoor space, so staying in this suite on the MS Triton will feel more like being on a private yacht and less like being on a larger vessel. The other rooms onboard are also cheerfully decorated and very comfortable. On the MS Triton, all alcohol outside of imported wine and Champagne is complimentary. It’s a rare occurrence on Nile River cruises, so the MS Triton is definitely your boat if you like to party the night away. The ship’s à la carte dinners stand out as well, though for complete à la carte luxury you’d definitely want the Oberoi Zaraha. Kerr & Downy is the main agent that books on to the MS Triton, but you can also get on board though a few other operators. It runs four and seven night itineraries between Luxor and Aswan.

Bonhams: The London auction house, founded in 1793, is one of the fastest-growing houses in the world, conducting over 700 sales a year worldwide. They are active in over 70 categories and opened their office in Dubai in November of 2007 in partnership with His Excellency Mohammed Mahdi Al Tajir, known as a prominent fine art collector in the Arab world.

Bonhams Dubai, Villa No.23, Beach Road, Jumeirah 1, Dubai U.A.E. T: +971 (0) 4 344 9945 | F:+971 (0) 4 344 9961

Arts of the Islamic World, 11 May 2009, Dubai The sale will include an impressive selection of paintings, sculpture, ceramics, decorative arts, and antiques. The market for these works is thriving and Bonhams has had success here in the past, with their $12 million record-breaker last year.

Fine Watches and Wristwatches, 10 June 2009, New Bond Street, London The specialist department in London holds two of these auctions every year and already has some unique pieces lined up, including a rare stainless steel Rolex Milgauss circa 1958.

Modern & Contemporary Arab, Iranian, Indian, and Pakistani Art, Autumn 2009, Dubai Currently still in the stage of evaluating works, past works in this category have included pieces from artRudolph Swoboda (II), Cairo.85, The Carpet Seller. Estimate$500,000-700,000

ists like Farhad Moshiri and Aydin Aghdashloo of Iran, and Francis Newton Souza of India.

A sampling of the regions treasures Although galleries certainly have their place in the Middle Eastern art scene, the region has attracted consistent interest from major international auction houses, interested in both selling Islamic and Eastern art and artifacts, and also catering to the fine tastes of those living well in the region, with antique watches, fine wines, and the best of the world’s art collections. Since technology has made bidding in person a mere matter of preference and distance is no barrier to purchase, these are our picks for the auctions to watch in 2009:

124

100 Thousand Club

Auction Preview2.indd 124

16/3/09 10:09:38

Sothebys: Founded in 1744, making it the oldest house on our list, Sotheby’s is also the largest auction house in the world with over 100 regional offices and annual sales of just under $2 billion. Though their Sothebys.com experiment has closed, they are open to internet bidding, which continues to increase their visibility and presence on the world auction house stage.

Level 15, Commercialbank Plaza, P.O. Box 27111, Al-Markhiya Street # 60, Doha, Qatar T: +974 452 8333 | F: +974 452 8334

Arts of the Islamic World, 1 April 2009, London Presenting a diverse collection of traditional and modern artworks from painters and sculptors around the region, Sotheby’s has included traditional crafts in their lots as well, so bidders can expect a number of highly-valued rugs and textiles as well as fine artworks.

Magnificent Jewels & Jadeite, 7 April 2009, Hong Kong A companion auction to the Important Watches sale, held in the same venue in Hong Kong, this is another biannual favorite. Large stones, antique and estate pieces, large natural pearls, and colored diamonds appear from private collections all over the world to be showcased to the international community.

Kelly Walker, 2002, I see Teddy Roosevelt-Shaped Thing.

Estimate $80,000-120,000

Philips de Pury:

Finest and Rarest Wines, 18 April 2009, New York

Founded in London in 1796, the company has evolved

One of Sotheby’s best-cultivated departments, fine wine auctions draw internation-

from a family business to an LVMH-backed giant,

al competition like no other department. Past sales in this category include some

where art dealer Simon de Pury was brought on board

of the highest prices ever drawn for bottles of Chateau Petrus, Chateau Lafite, and

to form its current incarnation. De Pury brought his

large bottles from several major houses.

company’s focus to contemporary art and design, jewelry, and photography, and their specialists have seen a growing success in all these departments. The Russian luxury retail company Mercury Group acquired a majority in the company in October of 2008, further positioning the company to expand into new, growing markets.

Lulu Al-Sabah, Dubai T: +965 962 1116 | E: lalsabah@phillipsdepury.com

Under The Influence, 9 March 2009 New York Held just after the closing of The Armory Show in New York, this highly anticipated sale of contemporary artworks will include a range of young and established artists, from Terence Koh and Kelley Walker to Damien Hirst and Ed Ruscha.

Magnificent Jewels, 12 May 2009 Geneva This auction lives up to its name every time, and has been a raging success for Philips in the past, selling The Rothschild Bucket, mamluk gilded and enamelled glass finger-bowl, mid14th century. Estimate: £600,000 - £800,000

extremely significant stones of unmatched beauty, history, and carat weight.

100 Thousand Club

Auction Preview2.indd 125

125

16/3/09 10:09:42

A rare small bronze ritual food vessel, Gui late Shang Dynasty, 12th Century BC. Estimate: $30,000 - 50,000

Christies:

Fine Chinese Art from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, 18 March 2009, New York

Riding high off the unbelievable success of the auction

One of the most anticipated sales of the year, items from this exceptional private

of the Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge estate at

collection offers a range of Chinese arts and antiques including a well-known collec-

the Grand Palais, which set a world record for the most

tion of Chinese classical paintings, jades, bronze vessels, Tang and Song ceramics,

valuable private collection and highest total sale for any

and Buddhist sculpture, to Ming frescoes and classical furniture.

European auction, Christie’s reminded us all why they are the world leader in the art business, a role they have

20th Century Decorative Art & Design, 26 March 2009, New York

sought and maintained since 1766. With the introduc-

Christie’s New York is offering 105 lots of premier Art Deco and French midcentury

tion of Christies LIVE, an online real-time bidding ser-

furniture and decorative pieces, featuring utilitarian master Jean Prouve and wooden

vice, Christie’s is poised to lead the way into the future

furniture from craftsmen like Sam Maloof and George Nakashima. A group of Art

of the auction business, as well as maintaining their core

Deco glassware pieces from Rene Lalique and Daum will round out the show.

business by holding over 600 sales a year and opening

126

new offices all over Asia and the Middle East.

International Modern and Contemporary Art, 29 April 2009, Dubai

Michael Jeha, Managing Director, Middle East, Level

This sale of Arab, Iranian, Turkish, and Western art includes several works from

4, Precinct Building 5, Office 406, Dubai International

private collections coming up for sale for the first time in the region, from some

Financial Centre, PO Box 506685, Dubai, UAE

iconic regional talent including Syrian artist Fateh Moudarres and seminal Egyptian

T: +971 (0)4 425 5647 | F: +971 (0)4 425 5639

sculptor Mahmoud Mokhtar. n

100 Thousand Club

Auction Preview2.indd 126

16/3/09 10:09:44

MAtches.indd 1

16/3/09 10:32:28

GEOX ED 100ME5:10jan

16/3/09

09:26

Page 128

GEOX ED 100ME5:10jan

16/3/09

09:27

Page 129

T

he story of Geox’s invention is an entrepreneurial story that is almost too good to be true. In the early 1990s, Mario Moretti Polegato was working in the family business, making wines, when he went to Reno, Ne-

vada for a conference. Between meetings, he went out walking in the desert, in an old pair of sneakers, the brand of which he assiduously declines to name. He felt overheated in the harsh sun, and stopped to use a pocketknife to cut holes in the soles of his shoes. The improvement struck him as so good that he brought the sneakers home and set about developing the membrane that would be the foundation of his company.

This is the innovation that sets Geox apart, as envisioned by their founder and perfected by their engineers: “The secret is the membrane insole—many small channels that let vapor out. These channels are 700 times smaller than a drop of water, so moisture can get out but it cannot come back in.” The insole is patented in 100 countries, but the company remains based in Venice, where it started 14 years ago. It’s now the leading shoe company in Italy, and regularly in second-place worldwide, based on their business plan comprising technology, fashion, and price, which is in the high mid-range, making in achievable yet uncompromising luxury. “It was a revolution to have this kind of success. On the one hand, it’s the technology, and on the other, it’s Geox’s style— Italian style. Everyone knows Italian quality and style.”

100 Thousand Club

129

GEOX ED 100ME5:10jan

16/3/09

09:27

Page 130

A As we sit in Geox’s newest Miami boutique, in

the upscale shopping area on Lincoln Road in South Beach, any questions about whether there is a market for this kind of technology quickly fade. Not only is the humid South Florida weather a good reminder that people need to look stylish in all sorts of conditions, Mario points to Florida as an important mar-

130

ket because “it’s an international center. Most

modern athletic gear is familiar with mois-

section is merely the minimalist adult displays

of the shoppers here already know Geox be-

ture-wicking fabric, which lines the interior

in Technicolor, a convention which has been

cause it’s very popular in Italy, France, all over

of the jacket, and channels vapors to tiny

adopted by so many imitators, it is subtly

Europe.” And while this week may have been

holes in the back of the jacket, but Italian

thrilling to encounter the original.

more diverse than others, with the interna-

style applies here too – it must be beautiful

The company has been extremely success-

tional art world descending upon Miami for Art

as well as practical, and what is actually a

ful in positioning their products all over the

Basel, looking out the open front doors onto

ventilation point appears to be nothing more

world – Mr. Polegato estimates that “1 in 10 peo-

Lincoln Road, the jetset is always out in force

than a styling accent.

ple in Europe own Geox shoes, and we produced

in Miami, and both the Lincoln Road and

Geox makes that style accessible to all

23 million pairs in the last year alone.” The flag-

Aventura Mall stores have been very success-

people, for all occasions. More than any other

ship store in the Americas is in New York City,

ful. Mr. Polegato himself is the best advertise-

single-brand store, Geox carries a truly full

a sleek, modern bi-level on Madison Avenue,

ment for his products, a trim man staying cool

range of shoes – from dress to casual, for men,

but Geox maintains a presence in all major cities

in the Miami heat, his classic Italian good

women, and children. Geox began its retail life

in the US – anywhere business is conducted,

looks complemented by a custom-tailored suit

as a source for children’s shoes and clothing, a

anywhere that draws a sophisticated crowd.

incorporating his own technology. Though not

market that had not at that point been touched

“Technology is needed for everyone,” says Mr.

in production yet, Mr. Polegato simply smiles

by adult quality designs. The company proved

Polegato. “Geox has a real message – everybody

when asked if that is the next step for their

its reliability to parents, providing a built in

needs quality leather and quality style.” Geox’s

newest technological find.

and trusting audience when adult shoes started

designers follow international fashion and we

The idea of breathable technology has ex-

rolling into the store. The design of the stores

make sure that their designs are comparable.

tended to apparel, and it appears all over the

are free-flowing, yet clearly sectioned, so a

In these troubling economic times, Geox is

store – a subtle, stylized swoop of tone-on-tone

man browsing for dress shoes is partitioned off

thinking strategically about maintaining and

fabric around the neck and shoulders that

from noisier young shoppers without ever hav-

growing their business. “The economic situation

hides a system as ingenious as the one in the

ing to walk past something that is unappeal-

is bad for retail, but particularly fashion, how-

soles of their shoes. Anyone familiar with

ingly childlike. If anything, the children’s

ever, our price can be maintained.” His business

100 Thousand Club

GEOX ED 100ME5:10jan

16/3/09

09:27

Page 131

Geox’s designers follow international fashion and we make sure that their designs are comparable

100 Thousand Club

131

GEOX ED 100ME5:10jan

16/3/09

09:27

Page 132

retains a 71% ownership stake, and the company’s share price has increased by 30% since the listing. All this expansion has been good for the company, and good for Mr. Polegato – he was named to the Forbes Billionaires list in 2007.

However new he was to the shoe business, Mr. Polegato had been developing his business sense long before he struck out on his own.

When telling the story of his inspiration for Geox, Mr. Polegato noted emphatically that he still considers himself “a winemaker, not an engineer or a stylist,” and his first passion was for his first job, at Villa Sandi wines, his family’s vineyard, which is partnered with wine giant Robert Mondavi in the US, and is run by his younger brother Giancarlo. Villa Sandi is also the name of the family home, a stunning example of Palladian architecture that was built in 1622, and houses much of the family on its grounds. He still retains many interests and passions outside his all-consuming focus on Geox, and is well known

132

sense is certainly something to be admired, and

technology, they’re also conscious to make sure

throughout Italy for the symbols of his success.

he has always shown a keen instinct for innova-

that their signature style is appropriate for all of

He collects vintage Moto Guzzi motorcycles and

tion, grounded in an unshakable faith in his prod-

their very diverse audiences. “There are differ-

a variety of high-end Italian sportscars, including

uct. “When I first got the patent, I searched for a

ent tastes country by country in terms of style—

two Lamborghinis and a Ferrai 260 Modena Spi-

partner to make the shoes, but no one wanted me.

we have different lasts, and there are special

der. He’s also quite invested in horsepower of an-

I started it myself in Italy with five young people

collections for Russia and Canada that never

other kind – his five Arabian racehorses,

from my village. We now have 30,000 employ-

appear in Florida or even New York. Our special

including one named Geox, making regular ap-

ees.” He tells this story with a practiced but

projects managers are devoted to visiting coun-

pearances at tracks around the world, and every

proud demeanor, and indeed several business

tries all over the world to understand local fash-

year he organizes fox hunting at his home.

schools and universities have hosted him as a

ion.” They are currently in 68 countries, and the

He spends so much time traveling that being

lecturer to present his case history.

goal is to be in the leading position country by

at the villa is a treat in and of itself, with such a

Lecturing is just one of the things that

country before further expansion. For instance,

fast-paced lifestyle. “My travel is mostly busi-

takes up his time these days. “Every day I

Geox has 65 stores in Russia, and are all over

ness travel, and my vacations are in the Med – I

move, visit my team, visit the store, and talk

the UAE/Middle East, with multiple stores in

don’t like to use the plane for long distances

with customers,” and then he’s off to another

every major city. “There we sell mostly sandals.

when I don’t have to. The Med has very wonder-

city, every few days for much of the year. “In

They like to breathe. We have 10 stores in

ful places and I always have many friends

Italy, I receive guests of the company, I’m ded-

Dubai alone, including one in the mall with the

there.” But vacations are far from top priority for

icated 100% to my business. In the beginning,

ski slope, which I like very much.”

this busy executive, who this very evening, after

I was the inventor – I started it all. Now it’s dif-

The expansion has been continually trend-

a quick cocktail hour spin on a friend’s yacht is

ferent. We’re very efficient in research. There

ing upwards since the company was founded,

off to Mexico City to visit yet another store. “My

are 15 engineers specializing in human heat

and their success has been as good for Mr. Pole-

dream is to become one of the biggest shoemak-

movement working in research and develop-

gato as for his well-shoed customer. In Decemer

ers, and it’s a possibility to realize this dream.

ment, and we have many new patents to protect

of 2004, Geox listed 29% of their shares in an

It’s a great opportunity. We’re investing in our fu-

our position.” In addition to developing new

IPO on the Milan stock exchange. Mr. Polegato

ture and our customers.”

100 Thousand Club

NYprivateReality.indd 1

16/3/09 10:34:11

VIRTUOSO/GUEST EDIT:10dec

16/3/09

09:39

Page 134

By Albert M. Herrera, Vice President, Hotels & Resorts, Virtuoso

I

am a self diagnosed luxury hotel junkie.

ment to the test, one needs look no further

There's nothing quite like the high that

than the little desk often quietly tucked into

results from an unexpected "wow"

the lobby where miracles seem to be made on

that's been personally tailored and de

a daily basis behind a small plaque that reads

livered in a beyond bustling metropolis or an

Concierge.

especially far flung corner of the world. While

But who are these genies whose sharp in

my standards may be exceptionally high be

tuition, vast networks of contacts and meticu

cause of the number of hotels with stunning

lous attention to detail make them seem like

design and amenities I visit each year, I think

the Wizard(s) of Oz on any given day? They

most consumers would agree that true luxury

are indeed all human and they all thrive on

always comes down to one thing: service.

providing truly astounding service of all types.

The concept of luxury travel and the hotel

The concierge names that are perhaps most

experience that affluent consumers seek has

noteworthy from my experience are Colin

certainly evolved over the years and continues

Short, Frank Laino, Fred Bigler and Aldo

to redefine itself, but what remains constant

Bullo. Those who are lucky enough to know

among standout properties is their spirited en

them personally are guaranteed to take their

thusiasm and singular passion for delivering an

experience witin these respective cities to the

unparalleled experience with an unwavering

next level. Here are a few reasons why you

commitment to service. To put this commit

might want to join them.

CHECKING IN WITH ALBERT HERRERA

16/3/09

09:39

Page 135

The Stafford

The Lanesborough

VIRTUOSO/GUEST EDIT:10dec

Colin Short, The Lanesborough (London, England)

Frank Laino, The Stafford (London, England)

Colin is known has often been referred to as "the

He's connected, he's efficient, and, Lord knows,

concierge who can." He embodies the indispensable

he can certainly deliver. After 25 years as a conci

link that the role of concierge provides to the local

erge, Frank Laino is known for delivering tickets to

destination and is committed to upholding the hig

sold out West End shows with a personal review and

hest standards of the profession. As The Lanesboro

a smile and has repeatedly topped "best of" lists in

ugh's head concierge, Colin has an enviable black

the industry.

book and his catch phrase says it all: "Leave it to

"A lot of concierge work is common sense and

me." Short started at The Lanesborough in 1984.

local knowledge, but becoming a really good one

Since then he's filled innumerable and far reaching

takes years of handling different situations, odd re

requests. As one guest once put it, "If you ask for a

quests, and wild goose chases," he says.

giraffe he'll deliver one for you the next day … but

Some of the most outrageous requests Frank has

that somehow isn't the bit that makes him special. He

received – and of course fulfilled – include arranging

simply has the contacts that other concierges do not

to have a red London bus shipped to the United Sta

have." Indeed, when it comes to being at the beck

tes, having a tailor on Savile Row make a coat for a

and call of discriminating guests, it's all about con

dog, and finding the one place in England that offers

nections, connections, connections. And, after ne

Tai Chi lessons on horseback. He can also arrange

arly 25 years of building relationships and

private tours to Stonehenge and various London mu

committing guest needs to memory, you just don't

seums and on more than one occasion (through his

get any better connected than Colin, which is undo

contacts at Dunhill) has created customized male

ubtedly why he won the 'Concierge of the Year'

emergency kits including toiletries, wardrobe items

award for 2008.

and immediate alterations.

16/3/09

09:39

Page 136

The Ritz Carlton

Hotel Londra Palace

VIRTUOSO/GUEST EDIT:10dec

Aldo Bullo, Hotel Londra Palace (Venice, Italy)

Frederick Bigler, The Ritz Carlton New York, Central Park

Aldo has been working for 50 years at the Londra Pa

In a city where connections are most vital, Fred

lace and is still going! Having started at the hotel as a por

is king. When it comes to organizing anything from

ter when he was 15 years old and moved up to Concierge

a balloon ride over Central Park on short notice or

in 1975, no one knows Venice like Aldo, who is without a

a back of the house tour of the Met, Fred excels and

doubt the holder of 'golden keys' for making dreams come

takes great pleasure in blowing guests' minds to the

true, especially during the city's most magical events where

max. He has been Chef Concierge at The Ritz Carl

it pays to be linked to an 'insider', such as the annual star

ton New York, Central Park, since it opened in

studded film festival in August and the legendary Masque

2002, and some of his most unusual requests have

rade Ball for Carnival.

included finding armored vehicles for the wives of the Sultan of Brunei to go shopping along Fifth Ave nue; get well cards, carob treats and bone shaped

Albert M Herrera joined Virtuoso in July 2004 as Managing

pillows for four legged guests; and creating a week

Director of the company's Hotel & Resort Program. A 20

of "Charlie's Angels" for three women celebrating

year career with working for some of the world's leading

their 40th birthdays – complete with slipping a cas

hotel groups across several continents, Albert has innate un

sette each morning under their doors at the hotel

derstanding of the luxury market, passion for travel and en

with whispered instructions about the day's upco

viable network of industry contacts built over the years.

ming adventures.

WestinDubai.indd 113

16/3/09 11:08:28

BAHMAN GHOBADI:mar09 16/03/2009 09:24 Page 138

Filming for Freedom

BAHMAN GHOBADI:mar09 16/03/2009 09:24 Page 139

WHEN BAHMAN GHOBADI SPEAKS, ONE THING IS CLEAR: THIS IS A MAN ON THE MOVE. HIS STORY,

Festival that year) taking him around the independent film circuit as

famous to those in the filmmaking and human rights communities,

is active in the world of film festivals in other ways as well, partici-

began in 1969 in Baneh, a city near the Iran-Iraq border in the

pating on juries at an astonishing list of independent films festivals,

province of Iranian Kurdistan. “We were born with the sound of

including Cannes, Rotterdam, and Sao Paolo (where he has also won

bombs. I remember. When I first knew myself I was on my mother’s

awards of his own) as well as winning recognition from human rights

back going from town to town. There was never any peace,” he said,

organizations focusing on ethic crimes, censorship, and other issues.

his early years a constant struggle for survival as war raged around

Ghobadi's dramatic and documentary films explore the re-

him. When he was twelve, the family immigrated to the provincial

silience and culture of the Kurdish people who live in the border

capital of Sanandaj. Ghobadi studied filmmaking at the Iranian

areas of Iran and Iraq. In his latest, 2005’s “Turtles Can Fly,” he

Broadcasting College in Tehran, and he honed his filmmaking skills

takes us into the world of a refugee camp on the Turkish border,

shooting short documentaries as he traveled among the Kurdish peo-

where orphaned and refugee children have created their own soci-

ple. “I was watching movies for fun from the time I was very young

ety to ensure their survival, sweeping their area for mines to protect

but I started watching them seriously when I started working in this

themselves and trade in unexploded mines for money. “This film, its

field,” he has said. His first big break into serious filmmaking came

directing, actors, production is all from Iraq. Everything was from

when Ghobadi got wind of a new movie being shot by Abbas

Iraq except my cinematographer and sound engineer and their

Kiarostami; he became an assistant on the film “The Wind” and

equipment. Everything else was from Iraq. When I visited Iraq two

brought the famed director to Kurdistan to shoot there, a formative

weeks after the fall of Saddam, I had a small camera with me and

experience that would shape the rest of his career. He accomplished

could shoot some scenes. When I got back and looked at the film I

a similar feat with Mohsen Makhmalbaf, serving as a technical ad-

saw that a number of children, full of energy, were in that film. Those

viser and an actor in his film “The Black Board.” With Kurdistan

children inspired me to go back with a professional camera, a 35

now officially on the filmmaking map, the time was ripe for Ghobadi

mm camera and a small group. We went illegally because they

to make his debut.

wouldn’t let us in.” The children he saw there reminded him in many

often as he thrusts himself back into the turmoil of his homeland. He

Ghobadi's short films, particularly his “Life in Fog” had begun

ways of his own childhood in Kurdistan: “ I believe that, although

to receive recognition in Iran and abroad, and his first feature film, “A

perhaps with its dialogue, my film is about children, these are only

Time for Drunken Horses” is considered the first Kurdish feature film

physically children. In Kurdistan the children are only physically

in the history of Iranian cinema, and brought Ghobadi recognition as

children. Mentally they are adults,” he said. One of the most unique

the country's foremost Kurdish director. This was also the debut

aspects of his style is that while his films deal with current events,

movie of his company Mij Film, founded in 2000 to give a voice to

the names that populate the international headlines are kept in the

Kurdish filmmakers, which produces several feature length and short

background, in favor of the common people who are most often rel-

films every year on various ethnic themes. His second movie, “The

egated to faces in a mob in a photo off the newswire. “I think it is bet-

Songs of My Mother’s Land,” follows a father and his sons on a quest

ter to separate art from politics, because whenever they mix, the art

for the father’s first wife through war-torn Kurdistan, allowing his

suffers,” Ghobadi says; while George Bush and Saddam Hussein

characters (who were amateur actors but professional musicians) to

provide the backdrop, the personal is, as they say, political, and

amplify the story through their lyrics and music; “Half Moon” has a

Ghobadi’s tales are more compelling for it.

similarly music-focused narrative, this time a father gathering his

Currently, Ghobadi is in talks to direct a movie for DreamWorks,

sons to play a concert in Iraq to celebrate the fall of Saddam Hussein,

a Hollywood heavyweight of a company, about a pair of siblings

a compelling tale of persistence through lost hope. The swelling music

searching for their father, through the history of his three wives and

is just one Ghobadi signature, echoing the constant, pervasive sense

several countries. The film would take Ghobadi through Iraq, Turkey,

of movement and hurry from place to place. Traveling and crossing

Iran, and Armenia, an epic of the sort that is so well-suited to his tal-

borders is a constant theme, the urgency and anxiety of his charac-

ents, and a project that would likely bring his vision to a significantly

ters and plots made all the more dire by the ravages of war that sur-

larger audience. The contrast of beautiful landscapes with extreme

round them. These films are difficult to watch, but important, as they

and harsh circumstances tell the stories of people facing life and

bear witness to some of our modern world’s saddest atrocities, and

hardship with in a way that is both honest and poetic, and Bahman

the artistic community has responded with accolades in respect to

Ghobadi’s passion for his work ensures that their voices will con-

his talent (“Half Moon” won the top prize at the San Sebastian Film

tinue to be heard. n

100 Thousand Club

139

Final Image:10jan

16/3/09

09:23

Page 140

Just as we highlighted the magnificent acts and shows that Richard and Padma Coram have brought to the region in our wonderful feature, there was one image we felt necessary to save for a more prominent place in the book. This is a picture of the Swan Lake production. I think the image speaks for itself. It’s almost as breathtaking as the region itself – almost.

We hope you enjoyed this issue. Please feel free to email us all your comments, concerns, questions and praises at editorial@100thousandclub.com.

Thara Heights is an opportunity for the most discerning buyer / investor. With Real Evidence of finished Quality and Design built in one of the most Amazing and Strikingly beautiful locations in Thailand.

5 Star Private Pool Villas ...of Superb Design.

This is the LOCATION providing the investor an excellent window of opportunity during these unique times.

Chosen especially as a Protection for your Vested Interest….

Consolidated Lease Management, Ltd. Hong Kong is delighted to offer this Prestigious Development in the emerging area of Klong Muang, Krabi, Thailand.

An area designated for High End development and superbly placed for ease of reach with only 8 hours flight time from the UAE; 3 ½ hours from Hong Kong, 2 hours from Singapore, 1 hour from Kuala Lumpur.

With already Eight 5 Star Hotels in the immediate area, the first of three new golf courses just open and soon to be enhanced with a marina to berth private yachts of up to 95 feet.

A Hillside Location, looking out over Spectacular Natural Sea-

scapes, is but 5 minutes from the Azure waters of the Andaman

Sea. Wrapped in the Protected Beauty of the National Park, you can be confident that this wonderful location and area will never be overdeveloped.

This capital gain investment opportunity provides a place to rejuvenate from the demands of an international lifestyle. These Luxurious Villa Homes offer comfort, convenience and a return on your investment.

Set in spacious gardens, each Villa is positioned to ensure maximum panorama, from its Infinity Pool, of the Tranquil Andamen Sea. Krabi is part incorporating the Thailand “Riviera” Development Plan over 90 miles of coastline.

..Design ... Absolute 5 Star...

The Resort, comprises 66 Villas, designed by internationally acclaimed architects Woods Bagot, embraces a superb combination of Balinese and European design. Thara Heights is Developed and Managed by Western Professionals to Western Build Standards producing a High Performance Investment Product.

Thara Heights, the first luxurious Villa Resort in Krabi, is a “Truly Outstanding” Investment Opportunity for the Early Investor.

The opportunity that comes with being first…

See: www.tharaheights.com/brochure

Emerald AD 100K SIZE.indd 1

Email: sales@consolidatedlease.com

18/3/09 13:32:26

Sotherbys.indd 1

16/3/09 10:45:49

Langham.indd 1

16/3/09 10:31:55