EDITION www.heditionmagazine.com
M A G A Z I N E
Style tipS With Jeremy hackett 10 tipS to a happier life ricardo Guadalupe ceo of hublot talkS excluSively about embracinG the future
the Science of Why We Sleep yacht SeaSon haS arrived
excluSive intervieW With
Jean-claude biver
preSident of lvmh’S Watch diviSion B U S I N E S S | N E W S | C U LT U R E | L U X U R Y | L I F E S T Y L E
ports
art www.artports.com
From the
Editor
‘‘
‘Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.’
‘Il tempo è la cosa più preziosa che un uomo possa spendere’
– Theophratus
– Teofrasto
E
T
his month’s issue has been such fun to prepare. We were chosen as media partners for two magnificent events this July, Art Monaco from 9-12th July and the Hublot Polo in Ascona, Switzerland from the 17-19th July 2015. When we received the news about collaborating with Hublot we contacted them and asked to interview not one but two of their business leaders. We are delighted to say that they both agreed.
’stato molto divertente preparare il numero di questo mese. Siamo stati scelti come media partner di due magnifici eventi durante il mese di luglio: Art Monaco dal 9 al 12 luglio e Hublot Polo, presso Ascona, (Svizzera) dal 17 al 19 luglio. Nel momento in cui abbiamo ricevuto la notizia della collaborazione con Hublot, li abbiamo contattati e abbiamo chiesto loro di intervistare non uno, ma ben due, dei leader della loro azienda. Siamo lieti di informarvi che hanno accettato.
Our exclusive cover story is with Jean-Claude Biver who joined Hublot as CEO and board member in 2004. Following a five-fold increase in sales from 2004-2007, the brand was purchased by The LVMH Group in 2008 for a reported large undisclosed sum. Jean-Claude stood down and Ricardo Guadalupe, former Hublot Managing Director and personal friend of Biver was appointed as CEO of Hublot in January 2012. In the words of Mr Biver: “I learned that you have to be open minded, that you have to be prepared to share, to listen, to learn, to understand and finally to respect. That’s the rule of planet earth; and whoever cannot understand and follow this rule is condemned to fail.” Read our full exclusive from page 26.
La nostra esclusiva storia di copertina riguarda Jean-Claude Biver che si è unito a Hublot come direttore generale e membro del consiglio di amministrazione nel 2004. In seguito ad un aumento delle vendite pari ad un quinto tra il 2004 e il 2007, il brand è stato acquistato da LVMH nel 2008 per una grande somma di valore non resa pubblica. Jean-Claude si è dimesso e Ricardo Guadalupe, in precedenza amministratore delegato della Hublot e amico personale di Biver è stato nominato direttore generale di Hublot il primo gennaio 2012. Le parole di Biver: “Ho imparato che si deve essere di mente aperta (avere una mentalità aperta), che si deve essere preparati a condividere, ascoltare, imparare, comprendere e infine, a rispettare. Questa è la regola del pianeta Terra; e chiunque non riesca a capire e seguire questa regola è destinato al fallimento”. Leggi la nostra esclusiva da pag. 26.
This month’s issue covers many diverse subjects including Business, News, Interviews, Culture, Art and Luxury. You can subscribe to H Edition Magazine for free at www.heditionmagazine.com. If you would like to take out an annual subscription for our printed magazine we are offering new readers a special deal of just £29.99 per year. Contact us on info@hamblecomms.com for more information.
L’uscita di questo mese riguarda diversi argomenti inclusi (tra cui) affari, notizie, interviste, cultura, arte ed oggetti di lusso. Abbonati gratuitamente sul sito www.heditionmagazine.com. Se hai interesse a sottoscrivere un abbonamento annuale alla nostra rivista cartacea offriamo ai nuovi lettori un’offerta speciale di sole £29.99 all’anno. Contattaci per ulteriori informazioni su info@hamblecomms.com.
Dina Aletras
CYPRUS • TICINO • LONDON • LUXEMBOURG • MALTA • MIAMI • MONACO • ITALY • NEW YORK• SINGAPORE • SWITZERLAND H Edition Magazine is published monthly and offers advertisers an exclusive audience of affluent readers. Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure that content in the magazine is accurate we cannot accept and hereby disclaim any liability to loss or damage caused by errors resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. All rights are reserved no duplication of this magazine can be used without prior permission from H Edition Magazine. All information is correct at time of press. Views expressed are not necessarily those of H Edition Magazine.
Editor: Contributing Editor: Editorial Assistant: PA’s to Board:
Cosmetic Specialist: @HEditionMag
Dina Aletras Romy Gai Rebecca Cowing Faye Redmond Karina Valeron Margareth von Rekowska
Design: Contributors:
Kevin Dodd Michael Cushing Philip Whiteley Joanne Walker Franco Fregni
Dr Ohan Ohanes
For editorial and advertising enquiries please email info@hamblemediacomms.com Front cover credits: Hublot Printed in the UK by The Magazine Printing Company www.magprint.co.uk
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ARCHITECTURE. WITH STYLE.
Via Achille Grandi, 21 10024 Moncalieri ITALY - Phone: +39 011 6203339 ga@giugiaroarchitettura.it - www.giugiaroarchitettura.it
CONTENTS ISSUE 14
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19
28 Cover Story
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Exclusive Interview With LVMH’s Jean-Claude Biver The Maverick Of Time
6 JEREMY HACKETT Stand Out In Style With Jeremy’s Top Tips for 2015
9 H EdiTion BooK CluB This Months Picks Of Recommended Books
13 GloBAl REviEw News From Around The World
19 THE SCiEnCE oF SlEEP Why Do We Sleep?
22 RulES oF THE GAME Welcome To The 6th Hublot Polo Cup Ascona
32 RiCARdo GuAdAluPE The CEO Of Hublot talks To Us About Brand Development
36 HERE’S To THE FuTuRE wiTH HuMAnS
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In Association With Tusk Trust
44 SuPERYACHTS From Monaco – St Tropez – US Virgin Islands
46 THE liGHT JET THAT iS BuCKinG TREndS In Association With AV Buyer
48 BEHind THE SCEnES oF TASiS, THE AMERiCAn SCHool in SwiTzERlAnd Bill Eichner, Director Of Admissions Talks About Life At Tasis
51 www.heditionmagazine.com
51 H london Restaurants, Events, Luxury, Lifestyle, Interviews
63 H TiCino MAGAzinE SuPPlEMEnT Translated Into Italian 5
| INTERVIEW
JEREMY HACKETT
Stand out in style: Jeremy Hackett gives his style tips for 2015
J
eremy Hackett has been dressing men around the globe for decades with his brand’s signature style of tradition with a twist. Here to mark his collaboration with Beefeater 24 he sums up his personal style but also gives pointers on the key pillars that every man should have in his wardrobe to stand out from the crowd.
How would you, in a few words, sum up quintessentially British style? Simple and classic with a modern twist
When men think of British style they think of luxury and quality. Hackett’s range is a mixture of classic menswear with a modern twist which I believe is why we are growing in popularity worldwide.
A dozen botanicals are used to create Beefeater 24 but what 12 key items should the modern man never be without in 2015?
in recent years is that there has been increased demand during periods of economic downturn. Customers have adhered to only part with their cash to brands with a strong brand image that they trust and know. So with luxury brands renowned for quality and great craftsmanship, they have flourished during these times.
• A great pair of brogues (no man is well dressed unless he is wearing good shoes)
Who is your style hero?
• A classic navy or grey suit • A navy blazer
The artist David Hockney
What is your favourite style statement?
• A black dinner suit
Which celebrity/well known personality epitomises Hackett style in your view?
A navy blazer. Its man’s version of the woman’s little black dress.
• Grey flannel trousers
Hollywood icon Steve McQueen
• A polka dot tie
What one accessory do you think men should always consider?
• White Clifton shirt • Cashmere knitwear
Which of the Beefeater 24 gin and tonics available at Regent Street’s bar is your favourite in terms of the tincture you add?
A tie pin – it can completely change the direction of a suiting look. We have a great selection at Hackett with some featuring Sussex Spaniels, inspired by my dog Muffin.
• Wool overcoat
I really enjoy the Winter Spice tincture.
What is it about Hackett and thus British style which is becoming ever more popular round the world?
Why does the world increasingly appreciate great materials and craftsmanship – both of which are epitomised by Hackett and Beefeater 24?
In recent years the appetite for all things British have never been better. I believe this is because British clothing and fashion is renowned for its quality and classic style.
• Casual Brompton shirt • Leather holdall • An occasion appropriate cocktail
I believe there has always been an appetite for beautiful materials and craftsmanship, but I think what has been surprising
What is your favourite cocktail? I think a location or an occasion can certainly enhance the experience of a drink as it sets memories for life. I visited the Raffles Hotel in Singapore earlier this year and really enjoyed my favourite cocktail Singapore Sling with Beefeater Gin. The Pillars of Style, a series from Beefeater 24 and Hackett, are available now from www.beefeaterginblog.tumblr.com
“A navy blazer is the man’s version of the woman’s little black dress” 6
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BOOK CLUB Time for all you book lovers to take a peek at another selection of recommended titles
“Life is long if you know how to use it.” Written as a moral essay to his friend Paulinus, Seneca’s biting words still pack a powerful punch two thousand years later. With its brash rejection of materialism, conventional lifestyles and group-think, On the Shortness of Life is as relevant as ever. It’s a unique analysis of how people get caught up in the rat race and how for those stuck in this mind-set, enough is never enough. The message is simple: Life is long if you live it wisely. Don’t waste time worrying about how you look. Don’t be lazy. Don’t over indulge in entertainment and vice. Everything in moderation. In this non-verbatim Penguin translation, Seneca’s essay comes alive for the modern reader. This is a rare treat for students of Stoicism and for anyone interested in seeking an answer to the eternal question, “How should I best use my time?”
Ruthless and rich, Tiago has tired of the greed of corporate life. The thrusting Adonis of the trading floor, he has ambitious plans that just might secure a halo to complement his angelic looks. But poor Tiago is in love, and can’t start his quest for sainthood until he has convinced urbane art dealer Raphael Davide they www.heditionmagazine.com
would make the perfect power couple. Raphael’s a slave to beauty with his own designs on the undeserving rich, and a suave exterior that belies a gentle – and recently broken – heart. By unhappy coincidence, Raphael’s obsessive ex, cracked rocket scientist Tomas Paul Gosele, may know enough about Tiago’s hidden past to destroy everything. Beauty, Love and Justice may be in short supply for our hero in this climate of ambition and deceit but when the heart speaks what’s a boy to do? Alcina Faraday’s first novel is international in scope, daring in premise and brilliantly funny and emotional in execution. A superb debut!
Analyze the calendar function for millions of executives, and what will you find? Wall-to-wall meetings. Even conservative estimates say that we spend more than a third of our working lives in meetings, and that over 50% of that meeting time is wasted. Yet meetings appear central to the way process works in the vast majority of organizations and no-one seems to want to tell the truth about them. Mote is a better way of meeting, using a simple but ground-breaking process framework that empowers people, inspires innovation, promotes productivity, and produces decisions. This is a fascinating new approach to a well-worn business issue, and a genuine contender for business book that actually delivers on its promises!
You can’t go wrong with an addictive, page-turning crime thriller and Peter James always delivers by the bucket-load! You are Dead is the eleventh novel in Peter James’ Brighton set Roy Grace series. The last words Jamie Ball hears from his fiancée, Logan Somerville, are in a terrified mobile phone call. She has just driven into the underground car park beneath the block of flats where they live in Brighton. Then she screams and the phone goes dead. The police are on the scene within minutes, but Logan has vanished, leaving behind her neatly parked car and mobile phone. That same afternoon, workmen digging up a park in another part of the city, unearth the remains of a woman in her early twenties, who has been dead for thirty years. At first, to Roy Grace and his team, these two events seem totally unconnected. But then another young woman in Brighton goes missing – and yet another body from the past surfaces. Meanwhile, an eminent London psychiatrist meets with a man who claims to know information about Logan. And Roy Grace has the chilling realization that this information holds the key to both the past and present crimes . . . Does Brighton have its first serial killer in over eighty years? If you love crime fiction you must try Peter James. Matthew Smith, founder of Urbane Publications www.urbanepublications.com Urbane Publications is determined to ‘become a leading independent publisher and a genuine positive choice for authors and readers alike’. 9
| LIFESTYLE
MORE LIFE
PLEASE? TOP 10 TIPS TO LIVE YOUR LIFE WELL Dr Christian Marcolli is a performance coach to some of the world’s leading businesses and finest athletes and teams. This elite roster includes Novartis, Credit Suisse, and Nokia, along with global sports stars such as Roger Federer and Olympic champion Dominique Gisin. His new book, More Life, Please! is available now. These days, with lots of demands and constantly changing environments, professional life is tough for many people. Many apparently successful and thriving managers and professionals are overworked, under pressure and highly stressed. It is not uncommon to find busy corporate performers, leaders and executives giving 100% of themselves to their career, while feeling a gnawing sadness that their private and family life is not all that it could be. While their focus, strength and energy are channelled into their professional life, their private life slowly atrophies, like an unused muscle. As they struggle to cope with professional demands that are coming at them from every angle, it becomes ever harder to juggle the increasing demands at home, and they are doing it with ever less energy, resources and joy. At worst, they suffer unhealthy lifestyles and broken relationships. Does this sound familiar to you? If so, you may say that it is simply the price of career progress. But it doesn’t have to be. With the right approach, instead of exhaustion and domestic friction because of stress and work overload, you can get more of the good things in life. Not more in material terms, but more joy, more satisfaction, 10
more meaning, more love and more success – however you define it – at home, as well as at work. It is not about curtailing your career. On the contrary, it is about maintaining your ambitions and continuing to achieve professionally, while at the same time creating the treasured moments for yourself and your family that build the strong foundations of your life. Here are ten tips on how you can get ‘More Life’:
1
Unlock the passion in your family life
Instead of thinking of the family as a place of duty, where dinners are served and homework is done, start thinking of your family as a place that provides comfort, relief, laughter and relaxation after the stresses of difficult days. Take a deep look inside yourself and your family to discover what is there, where the passion is and where it has gone. Think back to some times as a family where you truly felt that passion together. What was it that made that time so special? When was the last time you had that feeling? All successful families need to understand what is important and unique to them as part of the pursuit of passion.
2
Develop an inspiring family mission statement
Having understood what makes you and your family tick and what makes you unique as a family, write it down. Ask all family members to contribute and summarize your ideal vision of your family. This will give you all clarity on what it really means to be part of a loving, supportive family unit, and the fundamental connection you have to each other.
3
Light the fire
The next step is to make your family one of your most important projects. Incorporate your individual passions into family life. If you have a passion for cooking, for example, get your spouse and children involved in planning and preparing a meal once a week. Encourage your children to share the things that they love doing, and make space for it in your time together. Also, share your passion for your work. If your family understands what you find fulfilling about your work, the greater the chance that they will offer you support when you need it.
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4
Introduce effective family meetings
These get-togethers, ideally held weekly at the same time, will enable you and your loved ones to avoid stress and friction by planning chores efficiently. Equally importantly, they will help all family members to agree and commit to shared leisure activities, which can create so many great moments and magical memories.
5
Build trust
Creating a supportive and trustworthy environment in a family takes building through respectfully sharing and protecting each other’s vulnerabilities. It won’t show up when family members all eat separately at different times. It won’t show up behind closed doors with music blaring and computers and TVs in kids’ rooms.
6
Schedule Family Nights and Date Nights
Time together as a family is an important way to express passion and build trust. Put it in your agenda, and make sure you show up for it. Ensure that some nights during the week, it is just your family
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and no one else. Equally importantly, make a conscious effort to plan quality time with your spouse or partner. Stress the need for one on one time, or set a regular ‘date night’, where you are not allowed to talk about work and children.
7
Give structured support to family members
And receive support back from them. This informs each other’s attitudes and behaviours, making you all emotionally stronger through meaningful, constructive feedback, and building an unbreakable bond between you.
8
Front load and delegate
It is more beneficial to plan up front, expect the worst, plan for the best, and be as ready as possible for all of life’s challenges. This is ‘frontloading’ and it means doing things on a daily basis rather than only when a crisis hits. Next, develop the skill to delegate everything that doesn’t have to be completed by you – such as the cleaning or the gardening. This saves you time, and helps you stay focused on the most critical and valuable tasks.
9
Always be (imperfectly) authentic
So many of our interactions with others are based on fear, with our defences high and our authenticity low. As we become a family, life often becomes even harder. Don’t hide, but be your true self. Show your weaknesses, and capitalize on your strengths. Screw up royally, and then find a solution to make it right. Show who you are by living the values you hold dear. Use your head and your heart together and you will never go wrong.
10
Look after Number One!
First, take care of yourself – including diet, exercise, sleep and ‘me time’. This isn’t selfishness. When we are listening to the emergency procedures on a plane, we are told to put our own oxygen masks on before putting them on our children. Taking care of ourselves first is so critical it could save the lives of the people we love most. As partners and as parents we can only be what we need to be in our families when we love and take care of ourselves. www.marcolli.com
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| NEWS
GLOBAL REVIEW 1
United Kingdom
The UK’s general election of 2015 was one of historic significance, increasing the possibility both of an exit from the European Union and of a split in the UK itself. The surge towards the separatist Scottish National Party (see report, May 2015) was even greater than expected, and they took all but three of the 59 Westminster seats north of the border. However, the Conservatives won a majority and have formed a government, thanks to a late and unexpected swing in their favour across England and Wales, possibly in part as a backlash to the pitch by the SNP’s leadership directly to influence borrowing and spending plans for the UK in the event of a hung parliament. The Conservative majority means that there will now be a referendum on the UK’s continued membership of the European Union, probably in 2017. The strengthened Prime Minister David Cameron is now seeking reforms to the EU and, if successful, he will recommend membership – but it is a vote whose outcome is far from certain. The UK remains a major economy. Corruption is fairly low, with the country placed at 14th on the Transparency Index, though it may be under-reported as some apparently clean Parliamentarians have been caught in sting operations by journalists in recent years. On competitiveness, it has climbed one place to 9th. Strong scores on the labour market, innovation and universities outweigh weaknesses in government debt and access to finance. 2
Malawi
This southern African country that lies to the west and south of the long Lake Malawi, has been hampered by corruption, lack of economic development and HIV-Aids for much of its post-independence history in the past half a century. However, improvements in education, healthcare and agricultural output in recent years have begun to lift living standards, and reduce dependence on overseas aid. It is a predominantly rural society, and extremes of drought and flood can badly affect harvests. Malawi has been democratic since the defeat of long-standing dictator President Hastings Banda in 1994 at a general election. There have been moves to improve women’s rights, and health, including tackling the HIV-Aids problem in recent years. Between www.heditionmagazine.com
2012 and 2014 the country had its first female head of state, with women’s rights campaigner Joyce Banda (no relation to the former dictator) as President. In terms of foreign policy, it has been consistently pro-Western, both during the Hastings Banda dictatorship and since the move to democratic government. Malawi remains underdeveloped economically, and is 132nd out of 144 countries on the international competitiveness index. There are particularly low scores for infrastructure and technological readiness; however, health and education score moderately well, having improved in recent years. It is 110th on the Transparency Index, with a score 33% - scores below 60% indicate serious problems with corruption throughout the economy. 3
Germany
Much of the focus in discussion on the future of the eurozone has been on Greece, whose national debt reached such a crisis point in mid-2015 that further write-offs or default appear inevitable. However, another major player in the drama that has been continuing for five years is Germany, the single currency’s biggest economy. Much anger has been directed at the Christian Democrat-led Government of Germany for insisting on strict adherence to fiscal measures, but defenders point out that it is simply trying to stick to the founding rules of the single currency. But problems emerged at the top of the Government in early June with reports that serious differences were emerging between the Chancellor Angela Merkel, keen to keep Greece in the euro at all costs, and her more hardline Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, insisting on strict adherence to reforms. The European powerhouse remains an impressive economy with a strong export base. It is one of the few advanced economies to combine worker participation and a flexible labour market. On competitiveness it is ranked fifth in the world, scoring moderately well or very strongly on all indicators, but especially infrastructure, education and innovation. Some frustrations on labour market regulations and tax laws are expressed by businesses. Corruption is low, with the country ranked at 12th in the world for transparency. 13
| NEWS 1 3
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Myanmar
While migrants fleeing political turmoil and danger across the Mediterranean have attracted much attention, a similar drama has been unfolding several time zones away in the Andaman Sea. Many blame persecution and prejudice by the Myanmar authorities against the Muslim Rohingya people for the humanitarian crisis, with many thousands from this ethnic minority taking to often unsafe boats in desperation. The Thailand authorities have refused entry. Myanmar is a majority-Buddhist country. It has had a military dictatorship for much of its recent history. The move to civilian rule since 2011 has been only partial, with the military occupying guaranteed parliamentary seats and ministerial posts in government. However, the transition has been enough to lift the country’s isolation. President Thein Sein visited US capital Washington DC in 2013, and the European Union has lifted the ban on non-military aid. The tropical south-east Asian country is one of the poorest in the world. Corruption is a major problem, as is typical in low-income nations that have featured military rule for long periods of time. It is 156th out of 175 nations in the global Transparency Index. It is ranked very low on competitiveness, at 134th out of 144 countries. There are moderate scores for health and education, but very low gradings for innovation, technological readiness and infrastructure. 14
5
Bolivia
This South American country with a large native-American population has been afflicted by poverty, and extraction of its natural resources by foreign powers. Landlocked since the loss of coastline to Chile in the War of the Pacific of the 1880s, it has been treated as a vast mining region for the convenience of northern powers. Huge reserves of silver, tin and natural gas have seemed more a curse than a blessing. Election of the first native-American President Evo Morales in 2006, re-elected 2014, has lifted the profile and prestige of native people. Arguably his leftist-populist policies are not the best-suited for business development, but the population benefited so little from previous forms of development that almost any alternative was set to be an improvement, and Morales has used tax revenues to reduce illiteracy and inequality. Geographically its most famous region is the ultra-high altiplano. Cities such as PotosĂ and La Paz lie above 3,500 metres altitude. However, there is fertile lower-lying land around Cochabamba, and the warm plains near the eastern city of Santa Cruz, while a part of the Amazon basin lies within its borders. It ranks low, but not very low, in the Competitiveness Index at 105th, scoring moderately well for education and macroeconomic environment. Access to finance and an inflexible labour market are cited as barriers to doing business. Corruption is a problem, and Bolivia is 109th on the Transparency Index. www.heditionmagazine.com
Much further development will depend on the speed with which buildings and other infrastructure are repaired following the natural disaster, obviously dependent in part on overseas aid. 7
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Panama
The development of a rival to the 100-year-old Panama Canal through the Central American isthmus with news of a Chinesefunded passageway for ships through Nicaragua (see Country Reports March 2015) could be seen as a challenge to the economy of the tiny nation of Panama. In April 2015, however, the Panama Canal Authority Administrator Jorge Quijano told an international conference that tolls would have to be double the Panama rate for investors in the Nicaragua project to get a return that they will accept. ‘So it will not be competitive,’ he said. Projections on deadline and budget were optimistic, he claimed. The Panama Canal operates at full capacity and is undergoing an expansion to permit larger ships. Panama is a tropical, rainy country, with considerable rainforest coverage. It is 94th on the Transparency Index, a little below half way. Corruption is a long-standing problem, along with drug trafficking – the country lies strategically on the route between South American drug-producing areas and markets in North America. There is social inequality; like some South American nations, an elite of European descent own most wealth, and poverty remains a problem. However, life expectancy is 76 and the literacy rate is 94%. It is 48th in the Competitiveness Index, with good marks for infrastructure and financial market development.
6
Nepal
Huge earthquakes this year – initially on 25 April and again on 12 May – have had a devastating impact on all aspects of life in the mountainous nation of Nepal. It was already a poor country, heavily dependent on tourism, with agriculture also a significant industry. Health and education indicators are poor, with a life expectancy of 68 and literacy levels at only 59%. Around 40% of the population is estimated to live in poverty. Civil unrest has been considerable in recent years, as Maoist armed forces fought for years to overthrow the monarchy. King Gyanendra’s direct rule ended in 2006, and Nepal became a republic in May 2008 with abolition of the monarchy. The Maoist group became the largest in the new parliament, but political instability has continued, and the constitution for the young republic is still not completed. Corruption is a serious problem, with the country placed a lowly 126th on the Transparency Index. On competitiveness, it ranks fairly low, but has moved up an impressive 15 places in the most recent table to 102nd. It scores moderately well for macroeconomic environment, health and education, but very low on infrastructure, even before the 2015 earthquakes. Political instability, corruption and poor infrastructure were cited as the biggest problems by business leaders. www.heditionmagazine.com
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Qatar
Controversy surrounding alleged corruption in the FIFA World Cup has upset many in the Gulf state of Qatar, which was controversially awarded the 2022 games. The nation actually scores very well on counter-corruption measures, coming a respectably high 26th on the international Transparency Index. The allegations of bribes, should they be substantiated, may relate solely to the world of international football, rather than indicating a particular problem with Qatar. The country is an advanced economy on many measures. It is 16th in the Competitiveness Index, just four places below Germany, and only has a low score on market size. Life expectancy is 78 years and the literacy rate is 95%. Economic growth has been impressive in recent years; however, there are concerns that reliance on oil and gas continues, despite efforts to diversify the economy. An official Government report at the end of 2014 found that much non-oil or gas related activity was construction, for one-off projects, rather than more diverse export-earning manufacturing or services. However, it does mean that there is a modern infrastructure, helping economic development over the longer term. The report found that non-hydrocarbon activity represented 48% of economic activity in the first half of 2014, up from 42% in 2011. The government aims to push this indicator above the 50% mark. 15
| ENVIRONMENT
The business of susTainable developmenT By Dr Paul Leinster CBE, CEO Environment Agency
S
ixty years ago, a combination of high spring tides, and gale force winds coming in from the North Sea combined to create a massive storm surge that on the night of 31st January 1953 overtopped sea defences along the length of Britain’s east coast. In England, 307 people were killed mainly in low-lying coastal areas like Canvey Island in Essex. Fast forward to the winter of 2013 to 2014 and metereologists were once again warning of freak weather and another North Sea storm surge. Responsible for maintaining Britain’s flood defences, the Environment Agency was on full alert. Dr Paul Leinster the agency’s chief executive recalls a difficult time with the largest storm surge for 60 years, followed by a conveyor belt of storms sweeping in across the south and west of the country. The continual heavy rainfall caused rivers to burst their banks. The storm surge in 2013 had a significant impact on many communities. But thanks to years of investment in better defences and early forecasting and warning systems, fortunately no one was killed. It was the wettest on record and certainly tested the Environment Agency’s staff and resources. Large tracts of land across the south west and south east were left under water as residents fled their homes. ”Many staff, including me and my director of operations David Jordan worked continuously from the first of December to the first week in March 2014. We worked closely with all the relevant government departments, local authorities and heads of emergency services. We were an integral part of the government’s emergency response committee, COBRA, which was chaired by senior government ministers, including the Prime Minister. That winter was devastating for those who were flooded, with more than 7,000 properties affected, but 1.4 million properties were prevented from flooding.” At the helm of an organisation tasked with combating the effects of climate change, Paul’s vision for the Environment Agency is clear. “Our role is first to protect people’s health and improve the environment and
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secondly to create a better place for people and wild life.” One tangible result of the Agency’s effectiveness was that the flood prevention assets damaged during last year’s storms were all largely repaired by the end of October 2014. “This involved more than 800 projects. Two hundred thousand households which had been at increased risk due to the damage had their level of protection restored,” Paul says. The Environment Agency, a non departmental publicly funded body with an annual budget in 2014/15 of £1.3 billion and a head count of 10,500 based in area offices throughout England and its national office in Bristol, is both a service delivery organisation and a regulator. While managing flood risk is its most visible responsibility, the agency’s diverse remit includes pollution prevention, water management, waste regulation, monitoring, fisheries and waterrelated conservation. The agency is sponsored by the Department of the Environment, Fisheries and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The Secretary of State appoints the chairman and members of the agency’s board. The chief executive is appointed by the chairman. Appointed CEO in 2008, Paul with the board launched an ambitious five-year business plan to slim the organisation and make it better equipped to meet its public obligations. The plan has seen the Environment Agency become more accountable and pass on more money directly to projects which will have the most impact. These include river management schemes, better drainage, and flood storage areas. For the first time, the agency has been awarded a six year £2.3 billion capital settlement for its flood risk management work from 2015/16 to 2020/21. It also receives around £345 million of revenue funding on a cost recovery basis from those it regulates and around £108 million for other environmental protection work. Value for money is gained by the use of private contractors and organisational efficiency. Despite a falling revenue budget, Paul has increased investment and improved effectiveness by adopting a risk
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management approach. “Over the last five years we have reduced our corporate support services such as HR, IT, finance and procurement by 34 per cent. And we have moved from a national, regional and area structure to a national and area organisation,” he says. Paul benchmarks the Environment Agency with other national private and public sector organisations. “We look at Network Rail, the Highways Agency, and big supermarkets to see what they do. Like them, we have devolved management and deliver a consistent and efficient service with a large dispersed workforce. Part of our success is due to achieving brand recognition whether you are operating in Cornwall or Cumbria,” he asserts. Good communications is a key ingredient of managing a devolved organisation. Paul believes the CEO should be highly visible and his working week includes meetings with people who are not his direct reports, visits to hear about work on the ground and web-based Q&A sessions with people at all levels in the agency, known as a “chat with the chief” every four to six weeks. Communicating effectively is a key to business efficiency. “I meet regularly with all my seven direct reports and their direct reports and I encourage people to know and talk to people two levels down. The secret of management is to have a good team,” he explains. Paul gained an executive MBA from Cranfield School of Management in 1990. At the time he was managing director of an environmental consultancy. This included research on sick building syndrome for the Building Research Establishment (BRE) and advising construction companies how to comply with the COSHH regulations – (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health). His chairman and business partner, Cranfield alumna Nancy Thomson, who herself had established the company out of a business start-up at Cranfield University suggested he take an MBA. “As a scientist and technologist I wanted to understand business more and my dissertation was a strategic business plan for the consultancy,” he says. Paul adds that studying the MBA is of unquestionable relevance to today’s CEO.
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“Business and innovation has to be part of the solution. The MBA has helped me ask the right questions.” After a period at Smithkline Beecham, Paul joined the Environment Agency in 1998 as a director of environment protection and then after six years in this role, he was appointed as director of operations. Paul’s strategic focus was essential. Having gained considerable experience of working in both the private and the public sector, he sees the challenges as no different from those facing any large organisation. “Within a company, you are focused on improving shareholder value and being profitable. The only difference here is that the government is the major shareholder and our value derives from protecting people and wildlife. We use a slightly modified balanced scorecard to measure our results which are reported quarterly at our board meeting and are available on our website for all to see.” With plans to retire in September, Paul regards his contribution to running the Environment Agency as a work in progress – good successes but more to do. With a change of government, with flood risk management still on the agenda and continuing interest in high profile issues such as fracking for shale gas, it is time to recruit his successor and give the new CEO the chance to influence and shape the next five-year plan. And just in case you feel that Paul has been a bit hardheaded in his drive to balance the books, his satisfaction at leaving an organisation in good health takes second place to his overwhelming desire to protect and improve people’s health and his love of the environment as a place for people and a habitat for wildlife. He returns to the agency’s core mission. “At the end of my time here, the quality of the air and rivers in England in terms of the issues we have responsibility for has measurably improved. Overall people’s health has been protected and improved through our work, fish are back in rivers they have been absent from since the industrial revolution and otters and water voles are now present in all English counties.” Now that is an achievement to be proud of.
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The science of sleep Thomas Edison thought it was a waste of time and survived on just three hours a night, Margaret Thatcher famously got by on just four hours, Barack Obama just six, whereas Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com, swears by a full eight hours a night. Sleep. No matter who we are, where we’re from or what we do for a living is something we all have in common
Risky business In some ways it seems to be one of the most natural and normal things we do, and yet, for our earliest ancestors, sleep – effectively becoming unconscious and physically vulnerable for a period of time – could be incredibly risky. Therefore, the fact that we sleep, despite the fact that it potentially opens us up to physical risk, suggests that there must be some evolutionary advantage to it.
Why do we sleep? There is no doubt that we need it. Lack of sleep has been linked to obesity, diabetes, depression and even lower life expectancy. Our need for sleep is never more clearly shown than by how we feel when we don’t get enough of it – we are groggy, irritable and forgetful and as our attention spans shortens, we struggle with concentration. Scientists remain unsure as to exactly why we sleep and what happens when we sleep, but agree that sleep is essential to maintaining brain development and helping to ensure normative levels of cognitive skills such as speech, memory, and innovative and flexible thinking. Research suggests that when we sleep we enable our bodies and brains to recover and to learn from the day we have experienced. During the day, as a result of new experiences, our brain cells build new connections, sleep enables the brain to strengthen the important connections and ‘prune’ the less vital ones. It has also recently been suggested that sleep allows the brain to be cleared of waste – US research on mice shows sleep being used to flush waste chemicals out of the brain.
How much sleep do we need? For many years we have been told that eight hours sleep a night is essential for good health. Yet, as the examples at the beginning of this article suggest, many
successful people survive on much less. Sleep patterns have certainly changed over the years. Thanks to selfprofessed light sleeper Thomas Edison, increased lighting in the evening means that we all now go to bed on average two hours later than our parents would have and our increasingly stressful lives and things like shift working patterns also seem to mean that we are existing on less and less sleep. This has led to new thinking about sleep, with researchers pointing out that, as dangerous as not getting enough sleep is, we may actually need less sleep than we think. Shawn Youngstedt, a professor in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University suggests that eight hours or more sleep a night “has consistently been shown to be hazardous” and believes that, in fact, seven hours a night is much healthier aim. This thinking is echoed by psychologists such as Thomas Wehr, who found that until the early twentieth century, people tended to sleep for an average of four hours, before being wakeful for a while and then falling asleep another four hours ‘second sleep’ and then waking for the day. He suggests that, although we consider an eight hour sleep ‘normal’, the human body actually has a natural preference for ‘segmented sleep’ and that the space in between these two sleeps enabled people to reflect and helped regulate stress naturally.
What dreams may come? What remains in no doubt is that we need our sleep to survive and when it goes wrong our health, as well as our personal and working lives, can suffer. Scientific research is only just beginning to understand this amazing process of daily renewal meaning that, for now, the complexities of this most basic of human functions remain a mystery just waiting to be solved.
By Joanne Walker
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| HOROSCOPES
ARIES
SCORPIO
You will be in a position of status, health, wealth and material comfort. If promising projects are to succeed, you must not be complacent about success and rest on your laurels. Only continued hard work will ensure a positive outcome. You may also find great opportunity and fortune from an unexpected source or direction. Favourable Dates: July 1, 5, 10, 19 & 23 Favourable Colors: White & Brown
You are concerned with making the right decision or making difficult choices. Keep your eyes, ears and mind open for opportunities for you to increase your knowledge. Presently there is need for group activities and learning and mingling with seniors in your group. There is need to follow tradition or a path of ideas and beliefs, even if they are outdated. Ideal time for marriage commitments. Favourable Dates: July 2, 5, 11, 15, 20 & 25 Favourable Colors: Red, Purple & Brown
(21 March-19 April)
(23 October-21 November)
TAURUS
SAGITTARIUS
(20 April-20 May) You will be filled with renewed energy and will have a sense of optimism and spontaneity. Any journey of self discovery that you may take will be filled with enthusiasm and enjoyment. An interesting path lies ahead for you, but you must trust your judgment along the way. You will pursue through to the start of a relationship. Favourable Dates: July 2, 9, 18, 20 & 27 Favourable Colors: Yellow & Green
GEMINI
(21 May-20 June) You know exactly where you’re headed and you can trust your instincts implicitly. Preserve the internal balance and not stick to things that you don’t need in your life. You have to remain alert to defend what you have worked so hard to build. You should not be relaxed in your current situation in profession and always be on toes. Favourable Dates: July 1, 4, 10, 13 & 28 Favourable Colors: Red & Blue
LEO
(23 July-22 August) You have explored and mastered life in a certain situation in the past and that you wanted to challenge yourself by trying something new. You are constantly assessing the situation in which you are currently in. Just to be able to hold your superior position, you are looking at multiple creative possibilities landing into place as you want. You can use this state to advance your position in profession. Favourable Dates: July 7, 8, 16, 17 25 & 26 Favourable Colors: Yellow, Green & Blue
VIRGO
(23 August-22 September) You will need to make a regretful transition, as a likely result of the decisions you make. You know that in order to move forward, you must leave something important behind, and while you do this with some regret, it is the best option for you. However, the sadness of your loss will soon be replaced by greater clarity, bringing about a renewed acceptance of change. Favourable Dates: July 1, 5, 10, 14, 20, 23 & 30 Favourable Colors: Purple, Blue & White
(22 November-21 December)
CANCER (21 June-22 July)
You are going into a restless period, which could prove to be difficult for you. You’re about to change everything and leave behind one of the most difficult periods in your life. All the struggles you’re currently going through are totally worth it and as soon you’ve mastered all the elements of your life, you will be able to unify all your talents into one working method. Favourable Dates: July 3, 12, 21, & 30 Favourable Colors: Yellow, Purple & Black
LIBRA
(23 September-22 October) You’ve been able to carve out your niche by keeping your nose to the grindstone and making do with what you have. Consequently, you’ve made a barren land bear fruit. Don’t forget to add some fun to your busy agenda. Be assertive and set boundaries. You’re bursting full with grand ideas, amazing thoughts, and marvelous plans. Favourable Dates: July 6, 7, 15, 16, 24, & 25 Favourable Colors: Yellow, & Red
Presently there is sense of abandoning an emotional relationship. It may be that this relationship has not brought you the expected happiness. Some unfairness might be happening for you at work. Make sure to act perfectly. If expected work and satisfaction is eluding you right now, wait patiently for favourable times. Keep your pride high – you have much to offer. Favourable Dates: July 2, 3, 11, 12, 20, & 21 Favourable Colors: Yellow & Red
CAPRICORN
(22 December-19 January) Although your emotions are going through the mill, this is not a time for self-pity. Allow good energy to flow and walk an honest path. Regardless of what is going on right now with money, you deserve a break. This period points towards creativity and your ability to pull others toward you, especially women, for advice and help for those important financial changes. Favourable Dates: July 1, 9, 10, 18, & 29 Favourable Colors: Yellow, Blue & White
AQUARIUS
(20 January-18 February) Ongoing relationship will hit new heights. Love is very interesting and positive right now. Put yourself out there. Things are going great at work. Professionally, blockages will move and money will start flowing. Still, use caution in spending when it starts flowing. Now is the time to start saving some to protect yourself if the blockage happens again. Favourable Dates: July 1, 3, 10, 12, 19, 21, 29 & 30 Favourable Colors: Yellow, Red & White
PISCES
(19 February-20 March) This is a great time to feel upbeat and optimistic about the future. Success for you could come in many forms, so don’t rub your hands whilst waiting for a massive windfall. Eating well, exercise and proper sleep all remain great approaches to keeping your health good. Visit new places to worship, and if you keep it all to yourself, find like minded individuals to talk to. Favourable Dates: July 1, 9, 10, 18, 19 & 28 Favourable Colors: Yellow & Blue
MANISH KUMAR ARORA 20
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Twitter is the perfect destination to find out about the latest luxury trends, keep track of premium products and experiences, and discover more about some of the world’s most aspirational brands through commentary, photos and vines. To help you discover more about the finer things in life, Twitter has compiled a list of the best brands, spokespeople and hashtags to get you closer to your favourite products.
Best luxury brands on Twitter From top fashion houses that transport users straight to the front row of their new collections through Periscope live streams, to premium retailers and boutique hotels that Tweet stunning images, there is a plethora of luxury inspiration on the platform:
TWITTER’S GUIDE TO
• Burberry - @Burberry (4.07M followers) • Chanel - @CHANEL (7.88M followers) • Dior - @Dior (5.89M followers)
Luxury
• Dolce & Gabbana - @dolcegabbana (3.21M followers) • Fendi - @Fendi (216K followers) • Harrods - @Harrods (482K followers) • Hublot - @Hublot (230K followers) • Lamborghini - @Lamborghini (1.06M followers) • Louis Vuitton - @LouisVuitton (4.42M followers) • Mr & Mrs Smith - @smithhotels (49.4K followers)
Top luxury Twitter accounts Be the first to know about luxury lifestyle news by following these accounts to find out all you need to know about the world’s finest fashion, jewellery, beauty, cars, holidays and events: • FT How To Spend It - @htsi (29.5K followers) • FT Luxury 360 - @FTLuxury360 (22.5K followers) • Just Luxe - @JustLuxe (27.3K followers) • Lux Worldwide - @LUXWorldwide (43.8K followers) • Luxury News - @Luxuo (99.3K followers) • Luxury Society - @LuxurySociety (69.5K followers) • Luxury Travel Bible - @LuxTravelBible (32.8K followers) • LVMH Group - @LVMH (31.4K followers) • Pursuitist Luxury - @Pursuitist (21.9K followers) • Telegraph Luxury - @TelegraphLuxury (17.2K followers)
Hashtags to monitor for luxury news Discover and join in with conversations about the latest in luxury by searching for the following hashtags – there are limitless options as the suggestions below can tweaked to match your own interest area: • #Luxury • #LuxuryDesign • #LuxuryHomes • #LuxuryLifestyle • #LuxuryNews • #LuxuryProperty • #LuxuryTravel
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| SPORTS & EVENTS
RULES OF THE GAME WELCOME TO THE 6TH HUBLOT POLO CUP ASCONA 17-19TH JULY 2015
T
he earliest official rules of polo originate from England, where they were first established by the Hurlingham Polo Club, founded in 1876. Three years later, the Americans, who had actually discovered the sport of polo for themselves, and had founded the Westchester Polo Club in Newport, Rhode Island, asked the British to write a definitive version of the Hurlingham Rules and to draw up corresponding club rules. These are still valid to this day. The Americans themselves devised the handicap system, which was also adopted by Britain and India in 1910.
THE FIELD Polo can be played on practically any level field of sufficient size. The ground must be firm and constantly maintained (not too moist, too deep or too hard and hence, once again, too slippery). The official international dimensions of a polo field marked out with lines and distance markers (30, 40 and 60 yards to the goal) are 182 metres wide by 274 metres long. However, match organisers are increasingly allowing play on smaller fields. The advantage is that it is easier for spectators to watch. The drawback is slower play, with shorter passes. Polo on snow is always played on smaller fields, as the physical strain of playing winter polo, mostly at higher altitudes, is even greater for the ponies than in summer polo on grass. The goal has uprights but no crossbar, and is 7.3 metres wide.
TEAMS Each team consists of four players. Number 3 is the captain, who organises 22
the match. Number 4, also known as “back”, is responsible for defence, while the other two are attackers. If a team is fielded with more than four players and billed as ‘sharing’, two players (usually with the same handicap) alternate in one position.
HANDICAP Depending on aptitude, each polo player plays with a handicap ranging from -2 to +10. While the entry level of -2 denotes a beginner, very few players in the world hold the highest possible handicap of +10, and most of these are Argentinians. Around 90 per cent of all polo players have handicaps in the range 0 to +2. The national polo associations review and assign individual players’ handicaps annually, according to success in the tournaments. When a team is put together, the handicaps of the four individual players are added up to give the team handicap. Tournaments are advertised in various classes of play (low-, medium- or high-goal), and the team handicaps of the registering teams must correspond to these. If teams of different team handicaps play against each other, the difference is made up by allocating the appropriate number of goals to one team.
CHUKKA Depending on the organisation of the tournament, a polo match consists of four, five or six time units known as chukkas. In Europe, a match normally consists of four chukkas, each lasting 7.5 minutes. The last chukka of the game lasts exactly seven minutes. A pony can be played in no more than two chukkas in any one match, and not in consecutive chukkas. This means that ponies are changed between chukkas.
At half-time (generally after two chukkas), there is a five-minute break, during which the public are asked to walk on to the field and “tread in” the divots of turf carved up by the ponies’ hooves.
DIRECTION OF PLAY The game has one curious tradition, which always confuses newcomers to polo. Whenever a goal is scored, the direction of play switches. The rule traces its origin to the hotter climes of the empire on which the sun never set. Playing against a low and dazzling sun put one team at a decisive disadvantage. The rule also prevents excessive damage to the turf at the weaker team’s goal mouth due to oneway play.
LINE OF THE BALL The fundamental and most important rule of the sport of polo is known as “Right of Way” (ROW). Whenever the ball is in play, a right of way exists and is always deemed to be held by the player who is established on, or at the closest angle to, the Line of the Ball (LOB = the extended path along which the ball has travelled, or is travelling). No other player may enter or cross this ROW. Players may not position or check their ponies over the line if this poses the slightest risk of collision with the player who currently has ROW. The player with ROW can only lose ROW by being “ridden off” or “hooked”. “Hooking” means using the stick to prevent the other player from retrieving or striking the ball. This is done by blocking the opponent’s stick during a swing or while the other player is tapping or dribbling the ball. It is forbidden to hook over the body of the opponent’s pony. “Riding off” www.heditionmagazine.com
means trying to force an opponent, who is riding parallel, off course by a kind of body check, so that the player can no longer hit the ball. Riding off is allowed, provided it takes place parallel, and not at an angle, to the player who has ROW.
TAPPING TECHNIQUES In principle the ball is tapped on the right side of the pony, known as the “offside”. Tapping takes place in a forward (offside forehand) or backward (offside backhand) direction. For a “nearside” play, which takes place on the pony’s left side, the player has to twist in the saddle and, holding the stick in his right hand, bring it to the other side of the pony. Nearside forehand and nearside backhand are the corresponding forward and backward plays. “Under the neck” refers to strokes performed in front of, or under the neck of, the pony. Among www.heditionmagazine.com
the trickiest manoeuvres are “round-the-tail” strokes, performed to the rear of the horse.
THE POLO PONY The present-day polo pony (height 14.5-16 hands, or 155-160 cm) far exceeds pony height. It traces its pedigree back to the crossing of the original Himalayan mountain ponies (13 hands or less – 125-135 cm), the Manipuris of Assam, with English or American thoroughbreds, Arabians and others, especially South American stud horses. The Argentinian polo breed still dominates. These tough little horses are masters of the sudden burst of speed. Brave and pugnacious, they are second to none in agility and alertness.
EQUIPMENT AND TACK Each player carries a mallet around 150 cm long (lengths and weights vary according
to pony height and player preference, and mallets of any elasticity – or “whippiness” – and hence striking power are allowed). The mallet handle is bamboo cane, with a tapered “cigar” head, commonly of Argentine tipuana blanca wood. The handle is fitted with a fabric sling, which is wrapped round the hand for stability during tapping. All players must wear a helmet, preferably with face guard. Leather knee guards are also required. The legs of the ponies themselves are protected from blows and flying balls by soft bandages. Their tails are tied to prevent entanglement with the mallet. Light saddles without knee rolls are used; tack consists of a double rein preventing loss of control if a rein snaps, and helping the pony maintain balance. The breast girth and standing martingale prevent the saddle from slipping and guarantee support for the rider during sudden changes in direction or abrupt stopping. 23
poloclubascona.ch
With the 6th Hublot Cup upon us we interview Uwe Zimmermann, President of Polo Club Ascona.
We have apart from the yearly tournaments four key events where we invite and meet our members. Our club participates in many International Polo tournaments such as China, Dubai, USA, Germany and Sweden
How many years has Polo Club Ascona been open?
What countries do you find most of your members are coming from?
What does the membership offer?
Polo club Ascona was established in 2009
We have found that the members tend to come from various places but mainly the USA, Germany, Brazil, Hungary, Argentina, Denmark and Switzerland.
Exclusivity and access to the wonderful setting, meeting new people and being part of an enjoyable experience each time you visit. We are a discreet club and embrace all things Polo.
Are all your members experienced polo players?
Do you play Polo?
What year was the first tournament held? The first tournament was held in July 2010
How many spectators do you expect over the weekend of the 6th Hublot Cup tournament? We expect around 3500 spectators. We have invited around 500 guests each day to our VIP tents at the Aerodrome in Ascona.
What can one expect from the event? One can expect a fantastic event filled with interesting people and experience one of the nicest events held in Europe, Polo, horses, gorgeous people and parties!
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No, we only have 6 active player among our members, it’s more of a social affair
Do you offer lessons to potential polo players? Yes, we absolutely offer lessons. Interested players can contact me via our website and we organize all activities for them
Is the club open all year? Yes, the club is operates all year around.
Yes, I have played Polo around the world for the last 20 years. I am President of the Polo Club Ascona, the La Estancia Polo Club in Budapest and also Vice President of Polo Club Git Batsthorst in Germany. I play Polo with my two sons and am forming a team! For many years I have played with brands such as Hublot, Mercedes Benz, Chopard, Jaeger LeCoultre and Cartier. For further information on the event, visit www.poloclubascona.ch
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| COVER STORY
EMBRACING THE PAST AND CONNECTING WITH THE FUTURE
H
ublot was founded in Switzerland in 1980. In those days, it was the first luxury watchmaker to combine gold and natural rubber. This creative concept, dubbed the “Art of Fusion”, caused a real stir in the watchmaking industry at the time. The original design of these watches (the case on the first watch took its inspiration directly from a boat’s porthole, an hublot in French) and their comfortable fit quickly made them very sought-after pieces. Indeed, members of Royal families were the first to show their enthusiasm. In 2004, Mr Jean-Claude Biver took over control of the brand and gave it tremendous momentum, leading to impressive growth. With the launch of the BIG BANG chronograph in 2005, the multiple award winning chronograph with a contemporary and elegant design, the brand started achieving records, awards and success. Its design – brand new to the world of watchmaking – was immediately recognisable: with sharper corners and its 6 screws which passed right through the case, it represented the perfect illustration of the concept of fusion, the philosophy of the brand. After attaining almost a tenfold increase in turnover in four years, on 24 April 2008 the brand was bought by the world leader in luxury products, LVMH group, to supplement its
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watch segment. In 2009, Bernard Arnault and Jean-Claude Biver jointly oversaw the inauguration of a new high-tech manufacture in premises over 6000m2, set on the banks of Lake Geneva. Keen to keep Hublot at the forefront of research into the latest high-tech materials and to preserve its cutting-edge expertise they installed a foundry to produce in-house the Magic Gold, the scratch-resistant certified 18-carat gold a Hublot exclusivity. This approach made Jean Claude Biver the first to make a luxury brand part of the world of football. In 2008, Hublot became the “Official Timekeeper” for Manchester United and “Official Timekeeper” of the EURO European championship™. In 2010, the firm became the historic first “Official Watch” and “Official Timekeeper” for FIFA and the next two football World Cups, just after having been chosen as the “Official Watch” of Formula 1. These two masterstrokes offered Hublot exceptional visibility on a global scale. The brand is now the “Official Timekeeper” and “Official watch” of Ferrari, and is involved in the ocean world through the prestigious Oceanographic Museum of Monaco whose president is H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, as well as the glamorous Porto Cervo. Hublot has also created an exclusive club of ambassadors who go beyond sport, all
real living legends in their field, with which Hublot works hand in hand: Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Ajax Amsterdam, Juventus of Turin in football, Ayrton Senna’s family in Formula 1, Dwyane Wade, Captain of the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers with Kobe Bryant from the NBA, Maria Riesch and Dario Cologna in skiing, to name but a few... “The connection is all about sharing. If you don’t share, you miss out. Hublot has been fortunate and has a duty to share some of its success”. Hublot is also the first luxury brand to have launched an online television service (Hublot TV). Hublot remains committed to traditional expertise creating timepieces which bear the mark of the most talented master watchmakers. In this way, the brand represents the Art of Fusion between watchmaking culture and cutting-edge technical developments, between the past and the future as, in the words of Hublot’s Chairman Jean-Claude Biver, “we are not breaking with the past. On the contrary we are paying homage to it by connecting it to the future”. Ricardo Guadalupe, Chief Executive Officer, runs the company with Jean-Claude Biver, Chairman of the Board and President of the Watches Division, LVMH Group.
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| COVER STORY
Jean-Claude Biver KEEPING WATCH
In an exclusive interview with H Edition, the legendary turnaround king Jean-Claude Biver, chief executive of TAG Heuer, describes how to blend innovation with class In una esclusiva intervista con H Edition, il leggendario re del turnaround Jean-Claude Biver, head della divisione orologi di lusso di LVMH, la quale include i marchi Hublot, Zenith e TAG Heuer, descrive come fondere innovazione e classe insieme
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t’s often observed that companies have to innovate continuously to thrive. But here’s a less obvious thing about today’s consumer markets: retro is also ‘in’, provided it’s classy. Sales of printed books and vinyl records have started to climb after years of decline. Ballroom dancing and Frank Sinatra are cool again. Learning what stays the same is as much a part of the entrepreneur’s and marketing team’s education, as keeping tabs on what’s new. The customer changes preferences, learns about new gadgets, but stays human. One of the pioneers of this blend of innovation and tradition is Jean-Claude Biver, legendary businessman and marketing guru. He oversaw the resurrection of the traditional Swiss watchmaker a generation ago. The industry had hit crisis in the 1970s and 1980s by being slow to react to the disruptive technology of the highly accurate quartz watches, which for too long had been dismissed as cheap gimmicks from eastern Asia. Last December at the age of 65 he was appointed chief executive of watches at the luxury giant LVMH, overseeing such famous brands as Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith, at a time when another potentially disruptive technology – the smartwatch – becomes affordable and popular. This time, the Swiss companies are embracing technology, and partnering with technology firms. But that doesn’t mean the end for the traditional watch; far from it. The business has just registered a record year. And the first five months of 2015 turnover is up 15% compared with the same period last year – despite the rising value of the Swiss franc since the exchange rate ceiling against the euro was lifted in January 2015. Much of the explanation for the extraordinary strength of these designer brands lies in the genius of being simultaneously at the cutting-edge of fashion, worn by rap stars and top footballers, yet steeped in traditional style. It seems like a natural fit, but the combination didn’t happen by accident. It had to be invented.
‘It was not obvious at all,’ recalls M Biver. ‘But because I started in 1981 we were very deep [in trouble]; long time tradition of watch-making, I realized that there’s a limit and that if we did not bring into this tradition some evolution we would just be repeating tradition. That’s not something that excites me. Once you have done it, why would you want to repeat something? ‘At some point, one wants to become a creator. So it was a very logical evolution for me to decide not to be a follower who copied, but someone who would integrate the past and elements of the future, and create a new tradition – things like new materials, new tones, new metals. You can enrich the tradition, help it move forward.’
Yet such commitment to innovation was actually a return to earlier principles of scientific curiosity, by Swiss watchmakers, says M Biver: ‘If one remembers: the watchmakers of the 19th century, these people were scientific, avant garde people. If they came back today, they would tell us: why do you repeat? Why are you using brass, which we used in 1801?’ www.heditionmagazine.com
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i è osservato spesso come le aziende per prosperare abbiano la necessità di rinnovarsi continuamente. Ma, per quanto riguarda il mercato del consumo odierno, non è una cosa così ovvia: “retrò” può essere “in”, a condizione che sia di classe. Dopo anni di declino, le vendite di libri e di dischi in vinile hanno cominciato a salire. Il liscio e Frank Sinatra sono di nuovo “cool”. Per formare il team marketing di un imprenditore è importante conoscere sia quello che resta immutato che tenere d’occhio cosa c’è di nuovo. Il cliente cambia preferenze, impara a conoscere nuovi gadget, ma rimane “umano”. Uno dei pionieri di questa “miscela” tra innovazione è tradizione è Jean-Claude Biver, leggendario uomo d’affari e guru del marketing. Lui ha curato il ritorno del “tradizionale produttore di orologi svizzero” una generazione fa. L’industria era entrata in crisi nel 1970 e nel 1980 per la lenta reazione alla tecnologia dirompente degli orologi al quarzo ad alta precisione, che per troppo tempo erano stati destituiti dagli “espedienti” economici dell’Asia orientale. Lo scorso dicembre, all’età di 65 è stato nominato Amministratore Delegato nel colosso del lusso LVMH, supervisionando su marchi famosi come Hublot, TAG Heuer e Zenith, in un’epoca in cui un’altra tecnologia potenzialmente pericolosa – la “smartwatch” – è diventata accessibile e popolare. Attualmente le imprese svizzere stanno abbracciando la tecnologia e collaborando con aziende tecnologiche. Ma questo non significa la fine per l’orologio tradizionale, ancora molto lontana. L’azienda ha appena registrato un anno da record. E nei primi cinque mesi del 2015 il fatturato è in crescita del 15% rispetto allo stesso periodo dello scorso anno, nonostante il crescente valore del franco svizzero e in considerazione del fatto che il massimale del tasso di cambio nei confronti dell’euro è stato revocato nel gennaio 2015. Gran parte della straordinaria forza di questi marchi di design sta nel genio di essere simultaneamente all’avanguardia, indossati da star del rap e calciatori top, ma ancora intrisi di uno stile tradizionale. Sembrerebbe una scelta naturale, ma la combinazione non è avvenuta per caso. Doveva essere inventata.
“Non è stato del tutto evidente” – ricorda Mr Biver – Ma perché quando ho iniziato nel 1981 eravamo veramente nei guai; Mi sono reso conto che, se non c’era la possibilità di innovare questa tradizione si poteva solo ripeterla. Non è certo una cosa che mi eccita. Una volta fatto qualcosa, perché rifarlo? A un certo punto uno vuole cominciare a creare. Quindi è stato un passo piuttosto logico per me decidere di non copiare, ma piuttosto di integrare degli elementi del futuro al passato per creare una nuova tradizione – cose come nuovi materiali, nuovi toni, nuovi metalli. Si può arricchire la tradizione, contribuire a mandarla avanti.
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| COVER STORY One route that he has taken has been to pioneer the use of lightweight materials to suit younger tastes. This is counter-intuitive to the traditional watchmaker who would take pride in the weighty feel of a precious metal: ‘At Hublot we have changed the perception of the expensive watch. In the past, the expensive watch had to have a certain weight. That would give you an indication of the value: if it was platinum or gold it would be heavy – heavier than steel. That’s how they valued the product. But now, the new generation possess the ultra-light bike, the ultra-light computer, the ultra-light element. Now, they prefer carbon rather than gold.’ But key features of design retain timeless elements of the classic look. ‘There are rules in watch-making. It is an art … they do not tell you which material, do not tell you it must be brass. But they do tell you that the rules are made for quality.’
How does he and his team learn about youthful tastes and convert these insights into design ideas that work? ‘Only through learning can you pretend to be young. Learning is the most characteristic quality of young children – they’re learning without even knowing they’re learning. The learning process is the process of life; whoever stops to learn is getting old. ‘I’m just now on my way to sign a contract with a music group called One Republic. I swear to you I did not know who they were three weeks ago. They appeal to the 15-22 year age group. I listen to my kids. I become curious: Who are these people? So I started to find out who they are.’
Can staying in touch with trends in music, design, youth culture, and so on inform the design of a wristwatch? ‘It influences the design of the watch totally,’ he says. ‘The size, the material, colour, even the technology, because of the connection [the apps]. The influence is at the highest level. For centuries, watches were not influenced by the young generation, but by old people. Only people of a certain age could afford a wonderful Omega or Rolex. The brand didn’t have to evolve. It always had the same customer type. Now, suddenly young people started to influence watches.’ In marketing, M Biver was a pioneer of celebrity endorsements and product placements, and these continue to exert powerful influence. Company investment is dominated by two categories: innovation and communication.
‘How do you get people to buy a product they don’t know about? You have to be very active. We are very active in communication and creativity. Those are the two departments where we spend the money.’ Rapid developments in watchmaking and information technology are now leading to the emergence of two distinct markets. The smartwatch is arguably a complementary, not a disruptive technology, although 30
Eppure questo impegno per l’innovazione non era altro che un ritorno ai principi precedenti alla curiosità scientifica, ai produttori di orologi svizzeri, dice Mr Biver: “Se qualcuno si ricorda: i produttori di orologi del 19°secolo erano all’avanguradia. Se oggi fossero qui potrebbero dirci: perché ripetere? Perché utilizzare l’ottone che utilizzavamo già nel 1801? Un primo percorso intrapreso è stato quello di utilizzare materiali leggeri per soddisfare i gusti dei più giovani. Questo, per il produttore tradizionale di orologi che avrebbe valutato l’orologio sulla base della sua pesantezza, che avrebbe indicato se era costruito o meno con un metallo prezioso, non è intuitivo: In Hublot abbiamo cambiato la percezione dell’ orologio costoso. In passato, l’orologio costoso doveva avere un certo peso. Il peso dava un’indicazione del suo valore: se fosse stato platino o oro sarebbe stato pesante – più pesante dell’acciaio. Ecco come si valutava il prodotto. Ma ora la nuova generazione possiede la moto “ultralight”, il computer “ultra-light”, l’accessorio “ultra-light”. Ora si preferisce il carbonio all’oro. Ma le caratteristiche chiave della progettazione conservano elementi senza tempo del look classico. Ci sono delle regole nella produzione di orologi. E’ un’arte ... non ti dicono quale sia il materiale, non ti dicono che deve essere di ottone. Ma ti dicono che le regole sono fatte per la qualità.
Come fanno lui e la sua squadra a conoscere gusti giovanili e convertire queste intuizioni in idee progettuali che funzionano? Solo attraverso l’apprendimento si può fingere di essere giovani”. L’apprendimento è la dote più caratteristica dei bambini – loro imparano senza sapere di farlo. Il processo di apprendimento è il processo della vita; chi smette di imparare sta diventando vecchio. Proprio ora sto per firmare un contratto con un gruppo musicale chiamato “One Republic”. Ti giuro che fino a tre settimane fa non sapevo chi fossero. Sono i giovani dai 15 ai 22 anni il loro pubblico. Io ascolto i miei figli e divento curioso: chi sono? Ecco come ho iniziato a conoscerli.
Si può rimanere in contatto con le tendenze della musica, del design, della cultura dei giovani, e così via del design di un orologio da polso? la moda influenza il design dell’orologio totalmente,’ dice. ‘La dimensione, il materiale, il colore, anche la tecnologia. L’influenza è al livello più alto. Per secoli, gli orologi non sono stati influenzati dalle giovani generazioni, ma da persone anziane. Solo le persone di una certa età potevano permettersi un meraviglioso Omega o un Rolex. Il marchio non ha dovuto evolvere. Ha sempre avuto lo stesso tipo di cliente. Ora, i giovani hanno improvvisamente iniziato a influenzare gli orologi. Nel marketing, Mr. Biver è stato un pioniere dei testimonial e del product placement, e questi continuano www.heditionmagazine.com
a esercitare una potente influenza. La società dell’investimento è dominata da due categorie: innovazione e comunicazione.
Come si fa a convincere la gente a comprare un prodotto che non conosce? Devi essere molto attivo. Noi siamo molto attivi nella comunicazione e nella creatività. Questi sono i due reparti in cui investiamo maggiormente. I rapidi sviluppi nel campo dell’orologeria e della tecnologia dell’informazione stanno portando alla nascita di due mercati distinti. Lo smartwatch è senza dubbio un complemento, non una tecnologia dirompente, anche se è probabile che si verifichino dei disagi all’estremità inferiore del mercato.
there is likely to be some disruption at the lower end of the market. A quality watch at the highest levels is almost a different genre entirely. It doesn’t try to compete on functions, but on beauty. As Bill Prince, deputy editor of men’s fashion bible GQ, astutely observed in a media interview: ‘A beautiful watch is traditionally the one bit of jewellery a man, a conservative man, can wear.’ Rapper and music producer Jay-Z, for example, reportedly received a Hublot with more than 1,000 diamonds on his 43rd birthday in 2012 by his wife Beyoncé. The value was an estimated $4.3m. Watchmakers are incorporating the concept of eternity into the concept of their designs, says M Biver. Smartwatches pose a serious threat to brands ‘that retail up to £600,’ he says: ‘For a watch that just says what time it is, with an hour hand, a minute hand and a second hand, it would seem ridiculous when you can get far more at the same price, with a connected watch – emails, apps and so on.’ But he adds: ‘In the upper segment no one would ever dare buy a £7,000 watch when they know it’s going to be obsolete in three years’ time. Some brands are working on the concept of eternity in a box. In a traditional Hublot mechanical watch these watches are serviceable for 500 years. It’s more akin to a work of art.’ At the level of organizing the business, this has meant a split for LVMH into haute horlogerie, crafting beautiful, stylish watches; and haute technologie, more of a Silicon Valley approach. It is an astute positioning, a business model designed to last as long as some of its products – for centuries. But it will require the eternal youthfulness of innovative executives like M Biver to keep it on track.
Un orologio di qualità ai massimi livelli è quasi un genere completamente diverso. Non cerca di competere sulle funzioni, ma sulla bellezza. Come ha acutamente osservato in un’intervista Bill Prince, vicedirettore della bibbia della moda maschile “GQ”: Un bell’orologio è tradizionalmente uno di quei gioielli che un uomo, un uomo conservatore, può indossare. Ad esempio, il rapper e produttore musicale Jay-Z ha ricevuto dalla moglie Beyoncè per il suo 43° compleanno nel 2012 un Hublot con oltre 1000 diamanti, del valore stimato di circa 4,3 milioni di dollari. I produttori di orologi hanno deciso di incorporare il concetto di “eternità nei loro disegni, dice Mr Biver. Gli smartwatches rappresentano una grave minaccia per i marchi ‘che al dettaglio arrivano a costare 600 sterline,’ dice: ‘sembrerebbe ridicolo spendere per un orologio che dice solo che ora è, con una lancetta delle ore, una lancetta dei minuti e una dei secondi, quando allo stesso prezzo si può ottenere molto di più: un orologio collegato a e-mail, applicazioni e così via. Ma aggiunge: Nel segmento ancora superiore, nessuno avrebbe mai osato acquistare un orologio a 7000 sterline sapendo che sarà obsoleto in appena tre anni. Alcune marche stanno lavorando sul concetto di eternità nella meccanica dell’orologio. Un tradizionale orologio meccanico Hublot funziona per 500 anni. E’ più simile a un’opera d’arte. A livello di organizzazione degli affari, questo ha significato una divisione per LVMH fra l’alta orologeria, la bella lavorazione artigianale e gli orologi alla moda; e l’alta tecnologia, più un approccio della Silicon Valley. Si tratta di un astuto “positioning”, un modello di business progettato per durare quanto alcuni dei suoi prodotti – per secoli. Ma sarà necessaria la giovinezza eterna dei dirigenti innovativi come Mr Biver per tenerli in pista.
By Philip Whiteley www.heditionmagazine.com
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| INTERVIEW
RicaRdo Guadalupe Ricardo Guadalupe was appointed as CEO of Hublot on 1st January 2012. This appointment has made him Jean-Claude Biver’s designated successor, with the latter now Chairman of the Board of Hublot. Ricardo Guadalupe è stato nominato CEO di Hublot il 1 gennaio 2012, succedendo a Jean-Claude Biver, divenuto nel frattempo Presidente del prestigioso marchio di orologeria svizzera
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f Spanish descent, Ricardo Guadalupe was born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland on 5th March 1965, where he grew up and spent his entire school career in this region known as the cradle of Swiss luxury watchmaking. After obtaining his school leaver’s certificate, and already driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, he enrolled in a Swiss Business School before leaving for California in the United States to take a course at the University of Los Angeles (UCLA). In 1988, he was 22 years of age. With a degree and successful time spent in America behind him, he decided to return to Switzerland to start his professional career. Watchmaking was his profession of choice, a passion which had grown year on year since his earliest days in Neuchâtel.
How important is your technical knowledge in your role at Hublot? How are you involved in leading brand development? I believe it is very important to have technical knowledge as the CEO of Hublot. When you define a new product, you must know what you are talking about. More so during interviews with journalists and clients. As the CEO of a world famous brand I feel very personal towards the products I am leading.
in 2011 you were behind the development and production of ‘Magic Gold’ – the scratch resistant 18 carat gold used in your watches. How important is innovation such as this to the luxury watch market? Innovation is the key to the success. No innovation, no future, it is one of the key mottos of Hublot. We continuously search for innovation. Our Research and Development Department represents around 8% of our staff. We join Senior and Junior employees in order to transmit the excellence we strive for. 32
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i origini spagnole, Guadalupe nasce in Svizzera, a Neuchâtel nel marzo del 1965, in quella che viene universalmente riconosciuta come la capitale mondiale dell’arte orologiaia: una sorta di predestinato. Ultimati gli studi negli Stati Uniti, a 22 anni, Guadalupe decide di tornare in Svizzera per iniziare il suo percorso professionale nell’orologeria: un ritorno alle origini, dove – passo dopo passo – ha costruito il suo percorso di successo internazionale.
Quanto è importante la tua conoscenza tecnica per il ruolo che ricopri in Hublot? in che modo sei coinvolto nel guidare lo sviluppo del prodotto? Per essere CEO di Hublot è veramente importante avere una conoscenza tecnica, perché quando si definisce un nuovo prodotto devi sapere di che cosa si sta parlando. Inoltre, durante le interviste con i giornalisti, ma anche con i clienti, devo conoscere i prodotti del marchio che sto guidando.
Nel 2011 hai seguito lo sviluppo e la produzione di “Magic Gold” – un tipo di oro a 18 carati antigraffio utilizzato nei vostri orologi. Quanto è importante un’innovazione di questo tipo nel mercato degli orologi di lusso? L’innovazione è la chiave per il successo. Se non c’è innovazione non c’è futuro, è uno dei motti di Hublot. Siamo costantemente alla ricerca di innovazione. Questa è la ragione per cui il nostro Dipartimento di Ricerca e Sviluppo rappresenta circa l’8% del nostro staff. Abbiamo risorse sia junior che senior, al fine di trasmettere il nostro know-how di generazione in generazione.
Hai più volte lanciato e sviluppato da zero dei marchi. Quali pensi che siano gli elementi www.heditionmagazine.com
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| INTERVIEW
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You have developed and launched brands from scratch several times. What do you think are the most important elements of a successful watch brand? The most important thing is to be innovative. At Hublot we try to be First, Unique, and Different. This is what makes the success of Hublot. In terms of Marketing, we are the first watch brand to become involved in football; in terms of watchmaking we have developed several materials which have been patented like the Magic Gold, Texalium.
Your strategy has been quoted as ‘go where the customers can be found’, are there markets that you would like to expand into or where you can see potential new customers? We are very strong in Latin America and China is showing continuous and significant sales and growth, not to mention the US, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Europe. Our expansion into China is ongoing.
You’ve also created Hublotista – an exclusive club for Hublot watch owners – how important is the feeling of exclusivity generated by this to your brand? The great idea of Hublotista is that it is like a personal social media platform for Hublot watch owners.
do you receive customer feedback from Hublotista and, if so, have you used it to generate new branding or marketing ideas? Sometimes yes, we receive the feedback from our customers and we try to incorporate them in the definition of the product strategy. When I am with the Product Director of Hublot, we try to think about what people have told us: Journalists, Clients and Hublotista members. It is important to keep the link with the client as they are the people who we want to offer new products to.
How important is Hublot’s past to its future? It is very important for us to keep the traditional values of watchmaking. A watch is a piece of eternity and an heirloom. We have to keep to the heritage of our ancestors, and to connect it with future innovation.
Thank you Ricardo for your time. My pleasure I look forward to welcoming you to the Hublot Polo in Ascona in July!
più importanti per un marchio di orologi di successo? La cosa più importante è essere innovativi. Da Hublot cerchiamo di essere “Primi, Unici e Diversi”. Questo è il nostro motto ed è quello che permette il successo di Hublot. In termini di marketing siamo stati, per esempio, il primo marchio di orologi a essere coinvolto nel calcio; in termini produttivi, abbiamo sviluppato diversi materiali che sono stati brevettati, come il “Magic Gold”, il “Texalium”, etc.
la vostra strategia è stata definita come “vai dove sono i consumatori”. ci sono dei mercati in cui vi vorreste espandere o in cui vedete potenziali nuovi consumatori? Siamo molto forti nell’America Latina. La Cina mostra vendite significative e continue, per non menzionare gli Stati Uniti, il Medio Oriente, il Sud Est Asiatico e l’Europa. Ma abbiamo bisogno di crescere veramente nella regione cinese.
avete anche creato “Hublotista” – un club esclusivo per possessori di orologi Hublot. Quanto è importante la sensazione di esclusività generata nei vostri clienti nei confronti del vostro marchio? La grande idea di “Hublotista” è che è come un social media ma solo per i possessori di orologi Hublot.
Ricevete un feedback dagli utenti di Hublotista? e se si, lo usate per ideare nuovi sviluppi e idee di marketing? A volte si, riceviamo il feedback dei nostri clienti e cerchiamo di tenerne conto nella definizione della strategia di prodotto. Quando sono con il Product Director di Hublot insieme cerchiamo di pensare a quello che la gente ci ha detto: giornalisti, clienti e membri di Hublotista. È importante mantenere il legame con i clienti perché è grazie a loro che possiamo ideare nuovi prodotti e organizzare grandi eventi in tutto il mondo.
Hai detto che guardando al futuro non “vuoi rompere col passato, ma al contrario, vuoi rendergli omaggio connettendolo al futuro”. Quanto è importante il passato di Hublot per il suo futuro? È molto importante per noi mantenere i valori tradizionali dell’orologeria. Un orologio è un pezzo di eternità. Dobbiamo salvaguardare l’eredità dei nostri antenati e connetterla con l’innovazione.
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| CHARITY & CONSERVATION
Here’s to the future with
HUMANS Conservation focuses on a wide range of topics related to ecosystems, biodiversity and human well-being, all around the world. Read our interview with four of the leaders that manage and maintain African conservation projects funded by Tusk Trust
Rachel McRobb, chief executive officer, South luangwa officer, Zambia The South Luangwa Conservation Society (SLCS) is a non-profit organisation committed to the conversation and preservation of the local wildlife and natural resources in South Luangwa. SLCS was started in 2003 by a handful of like-minded Luangwa Valley residents who put together their time and resources to start a small organisation to help the Zambian Wildlife Authority overcome its many challenges. Rachel arrived in Luangwa Valley fourteen years ago to work at a local safari camp. However, she soon realised that her heart belonged to wildlife and conservation. So, when the opportunity to work for SLCS arose, Rachel didn’t hesitate to take up the position. Now CEO of SLCS, Rachel has seen the organisation grow into what is now a vital role in conversation and environmental protection within the Luangwa Valley.
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GladyS KaleMaZiKuSoKa, Founder and chief executive officer, uganda Wildlife authority Gladys is a veterinarian and founder of Conservation through Public Health, an organisation dedicated to the coexistence of endangered mountain gorillas, other wildlife, humans, and livestock in Africa. She was Uganda’s first woman to be the country’s wildlife veterinary officer and was the star of the BBC documentary, Gladys the African Vet. Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka has become one of the leading conservationists and scientists working to save the critically endangered mountain gorillas of East Africa. Under siege by poachers, loss of habitat and warfare, “Dr. Gladys” has discovered another serious threat to these majestic creatures— transmission of human diseases to gorillas called “zoonotic transmission”—afflictions ranging from tuberculosis to scabies. Her mission: to improve African public health to save the gorillas from human-borne illnesses. Gorillas and humans have a 98 percent genetic resemblance, making transmission of diseases between the species highly probable.
KeRRi WolteR, director, Vulture Programme (VulPro), South africa Kerri is a passionate and committed conservationist who is dedicating her career to the conservation of vultures in South Africa. The positive impact of her work is now being seen right across Southern Africa. Kerri established VulPro in 2007 and, through hard work and selfless dedication over the last 8 years, has made it into a world-class vulture conservation organisation. She has significantly raised the profile of vultures, successfully highlighting their plight in South Africa through her ability to inspire people to care for birds that often suffer from undeserved negative stereotyping. She has achieved this through interaction with people of all ages, classes and backgrounds, sharing her passion and concern for vultures with canny use of the media.
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JoSia RaZaFindRaManana, Project coordinator, crowned Sifaka conservation programme, Madagascar Josia is the committed project coordinator of the crowned Sifaka Programme. Working as a volunteer, Josia has played a pivotal role in the conservation of this critically endangered lemur. Famed for its idiosyncratic style of ‘locomotion’ the crowned Sifaka has declined by 50% over the past 30 years as a result of habitat fragmentation – experts estimate that there may be as few as 1,000 crowned Sifaka left in the wild. Sharing experiences and resources with international zoos, NGOs and the Malagasy Government, Josia’s solution has been to establish an effective meta-population management approach. By developing community- based conservation strategies for each crowned Sifaka sire, she has successfully delegated responsibility to local people, mobilising local committees to monitor and protect the species and its habitat.
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CONSERVATION
Q&A
What have been your biggest influences and inspirations? Josia – Being the leader of a project doesn’t mean that I always have all the answers. I often turn to my husband when I need reassurance or someone with whom I can talk through things. He is always very supportive. This is something for which I am grateful. Rachel – I tend to surround myself with people I admire and respect, starting with my place of work. During the past ten years I have had the advice and encouragement of so many good people in Luangwa, some of whom still work with us and who remain invaluable to me. On a day-to-day basis I am often surprised by the efforts our team puts in to their jobs for what little financial gain they get out at the end of the day. These are true heroes of conservation, the scouts and field staff. My inspiration remains, and probably always will, in nature. Being surrounded by wildlife and living in one of the most spectacular African wilderness areas, you cannot help but be inspired to give back and protect where you live. dr Gladys – I grew up with many dogs and cats at our home in Kampala, Uganda’s capital city, and at the age of 12 decided that I would like to become a veterinarian. My parents were government ministers and instilled in me a sense of duty to develop our country. I have been inspired by Dr Jane Goodall’s pioneering work with chimpanzees and late Prof Wangaari Mathaai who went against all odds to get people to save the environment in Kenya by planting trees.
Tell us about a time when things didn’t go according to plan? Rachel – Things rarely go according to plan! Having darted over 150 elephants last year each time it’s different. For example we had immobilised the most straightforward case of a young bull with a terrible snare wound on his leg. He was alone and after the dart went in we left him a few minutes so he would calm
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down. He disappeared behind a thick bush and never reappeared – we lost him for three hours.
animals’ eventually turned to a more administrative position. However, despite this I’m lucky in that I regularly get in the field.
I was 99% sure he was dead by now as the dart replacement and shot was good. I had myself, 15 scouts and the vet running around in midday heat of 40 degrees looking for him! With some good tracking over very dry ground we found him happily munching a few kms away. The dart had failed so we did it all over again and this time we had a happy ending.
One Saturday morning at 8.30am I was in the office at SLCS on my computer when a commotion erupted outside- a large hyena was being chased and stoned by no less than 100 children from the graveyard about 1km up the road. It reached the SLCS gate and took a quick turn into our base where it ran round and round the fence. What a drama. Scouts had to block the entrance and fend everyone off while I rushed home to get my dart kit.
Working to protect an endangered species is not exactly a 9-5 job. How do you balance raising a family with a career in conservation? Josia – The key is to be a well-organised person. I usually work from 8am to 5pm while my son is at school and I begin work again once he is asleep. A lot of my work is done at night. I also try to focus on work whenever I have spare time – even if it is only 10 or 15 minutes. Never postpone for tomorrow what can be done today! As a mother, one of my biggest challenges is having to spend time in the field away from my son, sometimes for weeks at a time. Things are getting easier as time goes on, as he can now understand my absence and we can talk on the phone when I am away.
Describe a typical day in the office Kerri – For six months of each year during our winter months and the vulture’s breeding season, I spend my time out in the field at several Cape Vulture breeding colonies counting the breeding pairs for hours on end through a telescope. During our summer months and outside of the vulture’s breeding season, many hours are usually spent inside a vulture hide observing vultures feeding at a carcass or trying to capture vultures inside a purpose built capture enclosure in which we can then process, tag and fit tracking devices to vultures for research purposes in which to answer conservation questions. Rachel – As so often happens in this field, my job of running around the bush ‘saving
On my return I was welcomed by cheering and chanting as they thought I was going to shoot the poor creature. Once she was immobilised, popped in to the back of the vehicle and driven away to wake up somewhere safely, the audience was astonished and quite suspicious of my rescuing a hyena, since then many entertaining rumours have prevailed!
How did your career in conservation begin? dr Gladys – My career in conservation began when during my sixth form I set up Kibuli Secondary School Wildlife Clubs, at my local school in Uganda. This was a turning point in my life where I decided that I would like to be a vet who also works with wildlife. In 1990, I won a place at the Royal Veterinary College, University of London, where my degree enabled me to spend time looking after captive orphan chimpanzees at Entebbe Zoo, and study parasites in wild chimpanzees at Budongo Forest and mountain gorillas at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. In 1996, I became the first full time wildlife veterinarian for Uganda Wildlife Authority. After completing a masters and zoological medicine residency at North Carolina Zoo and North Carolina State University, in 2003 we founded an NGO, Conservation Through Public Health, www.ctph.org, with my husband, Lawrence Zikusoka and Steven Rubanga, a veterinary technician. In association with Tusk Trust www.tusk.org
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Travel as therapy
You, the discerning traveller may have visited many a destination, but have you travelled for therapy?
T
here are very few things that evoke longing and excitement more than the idea of visiting somewhere new, but my question is why go at all? Most people along with travel companies focus on the destination rather than paying attention to the why. What are you searching for on this trip? What can travel provide that you aren’t able to experience at home? It could be something as simple as sunshine, the exotic, an adventure or for the sake of curiosity. Or perhaps it’s something more intangible, like a sense of otherness, anonymity or even to break your daily routine. What travellers often seek is the idea of travel rather than the actuality of it. The dream is of a wonderful, sensual, mysterious far-off land where life is so very different. But is it really? To people from rural Africa, wouldn’t Birmingham seem exotic? Wouldn’t supermarkets, drive-through restaurants and public transport seem amazing – wondrous almost? Yet we take these things for granted, they’re normal – boring even; so too are the white sandy beaches of Thailand, if that’s where you’ve always lived. Does the Colosseum seem less amazing if you ride passed it every day on your way to work? If the destination was the answer why would people in those very places travel away from them?
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Typically people have focused on the hardware of travel: the hotels, the sites, and the guidebook’s checklist of things they had to do or the experiences they had to have. There is little reflection on how people want to feel after their travels and how their destination or what they did there might contribute to that. What if instead of travelling to go somewhere, we undertook an inner journey through travel? To broaden our understanding of ourselves, our motivations and make us appreciate our own home country. Travelling for therapy with us here at Brown + Hudson is unusual; we are far from your average travel company. We won’t try to sell you a destination or a particular hotel. Instead we will work with you to uncover what it is you hope to gain through travel, are you seeking tranquillity and relaxation? Then perhaps we’d recommend the heart of Tokyo during rush hour. With help from a Zen master, you’ll learn to appreciate the intricate beauty and rhythms of the flow of commuters. In turn bringing peace to your own daily travels once you return home. Perhaps you suffer with insomnia, constantly tossing and turning yet never truly getting a good night’s sleep. Instead of hot chocolate and meditation, why not come with us to Svalbard in the
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Arctic Circle? Here they experience more than 100 days each year where the sun never sets. You’ll meet the locals and discover how to get the perfect night’s sleep during the brightest of nights.
for you. Once home you’ll have become so accustomed to smiling at people, nodding in agreement and being courteous; you’ll find the process of meeting people much easier.
Inspiration can be found in the most unlikely of places; which means challenging typical ideas of culture. Is the culture of a country the opera, high society and etiquette, or is it something completely different? Perhaps it’s what people do, who they are, what they eat and how they view the world? To learn about culture and people’s way of life might a Texan oil field have more to teach you than a Parisian museum?
The act of travel is ages old. The challenge is to think differently about it so that you derive more benefit from your precious time away from home. Instead of travelling just for a destination, travel for a goal. Seek a purpose beyond getting a tan, one that provokes your inner journey.
Perhaps you have your own personality trait that you feel could be improved. Maybe you’re shy, like to always be in control, or lonely and find it hard to connect with people. With the right help, and of course the correct travel company, you could save yourself a trip to traditional therapy. Why not go to Japan if you have trouble meeting people? As so many Japanese don’t speak English you’ll have to find ways to communicate that don’t include language. It’s amazing what a smile, a bow, or even a nod of the head can say
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This approach is something new and does require a deeper look in to yourself; asking high order questions that you may not have time to answer in the bustle of everyday life. But the reward is overwhelmingly worth it. So instead of browsing through a brochure for your next escape, have an open conversation with a travel company you trust. The result? All the right information for a well thought out experience. Thought in travel? Now there’s a thought. Words by Philippe Brown Visit www.brownandhudson.com
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| LUXURY TRAVEL
Suite 9 (Gundolf Pfotenhauer)
Palazzo Margherita
F
I purchased and designed the now Palazzo Margherita for friends and family to call home in Italy I knew I needed to extend the property and surrounding village of ‘Bernalda bella’ to my guests as well.”
“I never initially dreamed of opening a resort in Italy, let alone in the town where my grandfather Agostino Coppola grew up,” said Francis Ford Coppola. “Yet when
First built in 1892, the block-long palazzo embodies Italian elegance. The interior is styled with tiled floors and handpainted fresco ceilings with a taste of Moroccan and Baroque flair. With some of the furniture and exotic tiles personally designed by Grange, all of the floors have been restored from the original marble with additional craftsmanship provided by painters and artisans in the region. The rooms are sequestered around an inner courtyard that opens onto a hidden world of private gardens and a secluded swimming pool.
rancis Ford Coppola’s Italian resort Palazzo Margherita is located in the Basilicata region of Southern Italy. Situated in the charming town of Bernalda, the birthplace of Francis’s grandfather Agostino Coppola, the authentic 19th century palazzo has been completely renovated in partnership with acclaimed French designer Jacques Grange. The Palazzo offers a luxurious yet authentic Italian experience where guests can enjoy palatial comfort just steps from an exciting town in which the visitor feels like a friend or neighbour rather than a tourist.
Suite 4 (Gundolf Pfotenhauer)
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Salon (Lisa Limer)
“I never initially dreamed of opening a resort in Italy, let alone in the town of my grandfather Agostino Coppola.” Suite 8 (Gundolf Pfotenhauer)
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Courtyard Garden (Gundolf Pfotenhauer)
The intimate resort has seven large suites and two garden rooms. Each is a work of art with fresco ceilings and features a palatial bathroom and amenities including luxurious linens, fresh flowers and stateof-the-art technology. Many of the rooms feature a large terrace and/or a Juliette Balcony and face the charming gardens within the Palazzo walls. In keeping with Francis’s desire to create an environment his children would want to continually return to, the entire family collaborated with Grange in contributing personal details to individual rooms, adding to the special atmosphere of visiting a private home. For further information, visit www.coppolaresorts.com
Dining (Gundolf Pfotenhauer)
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Suite 9 (Tim Beddow)
CinecittĂ Bar & Cafe (Gundolf Pfotenhauer)
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| LUXURY
SUPERYACHTS From Monaco to Saint-tropez, to the isle de Sol in St. Maarten to ibiza, or St. thomas in the US Virgin islands, yacht season is here! Edmiston picks-out the top 5 yachts for the ultimate summer parties on board:
Utopia (72M) The duplex sun deck provides 360 degree views from a jacuzzi 15 metres above sea level. Connected by a sweeping staircase, her top two decks are among the most attractive terraces afloat. Sunbathe, dine or just relax with friends under the umbrellas that can shade any section of the deck.
talitha (80M) With Art Deco style and sophisticated entertainment systems, she is an exceptional yacht for a special occasion – or just to relax. Talitha has a wide array of sports equipment and an incredible crew.
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nirVana (88M) One of the most impressive yachts in the world, Nirvana has more scope than anyone could possibly appreciate. With so much space, guests can have an entire area to themselves and then meet up for a celebration at dinner. By day, there is lounging on the gigantic sun deck or beach club with its seven metre jet pool. By night, and almost as if by magic, the bottom of the pool rises to become a dance floor.
incEption (50M) Her sun deck has a large 12 person jacuzzi, bar, shaded seating and enormous sun pads. In the evening, the foredeck converts into an outdoor cinema for movies under the stars.
tV (78M) Everything is better on TV. With five decks and over 14 metres of beam, the amount of space on this yacht is staggering – so are the features: a circular, fully glazed dining conservatory, a spa, a sea-level gymnasium with an unfolding balcony and immaculate vast saloons for entertaining.
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| LUXURY
“PHENOM-ENAL” IMPACT The LIghT JeT ThaT’s buckIng TrenDs
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S
ales within the light jet segment of private aviation have been subdued since the recession hit, but one aircraft has been bucking that trend. Embraer’s $9m Phenom 300 was the best-selling private jet model of any category for 2013 and 2014. So what was Embraer’s recipe for success? “Before we launch an aircraft, we conduct lengthy conversations with our customers to ensure we deliver what they need,” Marco Túlio Pellegrini, President & CEO, Embraer Executive Jets told us. Embraer launched its Phenom series (the Phenom 100 entry-level and Phenom 300 light jets) simultaneously with the advantage that these were clean-sheet designs. “We wanted to produce something that would truly resonate with the market,” Pellegrini added. At the outset of Phenom 300 development, the goals were for ‘premium comfort, outstanding performance and low operating cost’ – an attractive combination to any prospective owner, but how would the Brazilian manufacturer deliver it? Offering a maximum range of 1,971 nm (3,650 km) – enough to connect LA with Orlando, or London with the Azores, the Phenom 300 can fly at an impressive 0.78 Mach (828 km/h). To help deliver this performance at a minimal operating cost, Embraer chose two highly fuel efficient Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535-E engines with low carbon emissions. Jay Obernolte, founder FarSight Studios videogame development company and Mayor of Big Bear Lake, California was clearly impressed. After flying the Phenom 300 as the pace plane at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada he remarked, “It has a great cabin, fantastic take-off performance, incredible climb performance, it’s fast, it has great range and impressive fuel economy...!”
Design Intelligence It’s the cabin area Embraer needed to pay special attention to during development, however. Being a light jet, every inch of the 324 cubic foot cabin space needed to work. “We believe in providing our customers with features normally associated with larger, more expensive aircraft,” Pellegrini detailed. Intelligent design was essential, and a partnership with BMW Designworks USA was formed.
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The resulting aircraft offers the largest cabin windows in the light jet class, allowing natural light to flood into the cabin. The Phenom 300 also claims to offer the best cabin pressurization and the most baggage volume in class. Standard configuration for the cabin is for six passengers (plus crew). You board the aircraft opposite a smart wood-veneer galley that includes an ice drawer, bottle storage, and an optional hot jug for beverages. Light meals and snacks can be prepared on flights typically lasting up to three hours. Beyond the galley, leather seating for six offers full movement and recline capability maximizing comfort levels of the cabin occupants, with the cabin environment controlled from the VIP seat. A center aisle runs between club seating for four (with fold-away tables) towards the front of the cabin, while two additional forward-facing seats are located to the rear. A fully enclosed, externally-serviced lavatory (a rare amenity for a jet of this size and price-range) lies beyond the main cabin area. The cabin space is customizable, though, and can accommodate up to nine passengers. Warren Buffet-owned NetJets fractional ownership company signed a purchase agreement for 50 ‘Signature Series’ Phenom 300s, with an option for 75 more (a deal that could be worth over $1 billion to Embraer). The Signature Series includes – among other things – advanced in-flight entertainment, a custom cabin design, enhanced seating, broad spectrum lighting and spacious storage features. 36 of these were delivered in 2014 and according to Chuck Suma, NetJets’ Senior VP, Global Asset Management, they are “the fastest selling aircraft ever in NetJets’ fleet.” Together with the smaller Phenom 100, today 570 Phenoms operate in over 30 countries for owner/operators, charter firms, fractional ownership programs like NetJets, and corporate flight departments, and Embraer sees no reason for the demand to stop any time soon. Several pre-owned Phenom 300s are available, with samples at AvBuyer ranging between $4.9m-7.395m. In addition, Florida-based Jeteffect is offering a new June 2015 model for sale equipped for seven passengers. Find Embraer Phenom 300 Jets for sale at www.avbuyer.com/aircraft-for-sale/embraer/phenom-300 Words by Matt Harris
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| EDUCATION
BEHIND THE SCENES OF TASIS THE AMERICAN SCHOOL IN SWITZERLAND
Tasis has been voted one of the Best Schools In The World year after year. Mr Bill Eichner, Director of Admissions, talks to our Editor Dina Aletras, on why the School is a hub of excellence.
You have been at TASIS for many years what lead you to join and stay on as Director of Admissions. I joined TASIS over 30 years ago, in 1983, as an art history teacher. I had been teaching in Florence for several years, but I knew of TASIS and had met Mrs Fleming, the Founder. I jumped at the chance to work for her, and teaching art history at TASIS in those days was a dream job. I knew of no other high school that had such a commitment to the subject, and as part of my course I traveled with my students to Rome, Paris, Florence and Venice. I taught for many years and served as the Academic Dean for a decade and then in the late ‘90s became the Director of Admissions. For me, the students have always been the most fascinating aspect of TASIS, and serving as Director of Admissions gives me a great opportunity to help shape the student population.
What school did you attend growing up. I grew up in the suburbs of American cities: New York, Chicago, and finally Cincinnati where I graduated from Indian Hill High School. It was, and still is, a highly ranked, competitive public school, but it wasn’t very inspiring for me. I really should have attended a boarding school, and part of what attracted me to TASIS as a teacher was realizing what amazing learning and teaching opportunities arise in boarding schools. Strong classroom academics are fundamental, but so much learning happens outside the class day at TASIS. As one of our seniors just said in a commencement speech: TASIS is more than a school; it’s a life style. Teachers and students are accustomed to interacting all day, and long after classes are over. I could have used that kind on interaction with adults when I was a teenager.
Why attend TASIS? When a student attends TASIS they join a community full of promise and opportunity. Beyond a challenging American and International Baccalaureate curriculum, TASIS seeks to prepare students as confident and creative collaborators, fully prepared to succeed in college and beyond. Through opportunities in leadership, service, arts, sports and travel, our students find interests and passions that guide them through their lives. Our students also establish enduring friendships.
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What advice do you find yourself commonly telling applicants who gain interviews but are ultimately rejected? How has the flow of applications been to your school globally? With the goal of creating an exciting learning community with students from a variety of background and with a wide range of interests and talents, we keep careful statistics on enrollment and application trends. Last year we accepted 68% of our applicants, which is fairly typical. First we review a students’ academic background to be sure TASIS is a good match for their educational needs and that we can successfully prepare them for competitive university entry. When I meet with a student I’m looking for someone full of curiosity, who will be a good friend to others, and fully participate in the School community. As an American school, we attract a higher percentage of Americans than other boarding schools in Europe, but still that adds up to only 23% of our student body. This year 59 nationalities are represented in the School. Other prominent nationalities are Italian, given our location, followed by Russian, Brazilian and Turkish.
Why educate your child/children in Switzerland, what are the attractions? We often say that TASIS represents the best of American education with the best of Swiss security and European culture. Switzerland is such an attractive destination not only because it is beautiful and safe, but it is also host to many international institutions. Private schools in Switzerland are truly international, and the culture of the schools are not dominated by a single nationality.
Your summer programs have students attending from around the world. What does TASIS offer throughout these camps? Participating in one of our summer programs is a great way to be introduced to TASIS. We offer boarding and day programs at the elementary, middle and high school level, and our curriculum extends far beyond language. We offer courses in IB Preparation and a wide range of arts, including Architecture & Design, Digital Film Making, Textile & Fashion Design, and Musical Theatre. Nearly 800 students participate in one of our 3 or 4-week sessions,
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Mr Bill Eichner
“Education is service and I believe we are put on this earth to make some contribution, to try to leave it a little better place than we found it” Mrs M Crist Fleming, Founder introducing them to an international boarding school community. With all the excursions, sports and activities, it is like a condensed version of our academic year.
How would you describe the surroundings of TASIS to a parent/ student who has never visited Switzerland/Ticino before? Our Founder, Mary Crist Fleming, believed that beauty played a fundamental role in education, teaching students to respect their environment and demand high standards. We are fortunate that she found such a beautiful and magical location in the Collina d’Oro to create TASIS. Her daughter and Chairman of the Board, Lynn Fleming Aeschliman, has directed the expansion of the School’s campus with buildings designed by David Mayernik. Today, the campus is a fascinating village with historical Italian villas and beautiful purpose built academic buildings.
TASIS has been voted in the top 10 boarding schools in the world. How does that make you feel? I’m not very concerned about our world wide ranking. What concerns me most is to be the absolute top ranked school by our current students and parents! There are many fine boarding schools in the world, and the goal should be for each family to make the right choice for what is best for their child. I’m confident that we are the best match for many students.
What is your favorite place to dine in Ticino? It takes a lot to get me off of my hill, the Collina d’Oro, and I enjoy all the fine grottos and restaurants nearby. When I do venture off the hill I prefer the Grotto della Salute, or if I’m in centro Lugano the Bottegone del Vino. Both places have great food and nice, casual atmospheres.
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W I N E R E S O RT
LONDON www.heditionmagazine.com
LONDON LIFE | BUSINESS | EVENTS | INTERVIEWS | LUXURY
Lifestyle in London MAKE THE MOST OF LONDON
Where to eat Le Chabanais This is a new restaurant for Mount Street and certainly one of the highlights of the London restaurant scene this year. From the team behind the popular Paris bistro Le Chateaubriand, Le Chabanais will no doubt become one of Mayfair’s hotspots especially with head chef of its Paris sibling, Paul Boudier, in charge of the kitchen. 8 Mount Street, W1K 3NF
paChamama Enjoy dishes that are inspired by the culinary traditions of Peru, made by using UK sourced produce, alongside a selection of dishes designed to share, featuring fresh seafood, vibrant salads and charcoal-grilled
meats. Pachamama can accommodate for up to 120 covers within their two main dining room areas along with a further two semiprivate dining rooms for up to 12 guests who are requiring something a little more private. 18 Thayer Street, London W1U 3JY
bouiLLabaisse soCiaL Wine & tapas The latest opening from Jason Atherton a counter and table-served tapas restaurant, complete with a cellar bar and exclusive wine shop. Open seven days a week, executive sommelier Laure Patry has created a dynamic wine list offering quality, rare and fine wines sourced from around the world, alongside modern tapas and snacks from head chef Frankie Van Loo. 39 James Street, Marylebone, W1U 1DL
The latest restaurant from Kurt Zdesar, the man who is known for bringing the first Nobu to London. Bouillabaisse will offer an all-day menu brought to you by Executive Chef Jordan Sclare; the seafood focused restaurant will serve dishes such as lobster ravioli and snow crab cakes with garlic and herb salsa alongside their signature dish Bouillabaisse. 4 Mill Street, W1S 2AX
sesame The perfect destination to try one of London’s latest trends ‘Middle Eastern foods’ brought to Covent Garden by Noam Bar, one of the founders of Ottolenghi. Choose from delights such as generously-stuffed Paprika and cardamom chicken or spiced lamb kebabs, Warming harissa vegetable couscous or a gorgeous boxed salad. Dishes are inspired from the market stalls and the smoking grill street foods of the Middle East. 23 Garrick Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 9BN
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What to do War story: afghanistan 2014 Through the little-known personal stories of those on the ground in Afghanistan, War Story: Afghanistan 2014 provides a snapshot of this pivotal point in the country’s history. The voices and experiences of British troops, members of the Afghan National Security Forces and UK government and NGO workers give visitors an insight into this transitional period. Until 1 November Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, SE1
the state rooms and garden highLights tour Enjoy a leisurely day out at Buckingham Palace and combine a ticket to the State Rooms with a guided tour of the most remarkable features of the famous garden. The Garden Highlights Tour includes the beautiful Herbaceous Border, the wisteriaclad summer house and Rose Garden, the enormous Waterloo Vase and the Palace tennis court. The 39-acre garden is described as ‘a walled oasis in the middle of London’; it boasts more than 350 types of wild flower, over 200 trees and a threeacre lake. 25 July-27 September Buckingham Palace, SW1A
shirLey baker: Women, ChiLdren and Loitering men
audrey hepburn exhibition This fascinating photographic exhibition will illustrate the life of actress and fashion icon Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993). From her early years as a chorus girl in London’s West End through to her philanthropic work in later life, a selection of more than seventy images will define Hepburn’s iconography, including classic and rarely seen prints from leading twentieth-century photographers such as Richard Avedon, Cecil Beaton, Terry O’Neill, Norman Parkinson and Irving Penn. Alongside these, an array of vintage magazine covers, film stills, and extraordinary archival material will complete her captivating story.
This exhibition is a rare chance to see the work of social documentary photographer Shirley Baker, and a portrait of the urban decline of late twentieth century Britain. Focusing on Bakers’ depictions of the urban clearance programmes of inner city Manchester and Salford during 1961-1981. The work documents what Baker saw as the needless destruction of working class communities. 17 July-20 September The Photographer’s Gallery, 16-18 Ramillies St, W1F
adults can be guided through this season’s best bubblies from the south coast and around the world in the Drink’s Theatre and kids can learn to cook in the Children’s Cooking theatre. The festival will also feature a Cake and Bake Theatre with activities including 3D cake modelling and Chocolate Making, a new tasting theatre with masterclasses designed by bloggers and experts introducing festival-goers to the latest foods and flavours including Raw Food, Japanese Soul and Vegan. Another new addition this year is the Vintage Tea Tent that will hold daily tea dances along with the new Chilli Food Market which will excite those with a love for spicy foods. 3-5 July Alexandra Palace, N22 24-26 July 2015 Clapham Common For further details and tickets visit www.foodiesfestival.com
moët iCe impériaL LaunCh big summer party pop up This summer Moët & Chandon are bringing a taste of the Antarctic to Madison Rooftop Bar with the launch of the Moët Ice Impérial Big Summer Party pop up. Champagne lovers across London will be invited to the ultimate party destination to experience the ice paradise overlooking the iconic dome of St Paul’s. Until September Madison, Rooftop Terrace, 1 New Change, St Paul’s, EC4M
2 July-18 October National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin’s Pl, WC2H
shoes, pLeasure and pain
foodies festivaL The UK’s largest celebration of food & drink is back in London this summer. Foodies Festival is truly something for the whole family full of culinary activates. Top chefs showcase their skills in the Chef’s theatre; www.heditionmagazine.com
This exhibition will look at the extremes of footwear from around the globe, presenting around 200 pairs of shoes ranging from a sandal decorated in pure gold leaf originating from ancient Egypt to the most elaborate designs by contemporary makers. Until 31 January 2016 V&A Museum, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, SW7 53
| RESTAURANT PICKS
Something a little more
PRIVATE
Our pick Of the best destinatiOns fOr grOup meetings and private events Kensington Roof gaRdens With a beautiful rooftop overlooking Kensington, the Roof Gardens make the perfect location for guests who want to dine a little more private. Up to 12 guests can be accommodated within the private dining room, complete with its own private terrace and waiter. A semi private area is also available for up to 30 guests. You can even spice up your summer afternoons alfresco style with the Sizzling BBQ lunch experience. Babylon Restaurant, 99 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SA
Yashin ocean house Yashin Ocean House, an exciting, modern Japanese restaurant in South Kensington has two private dining rooms seating up to 5 and 12 people. Diners can choose from a variety of set menus starting at ÂŁ50 per person, the menus showcase signature dishes from the Yashin Ocean House kitchen. Customers also have the option of creating their own bespoke menus, perfect for those special occasions. Yashin Ocean House, 11-119 Old Brompton Rd, London SW7 3RN
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M RestauRants The M Venue is incredibly flexible for all occasions from private dining to exclusive events. The perfect destination to host an all-important business lunch, with playful, yet luxurious décor and various private dining menus to choose from including the sharing raw menu featuring classics from sashimi and steak cooked over coals served to share, the Butcher’s – a reduced a la carte menu featuring favourite dishes from M Grill such as the smoked Rouen duck boudin noir, the No-Meat is inspired from Argentina to Japan, offering a selection of the oceans best produce. The Tastes of M menu is a culinary journey across six continents, if you would rather something a little more bespoke. M Restaurant, 2-3 Threadneedle Walk, 60 Threadneedle Street, London, EC2R 8HP
caMino Spanish bar and restaurant group Camino’s recently launched tapas bar in Bankside features a private dining area accessed by a feature staircase which slices through the bar. On the menu, which has been created by Executive Chef Nacho Del Campo, includes dishes to share such as a whole roasted Segovian Style Suckling Pig for £180, slow roasted with white wine, onions, garlic, herbs the perfect feast for at least 8 people! Camino Restaurant, 5 Canvey Street, London, SE1 9AN
the athenaeuM hotel & apaRtMents Opposite Green Park and a few moments from Hyde Park, The Athenaeum Hotel & Apartments offer a true intimate and sophisticated atmosphere making you feel at home in London. Expect superb food; impeccable five star service; along with beautiful views over the Royal Parks. Choose from three rooms for your private dinner - St James’s Park, Green Park or Hyde Park which are all located on the first floor, giving you additional privacy. The Athenaeum offer a wide choice of Private Dining menus, a la carte or a bespoke menu to fit your tastes and dietary needs. The Athenaeum, 116 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 7BJ
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© Agence VERTU / Photographies : Alexandre Leblanc – Jérôme Kélagopian
| COSMETIC BEAUTY
Why being turned down for Cosmetic Surgery is sometimes a good thing By Dr Ohan Ohanes M.B.Ch.B., PGDip Clinical Dermatology, H Edition’s Cosmetic Doctor & Beauty Specialist
On a professional view how do you approach a scenario with a client where a procedure is not required? Recently there has been an increase in the number of patients between 20-30 requesting treatments such as lip fillers and anti-wrinkle treatments such as Botox to target fine lines around the eyes and frown lines. I listen to their concerns and establish what the expectations are. Often, clients will bring in pictures of a celebrity or a model and expect to have a treatment to look like the picture. I explain that it will not be possible to achieve this exact result and that the pictures may have been airbrushed/photo-shopped to erase fine lines and wrinkles.
Do clients tend to listen to your advice within the consultation? If not, how do you deal with it? My approach is to be honest. I have a duty to be fair and explain why I am giving the advice in an open and transparent way. If I do not believe that a treatment is necessary, I will not give that treatment and provide alternatives to the procedure. These may be lifestyle changes. For example, giving up smoking, dietary changes, taking regular exercise, facials, and skin care products that can be applied to the face. Protecting the skin from the sun is a must, so I advise an SPF of 30 and above to protect the face. Over time, the patient will see improvements to the original areas of concern.
From a business view, do you believe the industry can be greedy by sometimes giving women what they want rather than what is ethically appropriate, just for profits? Unfortunately yes. This applies to younger ladies who have had treatments they do not necessarily need and in some cases older women who have had too many treatments. I have also seen women where I did not feel
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it was appropriate for a certain procedure, so they went elsewhere and returned to me for advice on how to ‘fix’ the effect. That’s why I believe in the honest approach. My place in this industry and my focus is to give a natural result by enhancing what nature has given.
Do you believe that the media play a big part in women feeling they need new procedures rather requiring them? Yes. We are all exposed to the media in many ways. Fashion magazines, tabloid newspapers, social media, celebrity blogs all have an impact on how we might look and aspire to look. Sadly, some people are obsessed with looking like a celebrity and end up looking like a caricature of that celebrity. I have seen cases where it has become an obsession to emulate the look, but it’s just not realistic to expect to look the same as a celebrity or a public figure. There is a fine line between enhancing and giving a fresh, subtle look and overdoing the treatments and becoming unrecognisable.
What kind of procedures do you tend to get asked to do mostly? Anti-ageing treatments such as Botox and fillers are the most requested. For further information on Dr Ohan, visit www.swiss-care.com
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Often, clients will bring in pictures of a celebrity or a model and expect to have a treatment to look like the picture.
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| RESTAURANT LAUNCHES
Girl Power Marylebone has recently welcomed Jason Atherton’s latest restaurant to its neighbourhood ‘Social Wine & Tapas’, the counter and table-served tapas, cellar bar and exclusive wine shop. Executive Group Sommelier Laure Patry and Irha Atherton explain all
Laure Patry Social Wine & Tapas is Jason Atherton’s seventh London restaurant. Why do you think the brand does so well in London? The brand and restaurants are deliberately very different from one another because we make sure our location and theme is tailored to the areas we are based in. In addition, Social Wine & Tapas has a reputation as a restaurant where individuals, families and couples can come and expect a friendly atmosphere. Our guests also know that Jason uses only the best and freshest ingredients available.
An exclusive wine shop will be based in-house. What kind of wines will you be selling? We will carry around 500 varieties, mostly from Europe, with a large selection available by the glass as well as by the bottle. All the wines from the restaurant wine list are available for sale. Because we tend to work mainly with smaller vineyards and growers, many of the wines we will be selling are exclusive to us in the UK. We will also be selling glassware and wine accessories – we are thrilled to be the only suppliers of Ovarius decanters in London. We will also be selling Opinel knives branded with our Social Wine & Tapas logo. Fabulous gifts!
What goes into creating a wine list for a restaurant? The concept and feel of the restaurant is vital when creating a wine list – all of our restaurants around the world are so different that I could never run out of ideas. The wine list needs to be balanced between classic and unusual styles. We also want to empower smaller growers and give our guests the chance to try wines that they usually would not have access to.
You will be working alongside Jason’s wife Irha, who will be heading up the business. What will be your role be? Jason and Irha will be heading up the business aspects as the owners. This is perfect as it allows me to focus on my strength – the wines! 58
Jason has worked very closely with Frankie, our Chef, on the menu choices. I will be managing and running the restaurant on a day-to-day basis. I have also been able to put forward my ideas with the head designer. The wine menu has been created, with my input, by my head sommelier.
How would you describe the style of Social Wine & Tapas? Social Wine & Tapas is a place where one can come to enjoy wines in a relaxed atmosphere. We have two floors. On the ground floor we have a shop where wine, glassware, wine books and accessories can be bought, the tapas bar, and a raised tasting area. In the basement we have a wine bar, a charcuterie and a cheese bar as well as a semi private room. We will also be running masterclasses in wine tasting with producers – I think this is the best way to learn about wine. So even if you cannot go to the vineyard you have a chance to meet the winemaker.
A good wine is…? A wine that takes you to the place from where it has come from. It is made with minimum intervention and is well balanced, with freshness and acidity, so you can drink more than one glass.
Can you tell us a bit more about head chef Frankie Van Loo, what can we expect from him? Frankie was based at Social Eating House, and has been working with us for a few years now. He will be working alongside Jason creating the menu and running the kitchen.
What is your favourite wine of the moment? At the moment I am really enjoying the selections available from Italy especially Sicily, perhaps because I was there recently. I particularly like Vini Veri, Villa Favorita and Aldo Viola Syrah (which I am trying to bring more of in the UK), as well as Nino Barraco – we will do his catarratto by the glass.
How did you start your journey as a Sommelier? I learned about wine in Anjou – I studied to become a sommelier in Angers. I was then sent to the UK for a year’s work experience and I’ve never left! In London you have the chance to try wines from all over the world and to attend tasting and masterclasses www.heditionmagazine.com
every day if you want to. It’s also very close to some of our most important wine regions.
When did your journey with the Jason Atherton Group begin? I worked for Gordon Ramsay at the same time as Jason and, when they decided to open Maze, they offered me the head sommelier position. I worked at Maze for six years and then Jason offered me to join to open Pollen Street Social. I cannot believe that was 10 years ago already! I now have my own project to concentrate on which is a magnificent feeling.
Irha Atherton You will be working alongside Laure at the new restaurant, how did that come about? I’ve always been a huge admirer of Laure, our group executive sommelier – she’s worked with Jason for over 10 years – so when Laure was given the chance to run Social Wine & Tapas I immediately wanted to get more involved and support her. The hospitality industry doesn’t have that many female figureheads – so it’s great to join forces and inject a bit of girl power into the business.
What type of atmosphere are you aiming to achieve at Social Wine & Tapas? We’ve designed Social Wine & Tapas to be fun, relaxed and (hopefully) busy! It’s the first restaurant we’ve launched in London which has no reservations; we want it to be a place where you can
drop by for a few plates of tapas and a glass of wine – nothing too formal. The cellar bar downstairs is so cosy and atmospheric – you can’t help but crave a glass of wine in there.
You will be working behind the scenes supporting Laure, what will be a typical working day for you? At Social Wine & Tapas I am responsible for running the back of house operations as a support to Laure – be that organising uniforms for the staff, or overseeing the finances. Whilst I’m based at our head office a short walk away in Soho, Laure is very much the face of Social Wine & Tapas on a day to day basis – I love wine, but she’s definitely the expert!
You are married to Jason Atherton the award winning Michelin starred chef, which one of you tends to cook when you are at home? Whenever Jason is at home, I love it if he cooks for me – light and healthy dishes, such as fish and salad – I like a bit of spice too. I’m the one who cooks the meals for our girls though – my speciality is rice adobo, a classic family recipe from the Philippines.
Do you talk work when together? As we work together, we can’t help but talk shop at home. On family holidays we do try and set a rule to have a break and lock our phones away in the safe for the week!
How do you juggle being a mother & working full time? I’m lucky enough to be able to manage my time around my girls’ needs – if there is a parent-teacher evening, I’ll move meetings to get to it, and I always make sure I’m at home to put the girls to bed. Otherwise, I’m very much in the office full time. www.socialwineandtapas.com
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| INTERVIEW
SEBASTIAN HAMILTON-MUDGE
Stylish cocktails: Sebastian Hamilton-Mudge gives his tips for 2015
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ebastian became an International Brand Ambassador for Beefeater Gin in 2011, having acted as a freelance drinks consultant with a focus on gin for 16 years prior to his appointment as Brand Ambassador. Sebastian now represents Beefeater globally, visiting markets worldwide to educate bartenders, consumers and the press about the past, present and future of Beefeater Gin. He also works on developing tasting rituals and conducts talks about food pairings and contemporary cocktails.
How would you, in a few words, sum up quintessentially British style? A confident blend of high quality and contemporary classics.
What is your favourite style statement? As a nod to classical style, I would choose vintage jackets and good shoes. Timeless.
What items should make up the staples of a modern man’s cocktail making kit? • Crystal mixing jar • Julep strainer • Orange and angostura bitters • Campari selection of the vermouth and cherry • Sharp Knife • Great Gin
Why does the world increasingly appreciate great materials and craftsmanship – both of which are epitomised by Hackett and Beefeater 24?
confident enough to add a modern and unique expression.
Explain how you have matched the new cocktails to the occasions? Like music, different drinks suit different moods and it’s important to always match your drink to the environment. Once you have tasted the drink, it’s simple to understand the environment it is best suited to.
Matching food with drinks is nothing new but matching new cocktails with social occasions is – what were your challenges? A great drink may suit more than one occasion, but sometimes the match is perfectly obvious and balanced. With the Pillars of Style, we’ve matched the best suited drinks to each social occasion and explained the rationale behind it within each of the guides.
Which of the Beefeater 24 gin and tonics available at Regent Street’s bar is your favourite in terms of the tincture added? The fresh green spices from the cardamom tincture beautifully match the two green teas within Beefeater 24.
What is your favourite cocktail? The Beefeater 24 Green Tea Martini is my favourite cocktail – it’s the perfect accompaniment for any Special Event, By Invitation occasion. With it, we’ve created a new twist to the classic martini.
We’re able to appreciate the style and flavour icons of the past but we’re also
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M E N S I L E
A F FA R I | N O T I Z I E | C U LT U R A | L U S S O | S T I L E D I V I TA
| AFFARI
COSÌ VICINI, COSÌ LONTANI Di Franco Fregni Nell’immaginario dell’opinione pubblica, il rapporto tra Italia e Svizzera ricorda una corsa sulle montagne russe. Picchi di ammirazione si alternano a discese di riprovazione e a calmi periodi di transizione. E sempre c’è un momento di sospensione rappresentato da quella frazione di secondo che, dopo una salita arrancante, precede la picchiata furibonda. Quel momento di sospensione diventa, nella lingua di tutti i giorni, un “ma”, seguito da puntini si sospensione. “Ma…” è motivo ricorrente di ogni discussione, in un bar di provincia come in una austera sala di qualche importante istituzione. Agli italiani la Svizzera, anche se molti non sono disposti ad ammetterlo, piace tantissimo. Si va dai luoghi comuni più risaputi (l’ordine, la pulizia, l’eccellenza tecnica, la neutralità) ad aspetti più rilevanti e profondi: un regime fiscale più equo, la democrazia diretta e partecipata, la milizia di cittadini, il sacro rispetto del privato, il federalismo, la maggiore importanza dell’individuo sullo Stato, l’essere terra d’asilo da sempre per liberi pensatori e anticonformisti, l’aver combattutto importanti battaglie di libertà… Questi giudizi positivi sulla Svizzera, paradossalmente, ci rivelano molto sul più profondo animo italiano che è campanilista (cantonale verrebbe da dire), anarcoide, ma anche solidale, partecipativo… In Italia non c’è dibattito politico, inchiesta giornalistica o discorso in famiglia in cui non si senta la frase “facciamo come in Svizzera”. Ma a questa ammirazione segue sempre, appunto, un “ma…” Il “ma…” è pronunciato di regola da un personaggio mediamente triste e pessimista, che pensa che tutti gli uomini siano una manica di lestofanti che hanno bisogno di un ente superiore che li tenga in riga. La controparte è invece rappresentata da un personaggio usualmente fuori dagli schemi, nel modo di vestire come in quello di pensare, moderatamente ottimista che ritiene l’uomo un animale sociale che trae vantaggio nel rapporto con
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gli altri e pensa che i guai arrivino proprio quando i suoi simili si affidano ciecamente a presunti enti superiori (in particolare lo Stato, la Nazione e il Partito). Naturalmente si tratta di due estremi e sappiamo che Dio ha cacciato l’uomo dal Paradiso Terrestre non perché Eva ha mangiato il frutto della sapienza, ma perché s’ingozzò con la mela del pregiudizio e del luogo comune. Alcune notizie di cronaca di questi giorni raffigurano questo contradditorio modo di pensare. Sui media locali prima e su quelli nazionali poi, è uscita la notizia che in Svizzera cercano contadini stagionali. Naturalmente non sarebbe una notizia di per sé, ma aveva la curiosa postilla che lo stipendio per questa occupazione può superare i tremila euro, ciò quanto in Italia guadagna un dipendente di medio livello nel privato, una cifra che rappresenta addirittura un miraggio per molti dirigenti del settore pubblico. Ed ecco che parte la reazione. Da una parte siti e social network sono invasi da commenti ricchi di ammirazione e soprattutto di richieste di informazioni (“A chi devo rivolgere la domanda? Quando si comincia? Quanto dura il contratto?” ecc. ecc.). Ma subito dopo ecco arrivare i pensanti e pesanti “ma…”. “Povera Italia come siamo ridotti, siamo diventati come gli albanesi che venivano da noi negli anni ’80…”, “Eh bravi gli svizzeri, coi soldi che fanno chiudendo uno occhio su riciclaggio e evasione…”, “In Svizzera non vado neppure se dovessi morire di fame, è così noiosa” ecc. ecc. Nessuno che si domandi perché l’agricoltura italiana – fiore all’occhiello del Belpaese per decenni – non rappresenti più un’attrattiva. Nessuno che rifletta sulle politiche dell’Unione Europea (da cui la Svizzera si tiene alla larga) che hanno messo in crisi il settore, sulle trasformazioni della globalizzazione che avrebbero suggerito il cambiamento di obsolete e sovvenzionate economie agricole già nei decenni passati. Nessuno che si domandi perché in Italia, in tanti casi, gli stagionali sono pagati con salari da fame e in nero. No, nessuno si
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ai pregiudizi. Bisogna quindi indagare nell’animo umano per trovare una spiegazione. E la risposta è semplice: è tutta invidia. E si tratta di un’invidia ancor più forte perché noi italiani, soprattutto della parte settentrionale del paese, vediamo nella Svizzera quello che potevamo essere e non siamo. Non siamo perché la storia prende strade diverse. Se a Marignano fosse andata diversamente… Ma la storia non si fa con i se e con i ma. Però possiamo continuare a giocare per scovare i motivi di questa invidia, che corrono il rischio di essere altrettanti luoghi comuni sull’Italia. Ecco qualche esempio. Le banche? Le hanno inventate gli italiani e adesso gli svizzeri sono i migliori. Città e paesaggio? In Italia sono la “grande bellezza” ma affondano nel degrado, mentre gli elvetici curano maniacalmente ogni aspetto del loro “panorama”. L’eccellenza nella manifattura? Una prerogativa del grande artigiano italico, ma in molti settori gli svizzeri ci hanno superato. Tolleranza e Ospitalità? Capisaldi della nostra cultura, ma che adesso trovano seguaci più fedeli nei vari cantoni.
ferma a pensare. Largo al pregiudizio e al luogo comune e nuova corsa sulle montagne russe. E ancora. Proprio in questi giorni arriva la notizia dell’accordo sulla trasparenza bancaria firmato tra Svizzera e alcuni paesi Ue e subito dopo arriva una nuova lista di presunti evasori fiscali italiani con conti correnti nella banche della Confederazione. Lascio immaginare i commenti… Spuntano anche quelli, spesso salutari, di chi ama andare controcorrente ed esclama infuriato che “non c’è più la Svizzera di una volta”.
Si potrebbe andare avanti per ore con questo gioco. Resta il fatto che questa invidia si nutre anche della consapevolezza, a volte venata di rabbia, che l’Italia potrebbe essere molto meglio se solo placasse la voracità della politica che necessita di un sistema fiscale ingordo, se snellisse la sua bulimica burocrazia, se adottasse la meritocrazia abbandonando il “familismo amorale”. Battaglie queste su cui tutti concordano ma che sembra impossibile vincere. E così noi italiani restiamo a guardare ammirati l’antica Elvezia, mentre qualcuno da sotto soffia “ma…”
Infine il gran finale con la storia della Fifa e di Blatter, naturalmente la Svizzera non c’entra nulla, ma i malmostosi non possono fare a meno di notare: “Guarda caso la sede è a Zurigo” e via sparlando. Senza che nessuno si fermi a riflettere sul fatto che la Svizzera è sede delle più importanti organizzazioni internazionali non governative che non potrebbero essere ospitate altrove per garantirsi libertà e neutralità. Come spiegare questi luoghi comuni? Se si osservano la storia e l’attualità è difficile trovare una giustificazione
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| AFFARI
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In arrivo una stangata fiscale per i pendolari in auto Di Samuele Vorpe, responsabile Centro competenze tributarie, docente-ricercatore SUPSI
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l 9 febbraio 2014 viene ricordato da molte persone per l’approvazione da parte del Popolo e dei Cantoni dell’iniziativa popolare dell’UDC contro l’immigrazione di massa. Quel giorno, però, Popolo e Cantoni hanno pure accettato il Decreto federale concernente il finanziamento e l’ampliamento dell’infrastruttura ferroviaria (controprogetto diretto all’iniziativa popolare “Per i trasporti pubblici”). L’obiettivo perseguito con la revisione della Costituzione federale è stato quello di garantire il finanziamento a Iungo termine dell‘esercizio, della manutenzione e dell‘ampliamento dell’infrastruttura ferroviaria. Tra le diverse misure previste per finanziare l’infrastruttura ferroviaria, il Consiglio federale aveva proposto il 18 gennaio 2012, con la susseguente approvazione delle Camere federali avvenuta il 21 giugno 2013 e il cui termine di referendum è scaduto il 25 settembre 2014, di limitare nell’ambito dell’imposta federale diretta la deduzione per le spese di trasporto del proprio veicolo privato per i lavoratori dipendenti. Oggi, ai fini dell’imposta federale diretta è infatti possibile portare in deduzione dal reddito, quale spesa per il suo conseguimento, il costo del trasporto del proprio veicolo privato se, eccezionalmente, nessun mezzo pubblico è a disposizione o se il contribuente non può servirsene (per esempio in caso di infermità, distanza notevole dalla più vicina fermata, orario sfavorevole, ecc.). La deduzione, in tal caso, oscilla tra i 65-70 cts per km percorso ogni giorno, per lo spostamento dal proprio domicilio al luogo di lavoro e viceversa. Il legislatore non ha tuttavia previsto alcun tetto massimo, per cui questa deduzione, a dipendenza della distanza percorsa, può raggiungere
migliaia e migliaia di franchi, con evidenti risparmi fiscali per il contribuente che utilizza la sua automobile privata e, al contrario, con ricadute negative in termini di gettito fiscale per l’erario. Il nuovo art. 26 cpv. 1 lett. a LIFD, che entrerà in vigore il 1° gennaio 2016, stabilisce la deducibilità delle “spese di trasporto necessarie dal domicilio al luogo di lavoro fino a un importo massimo di 3’000 franchi”. Il legislatore, seguendo le indicazioni dell’esecutivo, ha quindi fissato nella legge federale sull’imposta federale diretta un limite massimo con lo scopo di finanziarie l’infrastruttura ferroviaria, da un lato, e favorire l’utilizzo del mezzo pubblico, dall’altro. La presente modifica federale non prevede tuttavia che i Cantoni debbano modificare le loro legislazioni cantonali in materia di deduzione fiscale dei costi di trasporto. Ad essi, infatti, viene offerta “soltanto” la possibilità, ma non l’obbligo, di fissare un limite superiore per la deduzione delle spese di trasporto ai fini dell’imposta cantonale sul reddito, ai sensi dell’art. 9 cpv. 1, ultima frase LAID (“Per le spese di trasporto necessarie dal domicilio al luogo di lavoro può essere fissato un importo massimo”). Al momento diversi Cantoni (per esempio San Gallo e Berna) hanno deciso di seguire la via del tetto massimo per la deduzione delle spese di trasporto dei pendolari. Il Canton Ticino potrà dunque decidere di seguire la nuova impostazione della LIFD, come anche di continuare a mantenere lo status quo. Quel che è certo è che ai fini dell’imposta federale diretta per i pendolari che utilizzano quotidianamente l’auto la bolletta diverrà sicuramente più salata!
www.supsi.ch
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| CULTURA
Semper in Domino, quando l’arte
L
RISCOPRE LE RADICI
’arte è il medium più potente. L’artista, attraverso la sua opera che arriva al cervello e all’anima, ci aiuta a comprendere il passato, ad interpretare il presente e ad intuire il futuro. E quando il mercante d’arte, il curatore di mostre, l’organizzatore di eventi riescono ad unire più artisti, per lanciare un messaggio forte e preciso, siamo di fronte ad un’autentica operazione culturale, più vigorosa di tanti discorsi sociologici e politici. Dal cuore profondo della turrita Bologna si è levato - verrebbe da dire come per magia, ma in realtà grazie ad un infaticabile lavoro - un messaggio autentico e potente. Nel momento in cui i minacciosi tamburi dell’intolleranza sono diventati tragica quotidianità, la mostra Semper in Domino ci porge un messagio positivo e di speranza. Un messaggio non provocatorio e di scontro, ma di affermazione, attraverso la bellezza, delle nostre
Alessandro Merlanti
Prof. Giuseppe Trono and Monsignor Nanni
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radici culturali cristiane, della redenzione in Cristo, dei valori di una fede che ha contribuito a forgiare, in meglio e in tutti i campi, la nostra umanità. Negli splendidi spazi della galleria Acquaderni, che porta il nome dell’avvocato Giovanni, straordinaria figura del movimento cattolico italiano, tra le eleganti sale d’esposizione della Galleria Bongiovanni e gli spazi esterni di quella che fu la Chiesa di San Giobbe, opere antiche e contemporanee, di artisti affermati a livello internazionale, sembrano far gara per rilanciare questo messaggio eterno. Tra potenti moderni crocifissi ossidati che ci parlano di passione e immortalità, splendidi Ceri Sacri decorati magistralmente, suggestive e materiche raffigurazioni dei volti della nostra fede, la mente del visitatore compie un percorso carico di emozioni tra il passato e il nostro incerto futuro. Di fronte a queste opere, al messaggio rinnovato, si ha la consapevolezza che anche in questo travagliato presente, dove è tornata l’inumana persecuzione dei cristiani, c’è sempre una solida roccia a cui aggrapparsi. E tra allestimenti arditi e modernissimi, tornano gli eterni volti di donna, quelli delle nostre madri, mogli e figlie. Ecce Ancilla Domini, tema immortale della gentile presenza femminile, sempre celebrata e colonna www.heditionmagazine.com
portante già della primordiale civilità mediterranea che si è rafforzata nella cristianità. Le genuine Sacre Famiglie di secoli passati rafforzano questo concetto e idealmente si uniscono a questi volti femminei della modernità. Il messaggio potente è stato recepito vista l’affluenza e la grande partecipazione di un pubblico esperto ed esigente al vernissage del 28 Maggio. Una presentazione nobilitata dalla presenza di Monsignor Massimo Nanni, amministratore della Cattedrale di San Pietro nella Metropolitana, incarnazione di quella bonomia che è la caratteristica più nobile della città felsinea e del suo territorio. La mostra, che potrà essere ammirata fino al 7 giugno, è stata organizzata da Bongiovanni Gallerie, grazie alla cura dell’infaticabile Raimonda Z. Bongiovanni, in collaborazione con la Cattedrale di San Pietro e la Fondazione Pallotti. Significativo il supporto di Anchorage Group, della Fondazione Forense Bolognese, del Corpo Consolare dell’Emilia Romagna e di Generali. Unicredit ha concesso gli spazi esterni. Con questa mostra si è aperta una collaborazione tra la Cattedrale di San Pietro in Bologna e Anchorge Group che, visto il primo risultato, avrà interessanti sviluppi in futuro. Di Franco Fregni 69
| INTERVISTA
Chef AndreA BertArini ConCa Bella enoTeCa RisToRanTe alBeRGo
Michelin-starred Chef Andrea Bertarini, who mixes Mediterranean tradition with an endless quest for modernity, influenced by aromas and fragrances of distant countries. Michelin Chef Andrea Bertarini che unisce alla tradizione mediterranea una continua ricerca di modernità, influenzato da aromi e profumi di paesi lontani. How many years has the Conca Bella been in business for?
Da quanti anni il Conca Bella ha aperto la sua attività?
We opened our doors back in April 1984, so 31 years ago!
Abbiamo aperto il 14 aprile 1984. Quindi 31 anni fa.
You are very close to Lake Como does the beautiful scenery around you inspire your cooking style.
Voi siete situati molto vicini al lago di Como, il bellissimo scenario che vi circonda ha ispirato il vostro modo di cucinare?
We are fortunate to be surrounded by glorious scenery, the area definitely gives an extra added source of inspirations and the Lake offers amazing fresh fish such as Perch and Pike
Siamo praticamente a metà strada, tra il lago di Como e quello del Ceresio.Il territorio è sicuramente fonte d’ispirazione e il lago offre pesci straordinari come il lucioperca e il pesce persico.
What is the secret of maintaining a Michelin starred restaurant?
Qual è il segreto per mantenere un ristorante stellato Michelin?
We are very passionate about what we do and keep our professional heads on for the strategy of rules that the Michelin board require.
Non ci sono delle regole precise per mantenere la stella Michelin, ma sicuramente la professionalità e la grande passione aiutano tanto.
How long have you been cooking professionally?
Da quanto tempo cucina in maniera professionale?
16 years and I love every minute of it.
Ho appena compiuto 33 anni, quindi sono esattamente 16 anni.
How would you describe your style of cooking?
Come descriverebbe il suo stile di cucina?
Fresh, inviting and constantly evolving with new ideas
Evoluzione ma senza rivoluzione.
Is there a secret for a successful restaurant?
Esiste un segreto per un ristorante di successo?
Yes definitely, every aspect of running a successful restaurant comes down to each section, from suppliers to front of house.
Non c`è un solo segreto, la ristorazione è come un grande “puzzle”. Ognuno ha il suo compito, fornitori, collaboratori, materie prime, ricerca. Solo incastrando ogni singolo pezzo al posto giusto si ottiene un grande ristorante.
Do you have a “signature dish” or favourite dish you enjoy cooking? My ‘signature dish’ is one that is made and cooked for the people I love it could be something different each time, cooking really comes from the heart to nurture.
Do you have a favourite ingredient? I tend to change depending on what I am cooking. I am always on the lookout for new ingredients to compliment dishes.
Any advice you would give to someone wanting to become a chef? Be curious, be passionate. Work hard and enjoy learning.
Who inspired you to start cooking? I am one of a long line of family members to cook, the transition for me was a natural step and one where I wanted to learn as much as I could from those before me.
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Ha un piatto che la contraddistingue o un piatto favorito che le piace cucinare? Dico sempre che il piatto più “bello” è quello cucinato per le persone care, è indifferente cosa sia.
Ha un ingrediente preferito? Cambia spesso, sono sempre alla ricerca di nuove “note” per la mia cucina
Ci sarebbe qualche consiglio che darebbe a chi volesse diventare uno chef? Siate curiosi e appassionati, il problema è che la curiosità e la passione non si possono comprare. Buona fortuna.
A chi si è ispirato per iniziare a cucinare? Vengo da una famiglia di ristoratori quindi loro sono stati i primi poi sono arrivati i grandi chef e da ognuno di loro ho cercato d’apprendere il massimo. www.heditionmagazine.com
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| CULTURA
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Angela Mingardo L’Hungarian Royal Opera House – ora conosciuta come l’Hungarian State Opera House – nasce nel 1884. L’Hungarian National Ballet faceva parte della comunità del nuovo teatro. Sin dall’inizio, l’Hungarian National Ballet si guadagna la reputazione di essere tra le migliori compagnie in Europa. Il corpo di ballo comprende 60 artisti: 30 ballerine e 30 studenti che si esibiscono regolarmente negli spettacoli. Questo mese abbiamo avuto la possibilità di intervistare la ballerina Angela Mingardo per chiederle del suo ruolo nella compagnia, della sua vita e della sua passione per la danza.
Da dove nasce il tuo sogno di diventare una ballerina? Danzo da quando ho 5 anni. Le bambine solitamente sono attratte dalle “punte” rosa e dal tutu, ma per me da lì non nasceva solo la magia ma la passione per tutto il mondo del balletto. Da adolescente questa passione è diventata un’ambizione: sapevo che la mia vocazione era la danza. Ho iniziato lavorando all’Arena di Verona, poi nel MaggioDanza a Firenze, infine nel Balletto del Sud a Lecce. È veramente un peccato che il mondo artistico italiano non sia fiorente come dovrebbe, che le compagnie di ballo stiano chiudendo e che per una ballerina ambiziosa non sia facile trovare lavoro. Anche se è stato difficile lasciare il mio paese, quando due anni fa ho avuto l’opportunità di fare l’audizione nel prestigioso Hungarian National Ballet, l’ho colta al volo e sono stata davvero fortunata a essere presa.
Attualmente fai parte del Corpo di Ballo, qual è il ruolo dei tuoi sogni? Adoro i Balletti romantici come “Giselle” quanto l’emozione e la passione che si prova a interpretare ruoli da protagonista. Sogno di poter interpretare il ruolo di Tatiana in “Onegin”, una storia d’amore unica e struggente, e Mercedes, la zingara seducente del Don Chisciotte. Questa stagione ho avuto il piacere di danzare ne “Il Lago dei Cigni” che è il sogno di ogni ballerino. Ne sono stata veramente entusiasta.
Quale pensi che sarà il tuo futuro nel balletto? La vita di una ballerina è come quella di una farfalla: incredibile ma corta. Ho 26 anni e questi sono gli anni migliori per la carriera di una ballerina, per questo voglio viverli a pieno e cogliere ogni occasione che mi si
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presenti davanti. La carriera di una ballerina solitamente finisce a 45 anni: per quel momento vorrei essere diventata una solista. Quando smetterò di ballare mi piacerebbe aprire una scuola di danza nella mia città natale in Italia, a Padova, e usare così la mia passione e la mia esperienza per ispirare gli altri.
Quali sono stati i momenti in cui ti sei sentita più realizzata come ballerina? Ci sono stati molti momenti per me fonte di orgoglio e di piacere, come ad esempio passare l’audizione per il Munich Ballet Academy all’età di 15 anni – uno dei momenti in cui ho sentito che la danza era il mio destino – e ballare il primo atto di “Giselle” durante una serata di gala all’Arena di Verona, di fronte a un incredibile pubblico di 15.000 persone. Sono anche estremamente orgogliosa di poter lavorare adesso in una compagnia di ballo così grande, fiorente e ricca dal punto di vista culturale. Nel corso dell’anno ho avuto la possibilità di lavorare e imparare da diversi e importanti maestri di balletto e coreografi. L’enorme piacere che ricevo da questo compensa la scelta di vivere così lontano dalla mia famiglia.
Da quali ballerini ti senti ispirata come danzatrice? Ci sono così tante stelle del balletto per me fonte di genuina ispirazione che è difficile sceglierne solo qualcuna. Ho passato molto tempo a guardare prime ballerine come Natalia Osipova, Olesya Novikova e Isabelle Ciaravola su internet per provare a ispirarmi e ritrovare nelle mie prestazioni la verve e l’abilità che le caratterizzano e che rendono così magiche le loro performance. www.opera.hu/en/balett/
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| FINE WINES
Vini Del Mese Raccomandato di Signor Roberto Lechiancole Proprietario Prime Altura Wine Resort Prime Alture
Il Bianco Denominazione: Bianco I.G.P. Provincia di Pavia Vitigini: Chardonnay 50%, Moscato 50% Età media delle vigne: 10 anni Raccolta Uve: Tradizionale a mano in cassette Resa media per ettaro: 8000 chilogrammi/5500 litri Tipologia prodotto: Vino brillante di colore giallo paglierino, profumo complesso e intenso di pera, banana, petali di rosa, caprifoglio e noce moscata. In bocca è equilibrato, fresco e persistente, il grado alcolico moderato e la buona acidità ne esaltano la bevibilità. Price: €9 per bottiglia
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L’Altra Metà del Cuore Merlot Denominazione: I.G.P. Merlot Vitigno: Merlot in purezza Età media delle vigne: 20 anni Raccolta Uve: Tradizionale a mano in cassette Resa media per ettaro: 7000 chilogrammi/4900 litri Tipologia prodotto: Vino dal colore rosso rubino profondo e brillante, profumo penetrante e piacevole con sentori eleganti di sottobosco, amarena e ricordi di fieno. In bocca è equilibrato, ricco di sapore e di buona persistenza. Il breve passaggio in piccole botti di rovere francese esalta le caratteristiche del vitigno. Price: €15 per bottiglia. www.primealture.it 74
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