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BRIC MAGAZINE

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Life inside the

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November 2013

Headquartered in London, House of the Nobleman has established itself as an innovative and acclaimed organization specializing in cutting-edge curatorial projects and artist management in addition to serving as a reputable adviser for elite clientele. Founded in 2010, House of the Nobleman has grown into an internationally-renowned company with offices in both London and New York.

Beyond providing expertise on art and the art market, we organize and produce art exhibitions and placements that create new possibilities for architectural landmarks and developments by bringing publicity to these spaces through the medium of art. Our work ranges in scope from large-scale curatorial projects to sourcing art and design for private and corporate clients. We build brand awareness through art-related sponsorship as well as implementing art residencies and educational programming.

House of the Nobleman utilizes a network of professionals providing unique event experiences that associate your brand/company with luxury level, cutting-edge consumer engagement. This is done largely through privately sponsored, satellite art exhibitions with a corresponding program of private events.

House of the Nobleman provides an established, multidisciplinary platform for the artists that we work with and has an international client base and professional network consisting of private collectors, galleries, artists, and professional advisers that support and help fortify the execution of these high-profile projects and events.

SUNSEEKER YACHT

NEVILLE TULI

LORD KARAN BILIMORIA

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CANNE

ANKIT LOVE

TAJ LAKE PALACE

LYDIA VLADIMIRSKAYA

ALEX ATALA

Oksana Mas Large sphere of goodness and spiritual revival, 2013

www.houseofthenobleman.com By appointment only: info@houseofthenobleman.com

CHRISTIE’S CHINA

TETYANA VERYOVKINA

VERONICA VORONINA

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THE BEGUM’S BATH

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Contact: Matteo Rignanese Mobile: +39 342 33 61 525 matteo.rignanese@icona-stc.com Official: www.iconavulcano.com Twitter: @IconaVulcano Facebook: www.facebook.com/iconavulcano

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WELCOME I am delighted and extremely proud to welcome you to the launch issue of BRIC Magazine – a publication like no other.

Expert sources have predicted that the BRIC economies might overpower the G7 economies by 2027 such is the rapidity of their growth. If this prediction is to come true, you can bet that BRIC Magazine will be there every step of the way.

Allow me to introduce you to the sections into which our magazine has been dissected – Success, Society, Toys, Arts & Culture, Love and Smart Advice, each of which homes inspirational stories, insightful interviews, intelligent advice and truly interesting articles.

In this launch issue we have had the privilege of speaking to some of the most fascinating individuals to emerge from the BRIC countries: China’s number one matchmaker, Gong Haiyan (p. 26); Victoria’s Secret model, Tetyana Veryovkina (p. 30); lifestyle management expert and CEO of The Anonymous, Veronica Voronina (p. 34); India’s leading art’s representative, Neville Tuli (p. 66); and 2012’s Asian Wine Personality of the Year, Judy Leissner (p. 88). I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank each of them for their support of this issue.

I hope you enjoy reading this magazine and thank you, too, for your support. Any feedback you have at all would be most welcome, so please do not hesitate to get in touch. This will undoubtedly help us develop the next issue – out in the New Year; an issue I am already excited about working on.

Finally, I would like to say a huge thank you to the BRIC team for all their hard work and for making this launch issue as special as it is. Here’s to 2014.

James Massoud Editor

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SUCCESS

10 The Mysterious Musketeers Of Brazil Did you know Budweiser, Burger King and Heinz are now owned by three Brazilian billionaires – Jorge Paulo Lemann, Marcel Telles and Carlos Sicupira?

14 How to Successfully Create A Social Networking Site Demonstrating how Pavel Durov founded VK.com, the second-biggest social networking site in Europe, behind Facebook.

18 The Cobra King And The Brightest Star We take a look at Lord Karan Bilimoria’s – founder of Cobra Beer – involvement with the Sirius Programme, which attracts and supports student entrepreneurs from around the world.

24 Why The Future’s Bright For China China has become the leader in clean energy supplies and Li Hejun is leading the way.

26 How To Find Love And Success We talk exclusively to Gong Haiyan who set up a dating website in order to find love.

She achieved this and vast wealth after it became China’s most used love match site.

30 What Makes A Victoria’s Secret Model We met with Tetyana Veryovkina – the model and fashion mogul’s muse – to discuss her unexpected road to success.

34 How To Grow A Lifestyle Empire Veronica Voronina provides us with an insight into how she manages her highly successful lifestyle consultancy, The Anonymous.

38 The Soldier Who Became The Commander Of The Seas Wang Jianlin, chairman of Dalian Wanda Group, has now purchased Sunseeker Yachts as well as AMC Entertainment.

SOCIETY

44 The Most Glamorous Event Of The Year Veronica Voronina offers us a recap of the De Grisogono 20th Anniversary this year, the highlight of the events calendar.

46 Event Highlights Of The Year A look back at a fun-filled and glamorous 2013.

TOYS

50 The Sale Of The Year Nirvana Yacht is up for sale at a cool £195 million.

54 How 2014 Will Be Seen News spread fast about the Indian doctor who performed surgery with Google Glass, so we examine the most talked about product on the market.

56 The Sky On Your Wrist The Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia is one of the most sought after watches in the world.

58 How Rolls-Royce Get Their Inspiration An ancient Chinese discovery inspired Rolls-Royce to create the one-off Ghost Chengdu Golden Sun Bird.

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ARTS & CULTURE

66 The Art Ambassador Determined To Create An Oxford For India We talked to Neville Tuli about his mission to promote Indian art and culture in his country and around the world.

70 How Christie’s Succeeded In China The first auction in mainland China for Christie’s got off to a roaring success after it netted an impressive $25 million (£15 million).

74 Why Brazilian Art Is On-Trend Brazil’s art scene is flourishing with exhibitions cropping up all around the world, including Tate Modern.

78 A Russian Village’s Impact On The World’s Architecture An insider’s perspective to the ‘garden city’ of Russia, otherwise known as the Artist’s Village.

82 The Revolutionist of Amazonian Gastronomy A taste of Alex Atala’s life as a world-renowned chef and the work he does with the indigenous people of Brazil.

88 Growing A Vineyard In China We learn how Judy Leissner dutifully stepped forward to take the reins of her father’s vineyard.

LOVE

94 Why Men Love Brazilian Women A first-hand account of what it is about Brazilian women that makes them so desirable to men.

98 Why Older Men Go For Younger Women We speak to two psychologists about why it is that older men get into relationships with younger women.

102 Top Four Romantic Getaways

The BRIC countries are home to some of the most romantic getaways in the world and we review the four best.

SMART ADVICE

110 Why To Invest In Brazil’s Favelas

Gentrification of Rio’s shantytowns makes this the perfect time to invest in property there.

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Founder Lydia Vladimirskaya Co-founder & Creative Advisor Ankit Love Editor James Massoud Business Developers Charlotte Bergman Sean Geh Operations Manager Stephanie Lamey Designer Ben Slater Contributors Kayla Kedrowen, Andre Gayle, Alexandra Truta, Nastya Chernyakova, Alfie Lambert, Joseph Simas, Mike Miller With special thanks to: Veronica Voronina, Tetyana Veryovkina, Judy Leissner, Gong Haiyan, Neville Tuli, Caron and Glenn Barruw, and the UKTI For editorial and advertising enquiries: Call: 020 7245 6120 Email: info@bricmagazine.co.uk Š Hanzi Media Ltd. All rights reserved. All material in BRIC Magazine is wholly copyrighted and reproduction without the written permission of the Publisher is strictly forbidden. Neither this publication nor its contents constitute an explicit endorsement by Hanzi Media Ltd, of the products or services mentioned in advertising or editorial content. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Hanzi Media Ltd shall not have any liability for errors or omissions.

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SUCCESS The Mysterious Musketeers Of Brazil How to Successfully Create A Social Networking Site The Cobra King And The Brightest Star Why The Future’s Bright For China How To Find Love And Success What Makes A Victoria’s Secret Model How To Grow A Lifestyle Empire The Soldier Who Became The Commander Of The Seas

SUCCESS

Veronica Voronina

Each of us strives to make a success of our life in order to achieve a better way of living. To succeed in life means to gain respect from our peers, to be able to provide for our family, to have something to one day pass down to our children – all of which comes with hard work. In this section we share the inspirational stories of those who have succeeded in their life.

We gained exclusive interviews with Veronica Voronina, Tetyana Veryovkina and Gong Haiyan – three strong women from different walks of life who have each got themselves onto the right paths thanks to their successful careers.

From three strong independent women, we also look at the three most

powerful men in Brazil whose collaboration has led to them becoming the owners of Budweiser, Burger King and Heinz. With all good things coming in threes, we also spoke exclusively to three upcoming entrepreneurs who have applied to the Sirius Programme, of which the highly respected Lord Karan Bilimoria is a spokesman.

Also in this section, readers can learn about the man behind Europe’s second most used social networking site, Pavel Durov; why Asia will account for 70 per cent of incremental energy demand, thanks to businessmen like Li Hejun; and how Wang Jianlin went from being a soldier to becoming one of China’s wealthiest men.

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THE MYSTERIOUS MUSKETEERS OF BRAZIL

Image courtesy of Oglobo

Following the purchase of Budweiser, Burger King and Heinz Nastya Chernyakova sheds light on the three quiet men making a big impact in business.

Jorge Paulo Lemann (Centre)

When you hear the word “musketeers” what country do you think of? Undoubtedly, France will spring to mind. And so it should, being as it was the 17th century setting for Alexandre Dumas’ novel, The Three Musketeers. Fast-forward to the 21st century and this is a sobriquet that has been attributed to three Brazilian businessmen – Jorge Paulo Lemann, Marcel Herrmann Telles and Carlos Alberto Sicupira, the richest men in the South American country. But who exactly is this billionaire trio that shuns media attention and declines to ever comment or give interviews?

Who is this private triumvirate devouring huge American businesses, such as Burger King, Heinz and Budweiser? Little is known of these mystery men who prefer to remain out of the limelight, which only makes them even more fascinating.

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Friendship

The trio are the controlling shareholders of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the largest beer company in the world. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. Let us take it back a bit. Let us begin in 1971 when the three friends first ventured into business together. Lemann, Telles and Sicupira founded an investment bank called Banco Garantia. A strong test to the men’s friendship was to come just a few weeks later when the market crashed horribly. Underneath the weight of this crash, however, was a bedrock of sterner stuff – an unbreakable bond between the three that drove them and their newfound business onwards and upwards.

In fact, they succeeded in steering the bank into becoming one of the country’s most prestigious, which led to Forbes once describing it as a ‘Brazilian version of Goldman Sachs.’ In 1998, the trio sold the bank to Credit Suisse First Boston for $675 million (£420 million).

Image courtesy of Rex

Marcel Telles

The connection to this Zurich-based buyer came from Lemann, the spearhead of the three and Brazil’s richest man with an estimated net worth of $18.9 billion (£11.7 billion).

Born in 1939 in Elôi-Mendes, Brazil to Swiss immigrants Lemann went on to study Economics at Harvard’s. A flirtation with professional tennis aside – Lemann was a one-time champion and even played at Wimbledon – Brazil’s richest man abandoned his sporting prowess in order to pursue his business career with his two trusted allies – Telles (worth $9.1 billion (£5.6 billion)) and Sicupira (worth $5.3 billion (£3.2 billion)), both of whom have dabbled in their own sporting adventures: Telles is an avid deep sea diver and Sicupira is the world record holder for underwater spear fishing.

Kings of Beer

Another nickname that has been attached to the men is the “Kings of Beer”; this is the part where Anheuser-Busch InBev comes in. A year after the sale of their bank the three musketeers bought the control of a Brazilian brewery called AmBev. With the three at the helm they managed to guide their business into an astoundingly powerful position.

By 2003, AmBev had control of 65 per cent of the Brazilian beer market, as well as 80 per cent of Argentina’s market and a strong grip on Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia. This revealed that AmBev was making a monstrous pre-tax profit margin of 35 per cent on sales of $2.7 billion (£1.6 billion).

In 2004 AmBev merged with Interbrew of Belgium and became InBev, strengthening the Brazilians’ position even further. In 2008 InBev went on to buy the world-famous Anheuser-Busch for an eye-watering $52 billion (£32 billion). The acquisition of this legendary American brewer, home to Budweiser, gained the trio much media attention.

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And how did the trio react? By displaying their ruthless streak as they went on to fire the executives and five per cent of the American employees. This was done in order to impose a leaner structure.

Carlos Sicupira, underwater spearfishing world record holder

Image courtesy of Coolcaesar

Meanwhile, in 2004 – still under the radar – the Brazilian musketeers founded a global investment firm which they called 3G Capital. With the beer money made from their brewery investments they turned their attention back to this. Two years after the whopping purchase of Anheuser-Busch, 3G Capital announced a whopper of its own with the $3.3 billion (£2 billion) acquisition of Burger King. In February this year 3G Capital made another announcement; the H.J Heinz company had been bought for a staggering $28 billion (£17 billion).

Bernardo Hees was immediately appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of Heinz. ‘I am honoured […] to become Heinz’s seventh CEO in the Company’s renowned 144-year history,’ he said of his new role. ‘I look forward to building upon Heinz’s incredible platform and delivering world-class products for all our consumers around the world, while maintaining the Company’s unwavering commitment to quality, safety and superior customer service.’

As has come to be expected from these three musketeers, they send forth one of their CEO’s to expound another one of their lucrative deals. But the latest deal leaves one wondering who in the market the three men have in their sights next.

As though this were not enough to ponder, take a moment to consider that Lemann, Telles and Sicupira have their fingers in many other pies as well: Lemann has previously been a member of the board at Gillette and Brahma, is currently a board member of Lojas Americanas, the Chairman of the Latin American Advisory Committee of the New York Stock Exchange, the founder of Fundação Estudar, which supports Brazilian students (there is a fellowship named after him), and an inspiration to his close friend Warren Buffett who once famously described the Brazilian as ‘his professor’; Telles was also a CEO at Brahma and remains on the board of Lojas Americanas – a Brazilian retail chain with 749 department stores in 25 of the country’s states; Sicupira, meanwhile, is the chairman of Lojas Americanas.

The three have been compared to the legendary musketeers because, like the characters of Alexandre Dumas novel, the trio have remained friends over the course of many years: the musketeers of the Dumas novel remained friends for 20 years, while the Brazilian musketeers have exceeded that record by remaining friends for 42 years. That longevity, their power and their acquisitions show no signs of abating.

Image courtesy of International Underwater Spearfishing Association

Global investment

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Burger King headquarters

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HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY CREATE A SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE Everyone can guess what Europe’s most popular social networking site is, but not many people will be aware of what’s second. Nastya Chernyakova explores the success of this particular site, and its young founder.

Early life

The young entrepreneur was born on the 10th October, 1984 in Saint-Petersburg. His father was a philologist, the head of the classic philosophy chair in university and an author of many scientific works, while his mother had two higher educations.

It was due to his father’s work commitments that Durov spent most of his childhood growing up in Turin, Italy.

Upon his return to his native Russia Durov entered the Academic Gymnasium of State University of SaintPetersburg. It was here, in 1996, that Durov’s interest in programming began to develop.

Honing his own skills in his own time, Durov put his programming abilities into practice through various childish pranks, much to the chagrin of his teachers; his most infamous being the changing of all the backgrounds on his school’s computers to a photo of his math teacher with a caption: Must Die.

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It was while he was studying English philology and its translations as a student at the State University of Saint Petersburg (SUSP) in 2002 that VKontakte was founded.

Early experiments

Pavel Durov is often referred to as the Mark Zuckerberg of Russia. While it remains true that there are many loose parallels between the pair: they both founded famous social networking websites during their university years; they both have (will have shortly, in Durov’s case) a movie about them; they both have (will have, in Durov’s case) a movie about them; and they both didn’t like the movie about them even before it came out – there also remain several differences between the two entrepreneurs. While Zuckerberg has roughly three thousand people working for his website, Durov’s website managed to become Europe’s second biggest social networking website with just 200 people working for it.

There are major differences between the two websites, too. VKontakte is able to boast features that Facebook doesn’t have, such as allowing users to listen to music for free, allowing users to upload audio content, and allowing users to watch movies for free.

But one more similarity between Durov and Zuckerberg is that both created early sites before unleashing the one that would cement their names and statuses in entrepreneurial stardom.

Image courtesy of VK.com

What social networking website do you think of when you see a single white letter in front of a blue background? The answer may seem obvious, but there is an alternative: VKontakte, which just so happens to be the second largest social networking website in Europe, behind the other site with a white letter on a blue square. Step forward Pavel Durov, the site’s young Russian entrepreneur and programmer.

Pavel Durov

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Before VKontakte Durov created non-commercial social sites that would allow students to exchange information about course work and other things. The sites were called Durov.com and Spbgu.ru.

Durov.com was created in 2002. It was an electronic library for students that studied humanism. Spbgu. ru was Durov’s next project. Unlike the first website, which was an electronic library, Spbgu.ru was a forum for the students of the State University of SaintPetersburg, on which Durov liked to initiate many discussions as well as amuse himself by conversing alone by using different usernames.

Early success

Durov realised that despite the popularity of the websites he created, those who used them never really got to know each other, since they all used nicknames and/or avatars to hide their identity. This meant that even if users studied at the same class or group, they would never know who they were communicating with online.

In 2006, the same year the young programmer graduated with a degree in philology, Durov – along with his friends Vyacheslav Mirilashvili and Ilya Evgenyevich – decided to create a social website where all users would be required to use their real name and use their real pictures instead of avatars. As a base for their website they used Facebook.

Originally the website was called Student. ru, but since Durov wanted to increase the demographic target the site was soon after renamed VKontakte, which in English means InContact or InTouch.

After months of betatesting VKontakte was officially born on the 1st October, 2006 when the domain vkontakte.ru was registered. It didn’t take long for the website to become very popular. In just one year VKontakte had three million users; by 2010 that number had increased 25 times.

Today, Durov’s creation has around 200 million users and about 45 million daily users.

As of 2011, the site had revenue of about $156 million (£97 million) per year; due to VKontakte’s rapid expansion, these numbers have undoubtedly changed. Despite VKontakte earning so much, only 20 per cent of revenue goes directly to Durov. When Durov was asked about this he replied that he created VKontakte for people and his self-realisation, money was the thing that bothered him the least. That being said, it was reported that as of 2012, Durov has a net worth of $250 million (£155 million).

Durov has posted that he knows Russian, English, French, Spanish, German, Italian and Latin, while he’s remained close to his family having employed his older brother Nikolai as the site’s technical director.

Unlike many successful businessmen Durov doesn’t wear expensive clothes, doesn’t buy expensive ‘toys’, doesn’t have a car or a mansion. Instead he opts to dress mainly in black, travel to work on the subway and live in a flat with a modest area of 20 square metres.

It’s fair to say that Durov is unlike many of his peers. While fellow rich businessmen in Russia like to use their power by expressing their views in their country’s politics, Durov prefers to conduct psychological experiments on unsuspecting people.

The most well-known of his experiments happened on 28th May, 2012, when Durov threw paper planes made out of 5000-ruble notes (£100) into a crowd of people and filmed it all. Durov posted the video onto his VKontakte page and commented that people started acting like monkeys sooner than he expected.

Perhaps that was the reason why the Russian Forbes included Durov in the list of Russia’s most unusual businessmen in 2011. Despite his somewhat cruel “experiments”, Durov does donate his money in more conventional manners; he recently gave the Wikipedia fund a million dollars.

Durov kept an air of mystery about himself by avoiding every opportunity at becoming a public figure; he didn’t join any IT conferences and never appeared on TV. He kept this up until 2012 when he attended the Digital-Life-Design conference in Munich, Germany.

In November of 2012 the book about Durov was published. Titled Durov’s Code, it was written by writer and journalist, Nikolai Kononov. The book tells the true story of VKontakte and breaks myths such as ones about VKontakte being founded by the mafia. Cue strong interest from numerous movie producers.

As of 2012, Durov has a net worth of $250 million

So just who is Pavel Durov? By now people were intrigued. Well, Durov isn’t married, he likes sciencefiction, is a Taoist and a vegetarian. He doesn’t smoke or consume alcohol and therefore refuses to advertise cigarettes and alcohol on VKontakte. On his own page

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Durov has had his fair share of critics, and he has long been criticised for not creating VKontakte, but simply borrowing an already existing idea. However, the critics tend to overlook the fact that in today’s world the skill to be able to adapt something popular at the right time and the right place is a much more suitably modern business model to adopt in order to succeed. As already identified, Durov added a lot of features to VKontakte, which Facebook doesn’t have and probably (due to piracy laws) won’t have, which is another example of having the ability to adapt already existing, successful concepts and capitalising on what they don’t do in order to maximise your own product.

Similarities between Durov and Zuckerberg’s backgrounds will continue, but their career paths are leading them into completely different futures.

Image courtesy of VK.com

Early insight

Early critics

Pavel Durov

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Image courtesy of UKTI

Lord Karan Bilimoria

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THE COBRA KING AND THE BRIGHTEST STAR Young entrepreneurs from all corners of the earth attended a festival in the UK in September with their innovative business ideas.

James Massoud offers a lowdown on spokesman Lord Karan Bilimoria and the Sirius Programme.

The brightest star in the night sky is known as ‘Sirius’, and so, when the UK Government set out to find the world’s brightest final year students and graduate entrepreneurs – as part of a new programme launched in September this year – there was really only one name to give it. And there was one man in particular whom they wanted involved whose presence and experience would lend a healthy dose of inspiration to the bright young minds.

Lord Karan Bilimoria

Lord Bilimoria was schooled in Hyderabad, India and moved to London after obtaining a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Osmania University. After qualifying as a chartered accountant with Ernst & Young via the London Metropolitan University, Lord Bilimoria went on to read law at Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge. While there he captained the University’s polo team and it was during a tour of India with the team that he got his first business idea.

Noticing that the hockey sticks in India were a much better quality than those in Britain he got the idea of importing the equine sporting equipment into the UK. He realised that there was certainly a gap in the market since Argentine polo sticks were the best quality, but the Falklands War prevented the import of any Argentine products. Soon, Lord Bilimoria was making a profit after successfully importing the products into Harrods and Lillywhites.

This acute vision of gaps in the market led him to founding the venture that has formulated his success story – Cobra Beer.

It was in 1989, with his friend Arjun Reddy that Lord Bilimoria realised that there wasn’t a beer that could really accompany

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Image courtesy of UKTI

UK Trade and Investment’s (UKTI’s) Entrepreneur’s Festival

The Sirius Programme provides the young hopefuls with financial support and tutoring

meals – Indian meals in particular – in complimentary fashion since lager was too gassy and ale was too bitter.

The recession at the time and a heavy student debt made the launch of Cobra Beer difficult, but since curry was becoming an increasingly popular dish in Britain there was a market for Cobra to compliment it as the drink of choice. And so, from the brewer in Bangalore to the Indian restaurants around the UK, Lord Bilimoria was able to successfully climb over the hurdle of financial strife so that a decade later, Cobra was making a turnover of almost £13 million.

He was awarded a CBE in 2004 for his services to business and entrepreneurship, and was appointed an Independent Crossbench Peer in the House of Lords in 2006.

The Sirius Programme

The innovative new programme, launched in Manchester this September by the UK Trade and Investment’s (UKTI’s) Entrepreneur’s Festival, was created in order to lure the brightest entrepreneurial talent from around the world with the aim of aiding them in the set-up of their business plans.

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By relocating to the UK, the Sirius Programme provides the young hopefuls with financial support and tutoring, to enable them to fast-track their goals from clever ideas to lucrative opportunities. The 12-month Programme offers those who are successful in their application £12,000 funding, expert mentoring, support in gaining clients and logistical assistance.

The Festival, between 4-6 September, attracted more than 200 budding entrepreneurs, each of whom had their own unique business idea. The diversity in the audience was exceptional with attendees from over 40 countries representing a total of 88 universities. They flocked to listen to the inspirational words delivered to them by Lord Karan Bilimoria and a host of others, including Lee Strafford – the co-founder of NetStart and UK ISP PlusNet. BRIC was given the exclusive opportunity to speak to three of the hopefuls about their fascinating ideas and hopes from the Programme, which readers can enjoy on the following pages.

For more information regarding the Sirius Programme visit www.siriusprogramme.ukti.gov.uk

CASE STUDY: DIVYA SHARMA Age: 22 Origin: India Occupation: Student at University of Manchester Course: MSc Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship

“Every good idea can be turned into a successful business idea”

Image courtesy of UKTI

My undergraduate degree is in Electronics and Communications Engineering. After graduating I got a job with a software company, but when I experienced the work environment I thought to myself that I could do better. I knew I had age on my side.

I decided to come to the UK because of the work environment here, especially for women. I attended the UKTI Entrepreneur’s Festival in Manchester and it was there that I got to know about the Sirius Programme, which is amazing because it gives you everything, like financial help. There is mentoring also, as well as the opportunity to get help with your visa.

My business idea for the programme is the data glove, which is for deaf and mute people because not everybody knows sign language. There is all this technology being developed for the able-bodied, so I thought why not help the disabled. So, when the deaf and mute person wears the data glove and begins making sign language, if it’s connected to any computer or mobile then it will display whatever he or she is saying. The data relating to sign language and audio is transmitted from the person to the device.

That way, they don’t need to feel different from us. I’m hoping to break down the communication barrier between them and us, and make them feel more welcome in our world.

I used to do a lot of community service when I was in college and was exposed to a lot of deaf and mute people. I worked with them for only a short period of time, but they made a real impact on me, I felt like I needed to do more for them.

The Sirius Programme will certainly provide me with financial help to develop these gloves. One thing I learned from the festival is that every good idea can be turned into a successful business idea. Therefore, I am really open to the mentorship because though I have the idea and I may have a business plan, you cannot do everything by yourself; you really need professional advice with some things. Another benefit is that going forward, it doesn’t matter where you go in the world if you say your company is in the UK that helps automatically to get their interest.

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CASE STUDY: THUNGDEMO OVUNG

I’ve always studied science, and I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur. It’s always been my ambition to have my own business. This is what led me to the course I am studying now. I chose this course because it gives me an understanding of how to go about starting my own business, how to understand the market and the consumers, and how to transfer the technological and science knowledge I already have.

In my discipline, the UK has the best bio-science education system in the world, which is one of the reasons I came here.

Nottingham has one of the best plant science departments in the world, second only to Cambridge. Nottingham has also gained a reputation for its entrepreneurship courses, for me they are one of the best.

I went to the UKTI Festival in Manchester where the Sirius Programme was launched and realised there and then that it was an opportunity not to be missed. The business plan I’m fine tuning for the programme with my group is based on a water filtration system. The idea is very simple – we want to provide a safe drinking water system. We want to provide people with access to clean water, in a very cost effective way.

In poorer countries, such as India, people have to travel a long way just to get a supply of water, and that water’s not even safe enough to drink. We want to solve this problem. Our innovative idea is a portable water container that can store water as well as sanitise it through an inbuilt filter. We’re also developing an improved transportation system so people no longer have to carry the weight of the water.

My group and I have ideas, knowledge and entrepreneurial skills, but most importantly we don’t have experience of the real world. The Sirius Programme will help us with that. It provides a whole platform in terms of finance, logistics and business expertise, and this is what we need. For the whole year that we’re involved with the programme we can get so much done, it will get us ready for our business. They also have networking all over the world, UKTI have sufficient partnerships in India and Russia, meaning they can pull strings for us.

By next year we hope to have our own office space, an effective networking system in place and a product out on the market.

Right now, it all depends on how we can work with the Sirius Programme and how they can help us. It’s a lot of hard work between now and then, but it will pay off in the long run.

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Image courtesy of UKTI

Age: 27 Origin: India Occupation: Student at University of Nottingham Course: MSc Crop Biotechnology and Entrepreneurship

CASE STUDY: YING ZHU

After achieving Bachelor of Finance in one of the top business schools in China, I found that financial risk management is a hot worldwide issue due to the financial crisis, and therefore it’s an interesting direction for my further study.

On the other hand, since I tried to set up my own business during my undergraduate degree, I know that the there’s potential risks arising from the competition of interests between entrepreneurs and investors. The knowledge about financial risk management could facilitate me to better understand, set up and control my projects in the future.

Firstly, UK universities offer students a worldclass education with strong reputation worldwide within an excellent learning environment. I could benefit from both teaching and facilities. I also could gain the chance to follow my passion for getting the interactive learning experience and expressing my own ideas. Secondly, the UK is a leading global financial services centre and the single most internationally focused financial marketplace in the world. This relates to my profession a lot. I could learn the most updated knowledge related to the financial world by UK education. Thirdly, the UK has an international entrepreneur and investment environment. The UK government creates a superb environment for young entrepreneurs to develop their own business and encourages the international entrepreneurs with strong support. This great opportunity is in line with my ambition, and I could learn more about the UK during my master study.

I heard about the Sirius Programme through the career service website of University of Manchester.

One of my potential business focuses is to create an integrated online study platform, which comprises the course release website, online interactive classroom, e-study resource, evaluation scheme, and online payment. Users can either be the online course’s seller to create their own online school, or be the online course’s buyer to get the

Image courtesy of UKTI

Age: 26 Origin: China Occupation: Student at Manchester Business School Course: MSc Quantitative Finance: Risk Management

“The UK government creates a superb environment for young entrepreneurs” interactive study experience conveniently. This is a platform for users to enjoy the equal opportunity to share and get knowledge. I believe that the integrated online study platform would break the limitation of region and time for the education resource, and benefit lots of people.

The reason why I’m interested in this business idea is that I got a serious illness three years ago. I had to stay at home and go to hospital every week.

At the most depressing time, everyone including myself gave up the hope due to my poor health, but my parents still encouraged me to study at

home and fight for my future. Although the story is quite short, the process was really hard.

The UK is one of the leading business locations in the world with rich and diverse markets. The Sirius Programme will provide a full range of support services such as a setup fund, a place in one of the world’s best business accelerator programmes, mentoring, networking and even putting me in touch with potential customers.

This is amazing for any young international entrepreneur and it’s the best start-up support package available in Europe.

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WHY THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT FOR CHINA

Image courtesy of World Economic Forum

China has now become the leader in clean energy supplies with Li Hejun the central figure in this advancement. Alfie Lambert sheds light on this revolution and on the success of the man at the forefront of it all.

The economic and social expansion of towns and cities will always create a need for more energy, since the dawn of the industrial revolution humanity’s dependence on and search for energy sources has been unfaltering.

Exponential growth, as seen in China within the last decade, pushes that need even further. Largely the demand in China thus far has been met by traditional coal power, a heavy pollutant and major contributor to global warming. Much has been made of the rampant use of coal and oil throughout

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newly-industrialised China and the residual effect it may have on our planet.

There are, however, a group of individuals within the world’s most populated country that have made great strides towards lowering their dependency on fossil fuels. China is home to an ever-increasing number of energy entrepreneurs, suppliers of renewable energy who – with some help from government subsidy and fortuitous timing – have capitalised on the constant need for energy with cleaner solutions.

solar of the future, there is one name that will lead the field. And one man behind it all.

Image courtesy of Hanergy

Energy consumers

Li Hejun

Image courtesy of Vmenkov

Leading the front

When considering China’s energy entrepreneurs, you must look to Li Hejun, CEO of Hanergy Solar Group and –according to Forbes – estimated to be worth around $1.1 billion (£684 million). As the owner of China’s largest cleanenergy provider, he is one of the individuals making a success of the market whilst simultaneously cleaning up China’s act.

Having launched his company in 1994 and steered it to the forefront of his country’s clean energy supplies, Li has recently set his sights on conquering the rest of the world. And he’s succeeding thus with the recent acquisitions of two major American players – Global Solar and Miasolé. Global Solar currently operate the world’s largest CIGS [copper indium gallium (di)selenide] solar electric array in the world, with Miasolé holding the mantle as the largest supplier.

Li’s acquisitions, along with Hanergy’s success, are clear indicators of the direction in which China is pushing renewable energy, both at home and internationally. It has also led to Li becoming the latest in a line of Chinese energy billionaires, earning him a spot in the Forbes rankings in the process.

In the UK, the name Hanergy may well become as ubiquitous as it is overseas. The recent striking of a landmark deal to supply the furniture chain IKEA with an off-the-shelf solar solution could be the catalyst for an increase in the Western uptake of this technology, (which we have thus far been slow to embrace).

Hanergy’s strength ties in with the previous success of their recent acquisitions, and it comes in the form of thin-film photovoltaic solar tiles. You will at some point in your lifetime come into contact with thin-film solar; it’s usually what powers your calculator. It has the potential to surpass the current technology for obvious reasons – a thin and flat panel will be easier to fit and is less intrusive. It could also help negate the infamous wrath of the planning officer. Much time and money has been invested into the technology itself and whilst losses have been made across the board, with some producers going under, Hanergy are blazing a trail with their success. If thin-film is the

With China’s energy consumption holding the world’s number one spot, having surpassed the USA some three years ago, the need for renewable forms of energy to support the growing market is enormous. With China reportedly growing an economy the size of Greece every three months, energy needs have climbed to an all-time high and as such the consumption of finite resources such as fossil fuels has become unsustainable. Much of China’s growth relies on the export of manufactured goods requiring many acres of factories and warehouses. However, it is also consumer demand that is putting pressure on China’s supplies.

September’s annual meeting of New Champions held in Dailan, China, saw Lin Boqiang (Director, China Center of Energy Economics Research) announce that 70 per cent of global incremental energy demand will come from Asia. This, when taking into account the other major players worldwide, is an astounding figure and is testament to the unprecedented growth of this region. Any praise relating to growth must, however, be tempered by Lin’s warning that coal will play a significant part of this energy production for some years to come. The 70 per cent figure is indeed a large and perhaps foreboding one for Green campaigners worldwide, however steps are being taken to offset the amount of coal used within China itself.

As of October 1st, the Chinese government are offering tax incentives to those companies that provide solar panels, in an effort to curtail the effects of increased consumption and bolster their foothold within the international market. This, combined with low production costs, has led to the rapid expansion of solar providers, sometimes to the detriment of companies internationally that can’t match their prices. This is what has led to a number of American firms recently being bought out by the new Chinese tycoons.

Currently, almost 70 per cent of all solar panels worldwide are exported from China, possibly to a roof near you. Commentators have likened this influx of Chinese panels and subsequent decline of US-based providers to the plight of the tool manufacturers some years ago, who struggled to keep up with soaring Chinese supply and tumbling prices. What is bad for American business is however good for solar worldwide, with a race-to-the-bottom price battle going hand-in-hand with great technological strides.

There is no escaping the fact that not all demand can be met by renewable energy at this time. China has emerged as a world-leading economic force and that kind of progress requires power. It is encouraging to see that they are investing heavily in clean sources of energy, which will hopefully benefit us all. Not simply on a personal level, with lower prices and advancements in technology, but on a global level. A sophisticated and pioneering country in the style that China strives to be, needs a sophisticated and pioneering solution to match issues such as these.

For now, solar seems to be that solution.

Solar power in China

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HOW TO FIND LOVE AND SUCCESS

You were born in a village in Hunan Province. Tell me what that was like.

I spent my childhood in a beautiful mountain village in Taoyuan County, Hunan Province; this was also the home province of Chairman Mao. My parents were poor farmers who had to raise my younger brother and I. Perhaps because of this, I have had a strong sense of responsibility since I was very young. I was always one of the top students in class and did part-time jobs to help cover school fees.

Even after I grew up, I always lived with my parents and grandparents to take care of them.

Your family endured real struggle, what with your grandfather’s persecution limiting your father’s education. What effect did that have on you?

My parents suffered from similar problems and both of them were farmers their whole lives. They saw education as the only way out for girls like me, especially my mother. So I valued the opportunity of getting an education and worked very hard.

Tell me about your education as a child and what you went on to study at Peking University.

As a child, I was a top student and was admitted to one of the best local high schools. However, I had an accident when I was in high school, which put my family in debt because of the medical fee. So I decided to quit school to make money. After three years as an assembly line worker, I went back to the school.

I was determined that whatever I did, I must succeed. I worked very hard and when I applied for university I chose the Chinese Literature Department at Peking University as my first choice and specified that I would not accept any other university if I failed to make it into Peking University. The moment I was admitted into Peking University, I knew that my fate had changed.

Tell me more about that accident you had. What kind of impact did that have on your life?

It was one week after I had received the admission letter into a top local high school. I was on a tractor and it fell into a ditch and crushed my right leg. For the next year, my mother carried me around campus so that I could attend classes.

My family also went deep into debt to pay for the medical fees and this tormented me, so in the second year of high school, I dropped out to open a shop to repay the debt. These early years of hardship and ordeal made me stronger.

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Image courtesy of Jiayuan.com

Single at 25 Gong Haiyan was considered a “leftover woman” in her native China. So she set up what has now become her country’s leading dating website in order to find a husband, which she did.

James Massoud discusses love, traditions and the future for China’s singletons with her.

Gong Haiyan and newlyweds in New York

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When you got to the age of 25 you were considered a “leftover woman”

by Chinese standards as you were still single. Explain to me this culture.

In traditional Chinese culture, people tended to get married at around 20, and women were expected to “marry up”, i.e. marrying someone older, with better education, income and higher social status. When I was a 25-yearold graduate student, I was supposed to marry someone who was 26+ with at least a Master Degree, which made it more difficult. Nowadays, Chinese people get married at a later age because of higher education and urbanisation, especially in tier one cities. I believe this will be a trend in the future.

You joined a dating website, which turned out to be fraught with fraudulent lonely-heart profiles. Was joining a dating website at that time common practice in China?

No. As you may know, traditional matchmakers have been the most common way for Chinese people to find potential partners for thousands of years. Back in 2003 when Jiayuan was founded, online dating websites were still quite a new concept. There were only a few online dating websites then.

Few people knew about online dating websites at that time, let alone used them.

Explain to me that experience you had with the dating website and what you learned from it.

It was my second year as a graduate student at Fudan University in Shanghai; I didn’t know anyone in the city and didn’t have access to anyone of similar age and interests. Pressed by my family to get married, I registered on a dating website and paid a fee of 500RMB (£50 at the time). I sent out quite a few messages but got no response.

After contacting one of the men on the website, I found [out] that the photo, personal information and contacts had all been cobbled together from other dating websites. When I went to ask for a refund, I was humiliated [by the rejection]. This experience with early dating websites was very bad as they didn’t care about user experience at all, nor did they want to protect users. So I was determined to create one better to help people like myself.

And so from that whole episode was born Jiayuan.com?

Yes. The whole experience with the dating website made me very angry and I thought I could do it much better. I am the kind of person who is quick to put words into action.

Having learned from one of my friends that it would cost no more than 1,000RMB (£100) to create a website like this, I bought a server and learned FrontPage by myself in two weeks, then created my own website. At the beginning, everything was challenging. It was only a static page and there was no way to register.

People had to send me their information and photos by mail, and I would reply to each of them one-by-one. I also spent a lot of time on the BBS of major universities to try and find singles, and persuade them to become members.

The website was designed for people like myself, so at the beginning, most of the users were college students. It was not until a few years later that [I] lowered the requirements and it was possible for those who had only high school graduation to register.

How did you come up with the site’s name?

The Chinese name of the website is “Shijijiayuan”, as I was inspired by our traditional belief in “yuan”, that binding force that links two persons together in love. As the website was created at the turn of the century, it was named “Shijijiayuan”, as “Shiji” means century. The name is [a] strong commitment to bringing love and happiness to tens of thousands of Chinese singles.

How did you personally encourage the first 1,000 members to register?

In the beginning, no one registered. I persuaded one of my friends, a graduate student in Shanghai’s Tongji University to allow me to put up her photos and information on the website. Four days later, I got the second member in the same way. One after another, I persuaded my relatives and friends to register and promote the website. Each of the first thousand members had a story and I knew them [all] personally.

At what point did you realise your website was a serious business venture? Or was that your intention from the beginning?

The website, when it was founded, was not much more than social practice for a college student. My intention was to offer something better to help singles like me. A few months after creating the website, I found my own husband through it. I was also encouraged by the response that I received as I witnessed many people find love through the website. But it was not until in 2006, when the website had attracted one million members and received venture capital from Qiming that I realised this could be a big business.

The site now has almost 100 million users. Did you ever imagine it to grow to such an extent?

Frankly, no. When I first started the business, I believed it could succeed by providing the best user experience and matching results. However, I never imagined how successful it could be, including how many users it would attract, how much revenue it would generate, or how much profit it would earn. I personally don’t measure success by this criteria. As an online dating company, Jiayuan is successful by enabling love, marriage and happiness for China’s growing number of single adults.

In May 2011 you were in New York for your company’s official public offering on the Nasdaq, making it the first Chinese dating site to be listed abroad. Describe this moment in your life.

For sure it was an exciting milestone for Jiayuan and China’s online dating industry. However, it was not a happy ending for Jiayuan, but a new beginning.

After the IPO [Initial Public Offering], Jiayuan as a public company not only delivers value to customers and employees, but also [to] shareholders.

You met your husband through the site in 2004 and had a baby in 2009. Is it true you made him take an IQ test?

Yes. He got a higher score than me, which made me believe he was intelligent. And he looked muscular in his photo, which is the type I liked.

This stemmed from your disinterest in the tradition of receiving material objects as gifts from the groom’s family, known as the “three rounds”, right? (In past generations the three rounds included a watch, a bicycle and a sewing machine; nowadays it’s a flat, a car and a respectable salary.)

Yes, because I believe material things can be created through hard work. I got married to my husband without buying a flat, which in China is called a “naked marriage”.

Tell me more about the tradition of the “Red Mother” role in Chinese villages.

We call them matchmakers. They play a key role in traditional Chinese marriages. At that time, Chinese people didn’t go for dating at all. When they were of marriageable age, they just stayed at home waiting for matchmakers to visit them. If a man fell in love with a woman, he would not chase her directly, but asked a matchmaker to bridge for him.

Going forward, there is a concern of the widening ratio between men and women in China (currently 118 boys to 100 girls). It’s been predicted that there will be a possible 24 million “leftover men” by the end of the decade.

How do you feel about this?

Actually there is a structural imbalance between China’s men and women.

Because traditionally, Chinese women are expected to “marry up”, or marry someone older, with better education, income and higher social status. Based on that theory, woman C would marry man B, woman B would marry man A, and man D and woman A would become “left over”. Nowadays, women have become economically independent and their expectation for men is more than just bread-winner. Love and mutual attraction have become important considerations. The growing gender imbalance might make men panic, but there will be both leftover men and women.

What is next for you and Jiayuan.com?

I started my new business, 91waijiao.com, in December last year while still serving as Co-Chairman of Jiayuan. I am a risk-taking entrepreneur that always likes to do new start-ups. Jiayuan, which is now managed by a very professional and experienced management team, will maintain and develop its leadership position through cutting-edge technology and innovation, helping more and more single Chinese adults to find love and marriage.

The name is [a] strong commitment to bringing love and happiness to tens of thousands of Chinese singles

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Image courtesy of Jiayuan.com

Gong Haiyan

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WHAT MAKES A VICTORIA’S SECRET MODEL From studying in Brussels to becoming the muse for one of the most famous haute couture designer’s in the world, Tetyana Veryovkina has come a long way in her remarkable modelling career. James Massoud discovers how she accomplished all this.

‘I got this bruise from boxing,’ Tetyana tells us when we point out a bruise on the upper right arm of the internationallysuccessful Russian model. ‘I was boxing at 9 o’clock this morning, I box almost every day. It’s the most amazing workout because it really stretches the body. Boxing acts as a release for the mind. You get out all of the stress you feel through that punch.’ It is this commitment to staying in shape that gives Tetyana her salubrious air. Yet despite looking stunning when we meet, she reveals her humble qualities by admitting to her jet-lag having just returned from the US. When pressed on what she was doing in the US, Tetyana reveals an exciting project. But we’ll come to that…

Metropolitan being the Paris-based agency with a highly respectable client base that includes Dior, Chanel, Gucci, Cartier, Hugo Boss and Giorgio Armani. Presented with this attractive opportunity Tetyana weighed her options and discussed her future with her family. When she was presented with conflicting opinions by her parents Tetyana’s decision was made harder. But, with a wise head on her shoulders, she made one of the most important decisions of her life: ‘We [Tetyana and the agency] agreed on a contract that allowed me to focus on my studies. I remained on their books until I graduated, and then I joined them full-time.’

So how did her parents take to this decision?

‘My dad reacted really badly,’ she reveals.

‘Because people usually say only bad things, people have a stereotype of models. Even now, I still feel a bit ashamed to tell people I’m a model when I’m asked what I do. But my mum on the other hand loved it; she loved to watch me and to collect my pictures.’

Naturally, Tetyana wanted to make her parents proud and simultaneously lay down a safety net for herself. She remained unperturbed by the reaction of her parents and the uncertainty over the impact her decision would have upon her future. She put this all to one side, and continued to display a high level of maturity by focusing her time and energy on her studies. For four

I was so proud of my first job, [so] many people work their way up to reach a designer like Armani Jeans

First things first

Tetyana never wanted to be a model. Far from it.

Having moved to Brussels with her parents at a young age she made her studies her main priority. ‘I never pushed myself to “be” something,’ she explains. ‘If you want to “be” something, then you have to focus on the now and study.’ Excelling at school and learning five languages, Tetyana went on to further her studies. Her chosen subject?

Economics and Management. It was at 16, while immersing herself in this field, that fate stepped into her path and dealt its unexpected hand.

‘I got spotted by a scout from Metropolitan Agency,’ she reflects –

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she worked with renowned photographers such as Max Salvaggio, Beppe Buttinoni and, of course, Mario Testino whom Tetyana now considers a close friend.

Another close friend is fellow Victoria’s Secret model, Adriana Lima. ‘It was Adriana who persuaded me to try it [boxing],’ explains Tetyana. ‘Adriana, Alessandra Ambrosio, all the top models use boxing. I remember the first time I did it, afterwards I couldn’t feel my body and I didn’t want to come back the next day. But I noticed that when I didn’t go, something in my head clicked and told me that I was losing something. It was calling for it.’

Tetyana has now been boxing for one and a half years, and using Pilates for a lot longer. She’s cut out gluten and lactose from her daily diet, and considers the USA an easier place to be healthy: ‘Most people think the opposite for America, because they do large portions, but for me, I think it’s the place where I lose my weight! They have the most organic and healthy food.’

Dividing her time between Europe and the US, we’re intrigued to learn where in the world is Tetyana’s favourite: ‘Tanzania,’ she beams without a moment’s hesitation. ‘I love Zanzibar, it’s wonderful. I think the most beautiful pictures I ever took were there. We went to the island, Nakupenda; it’s all white sand in the middle of nowhere. It’s incredible. The people there are just so cool, and nice, and respectful. I’ve shot in the Seychelles, the Caribbean, and Hawaii, but Africa for me just has something. There is nowhere as beautiful.’

Projects

Since that first tasty slice at the start of her impressive career, it seems that Tetyana now has her fingers in various interesting pies. She’s solidified a close bond with Renato Balestra – the world-famous haute couture designer who considers the Russian model his muse. ‘If I go to Cannes Festival or anywhere, I’m always in his dress,’ she says proudly.

It seems that Tetyana is more than just one man’s muse however, as she goes on to reveal that her Italian film-producer boyfriend has persuaded her to venture into acting. ‘I’ve just started,’ she begins.

‘He’s pushing me in this direction, to open another creative side to myself. I love acting, to escape from reality.’ The first film she will make her debut appearance in – as herself – is a new documentary about Vogue magazine, a documentary that will also mark the appearance of some very high-profile names from the fashion world: ‘Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier, Roberto Cavalli – all the best designers are appearing in it.’ Having just returned from the US at the time of our meeting, she will be returning to the States in a few weeks to begin shooting.

Her hectic schedule doesn’t stop there though as her and her boyfriend are also going into business together with the launch of a new range of black diamond jewellery. Tetyana remains tight-lipped about this for now, not wanting to reveal too much about it, but she does promise that a campaign is going to be launched soon: ‘It’s exciting to be part of something that I’ve been interested in all my life.’

With such an impressive career to-date and a hectic year ahead, it’s remarkable how grounded Tetyana remains, with a sense of humour to match. ‘I always try to be “normal”,’ she shrugs. ‘I try to keep my feet on the ground and be nice to people. Otherwise, if I fall down, no-one is going to want to help me back up.’ Sage words to come away with.

But Tetyana wishes to reiterate the importance of working hard and focusing on the now. ‘That being said,’ she laughs, ‘It helps to have a film producer boyfriend!’

Lagerfeld, Gaultier, Cavalli - all the best designers are appearing in the Vogue documentary

years she politely declined tantalising offers put forward to her by her impatient agency.

However, at the age of 20 she was offered a slice that was simply too irresistible to turn down.

She accepted the offer made to her and was flown out to Milan for her first ever photo-shoot. The client? ‘Armani Jeans,’ Tetyana nonchalantly reminisces. ‘I was so proud of my first job, [so] many people work their way up to reach a designer like Armani Jeans. I was lucky.’

Lucky maybe, but it didn’t take long for Tetyana to be exposed to the strictness of modelling life: ‘They told me I was too skinny! I was 48 kilos.

For 177cm (5’ 9”) – perfect height for a commercial model – they told me I needed to gain some weight. For a commercial model at a young age doing magazines and catalogues, they’re expected to bring in a lot of money.’

Full-time

Despite this early taste of what was to come Tetyana persevered with her main objective. After graduating, she was instantly elevated into the stratosphere of the modelling world. At the age of 24 she signed a five-year contract to work as a lingerie model. She went on to star in campaigns for Luli Fama, Victoria’s Secret and Christies Lingerie. Her impressive portfolio grew and her star shone brighter as

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HOW TO GROW A LIFESTYLE EMPIRE The Anonymous has become one of the world’s best lifestyle consultancies with some of the most high-profile clients on their books.

James Massoud meets the woman in control, Veronica Voronina.

We all understand what good customer service is, but how many of us could actually deliver to those expectations, consistently?

Now apply that to a lifestyle consultancy where the customers are high-profile celebrities and politicians, whose demands can sometimes be made first thing in the morning and need to be executed perfectly before the day is up – how many of us could deliver under that sort of pressure? Most of us couldn’t, that’s the truth of it. But to Veronica Voronina, CEO of The Anonymous, this unexpected scenario could just be another average day as she explains so nonchalantly: ‘I received a phone call once first thing in the morning from a politician who needed a flight that afternoon. It seemed like an impossible task, but we delivered.’ The coolness in which she delivers this short story is a clear demonstration of the composure she has at her disposal

The difference between us and a concierge company is that we really manage our clients

when it comes to these kinds of scenarios, where each day differs from the one previous. ‘I get so much pleasure out of seeing people enjoying themselves,’ she reveals. ‘You need to have this kind of personality, pleasing people and getting a high out of it. It’s very rewarding.’ So a cool head and a love for her job are the two key attributes it’s taken Veronica to get to where she is now, but how did it all begin?

Getting started

‘I was born in Ukraine but I’m Russian, though my family’s part Italian and German.’

Despite the interesting blend in Veronica’s family background, she’s spent the last 22 years in the UK. Her mother, an endocrinologist, came to the UK 23 years ago after accepting a position that was offered her. Her mother’s respectable medical profession led Veronica into a private school in the UK, before she moved onto a boarding school in Ascot.

Growing up, Veronica wanted to be a fashion designer and so she moved onto to study at London College of Fashion in order to turn this dream in a reality. ‘I was in the fashion industry for six years and then realised how the fashion industry, in my opinion, is not sustainable. It requires so much investment in time and money with very little return.’ The dream may not have been realised, but the experience certainly opened Veronica’s eyes.

Capitalising on the impressive client base she had gathered in those six years, Veronica ventured forth into the luxury industry. A career in lifestyle consultancy was born.

Veronica stresses that this is what The Anonymous is – a lifestyle consultancy first and foremost, not a concierge. ‘The difference between us and a concierge company is that we really manage our clients, it’s a proactive approach,’ she explains. ‘Very few concierge companies do this. We focus on enhancing their lifestyle, educating them about the opportunities that are available to them.’

Team effort

We’ve identified two key personal attributes it’s taken Veronica to succeed in her career, but what does it take from her Anonymous team to succeed?

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Being proactive, knowledge, being capable of thinking outside the box and a deep understanding of everything they can offer their clients. The last part is carried out methodically and with military precision. And just to be clear, that’s more than 18,000 tried-andtested people in the team’s database! ‘We have a review for each of them [from our team] as a star system to mark them all and a top 10 category. The descriptions are very clear and precise, too.’

Thinking outside the box and learning how to be proactive are some of the skills Veronica has honed for herself over time, but they especially shone through when the recession hit whilst she was working in fashion. ‘The recession was a real struggle, very difficult,’ she says. ‘All my budgets got cut.’ But her abilities allowed her to open a door which revealed another path. ‘They’re things you don’t learn at university – how to be pro-active, sufficient, and to communicate with people. It’s not something someone can teach you, it’s life experience.’ Employing the right staff is, therefore, highly important – particularly as Veronica’s business is client based.

However, her sharpness for hiring the right members of staff has allowed her to continue to excel in what she enjoys doing most – organising events. Of the many she has organised, one that stands out in particular is an event she organised for Goldie Hawn. ‘That was in the south of France,’ Veronica reminisces. ‘It was only 150 people, and we raised $150,000 (£93,000). We had a fashion show featuring some of the Victoria’s Secret models and a fashion show for Bernard Chandran. We had synchronised swimmers in the swimming pool as well as the Black Eyed Peas performing. Goldie Hawn spoke to every single person there and got people to pledge money. We had three days to organise the whole event.’

The majority of Veronica’s clients (around 60 per cent) are from Eastern Europe and Russia, with the remainder coming from India, Switzerland, China and South America. Yet through this example she demonstrates that she and her team can handle any proposal that’s thrown at them, however unexpected.

FAME

So with so much unexpectedness surrounding her day-to-day life with The Anonymous coupled with a hectic calendar, how does Veronica bring any clarity and time when looking ahead to the future? Remarkably easy, so it seems. As well as being part of the cast of the hit TV show Meet The Russians, she’s also found time to open a new office in Montenegro – which adds to The Anonymous’ remarkable list of offices that already exist in Dubai, Paris, New York, and, of course, London.

More exciting though is her involvement with FAME, ‘an online platform which allows any individual from any walk of life from any part of the world to come into the world’s largest creative network.’ Founded by Romy Hawatt, CEO of SAE – who have 55 universities in 27 countries – FAME allows people from anywhere in the world to upload their material, whether it’s music, film, modelling or writing, and have it rated by other visitors to the site.

The more votes they get, the further they’ll progress. Eventually, a shortlist will be submitted to a judging panel whereby a winner will be chosen. Take FAME Music for example; the winner will get to record with Franz Ferdinand, have a feature in Rolling Stone magazine and get a year’s scholarship. Veronica highlights the scholarship as being the most important because it’s education that will ultimately provide the winner with longevity.

And on that point, it seems fitting to draw a conclusion. After all, education has helped guide Veronica to where she is in life now: knowledge inside a cool head; a cool head that’s able to think outside the box.

For more information on The Anonymous visit www.the-anonymous.com and for FAME Music go to www.famemusic.com/famemusic

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THE SOLDIER WHO BECAME THE COMMANDER OF THE SEAS After purchasing Sunseeker Yachts and unveiling plans of launching a Hollywood in China, Wang Jianlin is certainly one ambitious businessman. Sean Geh lifts the lid on the man’s life.

Group, one of the biggest real estate developers that run a majority of China’s companies. Wanda Group is largely involved with China’s luxurious hotels, tourism attractions, cultural industries, department stores and commercial properties that are spread across 60 cities in China.

Wang’s success however, wasn’t a windfall. He started off from scratch and therefore appreciates the hardships of success. In fact, he started off at the age of 32 after serving in the People’s Liberation Army for 16 years in 1986. Wang

Image courtesy of Sunseeker Yachts

Before 2006, the total overseas acquisitions by China never went beyond $10 billion (£6 billion) per annum. However, according to Reuters, over the past seven years companies from China have gone on a spending spree, averaging $90 billion (£56 billion) on foreign targets. This genuinely reflects the true emerging power of China. A key player often associated with this success is a prominent individual, Wang Jianlin, also known as the richest man in China (Forbes 2013). The 58-year-old is the Chairman of Dalian Wanda

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Image courtesy of AMC Entertainment

then got a job as an office administrator for the XiGang District and in just three years, he was promoted to be the General Manager for the XiGang Residential Development Company. In 1992, Wang then started at the Dalian Wanda Group as a General Manager, and in just one year he was CEO for the firm.

The Wanda Group started in 1988 with only 500,000 yuan ($130,000 (£80,000)), but today the Wanda Group is worth $8.6 billion (£5.3 billion), as of March 2013, and deal with chains of commercial and non-commercial properties across the country, which has over the last decade helped push China’s economic boundaries by creating at least 30,000 jobs. Since 1993, when Wang joined the group as CEO, the firm has displayed unprecedented exponential growth.

Branching out

Today, Wang has also been developing his goals internationally.

Only recently Wang has purchased Sunseeker Yachts for £320 million, making him the majority shareholder with 92 per cent ownership. Moreover, his very own custom made Yacht, Wanda 2 is known to be the “biggest, most expensive and most luxurious private yacht in the history of yachting in China.”

After purchasing the Sunseeker Yachts, Wang wasted no time and has decided to invest £1 billion into building the tallest residential building in Western Europe. He also has big plans to extend his territory in London by spending £700 million on a 62-storey luxury hotel and apartment building on the South Bank of the Thames. As well as expanding in the United Kingdom, Wang has also begun investing in the United States.

He is best known in the U.S. for purchasing AMC entertainment for $2.6 billion (£1.6 billion) in 2012.

On the back of this acquisition though, Wang had one of his most ambitious ideas: to build a Hollywood in China. His first move in this genuine target was to sign two of Hollywood’s biggest stars. hortly afterwards, it was revealed that Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman had signed on for the project. His plan is for China’s Hollywood to be ready by 2017, with a projection of at least 100 films released in a single year. When asked why he was

planning this, Wang explained that his intention is to foster better relationships both domestically and internationally. On the basis of Wang’s investment decisions, it’s evident that he’s not far from achieving this.

Silver linings

When asked during an interview what his lowest points in life were, Wang recounted two incidents: the first occurred in 1993 when he became the CEO of the Wanda Group. His first task was to relocate around 6,000 households at a time when an economic barrier had been instated by the government with the order that banks had to stop lending money to real estate developers and outstanding loans had to be repaid immediately. During that time, some 70 per cent of property developers in China went bankrupt. This was understandably a testing time for Wang, but perseverance and hard work paid off.

The second experience happened to him when he was a mere 15 years of age. Due to China’s circumstances, he was enlisted to join the army where he served until the age of 32. During that time, he had to walk through 750 miles of snow with heavy arsenal and ammunition burdening his back. This experience, when contrasted with the red carpet he so often walks on today, shows an endurance of hardship that inevitably played its part in his success today.

It’s said that wealth and reputation are the biggest two factors that change people. With all the fame and fortune that Wang has amassed, Wang still stands as a humble being. Back in October 2005, the China Charity Federation cited him as one of China’s top 10 charitable stars. Even today, it was reported recently that he generously donated $20 million (£12 million) to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. This shows that his interest in charity is not just local, but global. In his own words, when he was asked what made him decide to get into property, he stated that from the very beginning he intended the company he leads needs to belong to society.

It is thereby fitting that a man who was not born into wealth and actually stems from a modest background should now become China’s richest man. It is even more fitting that one of the most powerful men still manages to find time to give back.

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Image courtesy of AMC Entertainment

Image courtesy of Sunseeker Yachts

The Wanda Group started with only 500,000 yuan ($130,000), today the Group is worth $8.6 billion

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SOCIETY The Most Glamorous Event Of The Year Event Highlights Of The Year

Image courtesy of Veronica Voronina

SOCIETY

The Anonymous Anniversary

‘Work hard, play hard,’ so the old saying goes. Looking back at 2013, we are reminded of what has been a busy and eventful year. We’ve selected the highlights with a revisit of some of the most glamorous events including the red-carpeted film festivals of Cannes and Berlin, the entertaining Ascot Races and Henley Royal Regatta, and the most attractive date on the Formula 1 calendar – Monaco.

But first, Veronica Voronina provides us with an exclusive invite into the most glamorous event of the year – De Grisogono’s 20th Anniversary. Fawaz Gruosi, diamond specialist and founder of De Grisogono’s jewellery, put on a lavish event in Cannes, and was joined in celebration by a host of names that included Paris Hilton, Alec Baldwin and Sharon Stone.

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THE MOST GLAMOROUS EVENT OF THE YEAR Fawaz Gruosi knows how to throw a party, as anyone who has attended one of his birthdays will testify to. And so, with it being the 20th Anniversary this year of his much loved jewellery brand, De Grisogono it was inevitably going to be a big occasion.

Veronica Voronina briefs us on the event of the year.

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Alessandra Ambrosio with Fawaz Gruosi

Fawaz Gruosi and Sharon Stone

Hanaa Ben Abdesslem, Irina Shayk, Fawaz Gruosi, Isabeli Fontana

All Image courtesy of Veronica Voronina & Rex

Veronica Voronina

A swarm of stars descended on Cannes during their annual film festival to attend the highly anticipated De Grisogono 20th Anniversary “seduction in Cannes” party at the Hôtel du-Cap Eden Roc. Paris Hilton, Harvey Weinstein, Alec Baldwin, Eva Cavalli, Alessandra Ambrosio, and guest of honour Sharon Stone were just some of the celebrities in attendance for the celebrations.

The 700 VIP guests were serenaded by a 36-piece orchestra conducted by musical genius Fabio D’Andrea, while models in black haute couture dresses, designed by Juozas Statkevicius, showcased the outfits and De Grisogono’s 20th Anniversary high jewellery collection along the historical walkway for the evening fashion show.

The energy at the cocktail party was simply electrifying, perhaps due to the fact that it was organised by The Anonymous Concierge Company, renowned for its services worldwide.

To encapsulate a perfect evening, LMFAO set the party tone and sent the crowd wild by performing at the after-party, before DJ Julio Santo Domingo took over the decks until dawn. The celebrations came to a perfect climax with a spectacular firework display over the beautiful French Riviera.

De Grisogono Party

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Lydia Vladimirskaya and Princess Charlene of Monaco at Ralph Lauren Gala XXXXXX Dinner in Paris

Roberto Cavalli Fashion Show A/W 2 Pellegrino 013

Princess Charlene of Monaco at Ralph Lauren Gala Dinner in Paris

Stuti Dixit and Tuba Mirza at Delhi Grand Prix 2013

The World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards sponsored by S. Pellegrino and Acqua

Henley Royal Regatta

Natalia Kapchuk at amFAR, Milano Fashion Week

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR A look back at a fun-filled and glamorous 2013.

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Kam Kwok Leung at Ralph Lauren Gala Dinner in Paris Veronica Voronina and colleagues at Cannes Film Festival

Tony Leung at Berlin Film Festival

Cowes Week Regatta

Veronica Voronina at Royal Ascot

Limited edition Hermes bag launch

Natalia Kapchuk and Roberto Cavalli at amFAR, Milano Fashion Week

Cherie Chung Chor-hung at Ralph Lauren Gala Dinner in Paris

TOYS The Sale Of The Year How 2014 Will Be Seen The Sky On Your Wrist How Rolls-Royce Get Their Inspiration

Image courtesy of Edmiston

TOYS

Nirvana Yacht

We’re all entitled to a bit of retail therapy from time-to-time, and when you’ve acquired a vast amount of wealth, the price of that retail therapy will inevitably increase. This section is an exploration of some of the world’s most high-end sales, collector’s items, limited edition must haves, and the most talked-about gadgets on the market.

This launch issue lays the foundations by taking a closer look into the sale of the year thus far – the Nirvana Yacht, which at the time of writing is still seeking a new owner; a one-off special from Rolls-Royce that will certainly whet the appetites of all car fanatics; a glimpse at one of the most unique luxury watches on the market – the Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia; and the gadget that’s on everybody’s lips – Google Glass.

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THE SALE OF THE YEAR One of the most luxurious yachts in the world is up for sale, so BRIC looks into what makes Nirvana so very special.

Considered by many enthusiasts to be the most luxurious yacht ever built having won the Boat International Media’s award for Best Exterior Design in 2013, Nirvana is currently being sold by Edmiston & Company. The asking price for this most sought after article is a cool figure of around £195 million. But the unprecedented price-tag, thought to be one of the highest in maritime history, is doing little to put off potential buyers. For the super-rich, indeed, Nirvana is proving to be one of the hottest properties on the market.

Built in 2012 by the South Africa-based Oceano firm, Nirvana certainly lives up to its name. Having made its debut at the Monaco Yacht Show in September 2012, the dreamy super yacht – a brainchild of the world renowned designer, Sam Sorgiovanni – boasts incredible features that only a handful of other vessels can currently claim to rival. Nearly 90 metres in length and containing six cabins, Nirvana can accommodate up to 12 guests and 27 crew members. Equipped with Rolls-Royce stabilisers, it provides for the utmost comfort, even when travelling at speeds of up to 19.5 knots and on the rockiest of waters. But it is the incidental extras Nirvana possesses that makes it a truly impressive specimen. No other yacht can lay claim to such an extensive list of facilities and toys.

Upon arriving at the yacht from either the swim platform or the passerelle, guests are greeted on Nirvana’s spacious aft deck.

Here they can take a dip in the 7.5 metre counterflow pool, relax in the large sun-bed area, or get a drink from the bar in the main salon. For those guests more in tune with nature, there is even a reptile house situated alongside the dining area. All of the guest bedrooms are located on this deck, each containing floor-toceiling windows and his-and-her bathrooms, allowing for ease of access and spectacular panoramic views.

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Images courtesy of Edmiston

Brainchild

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But if the guests have it good on Nirvana, the owner has it even better. The Owner’s deck, which can be shut off completely from the other guests if privacy is required, is one of the largest on the yacht. Half of the deck alone is taken up by the owner’s statesmanlike bedroom. The rest of the deck includes a private sun-bed and Jacuzzi area, a salon with balconies overlooking the sea and threemetre plunge pool, as well as a sheltered dining area. There is also a private cinema and games room, each available for the owner to enjoy when he or she so desires.

As if all that wasn’t enough, there are further amenities available to the owner located on other decks. By taking the external stairs up to the bridge deck, the owner can access the yacht’s gymnasium and spa area, equipped with a stunning range of the latest stateof-the-art apparatus. Alternatively, he or she can take the silver-plated glass elevator down to the lower deck, where there is a 3D cinema and several garages. These give home to the yacht’s private collection of ski-boats and jet-skis, all ready to be used at any time.

Its luxurious elements aside, there is also a practical aspect to Nirvana that makes it so appealing. Given its sheer size, the yacht is able to store vast fuel and subsistence reserves. This means that the captain is able to undertake long-range and uninterrupted travel, often up to transpacific ranges, safe in the knowledge that the yacht is effectively self-sufficient. But even when Nirvana is far out at sea, it remains easily accessible. The helipad located on the top sun deck permits the owner to fly to and from the yacht as circumstance dictates.

Causing a stir

It is easy to see then why the sale of Nirvana has caused such a stir within superrich circles. Coming from a long line of impressive articles constructed by the Oceano firm, the yacht is quite simply the finest around. The frankly amazing list of facilities available on Nirvana, in addition to its self-reliant status, neatly combines pleasure with practicality, making it in many respects the ideal sailing vessel. The incredible interior design – boasting 10 different wooden veneers and finishes, bamboo flooring throughout designed to resemble sand ripples, and colourful furnishings and fabrics – only adds to its overall brilliance and uniqueness.

And yet, at the time of writing, there is still time for potential buyers to come forward.

Initially, the sale sparked a fierce bidding war between numerous parties all desperate to get their hands on this most prized possession. Several business moguls have been touted as keeping a particularly close eye on the sale. Yet, to date, it does not appear that any bidder has offered a figure that satisfies Edmiston & Company. Certainly no cash has changed hands at this juncture. For the time being, therefore, Nirvana remains on the market. But time is running out for potential buyers. Sooner or later, this opulent yacht is bound to be snapped up by one lucky bidder.

Images courtesy of Edmiston

For any parties interested in purchasing Nirvana visit www.edmiston.com or call +44 20 7495 5151.

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Images courtesy of Google UK

HOW 2014 WILL BE SEEN With recent news of an Indian doctor using Google Glass whilst performing surgery for the benefit of medical students, BRIC unveils the revolutionary wonders of the world’s most talked about product.

Each day we edge closer to those pre-emptive, scientific visuals of Tomorrow’s World whose predictive scope seems so outdated in hindsight – a world increasingly dependent on technology and innovation. Google Glass is perhaps the ultimate expression of popular sci-fi explorations in one multipurpose device, subtly compared by GeekSugar’s editor, Kristy Korcz to the cinematic visions of Mission Impossible and Back to the Future.

Interest in Google Glass is paramount, with Vogue endorsing its “Futuristic Vision” in an avant-garde photo-shoot daring to pose a challenge to those whom deemed its aesthetic appeal essentially limited. Google, much more interested in the tech-aspect, defined its flagship hardware in the following terms. It boasts high-quality audio, impressive Bluetooth and wi-fi connectivity, 12GB ready storage and cloud and Micro USB data transition, while its humble five megapixel photographic and 720p video recording capacities have been compared to the resolution “of a 25 inch highdefinition screen from eight feet away,” according to a review on TechRadar. A touchpad, which simultaneously behaves as the right-hand part of an asymmetrical frame allows the user to “swipe” throughout the on-screen interface, navigating through calls, “circle” updates (social networking), current events and even the weather.

Revolutionary

much has changed since project manager Steve Lee joined Babak Parviz and Sebastian Thrun in announcing the device on Google+. Much speculation has arrived concerning Google Glass’ consumer release between late 2013 and early 2014 at a more marketable cost of over $300 (£185), with its light-reflecting screen now certain to prove highly beneficial in providing assistance in wi-fi connected businesses and institutions. For its diverse audiences, Google has suggested that its glasses will eventually arrive pre-fitted with prescription lenses. Its strong, flexible frame is however set for release in a variety of colours which Google articulates as “Charcoal”, “Tangerine”, “Shale”, “Cotton” and “Sky”, complimented by a pair of adjustable wiring leading to two interchangeable nose-pads.

Given that Samsung and Apple had, in 2012 and 2013, differentiated their mobile devices simply in size, speed and resolution, 2014 will reveal whether Google Glass’ comforting transition will lead the tech- market to a new direction or whether the device will encourage a renewed and more innovative response from the mobile industry.

The Telegraph, for example, reports that wearing Google Glass while driving will be banned in the United Kingdom given its clear potential to obstruct sight behind the wheel, and thus Google Glass cannot be established as a guaranteed success just yet.

The device nonetheless marks a significant attempt to free itself from the restrictions of the tablet and mobile chassis. Google Glass is the next page in a chapter of updatable, portable technology which aspires to allow the user to be at one with a device. An unsettling prospect for some: an exciting prospect for others.

Google Glass has been made available to competition winners at the cost of $1,500

Are the benefits of on-demand, onscreen photography, translation, Google search and satellite-navigation truly abundant in a speech-controlled device which still lacks 4G connectivity – or is Google Glass doomed to find its place in a box by the bed less than a year after its release?

One Indian surgeon would certainly beg to differ.

News spread quickly of Dr. Rajkumar who provided a live stream of an abdominal incision from his operating theatre: aside from a relatively short battery-span under operation, the surgeon highlighted that the ‘phenomenal surgical tool’ ceased, at one point, to feel like ‘an external device,’ communicating with his observing students through its embedded microphone. Dr. Rajkumar also noted that, in providing transparency to surgeries, Google Glass can reassure patients and provide confidence to those undergoing operating procedures. This establishes a scope for the “app market” to develop educational and medical apps, as well as to further commercial software, and whilst invitations are now closed, Google Glass has been made available to competition winners, who distinguish themselves as software developers, at the cost of $1,500 (£935).

TechRadar also flirts with the idea of having flight details appear onscreen upon entry into airports, highlighting Google Glass’ limitlessness at the mercy of stake-holding programmers. GlassVoice APK will empower the wearer to use voice activation for a number of commands, such as scheduling an event or translating phrases. Eye control is also on the horizon with a double-blink detection required for unlocking files in the Gaze folder. Paint-maker Sherwin-Williams had its ColorSnap app recently developed which captures colour from a scene and systematically retrieves matching colours to your Google Glass device. All of this coincides with revelations surrounding Apple’s iWatch, Samsung’s smart watch and the direct challenge posed by Japanese tech-giant NTT Docomo whose wearable device also comes in the guise of hi-tech glasses.

Speculation

Given the sudden rise of Samsung in the mobile market, it is unclear for investors who shall succeed in the race for wearable technology. A soaring average increase in the Google stock price coincided with the announcement of its glasses in 2012, though

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THE SKY ON YOUR WRIST IWC Schaffhausen has produced one of the most original timepieces in the world, something that took a decade to perfect.

James Massoud introduces the Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia.

Furthermore, though, there are a range of case and strap materials to choose from, as well as five different colour choices for the dial and numerous colours to select from for the straps and appliqués meaning there are more than 200 possible combinations.

In light of this individual tailoring and the level of work required, buyers must wait a year for the delivery of their customised Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia. However, IWC Schaffhausen has clearly demonstrated that special features require time and all good things come to those who wait.

The night sky has evidently been an attractive influence in the science of this timepiece’s makeup

Night sky

‘The Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia is a universal work of art and the result of 10 years’ research by a team of engineers, watchmakers and scientists,’ explains Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. ‘They have succeeded in combining solar time and sidereal time on a single dial. From the front, this fascinating masterpiece is a classical Portuguese watch, from the reverse side an astronomical instrument and, on the inside, a milestone in the art of haute horlogerie.’

The feature that stands out most on the face of the watch is the patented intricacy of the constant-force tourbillon. Meanwhile, on the reverse side is a captivating display of a celestial chart, horizon, geographical coordinates, solar time, sidereal time, sunrise and sunset display, as well as a display that shows daytime, night-time and twilight. As though that were not enough, there is also an integrated calendar that displays the number of the date. The night sky has evidently been an attractive influence in the science of this timepiece’s makeup.

Despite its price tag and imposing attention to detail, the manufacturers have ensured that the Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia can be adorned for everyday use thanks to its detailed design: the timepiece is water-resistant to three bar and, though it may look delicate, is actually rather impervious to shocks.

Customised

Every single Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia is made to order, exclusively produced for every individual thereby making it completely unique and personal to them. Taking into consideration every individual’s different location, the star chart, horizon, sunrise and sunset times are all calculated to them specifically. This is unique in itself.

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All enquiries to be directed via www.iwc.com or UK specifically via info-uk@iwc.com / 08453371868.

Images courtesy of IWC-GB

IWC Schaffhausen has been producing high-quality timepieces since 1868 and the Swiss manufacturers have prided themselves in creating watches with lasting value. It’s this passion and supreme precision that makes them one of the leading brands in the world of luxury watches. In 2011 IWC Schaffhausen officially presented their most exclusive and most complicated watch ever created.

Having been in development for 10 years the manufacturers eventually succeeded in fusing solar time with sidereal time in a single timepiece. That’s why, two years on, the Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia is still highly sought after around the world, coveted because it is so unique and so rare; each watch is entirely made to order and completely bespoke to the customer’s wishes at the cost of $750,000 (£500,000).

HOW ROLLS-ROYCE GET THEIR INSPIRATION An ancient Chinese artefact proved to be the inspiration for a new Rolls-Royce, as Mike Miller explains.

In 2001, archaeologists in the city of Chengdu, China, unearthed the Golden Sun Bird, an ancient artefact that dates back to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1000 BC).

Made of almost pure gold, the disc features four stylised birds flying counter-clockwise around a twelve-spoke sun. Perceived to be so significant on its discovery the city has adopted the artefact as its official symbol, and now the British-made RollsRoyce has paid homage to the ancient find with their latest bespoke reveal, the Ghost Chengdu Golden Sunbird.

Exquisite craftsmanship

The super-luxury car, commissioned by an anonymous buyer presumed to hail from China, is inspired by the exquisite craftsmanship of the artefact for which it is named. The car’s classic exterior is personalised by a two-tone paintjob – porcelain white and a solid gold, which covers the bonnet, roof, boot lid and the brand’s Spirit of Ecstasy, invoking the opulence of the ancient disc. The gold treatment continues on the nine-spoke wheels and on the hand-painted coach line, which subtly features the songbird motif and is estimated to take one highly skilled craftsman, using precision-made squirrel-hair paintbrushes, between three and six hours to complete.

The luxurious detailing is maintained inside with a solid wood dashboard and golden-brown upholstery, which again incorporates the songbird insignia and is offset by a white leather trim. Meanwhile the tread plates bear gold plaques that proudly boast the car’s heritage – Hand Built in Goodwood, England – and its exclusivity: One of One. Despite expectations of slower growth in China this year due to an austerity push by President Xi Jinping, which manufactures feared would dampen demand for luxury goods, Rolls‑Royce Motor Cars have reported another record year for sales.

Reportedly, this is driven by sustained demand for the Phantom and Ghost models and strong growth in the number of Chinese customers commissioning bespoke models like the Golden Sunbird.

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Bespoke

Capturing the imagination of many, the Bespoke programme from the superluxury brand enables the customer to customise their car to any specification, limited only by their own imagination and the law (safety regulations and import restrictions for instance can hamper some requests). Over the years the Bespoke department has obliged wishes to incorporate everything from alligator and ostrich skin to cigar humidors, jewellery cases, and diamond embellishments. The company can also reserve colours and trim, thereby guaranteeing the exclusive use of certain materials and hues for an individual customer and ensure they’re not used on another Rolls-Royce car.

Indeed the Bespoke programme from Rolls-Royce has proven to be highly profitable for the company in spite of less than favourable market conditions.

Demand is so high that the workshop in Goodwood, West Sussex has had to be extended and the number of designers doubled in the past year. The Bespoke programme offered by Rolls-Royce is in fact the fastest-growing part of their business with around 75 per cent of clients buying a Ghost opting for bespoke specifications. This move towards highly customised Ghosts follows an increase in sales of Bespoke Phantoms with more than 80 per cent opting for personalisation in 2011. The reason behind the popularity of the Bespoke programme, Torsten MüllerÖtvös, Chief Executive, explains, is that ‘highly discerning Chinese entrepreneurs seek to purchase individually tailored, pinnacle luxury goods.’

While admitting the days of explosive growth in China’s auto industry have passed, Müller-Ötvös notes, the market is ‘much more mature’ and the growth is now sustainable. In fact, so certain of their continued success the company is looking to expand in the upcoming Western cities of China, such as Chengdu, with new dealerships opening next year and further expansion at its manufacturing base in Goodwood, West Sussex. Indeed it seems that Rolls-Royce has nothing to fear, and with the highly anticipated release of the Wraith in 2014, a two-door coupé, sustained interest in the brand is guaranteed for many years to come.

Specifications: Make: Rolls-Royce Model: Ghost Engine: V12 Horsepower @ RPM: 563 Torque @ RPM: 575 Displacement: 6.6 L 0-60 time: 4.7 sec. (Est.) Top Speed: 155 mph

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Images courtesy of Rolls-Royce

Moran Yacht & Ship is proud to claim the title of world leader in yacht sales, construction, charter and vessel management.

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Driven by innovation and a team of dedicated professionals, we are the preferred choice of owners and charterers around the world. We offer our clients honest, unbiased advice culled from years of first-hand knowledge. This invaluable perspective sets Moran Yacht & Ship apart from every other brokerage company in the world. Whether you are considering purchasing, selling, building or chartering a quality yacht, you can be certain that the professionals at Moran Yacht & Ship will provide the finest, most informed and confidential yacht services available anywhere in the world today.

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ARTS & CULTURE The Art Ambassador Determined To Create An Oxford For India How Christie’s Succeeded In China Why Brazilian Art Is On-Trend The Revolutionist of Amazonian Gastronomy A Russian Village’s Impact On The World’s Architecture Growing A Vineyard In China

Image courtesy of Christie’s

ARTS & CULTURE

Auction scene in Shanghai

What better way to really get to understand a country than through its art and cultural differences. Luckily for us, and for you, the BRIC countries are enriched with a strong history in both. This section really allows us to explore these fascinating countries further by delving deeper into the creative minds that help to develop them and make them what they are.

We talked to Neville Tuli – the great ambassador of Indian art – about his bold mission and latest project, which is to unleash Indian art onto the world stage and make it accessible to national curriculums. Brazilian art is also very much hot property right now as exhibitions take off around the world, such as Mira Schendel who had an exhibition recently at the Tate Modern. Christie’s, too, are celebrating as the world-famous auction house recently hosted their first ever auction in mainland China, where they netted $25 million (£15

million) on their debut thanks to sales of various sought after pieces, including an original Pablo Picasso.

On the back of China’s ascension in the ranks of vintage wine both as producers and consumers, we talked exclusively to Judy Leissner – owner of Grace Vineyard in China and Asian Wine Personality of the Year in 2012.

One of the most talked about chefs of the moment is Alex Atala and for good reason, being as he also works so closely in educating the indigenous people of Brazil. It’s little wonder, therefore, that this intriguing man should find himself in our pages. As does the peaceful Sokol village in Russia, an equally intriguing part of the world that is home to quaint and eccentric cottages that are in stark contrast to the skyscrapers and fast-paced lifestyle of the neighbouring capital city, Moscow.

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THE ART AMBASSADOR DETERMINED TO CREATE AN OXFORD FOR INDIA After 25 years in the West, Neville Tuli returned to India with the hope of bringing art to the masses. Kayla Kedrowen talks to the great ambassador of Indian art.

‘India will need to take the best of western experiences, while holding onto her relative emotional and spiritual innocence, amid her sense of universality’.

These are the impactful words spoken by Mr Neville Tuli who, after 15 years of daily ‘content creation’, saw his brainchild finally born on Indian Independence Day 2013. An umbrella organisation that boasts arts auctions, film festivals and museums has finally published its online art archive in the form of osianama.com. Founder Neville Tuli helps us understand his vision for the future of the Indian and international arts world.

Having grown up and studied in London for the best part of 25 years, Tuli had no doubt become accustomed to open celebration of, and accessibility to, international arts and culture through the many museums, exhibitions and auctions. Tuli speaks of the ‘respect shown by western civilisations’ towards the ‘preservation and nurturing of arts and culture through the building of infrastructure.’ Educated at St Catharine’s college Oxford and LSE in subjects such as film making, developmental theory and economics, Tuli would have had unprecedented access to a world of creativity, overflowing with art, film, literature and politics. His parents were always extremely supportive, which no doubt played an important role in helping Tuli’s education and further success.

On returning to India, Tuli was so inspired by the lack of infrastructure and awareness surrounding Indian arts and culture that he embarked on an expedition across India, meeting artists from all over the country. Sensing the need for India to realise and cherish her art and cultural history, in 1995 Tuli established HEART – The Tuli Foundation for Holistic Education and Art – wholly dedicated to helping build a quality conscious infrastructure for the Indian arts world.

Dedication to the arts

It was in 1997 that Tuli’s dedication to the arts really started to bear fruit.

After publishing The Flamed Mosaic: Indian Contemporary Painting – a commentary on the aesthetics and history of modern painting – Tuli’s HEART foundation funded Intuitive-Logic, a Mumbai arts festival celebrating Indian contemporary painting. Later that year proceeds from the HEART foundation funded the first ever professional arts auction of international quality to be held in India – Intuitive Logic II. The auction broke world records selling one piece by Raja Ravi Varma (The Begum’s Bath) for Rs. 32 Lakh’s (£320,000), making it the most expensive Indian painting in the world at the time.

To get a good idea of just how much of an impact Tuli’s work had on the then very slow Indian art world, it helps to look at the difference in prices

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obtained through auction before and after Tuli’s influence. The hype created

by Tuli’s charismatic and eccentric persona, let alone his grand hypnotising ideas, changed the face of the Indian art world forever by making it a “scene”.

Consider that in 1986, before Tuli was let loose on the art world, an M F Husain of Mother Teresa fetched a mere £12,500 at auction with a reserve of only £10,000, whereas after Tuli had become a spokesman for Indian arts, Christie’s auction house sold a Husain for an impressive £876,205.

In a landscape of little financial infrastructure for the arts, auctions were an effective way of raising awareness about the financial possibilities within the art world. At the turn of the millennium, on a mission to integrate the creative, educational and corporate aspects of the art world, Tuli introduced the first professional Indian art auction house of international quality – Osian’s. Tuli cleverly began to archive each and every artefact, building up a permanent collection which is, to this day, considered to be the world’s most comprehensive textual and visual archive, collection and library. When asked about what inspired him to undertake such an enormous task single-handed, Tuli argues that ‘anything is possible; it’s simply about sustaining a vision in certain manner’.

After establishing India’s first ever council of authentication, certification and valuation for Indian contemporary art, Osian’s went on to host a succession of successful auctions in Mumbai. In 2004 Osian’s took over The Cinefan Festival of Arabic and Asian Cinema, renaming it Osian’s Cinefan.

Osian’s also acquired Cinemaya, the first journal in the world to be wholly dedicated to Asian Cinema. These additions dramatically widened the scope of the cinematic archive base of the Osian’s Group. Over the next decade Osian’s expanded their artistic reach by launching a Bollywood memorabilia collection, a football team, a literary service and a museum.

Rise of the Phoenix

As the art world started to slow again, in response to the global economic downturn in the late 2000’s, Osian’s auction house was unfortunately not spared. Having a huge amount of cultural assets but no liquid revenue, Tuli’s finish line must have seemed a lifetime away. The failing global markets coupled with Tuli’s tendency to bite off more than he could chew, did not bode well for him at that time. Cinemaya and the literary agency closed down after two of the founding directors quit, the football team was long forgotten and things began to look bleak for Tuli and his dream for the Indian arts world. The failure of the badly timed Osian’s Art Fund in 2009 did little to help the situation, with the financial press immediately predicting his imminent

Neville Tuli

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Village Scene by Amrita Sher-Gil

Tuli’s charismatic and eccentric persona changed the face of the Indian art world forever

downfall. Then came allegations of fraud and gossip in the art world about the “risk” surrounding Tuli.

But this year, just when we thought it was all over, Tuli made a comeback with his newest arts and education-centric project, osianama.com. When prompted Tuli explains that in order to fulfil his hopes for osianama. com he has had to ‘stay like a child within, full of wonder and the joy of learning and creating’. This mind-set has no doubt helped him in his 15 year-long struggle in creating the online database, launched with a view to creating an infrastructure for Indian arts through a holistic knowledge base covering all aspects of Indian culture, art and cinema. Once fully uploaded, this expansive database is set to reach 500,000 artefacts in total. The expansive range of artefacts already archived is sure to impress even the most seasoned museum fanatic, with everything from Bollywood film memorabilia to newspaper clippings and catalogues going back 300 years. The collection also includes miniatures from across Asia, alongside hand-made masks, old advertisements and catalogue art. In September 2013, Osian’s showcased the first ever professional Indian sports memorabilia auction at The Cricket Club of India in Mumbai. The auction sold cricket bats and hats alongside the launch of the catalogue publication – India’s Cricketing Heritage.

It seems a natural progression for such a comprehensive knowledge base to be made available to the world in an interactive and accessible way as an educational resource. Tuli has cleverly broken his master plan for Osianama into three manageable phases of progression, no doubt a good idea considering the size of his task. The first phase can be described most aptly as the phase of documentation, curation and digitisation with the goal of recording, categorising and digitalising all aspects of Indian culture, art and cinema.

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The second phase of Tuli’s plan is to make osianama.com a more interactive space for art exploration and education, through ‘creating the “My Osianama Experience” allowing visitors to study, download and share material for research’. Tuli hopes to involve art scholars along with film and culture enthusiasts to produce a kind of digitalised visual knowledge portal into Indian culture.

The final phase and end goal of Tuli’s master plan is to transform Osianama’s vast databases and ‘create educational content’ for schools, colleges and universities worldwide. ‘The next six to nine months will dictate how fast these phases will evolve’, states Tuli. At least for now, Tuli has undoubtedly completed the first phase of his mission with resounding success as he has, by his own definition, built a holistic and systematic framework for the documentation and curation of Indian fine arts.

Tuli shares his belief that ‘irrespective of economic background, the creativity within all of us needs to be nurtured. This artistic creativity is the true human wealth, which all of us carry, has not been nurtured by India’s economic and political system with vision or justice’. It seems that Tuli has made it his mission to right these wrongs by making art accessible to the people.

His dream, outlined on osianama.com, of ‘building an Oxford for India’ seems to be finally within reach. Despite how much he has achieved, he states in his welcome note that ‘midway through the task, the real journey has seemingly begun’. Tuli obviously has high hopes and big dreams for the future of osianama.com, mainly to unite the Asian and Arab communities through art and eventually create a world-wide archive. Tuli believes knowledge and education should be a daily right for every human being and through osianama. com, he hopes to make this a reality by sharing Indian arts and culture with the world.

Images courtesy of osianama.com

The Begum’s Bath by Raja Ravi Varma

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Images courtesy of Christie’s

Picasso auction

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HOW CHRISTIE’S SUCCEEDED IN CHINA Christie’s recently hosted their first ever auction in mainland China, an auction that netted $25 million (£15 million). BRIC takes a look at the highlights from this historical event.

Christie’s, the world’s leading art business and fine arts auction house, realised a long-term goal last month when it opened the doors to its first auction in mainland China. The event drew a thousand people to the Shangri La Hotel in Shanghai for three days of public exhibitions, private sales, lectures and forums, concluded by the auction on Thursday 26th September.

It has been estimated that two thirds of the buyers were from mainland China, with the other third coming from overseas to bid in person, online and via telephone on a wide variety of Western and Chinese artworks. The London-based auction house is now the first major foreign art auction house to be granted the license to sell fine arts and collectables independently in mainland China.

Jonathan Stone, Chairman of Asian Art at Christie´s, stated, ‘It is one of the most important steps the company has taken in almost 250 years of history. It’s as important as arriving in America in the 1970s.’

Milestone

Indeed, the event has marked another milestone in China’s continued, steady encroachment into the worldwide arts market.

The country has previously resisted developing its art market on a global level, which meant mainland auctions very rarely featured international and Western artwork. This does not include sales held in Hong Kong, which is considered to be Asia’s portal to international art and where most of Asia’s Western art and collectables are auctioned. Now, with the success of Christie’s auction, and the subsequent sales by other auction houses that have since occurred in mainland China, it looks as though cities like Shanghai and Beijing are set to become new and burgeoning epicenters of the international arts market.

And it should come as no surprise. Over the past decade, Chinese bidders have become a dominant presence in overseas art auctions. With the world’s second largest economy, China’s auction art market is internationally considered to be the second most valuable: a lucrative market rivalling that of the United States. In the last year alone, China imported an estimated $1 billion (£622 million) worth of artwork. And, according to a report by the European Fine Art Foundation published in March, it procured $14.3 billion (£8.8 billion) in art and antiques auctions, the second highest worldwide for 2012.

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At their first auction in Shanghai last month, Christie’s fetched a modest, speaking by transnational standards, total of $25 million (£15 million). This sum is moderate in comparison to overseas auctions such as Christie’s auction in New York of May this year, which accumulated $495 million (£307 million). While the income on the Shanghai auction failed to meet its estimated worth, it has set a positive tone for the future of Western art house auctions in mainland China.

For sale

As the auction was the company’s first in the country, buyers were presented with a broad selection of art and collectables.

Along with anticipated categories like sculpture and paintings, there were categories such as jewellery, watches and wine. This attempt to negotiate the murky waters of the Chinese collector’s market will benefit the sales of future auctions, as what was revealed was a strong inclination towards international art. The jewellery category also attracted generous revenue, with one ornamental item, a small 100-millimetre jade Buddha estimated at $120,000 (£74,000) managing to net a winning bid of $900,000 (£560,000).

Amongst the approximate 40 items put under the hammer was a small 1969 Pablo Picasso painting, Homme Assis, which sold for $1.9 million (£1.1 million). Other Western art pieces included Andy Warhol’s Diamond Dust Shoes from 1981, which generated a sale of $784,146 (£488,017). A mobile sculpture by Alexander Calder, whose winning bid fetched $1.5 million (£933,000), fell below its estimated worth. And as predicted by the booming popularity of work by Asian artists, artist Cheong Soo Pieng generated $678,000 (£421,000) for his work, By The River II, while the sale of Nyoman Masriadi’s Fatman was secured with the winning bid of $757,500 (£471,111).

However the most expensive purchase of the day was a $3.4 million (£2.1 million) ruby necklace by Faidee, an Indian jewellery company.

While the necklace failed to reach its estimated worth of $4.6 million (£2.8 million), the fact that the auction’s biggest sale was for a piece of Indian jewellery reveals the desire of China’s elite to branch out of their domestic art and collectables market. By contrast, the highest bid on a Chinese work of art, a series of 14 mixed metal sculptures by Sui Jiaguo, drew $1.6 million (£995,000).

In a press release, François Curiel, President of Christie’s in Asia, said, ‘Our first auction in Shanghai has illustrated how much demand and appreciation there is for art across categories [...] This is an extraordinary start for Christie’s in mainland China and indicates there will be exciting times ahead for the industry as a whole and art enthusiasts everywhere.’

art community […] but every country has its own set of rules.’

With such a limitation set on “cultural relics”, Shanghai will surely struggle in the international art auction market. What makes these censorship rules even more problematic is that a significant amount of Chinese buyers are looking explicitly to buy traditional Chinese art and this forces them out of mainland China, to auction houses in Hong Kong or further overseas.

Christie’s CEO Stephen Murphy went on to say he believed these restrictions meant Hong Kong’s status as Asia’s art hub would not be endangered by art auctions in mainland China.

However, the implementation of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone could be enough to counteract some of the limitations set by censorship. The Shanghai Free Trade Zone was officially introduced on Sunday, after six months of discussion by Shanghai officials.

Last year, China imported an estimated $1 billion worth of artwork

Banning censorship

So, while it seems that Chinese collectors have expressed an unequivocal interest in establishing mainland China as a dominant force in the international arts market, they will be met with some resistance in their climb to the top. Art experts predict that the only way a mainland city like Shanghai could surpass Hong Kong as Asia’s fine arts hub would be if the Chinese government was to abandon its strict rules on censorship. Under said censorship, Christie’s Auction House and the Chinese government came to the agreement that no artworks or artifacts dating from before the take over of Communist Party were to be featured in the auction.

These same rules will be implemented for any other competing auction houses, such as Sotheby’s, Christie’s main competitor, who held two smaller sales in Beijng last month.

At the auction’s opening, Christie’s CEO Stephen Murphy said, ‘The more open the environment can be, the better for the local

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The Bund night view with Christie’s China Logo on building

With the Shanghai Free Trade Zone under effect, it is expected that it will serve to establish Shanghai globally by giving it a say in worldwide importing matters, issuing in a new era for the arts auction market in China. However, while the Free Trade Zone would make bringing art into mainland China for auction more appealing, it may not be enough to compete with Hong Kong, which is already a free port.

‘With the presence of the Free Trade Zone, it will be very much easier now for us to import works of art for sale in Shanghai,’ said Francois Curiel, president of Christie’s Asia.

‘The difference at the moment is no other than the fact that there are high importation taxes in China and not in Hong Kong...’

There have been recent reports suggesting that the Chinese government may consider slackening the censorship rules within the Free Trade Zone. This would allow Western

auction houses to include cultural relics in their sales in Shanghai, though Shanghai officials have not confirmed these reports.

The effects that the Shanghai Free Trade Zone will have on China’s thriving arts market remain to be seen. What Christie’s auction has reflected, however, is the broadening taste in China’s mainland and the appetite for more Western and international art works. ‘We are hoping to convene anyone,’ said Christie’s CEO Stephen Murphy, ‘who wishes to engage in the wider world of art and culture.’ The future looks increasingly fruitful for foreign arts auction houses such as Christie’s in mainland China.

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WHY BRAZILIAN ART IS ON-TREND Ahead of Brazil’s pending World Cup and Olympics BRIC explores the world’s fascination with the South American country’s rapidly growing art scene.

A wonderland of art and nature

In southeast Brazil, an innovation in art landscaping has acquired international attention. Inhotim is a unique, artistic wonderland full of rare contemporary artworks, spread amongst the grounds of vast, botanical gardens. It illustrates the vibrancy of a booming art scene that is engulfing Brazil. Inhotim is the brainchild of Bernardo Paz, a billionaire who features in 2013 Forbes’s Rich List for Brazil, and this remarkable project demonstrates why art collectors, dealers, critics and enthusiasts are flocking to Brazil.

Inhotim is a Wonkaesque adventure, inviting visitors to live and breathe art in a natural setting. The art presented at Inhotim, like many of Brazil’s galleries,

Image courtesy of Inhotim

From vibrant, colourful paintings, to art installations in a forest; from nationalistic architecture to urban street art; whatever the art form, it is blossoming in Brazil. In the past decade, all the big movers and shakers within international art circles have looked to Brazil with interest, as its home-grown artistic wealth is evolving into a scene of global significance. The growing economic power has enabled a transformation within Brazil that has attracted art dealers, collectors, gallery owners, and, of course, artists of considerable talent, to flourish and succeed. Such cultural impetus is inspiring the art world in Brazil to create and prosper, ahead of two great sporting events that will draw all eyes towards this country.

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Desvio para o vermelho, Cildo Meireles foto PedroXXXXX Motta

Rio and São Paulo

Inhotim is not the only innovation in the art scene in Brazil; Rio and São Paulo have become cultural centres, in which many projects have sprung up in the last few decades. Brazil’s new art scene is positively booming, rivalling even Paris and London for museum attendance figures in recent years.

Brazil is transforming into a world power ahead of the two big events that have accelerated the country’s change – the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. The world is eagerly anticipating these major events and preparing for the party to end all parties, in a country renowned for revelry and joie de vivre, its fun-loving people, and its distinctive carnival music. Brazil has always been a cultural haven for musicians, and it has produced some of the best footballers and sportspeople. But the burgeoning cultural shift is towards the visual arts of painting, sculpture, photography, video art and street art.

Brazil’s highest paid artist, Beatriz Milhazes, made a welcome return to Rio during the summer, with a new retrospective exhibition showcasing her colourful, idiosyncratic artwork. It is certainly a triumph for Rio to be able to boast such a successful living artist – her painting Meu Limão sold for $2.1

Mira Schendel piece

million (£1.3 million) in 2012. Milhazes’ art is distinctly “Rio”, with complex circular patterns and liberal use of colour, inspired by her hometown’s exuberant carnival-style and mindset.

Why Brazil?

The wealth pouring into Brazil has created a new middle-class, enabled social mobility for the poorest Brazilians and, of course, enabled the rich

Image courtesy of Inhotim

Image courtesy of Tate Modern

is multimedia and multi-sensory. Amongst sculptures and paintings, visitors will find art installations, both indoors and outdoors, and, in the Sonic Pavilion

by Doug Aitken, visitors can even hear the earth move.

In 2012 Inhotim attracted over 300,000 visitors from all over the world, who came to wander the 5,000 acre estate which houses pavilions of art and outdoor sculptures. Over 500 works of art are on display on site, punctuating the vibrant beauty of the gardens with the creations of renowned contemporary artists.

Paz’s goal has always been to enable the young and the poor to prepare for “post-contemporary society” and to enable access to cultural goods for years to come. Paz has described his vision as the “Disney of the future,” and in many ways it is the expression of a utopian balance between art and nature, natural landscape and human artistic endeavour. What Paz has achieved is the physical representation of the conflict between human creativity and nature, a conversation that is incredibly relevant to one of the world’s emerging powers.

Sound Pavilion, Doug Aitken. Photo Pedro Motta

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a 1950s interpreter of European Modernism in Brazil. A Swiss Jew studying in Milan, Schendel fled fascist Italy and found fame in Latin America through her visions on semi-transparent rice paper created with homemade paint.

Schendel’s art represents a transient, half-seen existence in turbulent times, yet it retains a timeless quality that hints at the Concretist and Neoconcretist Brazilian avant-garde movement whilst never completely belonging to it.

Rio de Janeiro is famous for its beaches and party vibe, but it is also host to a rich art scene. Galleries are cropping up all over Brazil, but in Rio the most famous established cultural institutions include, amongst others, the Museu de Arte de Rio. This museum boasts an impressive structure in the form of one old colonial building paired with a converted bus station, forming a marriage between Brazil’s history of Portuguese colonisation and its emergent cultural independence and global prestige. The Museu Nacional de Belas Artes includes permanent exhibitions of artworks brought to Rio by the King of Portugal in 1808. The Museu de Arte Contemporanea has been nicknamed “The Flying Saucer” because of its eye-catching architecture, where it is home to vast galleries of international contemporary art.

Art is everywhere

to get richer. These trends look set to continue. Recent figures suggest that Brazil creates a millionaire a day, and it seems that many cities, such as Rio and São Paulo, are investing in the shared cultural capital of Brazil.

Galleries are popping up all over Brazil; artists no longer have to emigrate to be creative and successful because they can make their fortunes surrounded by the support and affection of their own nation.

In the 1990s corporate tax breaks were introduced in Brazil, and over two decades of business growth have benefitted Brazilian artists too, as well as the resident art lovers. In 2008, more than 1bn reais was invested in cultural centres, many of which also bring in revenue for the companies that sponsor them.

The experts suggest that the art market in Brazil is thriving, and the statistics support this view. Latitude, a relatively new organisation that promotes the Brazilian art market internationally, recently reported that export sales in 2012 grew to $27 million (£16 million), which is an increase of 350 per cent since 2007. Brazil’s reputation in artistic circles is clearly growing abroad, as it is blossoming at home.

The consumption of art is no longer merely the domain of the very wealthy in Brazil, but it nevertheless remains exclusive and luxurious. You don’t have to visit the galleries to get a feel for the blossoming art scene in Brazil; street art was decriminalised by the government in 2009, and an expanding urban art movement has taken advantage of this to leave its mark on the cityscape.

Graffiti artists from all over the world are coming to Rio to experience this movement while Rio has its moment in the spotlight, both in terms of its traditional visual art and its street art. Rio’s street art exists in both the favelas and the upper-class neighbourhoods, while it continues to participate in the development of community and education.

Image courtesy of Tate Modern

Galleries and museums worth visiting

Brazil as an exporter of art

Brazil has embarked on its illustrious ascent into cultural consequence, and it looks set to continue its expansion, especially in its artistic communities.

Brazil is leaving behind its historical import of European concepts of art and is boldly creating its own ideas, its own methods and techniques, and its artists are developing their own distinct Brazilian style. Brazil is now a substantial exporter of art rather than an importer, and the cultural consciousness of the country will continue to develop creatively through continued sponsorship.

Brazilian artists are offering unique works of great cultural importance, both at home and abroad, at a time of cultural evolution.

Art history in Brazil

Image courtesy of Andrés Otero

Art in Brazil is not a modern phenomenon, although its international recognition is. “Art”, in the Western traditional sense, began in the late 16th century when the first Portuguese colonisers arrived, so the first artworks had a religious agenda. Brazilian artists worked in the Baroque style until the 19th century, which brought with it Neoclassicism, Romanticism and Realism. Brazilian Realist painters depicted the verdant landscape of their magnificent land, and so bright, vivid colours have long had a fundamental role in Brazilian visual art.

After the First World War, Brazilian artists influenced by “Modernismo” sought to revolutionise contemporary Brazilian art through its subordination of European concepts of art, in favour of authentic Brazilian ideas. The 1922 Week of Modern Art Festival held in São Paulo can be seen as the founding moment of Modernist art in Brazil, in which controversial artists such as Anita Malfatti shocked conservative audiences with her avant-garde, international Modernist style. Modernism in Brazil focused on developing new, Brazilian expression in the arts, including independence from European models, suggesting a proud nationalism that exists within artistic circles in the country with equal, if not intensified, ferocity today.

Mira Schendel

The relevance of Brazilian art has recently been recognised by the Tate Modern in London, which is currently showcasing the work of Mira Schendel,

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Museu de Arte de Rio

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A RUSSIAN VILLAGE’S IMPACT ON THE WORLD’S ARCHITECTURE Designed in 1923 Sokol village still feels an age away from the neighbouring city of Moscow, thanks largely to the quaint and eccentric houses that populate it. Described as an artist’s oasis, Joseph Simas provides us with an incredible look into this fascinating part of Russia.

Few shadows fall over Sokol in the grey of late autumn when the skies of Moscow appear drab and the surrounding buildings lifeless save for the exception of the brightly-lit residential skyscraper nearby, a massive anomaly with a view onto this out-of-place and out-of-time village. There’s such a stark contrast between the village and the urban rush of the city with its boulevards, parks, tenements, and shopping malls, only a few steps away.

From the calm of birdsong and the rustle of leaves flirting in the wind, Sokol in the fall is an earful and a sight to behold.

Historical

If you were a time traveller and landed here in a space capsule from some distant galaxy you might just feel at home, but you would hardly imagine that you had landed in the heart of Moscow in a village constructed in 1923 at the behest of one Vladimir Lenin. Sokol feels much older than its age, as 1923 seems so far away in terms of ideology, technology, and urbanism.

Back then, chief architect of this so-called Artist’s Village, or garden city, the Bolshevik-backed Nikolai Vladimirovich Markovnikov had been chief architect of the Moscow Kremlin from 1914 to 1919.

He oversaw the restoration of Kremlin walls and towers after having designed and built in 1903-1910 the Small Beltway of the Moscow Railway.

Many Russian and foreign architects became involved in playing off the Sokol model cottage, including such masters as Le Corbusier (whose chalet-like pink edifice would later be demolished) and Aleksey Viktorovich Shchusev who was asked to take part in the redesign of this once tsarist Moscow. Shchusev led a group of architects and builders from Moscow away from neo-Classicism and toward Constructivism, while the singlefamily dwellings in Sokol village seem to hearken back to yet another time, that of the countryside of dachas, landed gentry, and small farmers. At the death of Lenin in 1924, Shchusev developed the concept of the International Proletariat leader’s mausoleum in a brief few days. He and several other prominent Russian architects decided on a simple design based on squares and cubes.

Like most of the A-frame cottages in Sokol the first mausoleum was made of wood. Later in the 1930s it was transformed with deep red granite and black labradorite. The tribunes so often seen in dictatorships of all sorts,

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platforms where leaders can review troops, friendly parades, or mass gatherings were part of Shchusev’s design. He was not about to let the thinker Lenin’s teachings and guidance be forgotten with his death. One wonders if in the transition between Lenin and Stalin Sokol is a sort of urban lament or foreboding of an architectural peace and quiet which would never again visit Soviet Russia. But how far away from both Lenin and Stalin does Sokol feel today! It is like a deliberate call to stop the massive tower-block construction looming on the horizon. Of course, back then Sokol really was a village, the centre of Moscow being a couple of hours away by horse and buggy.

Mass production

Markovnikov’s Sokol settlement was one of the first manifestations of the concept of the Soviet city and based on the principles of the garden city and its low-rise detached houses. Later, during yet another Moscow reconstruction period in 1935 architects Leonid Vesnin, Mikhail Barsch, and Moisei Ginzburg who promoted garden cities and dacha structures during the 1920s, turned to American ideas of mass production. The new Soviet city was born (again) and Sokol receded for the first time into the past. Many times over, the people of Sokol have resisted being overthrown, demolished, ignored, or inscribed in an urbanism that would have it replaced with more up-to-date thinking. Maybe then, the idea of a garden city’s time has come. Or, if not, the place must be said to be timeless, at antipodes to Andrei Burov’s caricature of Soviet creative tinkering in 20th-century architecture: ‘Take a piece of paper and, in this order, write down the following: 1) cheerfulness, 2) industriousness, 3) mastery of past heritage, 4) national form, 5) socialist content, 6) synthesis of the arts, etc. When you have drawn your design, lay the paper on a table and look it over. Then take a red pencil and see how you have done. 1.

Cheerfulness? Check — the building is white. 2. Industriousness? Check — all 200 flats, all windows, stairs, and doors are exactly the same. 3. Heritage?

Check — there is a Renaissance cornice. 4. National form? Check — there are Russian window surrounds (or Azerbaijani if the building is in Baku). 5.

Socialist content? Check — for whom is the house intended? For our Soviet people, and thus we have an emblem. 6. Synthesis? Check — the sculptures wear coats or shorts, depending on the climate.’

Ironically, an overlay of the Kremlin blueprint onto that of Sokol reveals

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more than meets the eye inside or just on the border of either compound. You must take a look from the sky to see a true resemblance. What spirit was at work here?

Artist’s Village

On the other hand, Sokol is an organic design built to what one could call a sustainable scale and not without more than constructive functionalism.

The place is a pleasing utopia to the eye, its lanes and small streets lined with golden maples, birch, ash, linden trees, oaks, limes, and pines, to name a few. While a few artists have in fact lived here, such as the portraitist of Soviet leaders, Sergei Gerasimov, and the sculptor of the pioneer cosmonaut standing at the foot of Moscow’s huge Monument to Space Conquerors, Andrei Faidish-Krandievsky, the Sokol settlement came to be called an Artist’s Village because its roads were early on renamed after famous 19th-century Russian painters. That too gives the contemporary intellectual Russian good reason to laugh. It’s the laughter of astronauts and dogs in space.

What’s not funny at all to locals and resident militants keeping watch over Sokol today is the slow but seemingly inevitable degradation of some amongst the still over 100 cottages here that are allowed to fall into disrepair, and the land on which they stand is then sold illegally to extremely wealthy Russians who are renowned for their high disregard for zoning and construction regulations. Some still believe, however, that this most recent threat will be stopped before it’s too late.

If the contemporary Russian architect Vladislav Platonov and the firm he works for, Karlson & Co, have any say in the matter, there appears to be hope. Platonov did a brilliant job respecting new regulations on a house he called “Yin / Yang”, proving that with real thought and truly creative design, the city of today, and tomorrow, can indeed resist the trials of time and continue living on in the rich hues and shades of harmony.

Images courtesy of Joseph Simas

Its roads were early on renamed after famous 19th-century Russian painters

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THE REVOLUTIONIST OF AMAZONIAN GASTRONOMY Having honed his skills in Europe Alex Atala went back to his native Brazil where he launched one of the world’s best restaurants.

Alexandra Truta offers us a taste of the renowned chef with the many sobriquets.

rare assortment of cooked Amazonian fruits, roots, vegetables and herbs.

Atala’s vibrant, innovative style and genuine devotion to his work are two of the key personal ingredients which maintain his reputation to this day as a bold, revolutionary and influential force. Like few other inspirational public figures, his journey too began from humble roots and was kick-started by an unquenchable thirst for change, as well as the infinite passion and loyalty with which he treats his cause.

Images courtesy of D.O.M Restaurant

Meet Alex Atala, the master chef who has fueled the Brazilian gastronomic food revolution, also known as the botanist, the DJ, the writer, the activist, the founder of the world’s currently ranked sixth best restaurant, and the enthralling man who embodies all of the above. His unique and genuine style has landed him on Time’s list of 100 most influential people on the planet, and earned him the title of South America’s number one chef, famous for his specialty contemporary Brazilian/Amazonian dishes, offering a deliciously

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Alex Atala

Green Tomato Gel

The Nomad

Atala was born on the 3rd of June, 1968 in São Paulo, Brazil. His life began to unfold at the fragile age of 19 however, when he moved to Belgium to study at the L’École hôtelière de la Province de Namur. He then moved on to his next job working for Jean-Pierre Bruneau in his three-star Michelin restaurant where he became familiar with diverse recipes and styles. It didn’t take long before Atala’s restlessness led him to France where he experimented with French culinary at Hotel de la Cote D’Or with Bernard Loiseau. Atala’s educational adventures around Europe continued as he spent time in Montpellier and Milan, Italy, where he learned the art of Italian cuisine thereby expanding his already enriched culinary knowledge.

His natural flair and commitment did not go unnoticed when it came to his work. He attracted the attention of his customers and of the media, and soon became a highly renowned chef throughout Europe. However, Atala’s fundamental fondness for his Brazilian roots and his country’s indigenous people quickly became his main priority as he daringly abandoned his already promising career in Europe, and returned home to São Paulo in 1994.

During the summer this year, 2013, Atala addresses this “change of plans” in an interview held by Allan Jenkins, which featured in The Guardian: ‘I couldn’t cook French food as well as a French chef, or Italian like an Italian cook. But I also came to understand none of them could cook Brazilian food as well as me.’

The Free-Spirit

Atala’s free-spirited attitude and restlessness have played a key role in his career, making him a culinary superstar, and an inspirational social figure which has maintained and secured the highest standards of his culture.

His daring determination and success serve as an example that the word “limitation” is nothing but an attitude, and that success can indeed be achieved through hard work and talent. His work has taken him around the world to cook and present for some of the world’s most famous restaurants, and in 1999 Atala opened the doors to what he has turned into the sixth (fourth in 2012) best restaurant in the world.

D.O.M (Gastronomia Brasileira) was created at a time when very little was known about Brazilian and Amazonian cuisine and its incredible variety of flavours. Its clients enjoy its unique and genuine ingredients such as açaí, pupunha, cupuacu, jambu or tucupi. Atala’s fame and success has naturally attracted a wide range of clientele to the restaurant, each eager for a fresh experience. The decoration of the restaurant pleasantly combines a classy and modern atmosphere, with a wild quality to it. Its clientele is limited and private parties can be booked to ensure a relaxed and comfortable experience for those attending. The main attraction of this renowned venue however, is neither its phenomenal food nor its elegant atmosphere. The preservation and prominence which it has provided in the area of Brazilian cuisine symbolises more to the South American culture than just another great restaurant. It is

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Atala has shown great concern and affection towards the indigenous food and its providers who are at a loss

D.O.M Interior

a social statement which has directly reached out to the Brazilian/Amazonian culture, its roots and history of cuisine. Atala has revolutionised global cuisine by popularising audacious dishes such as: cooked ants, or his very famous Palm Heart Fettuccine or his fillet of the white-fleshed pirarucu fish (a huge Amazonian fish that weighs up to 300kg).

In 2006, the restaurant was included, for the first time, in “The world’s 50 best restaurants”, published by Restaurant magazine. Atala’s determination and talent only increased with time, and so by 2011, the name D.O.M leapt all the way to number seven on the same competitive list, up 11 places from the previous year. As already mentioned, by 2012, Atala had exceeded himself, and to the world’s astonishment and delight he had brought the restaurant to number four on the list, and to number one in South America.

The Activist

This prestigious restaurant has attracted a wide range of tourism to São Paulo, which in turn has increased interest and awareness to the fascinating list of attractions that Brazilian culture has to offer. Atala’s fame has created a sustainable cuisine in the true meaning of the word, and has thus attracted many interesting clients, many celebrities as well as political figures, and social figures such as Ferran Adrià and Massimiliano Alajmo.

By 2014 when the FIFA World Cup is due to take place, D.O.M will most assuredly be one of the hottest venues to visit on the planet. Due to its increasing success and reputation, a reservation has to be made months in advance, in order to secure a seat for this popular establishment. However, the wait is worth the while. The menu is split into three, each providing a selection of delicacies since no single dish can offer a true representation of the wide variety of flavours unique to D.O.M and cooked to perfection

by Atala’s own hands.

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Lime and banana ravioli

Banana, lime and priprioca caramel ravioli

Jambul

Ants and pineapple

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Baby pork ribs

Atala with his award

Image courtesy of The World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards sponsored by S. Pellegrino and Acqua

Most importantly, Atala, the chef, the CEO, the writer and the television host has further progressed to a man of admirable integrity, dedication and patriotism. Since 2012, he has become the founder of a very influential organisation known as ATA (fire), which addresses the relation between man and food. Our society is facing a global food crisis which is ever so present and daunting, particularly affecting the underdeveloped regions of the world. The negative aspects of capitalism and globalisation result in an uneven distribution of wealth, and local farmers and providers are at a loss when facing the industrial franchises which are taking over their businesses.

Atala has shown great concern and affection towards the indigenous food and its providers who are at a loss. He has demonstrated a genuine interest and affection towards the Amazon, its people, ingredients, and the animals which are sacrificed to become a dish. His interest lies not only in his own performance, but also in the ingredient, its source, and particularly, for the man who is behind the source. His aim is to improve the relation between the industry which produces the food, and that which consumes it. His aim is to ensure that both parties benefit from this relation, and that the territories are strengthened from their biodiversity, agro diversity, and sociodiversity.

As Atala explains during one of his visits to the Amazon, his aim is to better understand the product which he cooks and serves, not only inside the pan, but also from the perspective of the nature from where it is derived, and the Baniwa people which cultivate it.

During a recent symposium in August this year, Atala boldly performed a rather shocking demonstration which shook the audience out of their seats and comfort zones. The event was entitled “Death Happens”, and little did the audience know that they would become the decision-makers in what would turn out to be a fatal afternoon. Just like the Roman times when gladiators would fight in the Colosseum and the faith of the gladiator would rest upon the mercy of the unforgiving crowds, Atala too held out his thumb in a neutral position while holding a chicken in his other arm. The crowds wildly cheered like barbarians for him to kill it. This surprised him, as he later expressed that he expected their sympathy and that the animal may be spared. However, as his thumb turned from a neutral position, to facing upwards at the ‘no mercy’ sentence signalling loudly from the crowds, Atala butchered the chicken and later cooked it for the people. The intention behind this event was to raise awareness for the animals which we sacrifice for our consumption and pleasure. “Death Happens” labelled t-shirts were distributed at the event, and Atala certainly got his point across.

Though bold and unapologetic about his sometimes drastic demonstrations, Atala is by far one of the world’s most genuine, patriotic and dedicated entrepreneurs of our time. As the old saying goes, ‘we are what we eat’, and Atala’s dishes are a 100 per cent natural representation of the Amazon, as is he.

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GROWING A VINEYARD IN CHINA

Some might say it was inevitable. As dormant economies with massive potentials start to awaken so does the desire for the trappings that help the population enjoy their newfound economic freedom. Most people understand the logic behind that premise and most people understand that while it’s the four nation ‘Tiger Economies’ that might turn the heads of the world’s business community, it’s the powerhouse Chinese economy that continues to hold their (very focussed) attention.

So, when we hear that China is now home to the biggest car industry on earth no-one even blinks. There are large swathes of China where roads are still the only means of travelling and 1.3 billion people will always have somewhere to go at some point, it’s just that now most of them now want to arrive there in comfort and style. The Chinese luxury goods market alone is predicted to expand to $27 billion (£16 billion) by 2015 and yet Chinese consumers are still experiencing the joy of having excess income with not enough things to spend it on. So, while some might say it’s just an inevitable progression for a population hungry for progress and the finer things in life, the concept of “Chinese wine” is something that many will still find jarring to their sensibilities. To be clear, we’re not talking about the Chinese rice wine everybody is already familiar with, even if just as a cooking ingredient. As unlikely as it may seem, we’re talking about Chinese grown, award-winning wines like Chardonnay, Cabernet and Merlot.

Oenophiles

As money started to pour into the economy around the turn of the century China began to develop a taste for fine wine, produced in the traditional wine growing regions of the world, and started to move away from the so-called ‘hot liquors.’ French wine, of course, became the region of choice and status – it wasn’t unusual to hear of the growing class of Chinese oenophiles bidding themselves up to over $500,000 (£311,000) for cases of Chateau Lafite. But there’s a world of difference between a nation discovering wine and that nation suddenly being a producer of fine wine (if current trends continue China is on course to also be the world’s biggest wine market by 2015). But with such a huge untapped domestic market it was only a matter of time before ‘Chinese Wine’ was born. The story is in how fast it has grown up.

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It shouldn’t be forgotten that China has centuries-old traditions when it comes to making grape wine, but it’s only since the start of the economic revolution 14 years ago that Chinese people themselves have actually had any money to buy it. And with demand must come supply. Since China’s first tentative forays into a real production industry it has been an astonishing rise.

Those with the palettes to taste the difference dismissed the first efforts at large-scale production as “cough syrup”. But as the quality in grape harvests improved so did the appetite for the wines they made. One winery leading China’s charge to become a wine superpower is Grace Vineyard, one of the most recognisable Chinese names in the wine world. Started in 1997 in the Shanxi Province by businessman Chan Chun-Keung, it was the first family owned vineyard in China, and for anyone fortunate enough to visit, the heavy French influence is clear to see. The brilliant white French style chateau at the heart of the vineyard sits in stark contrast to the thousands of industrial coal mines that the province is known for.

But this is the new China and, recognising that winemaking is a process perfected over generations, not fiscal quarters, Chan handed the reins of the company over to his daughter, Judy Leissner, 11 years ago when she was just 24-years-old and had no wine pedigree. ‘It’s a good job I didn’t really understand what my dad was asking of me when I joined the firm,’ she says of this moment. ‘Due to my background in Psychology I thought it would be mostly administration and co-ordination work in another part of the business, but he simply said, “Oh, I have this winery, why don’t you take care of it for me?”’ It’s hard to imagine just how daunting this would be for any 24-yearold, let alone an American educated one who had spent the prior two years between the University of Michigan and Grace Vineyard working for Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong (where she met her German husband – hence the surname).

Yet, it was probably that youth, and the fearlessness that came with it, that turned Grace Vineyard from a loss-making provincial concern into a successful national business. ‘When you’re young you feel like you can do anything but, believe me, there were many nights I couldn’t sleep and felt like I was sinking in the ocean by myself,’ she says. With her lack of experience Leissner’s first instinct was to try and replicate what the successful Bordeaux

Images courtesy of Grace Vineyard

The Chinese wine industry is gaining world recognition and Judy Leissner is the woman helping to put her country on the map.

She gives Andre Gayle an insight into her family’s vineyard and into this fascinating industry.

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The goal is to build the winery for the family and hopefully one day pass it down to the kids

winemakers did. Harsh realities being what they are, she soon realised it’s not possible to simply transplant knowledge and tools from one side of the planet to the other and just open up production. There were just too many variables when it came to wine – differences in climate, soil, infrastructure, labour and, of course, the role of the state. The Bordeaux regions had long since evolved past any issues their geography had presented and Grace Vineyard would just have to do the same.

Couple that to the fact that China is a largely patriarchal society and the obstacles for the youngest and only female CEO in Chinese wine are easy to see. But always being greeted second at meetings behind her older male driver didn’t prevent her from leading the business into expanding domestic distribution to over 19 bars, shops and restaurants around China. However, Judy’s plan is for Grace Vineyard to remain a boutique winery, perfecting the art and establishing an earned reputation with a fixed production of just two million bottles a year.

‘Quality and brand are the most important things for me,’ she continues.

‘The goal is to build the winery for the family – my brothers, my dad and hopefully one day pass it down to the kids.’ But even here the quest for quality can present its own problems. Quality over quantity is not necessarily a concept that sits easily with the collective Chinese business mentality and it’s a well-known fact that the average Chinese consumer is just as likely to chase his wine with Coca Cola as he is to drink it “neat”. The key to Grace Vineyard’s continued success is educating consumers about wine and why quality matters. ‘There’s actually a lot of wine education going on in China right now,’ says Judy. ‘The most common course is the one provided by the WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust). In fact, I believe that as of this year the WSET have certified more people in China and Hong Kong than the total number certified in the UK.’

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Chinese wines also regularly feature among the winners at the Decanter World Wine Awards now, and in 2012 of the 18 medals that went to China five were for Grace Vineyard wines alone.

Yet, surprisingly, Judy decided to not compete at this year’s event. ‘When we first entered the goal was to understand where we were in the wine world. But as time went on we didn’t think we were getting fair objective judgements with so many other wines to taste. So now, I think, we’ve passed the stage of needing that kind of validation for the wines we’re producing.’

World stage

Chinese wine, it seems, has come a very long way from “cough syrup”.

With China on the cusp of an explosion in wine consumption the wine world is now starting to sit up and take notice. Heavyweight names like Domaines Barons de Rothschild and Moet Hennessy have already staked out their own corners of the country to establish their vineyards and international wine critics like Jancis Robinson, James Boyce and Robert Parker have done yeoman’s work in alerting a sceptical world to the quality now being produced there. And the power of the critic has not been lost on Judy. ‘We’ve been sending wine samples to them privately for years. That way we get fairer judgements in terms of feedback and ratings.’ It’s a strategy that’s paying off. The Financial Times recently hailed Grace wines as ‘the finest coming out of China’ and Leissner herself was named ‘2012 Asian Wine Personality of the Year’ by industry bible, The Drinks Business, as well as one of Fortune Magazine’s ‘25 Hottest Business People in Asia.’

The story doesn’t end there though. Chinese Wine is a concept many will find it hard to grapple with but, according to Judy, ‘give it another 10 to 15 years.’ After all, the world once struggled with the concept of Chilean and Australian wines too.

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LOVE Why Men Love Brazilian Women Why Older Men Go For Younger Women Top Four Romantic Getaways

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Image courtesy of sfmission.com

LOVE

Rio Carnival dancer

The most powerful of all emotions: the hand that hold the deck of all other emotions. We all need somebody, one that we can call upon for support, affection and care. And so we have decided to dedicate a section to something we have all experienced, something we all share in common.

We begin with two opinion pieces: a first-hand account of our co-founder’s experience with dating a Brazilian, in which he tries to

answer the question posed – what makes Brazilian women so desirable to men? We also explore the psychology behind the relationships between older men and younger women, thanks to the interesting opinions of two experts who also happen to be husband and wife. To round off the section, we reviewed the top four romantic getaways – one from each BRIC country.

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WHY MEN LOVE BRAZILIAN WOMEN Recording artist, actor and director Ankit Love is also a man of the world.

Here he recounts the relationship he once had with a Brazilian woman.

π (Pi) is an irrational number, a mathematical constant for the ratio of a circle. For centuries men have tried to calculate the mysteries of Pi, a number that cannot be represented as a fraction and seems to extend infinitely with no pattern, it has been calculated to over 10 trillion digits with no end in sight. Perhaps this very tantalising mystery of the curve is what draws us to Brazilian women.

Show me the moon

The very thought of Brazilian women conjures up images and flashes of those perfect crescent moons, basking in rays of Rio, juicy and perk made for mischief. It is certainly these physical attributes that initially catch our attention and leave a hard and hearty impression. Certainly, I clearly recall the very first time when I saw my Brazilian ex-girlfriend naked. My jaw dropped at the size, and perfect round shape of her derrière. That Brazilian behind captured my mind and soul, and like a mathematician possessed who memorises Pi to 67,000 digits I was deeply

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Rio Carnival dancer

consumed by the mysteries of her curvature. There seemed no solution in sight and the more I saw the more I wanted, the more I needed to explore.

In Portuguese, ‘que bunda gostosa’ means that delicious booty. This is the appropriate compliment I learnt from her. You see the Brazilian bum is robust, proud and stands out, so it is not a cute backside, or a perk little behind. It is an emphatic and delicious entity poised to delight those who can learn to stroke it just right. It even made its way into my No. 1 MTV hit music video, not visually but lyrically in the song Beethoven Burst, a song and video about a cosmic and spiritual search, for the bridge of the song I wrote the chant: ‘Bunda, Bunda, Bunda Boom Boom.

Bunda, Bunda show me the moon.’

Now it would already be something if her curvaceous gold was a two-dimensional print on a page. The fact is that not only did she possess the curve, she knew how to move it, and this she did with a mouth-watering rhythm in time and space.

These gyrations not only blew my mind, they blew my heart and soul too. I felt immune to all sorrow and tragedy that may have encircled me before. The energy, warmness and optimism of Brazilian women could perhaps stem from their physique too. The strong and strapping Amazonian woman may simply possess more energy as opposed to the stick-thin. For the lucky man, that means more of that energy directed towards him.

This energy resonates with happiness that she is more than willing to express through her dance, her kisses and persona, an experience that is delightfully infectious and uplifting. Her passionate and wild radiance can melt the iciest of frozen hearts.

Chocolate buttermilk

I used to gaze at my Brazilian and glide my hand over her chocolate buttermilk silk complexion, a perfect mix of Native, African and Italian. She would smile at me as I cupped her curve,

Image courtesy of sfmission.com

Ankit Love

Rio Carnival dancer

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and a strange balance would tingle throughout my nerves. It felt that somehow I had the solution to the entire Universe, warm round and firm in the clasp of my hand. I would wonder what force of nature crafted such beauty. Could it be the sun, basking hotly on her state Bahia, growing her heart and body to be vivid like tropical flowers, or was it a result of the intense mix of all these exotic ethnicities?

The passion, skill, devotion and confidence of these women are exceptional. While many women in Europe feel that the guy should do all the chasing, I was taken by her persistence and desire in chasing me. To be honest I liked it! Many years later a Yemeni friend of mine would tell me of his experience on a Rio De Janeiro street corner, how a woman with a sizzling stare ate him right up. Nothing happened between them, they didn’t even speak, but just that look will be clearly imprinted in his mind till the end of time.

With the joy of every extra digit of Pi discovered also leads some to fear and frustration that there may never be an end, and so all this mystery, sensuality, lust and sexuality must too carry a warning. As our relationship declined, I witnessed the other side of the fire from my Brazilian. The passion took an angry turn, the persistence became a draining loud attempt to viciously craft me into her mental image of what a man should be, constantly challenging my masculinity in order to save our relationship. I did burn and suffer this wrath; this coupled with a grey London winter broke her and our relationship.

The bright spherical sun and a sandy haven of the praia are essential to her happiness. She needs a top-up of this every now and then, this I understand now. After all it was the power of the sun and sweet moist air that crafted her in the first place. Do I regret it? Absolutely not, even now on a pale winter’s day I think back to that Brazilian bum, to that Brazilian rhythm and smile.

Something was lost, but with a Brazilian woman there is something forever gained.

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Ankit Love

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WHY OLDER MEN GO FOR YOUNGER WOMEN BRIC uncovers why it is older men and younger women forge relationships with one another by seeking the opinions of two experts on the subject, who provide us with the male and female perspective.

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Longer’ If They Marry A Younger Woman”, in which he discovered that in Europe the majority of men marry women who are at least three years younger than themselves. Indeed the concept has fuelled literary classics, such as George Eliot’s Middlemarch in which the young Dorothea Brooke marries the older and respected scholar Casaubon in order to obtain a higher education at a time when women’s education was restricted.

Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn

Image courtesy of David Shankbone

What is man’s fascination with having a younger woman on his arm? Is it egotistical? Is it sexual? Is it simply to feel young again? Likewise, what does a woman seek in an older man? Why is she attracted to a man who is considerably older than she? Does the old maxim, ‘never date anyone under half your age plus seven’ still apply in today’s world?

Murray Wardrop wrote an article for The Daily Telegraph titled “Men ‘Live

Image courtesy of The Jenson Society, Archive.org

Middlemarch by George Eliot

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We need only look into the public eye to see this occurring in the celebrity world – Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones, Woody Allen and SoonYi Previn, Hugh Hefner and his harem of housemates. We probably all know a couple, or have known a couple in this set-up. Some of us will have first-hand experience of being involved with a much older or younger partner ourselves.

So what is the psychology behind this?

BRIC delves into the “taboo” subject – if it can still be referred to as that – by speaking to two fully-trained individuals within this field: Qualified Licensed (USA) Psychotherapist, Caron Barruw and PhD Behaviour Psychology (USA) expert, Dr Glenn Barruw. And as you will have ascertained from their matching surnames, they are husband and wife.

Fear

‘The issue of older men and younger women often stems from fear’, explains Caron Barruw – an intimacy and relationship specialist with 18 years’ experience under her belt. ‘The fear comes from getting old, the fear of not being good sexually, the fear of not being able to attract younger women and the fear of being left out.

‘Often men who get to their late 40s and 50s, and find themselves single having left the family trail behind them together with the spouse who is of a similar age suddenly sense a crisis of seeing themselves undergoing this change. This is what begins to influence the choices they start to make from this point in their lives, particularly in terms of relationships. They are often afraid to date women of similar ages as they then “feel older”’.

‘As men start to feel older they tend to become more fragile emotionally, but because of society they cannot show it’, suggests Dr Glenn Barruw.

‘A younger woman enables the man to prove to himself that he has not aged as much as he believes. The ability to capture the younger women allows the aging ego to believe that he is still the attractive, sexual person from the past’.

The balance of power in the relationship is often controlled by money

Money

‘The balance of power in the relationship is often controlled by money’, agree the Barruws. ‘The ability to provide materialistic possessions, luxury lifestyles and the opportunity of a family is often alluring to younger women.

The ability to control the relationship often becomes an important aspect of the dynamic. Being able to attract, entice and hold onto the relationship becomes a way of validating the male ego that fears they are no longer good enough.’

Intimacy

Specialising in male intimacy, Glenn often sees men who appear to be pushing their boundaries further and further to see what they can achieve.

Sometimes it includes medications to enhance the sex, drugs to keep up with the lifestyle and controlling behaviours to ensure the relationship is kept on track. Jealousy often enters the arena when men feel the woman is starting to creep back to her own age group. This can often be seen as a betrayal, after all that has been invested in the couple.

Image courtesy of David Shankbone

Competition

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones

Men compete on many levels: finances, egos, jobs, power, and control.

Earning “man points” is often as important as currency for status. Younger women often provide a sense of feeling relevant to an aging man. The man can puff out his chest to society that he still has what he needs to get a younger women.

In her practice Caron works closely with relationship issues and sees many couple dynamics. The older man/younger woman dynamic has often been glamorised by Hollywood, where relationships are quite fluid. In the long-term this may not be the ideal partnership. Just as society frowns upon women being angry, it frowns on men being vulnerable/fragile. An older man/younger woman relationship may be an attempt to cover up the fragility in reality.

For more information visit www.caronbarruw.com and www.thep4group.com

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TOP FOUR ROMANTIC BRIC GETAWAYS The BRIC countries are home to some of the world’s most romantic getaways. Stephanie Lamey reviews the pick of the bunch from each.

Imperial Suite Bedroom, Aman at Summer Palace

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Situated only 15 kilometres from the centre of Beijing and steps away from the Summer Palace lies a haven for rest and relaxation, Aman at Summer Palace.

Spa services include an indoor pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and fitness centre as well as a range of rejuvenation treatments such as authentic Chinese massage, facials, manicures, pedicures and aromatic baths.

This luxury resort and spa is set within immaculate traditional Chinese architecture which tells a story in every room. Rich with history and splendour, this spa is perfect for couples to enjoy peaceful walks through their pristine courtyard and appreciate views of the formal gardens. If the idyllic scenery were not enough, you can be assured to also reside in opulence and peace in your private dwellings. Each suite provides its guests with a four poster bed, day bed and reading chair to ensure the upmost comfort. The bathrooms also include a freestanding island tub, twin vanities and a separate dressing room to ensure partners can enjoy peace and tranquillity at all times.

With decor and furnishings inspired by the Ming Dynasty the spa exudes an air of royalty. This decadent and authentic oriental experience has won awards such as ‘The Judges Choice Award & Best Design 2009’ by The Bund Magazine 2009 China Design Awards, ‘Best Hotel/Resort in East Asia - No. 1, Best City Hotel Worldwide - No. 2’ by Gallivanter’s Guide 2012 Awards for Excellence and ‘Best for Location – Asia’ by Condé Nast Traveller, UK Gold List 2011.

Aman at Summer Palace, whilst regal and majestic in style, is serene and monastic in ambience making it an ideal retreat for anyone looking to invest in harmony of the mind, body and soul.

However, if you want to take a break from soul searching, the spa is located close to a variety of award-winning restaurants such as Dianke Dianlai and Kings Joy, famous for their locally sourced produce and authentic flavours.

The city is also bursting with culture should you wish to attend the ballet, the opera or learn about arts. Beijing boasts a thriving arts scene including the famous National Art Museum of China which contains the largest collection of paintings, sculpture and calligraphy. If you would like to immerse yourself within oriental art, The Red Gate Gallery and Creation Gallery are known for exhibiting artists that concentrate on portraying Asian culture.

Image courtesy of Aman at Summer Palace

Aman at Summer Palace, Beijing

Image courtesy of Aman at Summer Palace Image courtesy of Aman at Summer Palace

The spa also offers guests easy access to some of Beijing’s most historic sites such as The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven and The Great Wall, helping to make Aman at Summer Palace the perfect spot for a truly exceptional and unique experience.

For more information and booking details visit www.amanresorts.com/amanatsummerpalace/home.aspx

Reflection Pavilion, Aman at Summer Palace

The Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg

Nestled within the thriving city of St Petersburg, Hotel Astoria sits proudly like a landmark of grandeur and quintessential Russian elegance. Commissioned in 1910, The Astoria was created in an art nouveau style with influences from neoclassicism making it a revolutionary building for its time, popular with guests of the royal family and Russian aristocrats.

You can find the Hotel Astoria placed in the iconic St Isaac’s square where it can proudly call St Isaac’s Cathedral, the Imperial German Embassy and the infamous Hermitage Museum its wellknown neighbours.

Upon entering the lobby you will be greeted by sweeping staircases, marble floors, crystal chandeliers and many other lavish furnishings. Although the interior suites have been redeveloped in recent years, the building still shows accents of priceless original features. If you are looking for the perfect blend of exquisite contemporary decor with Russian cultural heritage, then look no further. Every one of the 169 rooms is fully furnished with luxury and sophistication in mind and many of the rooms even boast a breath-taking view of St Isaac Square.

Hotel Astoria provides its guests with a multitude of health, beauty and fitness offers to give them the opportunity to let life’s troubles melt away in the most comfortable and stylish manner.

Spa Treatment Room, Aman at Summer Palace

Guests are welcome to exercise round the clock at the 24-hour hotel gym, take classes such as yoga or even book in for individual fitness sessions. Beauty treatments such as aromatherapy, massages, body wraps are always popular due to the flawless service and tasteful settings.

If you are feeling peckish you can enjoy afternoon tea and caviar in the Astoria’s Rotonda Lounge or try authentic Russian dishes with original cocktails at the Astoria Café. If you want to venture into the city for more of that imperial Russian atmosphere you should try L’Europe at the Grand Hotel Europe. Encased in an art nouveau stained glass roof and glossy parquet flooring this stunning venue provides a menu full of royal recipes. For more European cuisine, visitors should not pass up the opportunity to taste

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Image courtesy of Rocco Forte Hotels Tchaikovsky Royal Suite Terrace, Hotel Astoria

Santa Teresa Hotel, Santa Teresa

Tsar Suite Living Room, Hotel Astoria

Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse’s highly sought after restaurant miX. Ducasse’s interpretation of French cuisine is a mêlée of traditional techniques and modern design with a relaxed approach. The menu, ambiance and style of miX has won awards such as Best Gastronomic Restaurant by Time Out St Petersburg Menu & Bill Awards 2012 and Best Restaurant in Hotel by Condé Nast Traveller Russia Readers Choice Award 2012.

Even if you are just stopping through for business, the Hotel Astoria can also cater to the busiest of business travellers. For the guest ‘on the go’, the hotel is fully kitted

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Formed from traditional furnishings and ecological materials such as rich Brazilian woods, burnt cement and locally quarried stone, the Santa Teresa Hotel is the perfect setting to discover the wonders of South America. The Santa Teresa district is a hub of colonial and art deco architecture, and the Santa Teresa hotel complements it perfectly. It is one of the few buildings in Brazil guarded by the government trust for historic preservation. The walls and floors of every room are coated by tribal art and decor from all five regions of Brazil showcasing history and culture at every turn.

This exotic structure is set amongst verdant trees with stunning patios and gardens so guests can enjoy picturesque views from the inside and out. With over 40 private rooms, each with their own terraced balcony, you are more than likely to expect breathtaking views of the Teresópolis Mountains, Guanabara Bay and Christ the Redeemer. Guests can let time stand still while they relax and experience the Brazilian sunset from the comfort and privacy of their room.

Le Spa was created to ensure travellers can unwind and refresh with the specially chosen natural product, Natura, sourced from

Image courtesy of Rocco Forte Hotels

with conference and exhibition facilities including the latest in technological resources so you can stay connected when you need to and disconnect again at the click of a button.

No matter what your reason for staying, the Hotel Astoria can cater for a large range of clientele, meeting all and any of their needs with lavishness, magnificence and precision.

For more information and booking details visit www.thehotelastoria.com

Image courtesy of Hotel Santa Teresa Image courtesy of Hotel Santa Teresa

the Amazonian. Choose from a range of body treatments, facials, massage, scrubs, hydrations and relaxing baths for full body revitalisation. Le Spa also includes a 25-metre long green slate pool, perfect for lazy day dipping.

Whether you are friends, lovers, explorers or simply looking for the trip of a lifetime Brazil hosts some of the most stunning sites in the world such as the Amazon forests, the Salvador coast and the spectacular Iguazu Falls. Brazil claims host to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and Copacabana beach is a mere 15 minutes away.

The Santa Teresa Hotel provides guests with the perfect spot for wining and dining. The Térèze restaurant, hosted by Executive Chef Damien Montecer, feels like a little piece of paradise nestled in the rooftops. Guests are guaranteed a memorable meal overseeing incredible views of the area. If you would like to see what the locals have to offer the district buzzes with a friendly village-like vibe where visitors can discover the local wares, shops, galleries and art. Local bohemian eating and drinking spots can be found a short walk away.

If you’re looking for the chance to immerse yourself in Brazilian culture in the most iconic of settings then the Santa Teresa hotel is a winning choice. Awards such as Brazil’s Best Hotels – Stay List 2011 by National Geographic and 101 best hotels of the world

by Tatler Travel Guide 2012 are just a few of the many merits this Hotel has rightfully earned. This restored coffee plantation mansion turned boutique hotel encapsulates the lifestyle and finery of Brazilian craftsmanship, a tropical retreat for travellers wanting to touch, see and smell all that the lands have to offer.

For more information and booking details visit www.santa-teresa-hotel.com

the Hotel was left almost deserted, in 1961 Bhagvat Singh, along with Didi Contractor, started work to convert the previously named Jag Niwas over the course of a decade transforming it into the stunning luxury hotel it is today. International stars and Royalty such as Jacqueline Kennedy, Queen Elizabeth II and the King of Nepal have all been drawn in by the Hotel’s great history, astonishing surroundings and infamous Taj hospitality. Such magnificence has attracted many film crews too to the Palace to shoot films such as Bollywood Indian film Yaadein and the James Bond film Octopussy. Set over four acres of rock foundation the Hotel appears to rise out of the placid waters of Lake Pichola like a floating marble fortress.

Upon arriving in Udaipur guests are transported by speed boat; the journey itself is said to be something of a surreal experience with enchanting views of lofty palaces and the backdrop of the Aravalli mountains. After arriving the staff provides a traditional Rajasthani welcome with aarti, tika and petal showers to make every guest feel like kings

Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur

Like an ethereal vision immortalised in marble, The Taj Lake Palace is arguably one of the world’s most beautiful buildings.

Constructed in the 17th Century, it was inhabited by Indian Royalty as a summer getaway resort. After centuries passed and Hotel Santa Teresa

Hotel Santa Teresa

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and queens. The service at the Palace is second-to-none with staff working round-the-clock to tend to visitors’ every need with floor butlers and 24-hour room service.

The rooms and decor in the Palace have clearly been a labour of love with intricate detailed features and infusions of colour, sparkle and splendour. The Palace is the perfect blend of contemporary comforts mixed with sumptuous and regal furnishings.

Guests can enjoy the choice of four restaurants and bars, which are strategically placed by the pool, on the rooftop or overlooking a lily pond. The choice of Asian, Indian, Italian and Western cuisine is served to satisfy any palate. After dark the Palace puts on exciting and colourful entertainment such as traditional Indian dancers and live music, complemented by the lavish surroundings.

The Taj Lake Palace can also provide an array of activities such as the steam room, Jacuzzi, outdoor pool and fitness centre. The Jive Spa boat can be taken out for travellers looking for a unique spa experience of being pampered whilst floating on the epic Lake Pichola with panoramic views of Udaipur.

Famous for its wealth, elegance and other-worldly ambience the Taj Lake Palace is the perfect location for visitors embarking on an inspirational voyage, romantic excursion or soul-searching mission.

For more information and booking details visit www.tajhotels.com/Luxury/GrandPalaces-And-Iconic-Hotels/Taj-Lake-Palace-Udaipur/Overview.html

Celebration Table, Mewar Terrace Dining, Taj Lake Palace

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Image courtesy of Taj Lake Palace

Taj Lake Palace is arguably one of the world’s most beautiful buildings

Image courtesy of Taj Lake Palace

Jagtarang Suite Bathroom, Taj Lake Palace

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SMART ADVICE Why To Invest In Brazil’s Favelas

Image courtesy of Mark Goble

SMART ADVICE

Rio de Janeiro skyline

To conclude the magazine, we’ve decided the best section is one that offers knowledgeable advice; our parting gift to our readers, one that feeds them with food for thought.

Our best tip, especially for the launch issue, is to turn one’s attention to Brazil – particularly those who are interested in property investment.

The smartest choice right now is Rio de Janeiro where gentrification is currently underway ahead of the upcoming World Cup and Olympics.

Europeans and Americans are therefore flocking to invest in the South American city where a house in 2006 that was worth $2,500 (£1,554) is now worth $75,000 (£46,000).

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WHY TO INVEST IN BRAZIL’S FAVELAS Gentrification is underway in Rio’s favelas ahead of Brazil’s two upcoming major sporting events, making this a good time to invest in property there.

Mike Miller reports on the pros, cons and politics.

Unidade de Policia Pacificadora

Indeed with the deployment of the UPP [Pacifying Police Unit in English], Brazil’s military police force, in 2008 as part of a programme that aimed to pacify 40 favelas by 2014 and return the overrun communities to government control, it is understood that the streets have been liberated from the grips of rivalling gangs. The proof is in the introduction of basic services, such as primary schools, health centres and more tellingly, the emergence of businesses and financial services. Banco Satander and

A $9 billion development programme has seen the construction of additional subway stations and highways

Over the past five years one of the most notoriously dysfunctional cities in the world has seemingly transformed into a thriving metropolis with one of the strongest economies in the Americas. Entrepreneurship is prevalent and the housing market is booming, and all the while Rio is undergoing significant redevelopment under the directorship of the city’s mayor, Eduardo Paes.

Since his election in 2008 Paes has spearheaded a campaign to revolutionise the city and one major feature in particular, the favela. Tumbling up its rocky crags the city’s favelas, or slums, now contain some of the hottest property in the world; in just seven years house prices in previously neglected and dangerous neighbourhoods have seen unprecedented exponential growth. With limited space and incredible vistas of the Atlantic and the sprawling affluent city below, it might be easy to see why demand in these seemingly charming, ramshackle neighbourhoods is so high.

However, home to over 20 per cent of Rio’s population, the favelas have reached international attention as featured in films such as City of God and its sequel, City of Men, which has shed light upon the deprivation, corruption and gang warfare that have dominated these neighbourhoods. Suffering from some of the highest murder and gun crime rates in the world, these districts have become synonymous with the city as much as its beaches and Carnival, and are in stark contrast to the affluent neighbourhoods that in some places are situated less than a block away. Despite these troubles, Paes has made inroads to prepare Rio for its international debut: the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics – the two biggest sporting events in the world and a major coup for the BRIC country.

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Image courtesy of Hotel Santa Teresa

Contrast

Rio de Janeiro

Image courtesy of Wilson Dias/ABr

As to be expected, since the announcement of Rio’s successful bid for the Olympics there has been an influx of foreign investment, tourism and immigration to the city. However, Rio de Janeiro is already one of the most expensive cities in the world – not entirely undue to its inflation problems.

Within the last year the property values in established neighbourhoods in Zona Sul, like Leblon and Ipanema saw as much as a 47 per cent increase, which has forced many potential buyers and renters to look elsewhere. While conservative shoppers are simply moving to the suburbs, the adventurous and those seeking big returns are investing their money in the city’s favelas.

Artists, architects, actors and various notaries, including actress Roberta Rodrigues have begun to buy up property in the communities and with the increased visibility these names will bring, others are sure to follow.

UPP

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Image courtesy of chensiyuan

Rocinha Favela

Property values in established neighbourhoods saw as much as a 47 per cent increase

Banco Itau for instance have been opening branches and automatic telling machines within the city’s favelas and other banks are following suit, many of which are taking the opportunity to invest in their new communities by offering microfinance loans and support for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

The changes are already apparent in communities such as Vidigal, one of Rio’s largest favelas. Now, in place of drug dens and gangland sentry posts there stands a yoga studio, for instance, and a new guidebook published this year (priced at $35 (£21)) lists a sushi bar among a host of other gourmet restaurants serving international cuisines that have opened for business, indicating a clear change in the demographic of the favela’s residents.

Indeed the choice of restaurants cater to the tastes of Rio’s largest investors, the Europeans and North Americans, who have witnessed in recent years examples of gentrification in their own nations and are now hunting elsewhere for similar returns on their investments. While the infrastructure in the favelas remains patchy with energy cuts and waste collection issues, for instance, a $9 billion (£5 billion) development programme has seen the construction of additional subway stations, tunnels and redesigned highways to facilitate mobility, as well as a newly designed port and city centre ahead of the Olympics to ensure a positive lasting legacy for all the city’s citizens. While many have criticised the plans as merely cosmetic changes to disguise the truth from the international community, with reported crime rates at an all time low and the introduction of an accessible transport system, for example, it seems that these changes might have real benefits for the population.

In fact these benefits are seen most starkly in the favelas themselves, while the United Nations have reported the average house price in Rio

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has increased by 165 per cent over the past three years, they have risen even faster in favelas that have been pacified. According to Secovi Rio, an association of local real estate agents, property prices rose 50 per cent in the first week after the UPP stepped into the initial three favelas. While the vast majority of residents appreciate the security granted by the occupying police force, there is disquiet among some of the communities’ inhabitants, some of whom have felt it necessary to leave their homes, unable to meet the inevitable increases in rent that these developments have caused. This dissent is exasperated by reports of police violence during the pacification process, and significantly, delays in the introduction of public services promised by Paes.

Investment

There are legitimate concerns that current property prices in the favelas have outstripped their real value, a problem not unfamiliar to Brazil considering the instability of the Real. Some residents question whether the level of investment in the communities will be sustained once the Games have ended. Indeed it is a question worth asking. However, an answer can be found in Brazil’s president Dilma Rousseff, a one-time Left-wing political prisoner, whose policies demonstrate a commitment to long-term investment in infrastructure that will create and sustain favourable market conditions in years to come, as well as lessening the gap between the wealthy and the poor by investing in education and healthcare. Meanwhile Rousseff’s announcement of competitive auctions for the rights to operate 7,500km of roads and 10,000km of railways nationwide will ensure substantial interest is maintained in Brazils second-largest city to see the plans to fruition long after the Games have departed.

Headquartered in London, House of the Nobleman has established itself as an innovative and acclaimed organization specializing in cutting-edge curatorial projects and artist management in addition to serving as a reputable adviser for elite clientele. Founded in 2010, House of the Nobleman has grown into an internationally-renowned company with offices in both London and New York.

Beyond providing expertise on art and the art market, we organize and produce art exhibitions and placements that create new possibilities for architectural landmarks and developments by bringing publicity to these spaces through the medium of art. Our work ranges in scope from large-scale curatorial projects to sourcing art and design for private and corporate clients. We build brand awareness through art-related sponsorship as well as implementing art residencies and educational programming.

House of the Nobleman utilizes a network of professionals providing unique event experiences that associate your brand/company with luxury level, cutting-edge consumer engagement. This is done largely through privately sponsored, satellite art exhibitions with a corresponding program of private events.

House of the Nobleman provides an established, multidisciplinary platform for the artists that we work with and has an international client base and professional network consisting of private collectors, galleries, artists, and professional advisers that support and help fortify the execution of these high-profile projects and events.

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Oksana Mas Large sphere of goodness and spiritual revival, 2013

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