Exploring the breathtaking volcano lodges of Africa. By Ellen Himelfarb
Byron Bay Bliss
An insider’s tour of Australia’s idyllic and iconic eastern coastline. By Kelly Stock WINGSPAN
Family Affair
A look at Bombardier’s enduring legacy, built on innovation and family values. By Michael Stephen Johnson
Powered
The uncompromising short runway performance of the Bombardier Global jets. By Christopher Korchin
Bombardier Worldwide See gatefold after page 50.
from legendary New Orleans restaurant, Emeril’s.
About four years ago, we made the decision to solely focus on crafting and servicing the world’s best business jets. This was a logical step: Bombardier has long been known as a pioneering aviation company. In 2018, we redefined what’s possible in private aviation with the launch of our Bombardier Global 7500 jet. The Bombardier Challenger 3500 then redefined the super midsize category in 2021. Our amazing Bombardier Global 8000 aircraft, which is currently undergoing certification for expected entry into service next year, has already made history as the fastest business jet in the skies. We also successfully positioned our Challenger and Global platforms as the right defense solutions, trusted by governments and defense contractors around the world for a range of demanding missions.
As we looked over these achievements, we realized that our brand needed to evolve to tell the story of our past, but most importantly to portray our con fidence in the future and our thirst for innovation. We did this as part of our rebranding, during which we examined our legacy and history and conducted interviews with owners of our jets around the world.
To my great realization, one sentiment came up time and time again: Family.
No matter who we speak to, from employees to owners, pilots, directors of maintenance, fleet operators, brokers and so many others, they define our relationship as being “like family.” This makes me profoundly happy, not only because it is a testament to the authentic heritage of our company, but also to the experience you have with us.
It is exceptional to see that a global company with over 18,000 employees can make you feel like you are part of the family. How are we able to achieve this? There is only one answer: it is in our DNA. Either you feel like family, or you don’t. There is no way to engineer such a feeling. You may think (rightfully so) that families can be less than idyllic; sometimes even dysfunctional. And yet, having spent most of my professional life in a family company, I can ensure you that even though the road is not always straight, and there is a personal layer that wouldn’t exist in non-family corporations, a company built on deeply rooted family values has tremendous advantages. Both Carole Bamford and Ernesto Bertarelli, whom we profile in this edition, would agree that the care, the love, the passion, and the proximity, as well as the precedence of relations over transactions, the importance of dialogue and depth of understanding, are all values that are hard to replicate outside of a family company.
Where heart meets mastery: this is the intersection where we operate. It is the unique driving force that made Bombardier the leading global business jet company it is today. It all started with my grandfather, Joseph-Armand Bombardier. The tenacity, ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit that fueled him as he invented the snowmobile—for which he was recently inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame—lit the spirit of the company. In 1966, he entrusted it to my then 26-year-old father Laurent Beaudoin, who led it for 40 years. I am proud to have worked side by side with him from 1985, and have watched over the company since his retirement, first as CEO and now as Chairman of the Board. My father and I look back over the enduring legacy of the company on page 50.
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, BOMBARDIER
Visit Experience magazine online at bombardier.com/experience
• Bombardier Learjet Learjet 70 Learjet 75 Learjet 75 Liberty,Challenger Challenger 300 Challenger 350, Challenger 650, Challenger 3500, Global 5500, Global 6500, Global 7500 and Global 8000 are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.
VICE PRESIDENT Communications, Marketing & Public A airs
Ève Laurier
SENIOR DIRECTOR
Communications
Mark Masluch MANAGER Public Relations & Communications
Christina Lemyre McCraw
ADVISOR Communications
Tinca Stokojnik Prouvost
Contact: experience@aero.bombardier.com
• All performance data are preliminary estimates and are based on certain operating conditions.
The Bombardier Global 8000 aircraft is under development and remains to be finalized and certified. It is expected to enter into service in 2025. All data and specifications are approximate, may change without notice and are subject to certain operating rules, assumptions and other conditions. All data provided herein is valid as of the date of publication.
ISSN 1925-4105
PHOTO: CARL LESSARD
www.spafax.com
155 Queens Quay East Toronto, ON, Canada M5A 0W4
500 rue Saint-Jacques Suite 1510
Montreal, QC, Canada H2Y 1S1
T: 514 378 5762
L.A.-based Brande Victorian is a freelance writer, editor, producer and on-camera correspondent specializing in reporting on culture. She’s The Hollywood Reporter, her work has appeared and on ESPN.com, and she is a former entertainment magazine. In this issue, Brande chronicles the legacy of the legendary Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Christopher Korchin
contributor Christopher Korchin is a Montrealbased writer. Although he has written articles on travel by air, land and sea for various publications, this issue’s Aircraft piece on the Bombardier Global 7500 and Bombardier Global 8000 jets had him thinking about the special fascination he’s had with flight ever since
agency, Tara Dupuis is a Toronto-based writer, fact-checker and public relations entrepreneur. Additionally, she is a seasoned fashion stylist and model whose work has been published in fashion and lifestyle magazines in the United States and Europe. Dupuis was a key researcher and fact-checker for this issue of Experience
Michael Stephen Johnson
Family Affair / page 50
Montreal-based writer and strategist Michael Stephen Johnson has a background in travel, gaming and tech. A regular Experience contributor since 2009, he recently authored Bombardier, published by Assouline, which celebrates eight decades of aviation excellence. For this issue, he took to the task of chronicling the Bombardier family legacy.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Spafax Niall McBain
MANAGING DIRECTOR Spafax Canada Alex Glavonich
GROUP ACCOUNT & STRATEGY LEAD Spafax Elana Crotin
ADVERTISING PRODUCTION
SENIOR AD PRODUCTION MANAGER Mary Shaw mary.shaw@spafax.com
AD PRODUCTION MANAGER Stephen Geraghty stephen.geraghty@spafax.com
ADVERTISING & MEDIA SALES CANADA, SPAFAX
SENIOR NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Rysia Adam rysia.adam@spafax.com
UNITED STATES, SPAFAX MEDIA SALES DIRECTOR Mary Rae Esposito maryrae.esposito@spafax.com
EUROPE, UK, SPAFAX SALES DIRECTOR UK & EUROPE Matthew Tickle matthew.tickle@spafax.com
ISSUE 43
experiencemagazine@spafax.com
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Elio Iannacci
ART DIRECTOR Anna Minzhulina
EDITOR-AT-LARGE Pierre Beaudoin
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Renée Morrison
COPY EDITOR Jonathan Furze
FACT CHECKER Tara Dupuis
SENIOR PRODUCTION MANAGER Felipe Batista Nunes
ACCOUNT COORDINATOR Farhaan Somani
CONTRIBUTORS
Allison Beaulieu , Sophie Cimon, Sarah Daniel, Jeremy Freed, Amanda Garrigus, Lyne Godin, Ellen Himelfarb, Rachel Ingram, Christopher Korchin, Michael Stephen Johnson, Carl Lessard, Kelly Stock, Brande Victorian
COVER
Generations of Bombardier
Designed by Anna Minzhulina with photography provided by the Museum of Ingenuity J. Armand Bombardier.
Fisher Island, Perfected
Live on the world’s most private island. Estate-style homes on Fisher Island’s pristine shoreline, steps from the exclusive Fisher Island Club, with its award-winning golf course, tennis facilities, spa, beach club and restaurants. The Residences’ unprecedented amenities and white-glove service set a new standard, with five-star dining, resort-style pools, and a waterfront lounge. It’s the pinnacle of coastal living, minutes from Miami but a world away.
RADAR
Goods • Design • Inspiration
All-Star Stay
New York City’s Plaza Hotel remains a reservation to remember. The 2,100-squarefoot Grand Penthouse Two Bedroom Terrace Suite, overlooking Central Park’s 18,000-plus trees on one corner and a stellar city skyline on another, gives guests the kind of cinematic experience few properties can promise. The ways in which the Plaza’s hospitality team reinvents the property through its programs are nothing short of remarkable. Building on the popularity of the FX series Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (scenes hearken back to spaces where author Truman Capote threw
star-studded parties), spaces such as the Gatsby Suite give Jazz Age and Old Hollywood-loving guests a place to roost in Art Deco splendor. Another suite is conceived by fashion designer Betsey Johnson, inspired by the popular kid-lit heroine Eloise. Fans of the film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York will be able to go back to the ’90s by booking ahead for a stay which recreates Macaulay Culkin’s best scenes from the film. Part of this package includes 16 scoops of assorted ice cream, a giant cheese pizza and a four-hour limo tour that hits the movie’s most iconic locales.
Into the Woods
Sebastião Salgado, one of Brazil’s most celebrated photographers, turns his lens on natural landscapes and the Indigenous peoples who inhabit them. In his latest tome, Amazônia , the artist documents his six years of immersion in the world’s largest rainforest. Each large-scale collector’s edition volume is numbered and signed and accompanied by a Renzo Piano-designed stand which gives the impression of the book being suspended in the air.
Game On
Armani/Casa o ers an elegant solution for those long winter days spent indoors. Their Sir Backgammon set benefits from the precise craftsmanship of the luxury Italian house. The game’s exterior is enveloped in dark blue leather, embossed with Giorgio Armani’s iconic GA print, while the chips and inner elements are crafted from marbled blue and sage green bioresin.
to full homes—accented by colorful and modern Spanish revivalist decor remixed by the Casetta Group, who prizes historic architecture. One of the stars of the property is the fully renovated Olympic Cottage, the former athlete accommodation for champions competing in the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. It contains a chic lounge for entertaining, a fully equipped kitchen, a private garden with seating and an outdoor shower. The property’s two palm-flanked pools are considered the twin jewels in this hotel’s serene crown and o er views of the San Jacinto Mountains.
Counter Culture
Set the table for an artful dining experience with Le Mie Donne Isabella plates from legendary Italian lifestyle brand Ginori 1735 . The brand’s nearly 300-year history, creating porcelain objets d’art for the tables of royals and nobles, informs the artistry of these heirloom quality plates. Hand-painted romantic imagery pays homage to the storied brand’s Florentine roots while Art Deco elements add a breath of modernity.
Model Moment
London’s V&A South Kensington museum explores the unequaled career of supermodel Naomi Campbell through its expansive and unprecedented new exhibit Naomi in Fashion . Important pieces from the supermodel’s own archives are featured alongside iconic photographs and garments on loan from the world’s top designers. Taken together, the extraordinary collection illustrates Naomi’s childhood in London, her unrivaled modeling career, her activism and her impact.
Ready Settee Go
The Coexist Bench made of orange travertine and brushed brass is the latest work from Arielle Assouline-Lichten, named by Robb Report as one of seven designers moving fashion, interiors and architecture forward. The New York- and
NAVIGATING NEW ORLEANS
Nonstop nightlife, Creole and Cajun flavors, contemporary art—and a generous dose of jazz.
By Elio Iannacci
There are countless reasons why visitors are captivated by New Orleans’ warm Southern hospitality, lively music scene and distinctive Creole and Cajun influences. The city—often nicknamed the “Paris of the South”—has a charm that has been centuries in the making. While several generations of New Orleanians seek to preserve the past, a new era of chefs, musicians, artists and curators look to build on the city’s legendary grandeur. Here’s a rundown of New Orleans worth visiting and revisiting.
—EXPLORE—
Nobody should leave the city without walking down Magazine Street (Octavia Art Gallery) or Royal Street to shop for local art (look out for Studio Be, Harouni Gallery, Graphite Gallery and Martin Lawrence Gallery). While you’re on the latter street, peek into upscale decor musts such as the historic family-owned Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights (for handcrafted lanterns) or M.S. Rau for antiques (acquisitions come from such sources as the Vatican). A trip to the French Quarter to experience jazz can be planned seven nights a week. For living legends, book your tickets at the newly renovated Preservation Hall. For an intimate listening experience, snag a private table at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro or the Bayou Bar.
—SEE—
Be sure to charge your phone before a day trip to the Sydney and Walda Bestho Sculpture Garden at the Orleans Museum of Art, as no one leaves the site without over-snapping photos of the extensive pathway of brilliant works. From Frank Stella’s intricate Alu Truss Star to Katharina Fritsch’s spooky yet spectacular giant skull, the nearly 11-acre area is simply an appetizer to the almost 40,000-piece permanent collection housed in the property’s adjacent neoclassical building. For more historic architecture, take a private walking tour of the Garden District with Nola Tours: The company guides small groups of visitors around the neighborhood’s tree-lined 19th-century estates, including a view of the Lafayette Cemetery No. 1—the city’s first non-denominational resting grounds.
—STAY—
—INDULGE—
Book a reservation at Emeril’s for a true cultural dining experience of inventive dishes inspired by traditional Creole cuisine. The multigenerational talent is unmistakable at this venue helmed by iconic three-time James Beard Foundation award-winner Emeril Lagasse and his son E.J. Lagasse, who has earned his own accolades like the esteemed New Talent of the Year Award 2024 from La Liste Food lovers will rejoice in E.J.’s contemporary adaptations of his dad’s plates with continued inspiration from the bounty of Louisiana produce. In E.J.’s words, “expect a taste of local, traditional, cross-cultural, classic and current cuisines,” as recipes are painstakingly devised through archival research of the city and
Easy access to the stunning Chandelier Bar at the Seasons Hotel New Orleans would be reason enough for libation lovers or zero-proof connoisseurs alike to book a weekend in one of the riverside suites. The drink menu includes intriguing sips such as the World’s Fair Fizz (mixing Champagne, wildflower honey, egg whites and butterfly pea flower tea) and the 1944 Mai Tai (crafted with 15-year rum and toasted orgeat). The property also houses an exquisite rooftop pool that overlooks the majestic Mississippi River, a delicious brunch spot called Miss River (order the duck and andouille gumbo), and a top-notch concierge service (which sets up excursions such as private tours of local oyster farms). The hotel is also conveniently located steps away from the city’s choice shopping mecca, Canal Place.
Emeril Lagasse and his son E.J. Lagasse.
HOW THE ALVIN AILEY
AMERICAN DANCE THEATER
has transformed four generations of dancers and spectators by allowing diversity to take center stage.
By Brande Victorian
of of Decades Movement
When famed dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey formed the allBlack Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) in New York City in 1958, he was intentional about the company not existing in a cultural silo.
“In 1958, he did his first concert at the YM-YWHA [Young Men’s and Young Women’s Hebrew Association], and he shared that concert with another dancer who was in another Broadway show, Ernest Parham, and that was the first time I saw Blues Suite and several other pieces that he did, like Cinco Latinos,” recalls Ailey II artistic director emerita Sylvia Waters. Years after witnessing such magic on stage, Waters was picked by Ailey to lead his company's secondary troupe of dancers, a group formerly known as the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble (they have since been renamed Ailey II).
“Seeing his work on stage was a visceral experience for me. I had no idea what connection this company would have to my life.”
The blending of performance genres and the integration of innovative choreographers and emerging dancers are Ailey legacies that live on through the company 66 years after its inception. In 1970, two years after Waters joined the racially integrated AAADT, the company began sharing a rehearsal space with the Pearl Lang Dance Theater. There, classes were held across all disciplines, including both the Horton and Graham techniques of modern dance. By 1975, the company had grown from 12 dancers to 30.
“It was Alvin’s idea of wanting to always be able to replenish the dancers,” explains Waters. “Dancers who were equally strong in modern dance disciplines, as well as classical ballet, jazz and African dance. He wanted the total dancer, a dancer that could do all of those things.”
Those multidisciplinary skills were magnified through productions such as Cry, the 1971 solo choreographed by Ailey as a birthday present for his mother, which raised Judith Jamison’s profile as a dancer. Other notable productions throughout the decades include Masekela Langage, set to the music of South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela, an exploration of spatial relationships entitled Myth, the percussive Streams, and Mary Lou’s Mass, a collaboration with jazz composer Mary Lou Williams rooted in the traditions of the Southern church.
PHOTO: FRED FEHL
“He was also introducing emerging choreographers. People like George Faison, who went on to build his own impressive legacy by becoming a Tony Award winner for The Wiz. The list is long.” Among those many talented choreographers is Elisa Monte, who went on to choreograph more than 50 works. Luminary Donald Byrd is also an Ailey discovery and someone who created works that he defined as “theater of disruption” because they challenge old world ideologies revolving around race and identity.
Masazumi Chaya was among those who joined AAADT during its initial growth period, performing with the company from 1972 to 1987 before becoming rehearsal director, and later serving as associate artistic director from 1991 to 2019. When Jamison assumed the role of artistic director—having been handpicked by Ailey as his successor prior to his death in 1989—she adopted Ailey’s ethos, says Chaya.
“Judith had the same idea. We had to bring something more so the dancers can be educated by different choreographers and the Ailey
PHOTO: JACK
PAGE 17: A. Ailey in Alvin Ailey’s Hermit Songs
PAGE 18: Sylvia Waters and Dudley Williams in Paul Sanasardo’s Metallics
PAGE 19: Former AAADT’s Akua Noni Parker and Demetia Hopkins Greene in Alvin Ailey’s Revelations
PAGE 20: A. Ailey in Alvin Ailey’s Hermit Songs
PAGE 21: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Alvin Ailey’s Revelations
audience can also enjoy it. We could do totally di erent types of music, di erent movements,” he explains.
By this time, Talley Beatty had become a mainstay at the company: AAADT performed many of his major works, including 1982’s Stack-Up, which incorporated house music—an emerging trend at the time. The genre would later be explored in Grace, Ronald K. Brown’s first work for the company, which premiered in 1999 and drew music from Duke Ellington and Fela Kuti. In this production, 12 dancers channel the essence of urban warriors as they execute Brown's choreography with precision. Their movements are marked by sweeping gestures, with arms and legs slicing through the air.
“With these various choreographers, you’ve got various sounds, you’ve got various cultural experiences, and all of this coming from a Black man from the South,” says Waters, referencing Ailey’s origins in Rogers, Texas. “He had such an encompassing vision of our world. This dance was not just for Black people, it was for everyone. And he wanted everyone to experience life through dance, not just by looking at it, but by dancing.”
Robert Battle succeeded Jamison as artistic director in 2011. Four years later, in 2015, he premiered his defining debut work for the company, the ritualistic modern dance piece Awakening, set to a score by contemporary classical composer John Mackey. During his tenure
he continued to expand AAADT’s repertory, adding works like Ohad Naharin’s improvisational Minus 16 , featuring a score that mixes mambo, techno and traditional Israeli music, and Garth Fagan’s ode to Caribbean dance, From Before.
“Robert was a choreographer so he really had his finger on the pulse of the contemporary as well as our past, our predecessors, those pioneers,” says Waters. “He was very much about the future.”
The company also began to lean into celebrity collaborations around that time, naming Queen Latifah and Janelle Monáe honorary co-chairs of its 2017 Alvin Ailey Opening Night Gala, and thus building a bridge to new audiences. In 2025, 36 years after Ailey received the Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts, the company will present classics from the choreographer alongside new works for its annual Kennedy Center engagement. Among them will be Ailey’s signature Revelations, the 1960 blues- and gospel-infused presentation of the African American experience through the lens of the church.
For Chaya, it remains the most memorable choreography he’s ever danced. “When you’re standing in the dark something changes. You’re not performing anymore, you’re enjoying dancing,” he says. “At the very end, when I look up, I feel like I’m shooting out to the sky and then space. That kind of feeling is something I never forget.”
SEA CHANGE
Whether in business, philanthropy or sailing, ERNESTO BERTARELLI believes in the power of the possible.
By Jeremy Freed
The ocean has always had a unique place in Ernesto Bertarelli’s heart. “My sister and I were introduced to sailing by our father at a very early age, with holidays spent in the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea creating memories that we will always cherish,” says the Swiss entrepreneur and philanthropist. “Being in a sailboat gave me a sense of freedom and adventure which has never left me.”
Although he might be better known as the former CEO of Serono, Bertarelli’s passion for the ocean plays an equally important role in his life. From the more than 770,000 square miles (2 million square kilometers) of Marine Protected Areas created by the Bertarelli Foundation in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Caribbean Sea, to Bertarelli’s founding role in Alinghi, double America’s Cup-winning syndicate, he is dedicated to making a lasting impact on the world’s oceans through conservation and sport. This year, thanks to a new joint venture with Red Bull, he’s back in the spotlight as the new Alinghi Red Bull Racing team pursues another historic upset at the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona.
Bertarelli’s fascination with the America’s Cup began as a child when he visited the legendary New York Yacht Club—the Cup’s undefeated defender for 132 years—with his father. “My imagination was fired as to what it must feel like to hold the trophy aloft,” he recalls. As the oldest competition in international sport, the America’s Cup has stoked the passion of sailors, entrepreneurs and businesspeople since its inception in 1851, and continues to push the boundaries of nautical performance. In 2000, Bertarelli’s passion for sailing led him to found Alinghi, and in 2003 he served as the team’s navigator during its historic win over Team New Zealand, the first time a team had ever won the coveted sailing trophy on its first outing. Bertarelli would go on to serve as the team’s afterguard runner and grinder in 2007, when it successfully defended the Cup in Valencia, Spain.
This year, Alinghi is back in the competition for the first time in more than a decade, and much has changed. Now, with a new generation of foiling boats that can reach 62 mph (100 km/h) while flying above the surface of the waves and a new joint venture with Red Bull, Bertarelli is excited about the prospect of another shot at victory. “For me, the magic of competing in the America’s Cup is getting a team together, uniting the best possible people from all fields and profiles, from sailors to
designers, and watching them pull together in the same direction with a common purpose,” he says. The mutual passion for pushing limits through dedicated teamwork is also powering the new partnership between Alinghi Red Bull Racing and Bombardier, a new official supplier of the Swiss team. With racing sailboats designed to effectively fly above the waves, both teams speak essentially the same language.
The dynamics of a winning team also have much in common with the way a family business operates and achieves greatness, which is something that Bertarelli knows a thing or two about. Bertarelli’s grandfather, Pietro, and his father, Fabio, helped transform Serono from a small pharmaceutical firm into a global leader in biotechnology that is particularly famous for playing a key role in making possible the world’s first test-tube baby in 1978.
The Bertarelli family also shares a commitment to changing lives through the Bertarelli Foundation, which Ernesto Bertarelli co-chairs with his sister, Dona. Established in 1998 in Fabio Bertarelli’s memory, the Foundation has expanded its original focus on healthcare and life sciences to include several other fields, such as marine conservation, education, culture and sports.
Bertarelli credits his father’s success to the belief that nothing is impossible and that remains a central tenet of Bertarelli’s leadership at Alinghi Red Bull Racing. “The culture of the possible was something that I introduced as a company value at Serono shortly after becoming CEO, and was very much inspired by my father’s approach to business and to life,” Bertarelli shares. “It still very much governs my attitude and actions today, whether in work or sport. To me, it’s about being unafraid of change, unafraid of taking certain risks. It’s about instilling belief, not just in yourself, but in your team, and it’s about creating an environment where everyone can flourish by daring to dream.”
This philosophy is tied into the values of responsibility, integrity, perseverance, performance and stewardship that Bertarelli says guide his decisions, whether through his work with the Bertarelli Foundation or his bid for this year’s America’s Cup. “Whatever challenge or opportunity one faces, or whatever one seeks to build, lasting success will only be achieved if it is rooted in certain values. And those values have to have real meaning,” he says. “In my case, these are values that have been transmitted to me over generations and which I try to pass on to those who will follow me.”
FORCE OF NATURE
A pioneer of green luxury, CAROLE BAMFORD was ahead of her time when she opened Daylesford Organic in the early 2000s. Here’s how she grew her business from the ground up.
By Sarah Daniel
Labels help us navigate the world—but they can also be limiting. Perhaps that’s why Carole Bamford isn’t a fan of them.
As the creative visionary and founder behind an empire that includes gourmet grocery boutiques, cafés, a cookery school, a green Michelin-starred restaurant, wellness spas, pubs and cottages, beauty, fashion and home decor collections, a biodynamic vineyard in France, and a non-profit that supports artisanal crafting traditions in India, Bamford can’t be captured in one neat and tidy heading.
“My ventures are all quite different, but what unites them is a philosophy to work with nature. The ability to make a difference and a desire to inspire change,” says the U.K.-based Bamford, who grew up in Nottingham. “Perhaps that means I’m best described as a change-maker.”
Her activism and entrepreneurial roots started in her own backyard. “I have always thought of myself as an organic farmer, as everything I do now began at our family farm in Staffordshire over 45 years ago.”
She pinpoints the moment she realized the importance of sustainable farming practices in the mid-1970s. “I’ve always been conscious of our connection to nature, but the decision to start farming organically was a very instinctive and urgent one,” says Bamford, whose office is adorned with one of Ellsworth Kelly’s delicate plant lithographs.
The realization came after a walk through her garden with her newborn daughter, when she noticed her prized roses were wilting. Inquiring with her neighbor, she learned he had been using a toxic herbicide on his farm, killing her blooms.
Organic farming was still relatively unheard of at the time. Then she attended an agricultural fair with her husband, Sir Anthony Bamford—the owner of JCB, a construction and heavy equipment manufacturer. Meeting an expert on sustainable growing practices at the fair, she listened with rapt attention for hours.
For Bamford, who was looking at the world through the lens of a new parent, the seed was planted. “It brought about a stark realization that industrial farming, with its chemicals and pesticides, wasn’t the right way to grow food for my children and it wasn’t right for the earth, so we had to change,” she says. “We had to raise our animals and grow our crops in a sustainable and natural way and that meant farming organically.”
She transformed the farms on the family’s two estates, which took a decade and a lot of determination. Being ahead of her time, she faced
a lot of resistance. But she’s also grateful for her circle of supportive friends. “King Charles came to visit my garden in Gloucestershire when he was in the process of turning his own farm over to organic,” she recalls. “I remember feeling such a sense of hope and optimism speaking to someone as passionate about the health of the soil as me.”
From there, she had the idea to open a farm shop where she could sell the bounty from her fields and eventually serve meals made with her own ingredients.
Cut to today, where her multiple restaurants and cafés draw neighbors like Kate Moss and the Beckhams. Signature products like
PHOTO: COURTESY OF CAROLE BAMFORD
artisanal bread, preserves and cow’s milk cheeses are all made on site, and menus feature everything from the popular Cotswold chopped salad to grass-fed beef raised on the farm. A recent menu notes that the hens that provide eggs for the restaurant will become family pets through the British Hen Welfare Trust when they retire.
After opening the first Daylesford farm shop, Bamford launched her eponymous lifestyle collection featuring everything from candles and garden tools to the first locally grown, sheared, spun and knitted merino wool sweaters fully crafted in the United Kingdom. It felt like a natural progression, she says. “As I was making conscious decisions about what I was consuming through my food, I began to consider other areas of my life in the same way.”
Cosmetics was one of the most obvious extensions. “Our skin is our largest organ, and we ingest so much through it that it made sense to me to look at what I was putting into my body that way and create my own natural products to nurture it.”
“My ventures are all quite diΩerent, but what unites them is a philosophy to work with nature.”
With the rising demand for sustainable natural beauty products, Bamford’s approach to product development has evolved. “We have embraced technological developments that allow us to become even lighter with our environmental footprint.” For instance, Bamford’s award-winning Stem Cell Serum uses biotechnology to create large quantities of high-quality active ingredients from minimal amounts of plant materials for the formula.
Focusing on organic food, beauty products and holistic health early on, Bamford paved the way for the wellness brands and entrepreneurs who followed in her footsteps. In other words, Bamford walked, so Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop and luxury supermarkets like Erewhon could run.
Bamford lives and breathes the wellness lifestyle, practicing mindfulness, and letting nature keep her grounded, citing a John Burroughs poem as a guiding ethos: “‘To be thrilled by the stars at night;to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower… these are some of the rewards of the simple life.’”
The life of a wildly successful entrepreneur is far from simple, but she focuses on what’s most important to her: her family, and the Bamford Charitable Trust, started 20 years ago, which supports women and children through education and community. She also makes sure to carve out time to rest and relax, starting every day with a dog walk, taking yoga classes and meditating.
Staying calm in the storm of her numerous business ideas has helped her achieve one of her biggest goals yet: Both Daylesford and Bamford obtained B Corp certification in 2023. “It was a landmark moment for me,” she says. But it hasn’t slowed her down. “Now, seeing that inimitable ‘B’ logo every time I walk through the doors to our farm shops and spas motivates me to do even more.”
Flight Pattern
Carole Bamford’s carry-on essentials
Nourishing Sleep Mask
“It’s a lifesaver,” says Bamford of this hydrating moisturizer that leaves her skin soft and glowing by the time she lands.
Pillow Mist
Before takeo , Bamford sprays this soothing blend of frankincense, lavender and marjoram on her blanket.
Geranium Body Cream
Inspired by the hundreds of varieties of the plant Bamford has grown and collected throughout her life, she finds comfort in the fragrance. “It represents home for me.”
These products are now also o ered on Bombardier’s demonstration flights.
Nature and Nurture
Bamford’s three children all have an entrepreneurial spirit and have started their own businesses. Here, she shares some of the advice she’s given them over the years.
Be passionate
Do something you really believe in. The hours are long and you’re inevitably going to meet adversity, so it’s important you love what you do and are prepared to work hard at it and want to fight for it.
Have a growth mindset
Work with people who are knowledgeable and be prepared to learn from them. I am always learning from younger people—my teams at work, my three children—and now my grandchildren too. They have a curiosity and a fearlessness to try new things that I find inspiring.
Be your own critic
I am constantly reviewing things I’ve done and asking myself whether they are as good as they can be. It keeps me focused and makes the business dynamic and responsive to changes in circumstances or the trading climate.
ARCHITECTURAL MARVEL
At the new Aviator Lounge in Monaco, famed architect ANDREA
MOSCA the worlds of aviation
and yachting.
By Rachel Ingram
The Yacht Club de Monaco is one of the most influential spaces in the principality. A meeting place for the greatest minds from across the city-state and around the globe, it was the natural location for Bombardier’s new Aviator Lounge, which opened its doors in May. More than a sales o ce, the Lounge invites aviation enthusiasts to connect with like-minded peers and discover Bombardier’s o ering in a contemporary yet intimate setting on the spectacular Côte d’Azur.
“Monaco is a unique, dynamic place,” says Emmanuel Bornand, Vice President of International Sales, Bombardier. “We have always dreamed of having a space here that celebrates aviation and our company’s decades-long commitment to innovation, uncompromising performance, and our research aimed at developing more sustainable ways to fly.”
“The Monaco Yacht Club itself o ers a unique positioning and is at the center of so many important initiatives and activities. It might seem a bit surprising for an aviation company to anchor itself at the Yacht Club, but at Bombardier, we like to do things di erently. We see the Aviator Lounge as merging the sea, the land and the sky.”
The Lounge is an architectural marvel that’s already being dubbed the most beautiful commercial space in the principality. It was designed by Italian architect Andrea Mosca, who is famed for his work with private clients and high-end brands. His aim was to create an “exceptional space to showcase the history, heritage and beauty of Bombardier aircraft.”
Subtle nods to Bombardier’s legacy can be found throughout the venue, which comprises four spaces: a welcome area, gallery, meeting area and back o ce. “We wanted to take archetypes from Bombardier’s aviation world, such as the airplane wing and make them into something else,” Mosca says. The designer has taken traditionally industrial elements and transformed them into emotive works of art. In the welcome area, guests are greeted at a desk in the shape of a Bombardier Global 8000 wing, while above the meeting table hangs a striking model of a bladed rotor disk with Blisk fans (Bombardier was famously the first in business aviation to use an engine of this type in it’s Bombardier Global 7500 and Bombardier Global 8000 jets). Mosca transformed it into a striking lighting element. “Now, it’s like a flower,” Mosca says. “It’s the perfect light di user.”
Intimacy and fluidity are fundamental themes running through the design. The entire space is open with no enclosing barriers and yet each area feels intimate. “In air, you don’t have obstacles, so we wanted to build a space that’s as fluid as possible,” Mosca says.
The focal point is the meeting space, known as “The Nest.” “We decided that this meeting space would be the central point of the project,” Mosca says. “We wanted to create something that was open and yet private, so we came up with the idea of a bird’s nest, which gives you the feeling of protection.”
A table and a set of modern chairs are cocooned by a travertine halfwall that rises seamlessly from the floor, meeting halfway with wood
“We wanted to build a space that’s as fluid as possible”.
Andrea Mosca Architect of
Bombardier’s Aviator Lounge in Monaco
panels, or ‘feathers,’ descending from the ceiling, without touching. The wood panels are mounted onto rails so that they can be moved, allowing the space to be more open or closed. Features such as television screens can also be covered or uncovered by feathers, depending on guests’ requirements.
In a gallery surrounding The Nest, visitors can explore a “mini museum of Bombardier” featuring graphics and artifacts that tell the story of the company and its innovations, alongside airplane photography by esteemed photographer Guillaume Plisson.
Guided by the Lounge’s location, Mosca took inspiration from the ocean as well as the sky. Three elements in particular are the building blocks of the sensory experience he created. The travertine stone
used on the flooring and interior walls is the color of sand and cool to the touch, providing freshness on a warm day in Monaco. Wood panelling, evocative of a yacht interior, is used throughout, although rather than teak, Mosca has opted for a more sustainably sourced iroko. The wood elements represent stability and intimacy. And finally, the alcantara fabric, cushioned in some places, adds warmth and softness. Meanwhile, the interior walls of the Aviator Lounge are curved like waves, creating a sense of fluidity of this contemporary, pure space.
Mosca also utilized materials to deepen the sense of intimacy: “A plane is a big, heavy machine, but when it flies, it looks light like a paper plane. We wanted to use stone, a material that is known for its weight, and treat it like paper. What you see is just the skin with three centi-
The Lounge strikes the balance between modernity and warmth. “Bombardier is a family, so we wanted to capture the feeling of being invited into a home, and we achieved this,” Mosca says. “It’s a relaxing space that’s comfortable but at the same time, it’s very contemporary.”
“There is a reason why we call this space a Lounge; in fact, it is anything but a sales o ce,” adds Bornand. “The Lounge was designed as a space for exchanges and discussions. Authentic, family-like relationships are at the very core of everything we do at Bombardier, so having a space where we can take the time to meet the Bombardier community here is extremely important and a key reason why we wanted to open this space.”
The opening comes at a pivotal time in Bombardier’s history as the company unveils its new brand identity. It reflects a visionary shift in thinking from product to experience and lifestyle, and the Lounge is perfectly positioned in Monaco to connect with one of the company’s prime markets in Europe. If ever there was a sign of times to come,
AFRICAN GRANDEUR
A new, breathtaking range of volcano lodges in Africa oΩers visitors a perfect blend of spectacle, style and sustainable tourism.
By Ellen Himelfarb
The Rwenzori Mountains are the hidden secrets of Africa. Nearly as tall and just as majestic as Kilimanjaro, they form an icecapped ridge dividing Uganda from the Democratic Republic of Congo that few travelers have sought to climb. The lush foothills ripple out across southern Uganda toward Lake Victoria, opening onto a savannah frequented by elephants, lions and bu alo.
This is the ecosystem Praveen Moman was born into, and which lured him back in adulthood after fleeing decades of chaos and war. His company Volcanoes Safaris, developed in the 1990s, was his way of helping to return this precious equatorial landscape to its wild origins, to the local communities and especially to the endangered primates that nestle in the forest. Kibale Lodge, built on a ridge of the Albertine Rift, is the crown—and great showcase—of his e orts to date.
The main property and eight luxury bandas, Swahili for “cottages,” are molded from hand-cut stone, local bricks, wood and thatch to look as if they’ve always been there—Moman’s team includes many skilled craftspeople from nearby communities who work in time-honored techniques. Interior archways leading to the bathrooms feature locally sourced stone. “Each lodge is di erent, but a continuation of our philosophy,” says Moman. Furnishings, textiles and even lights are handwoven by artisans, including the local Batoro people who make up most of Kibale’s sta . The long drive to the main lodge ends outside a fire-lit lounge, leading into dining terraces with views of the pool, lake and mountains. “From here,” says Moman, “you’re looking at the Rwenzoris eye to eye.”
Kaleidoscopes of butterflies flutter around the outdoor showers. Undulating walking paths echo with the squawking of turacos and nightjars. Even more remarkable, this temperate corner of Uganda is the world’s great ape capital, and Volcanoes Safaris has cornered the market on great ape tourism. Guests at Kibale, to be completed this year, can partake in a multiday unique itinerary through the forest and wetlands to Kyambura Gorge, a deep fissure in the plain where chimps swing through the trees.
Mornings begin slowly, with a 30-minute drive into Kibale National Park. Some 1,500 chimpanzees live in this orchid-dusted terrain. Moman says it more closely resembles a dappled New England forest than the thick, unnavigable jungle that Uganda might bring to mind.
“You don’t feel hemmed in. It’s like walking in a beautiful woodland when, out of the blue, you’ll hear a chimp calling in the distance.” The tree canopy is home to three habituated chimp groups.
You might not recognize the chimps immediately. Their piercing call and response alerts you to a presence. Suddenly, you’re conscious of a tail swinging lazily from the trees. Highly skittish, the creatures will leap down, size you up, then sling away just as quickly. From the other
These unique safaris tiptoe into the territory of chimps, gorillas, golden monkeys, silverbacks and their cousins.
Volcanoes Safaris lodges, you can see the gorillas who, on the other hand, are watchers: highly sedentary, “like a lazy family, rooted in the forest eating popcorn,” says Moman. He’s joking. Still, as long as they’ve got a snack on hand, they’re unconcerned with interlopers. While chimps use the trees as pathways, the gorillas use them as pedestals to support their slumping figures.
Kibale and its neighbors Kyambura, Bwindi and Mgahinga form a small but crucial habitat of about 500 square miles—less than 15 percent of the area of Yellowstone. “These are tiny, isolated islands of habitat,” says Moman. “To the naked eye, they might seem like fragmented forest.” Nonetheless, they form the finest primate site in Africa.
Kibale is Volcanoes Safaris’ fifth retreat, completing a loop of hideaways Moman has been slowly, thoughtfully developing since 1997. They anchor the company’s larger purpose: to support the work of renowned primatologists like Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey with a landmark program of ecotourism, conservation and community outreach. Together, their scope makes Volcanoes Safaris the great ape specialist of the world.
PREVIOUS SPREAD: An aerial view of Virunga Lodge, located near the border of Uganda in Sinamatella, Rwanda. THIS PAGE: One of the many furry and friendly faces seen during safari. OPPOSITE PAGE: The locally designed and created dining room at Mount Gahinga Lodge.
SPREAD: Kyambura Gorge Lodge Swimming Pool.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF KYAMBURA GORGE LODGE
Working with Ugandan rangers, old friends and experts like Goodall herself, Moman has crafted a unique program of safaris that tiptoe into the territory of chimps, gorillas, golden monkeys, silverbacks and their cousins. Half-day treks from their Bwindi Lodge culminate in fireside chats or cocktails at the world-famous Bwindi Bar, at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Safaris also delve into conservation and community projects undertaken by Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust—a charitable onus the company takes as seriously as its hospitality. Guests can visit monitoring teams to learn about the enormous challenges to the ecosystem. They can contribute GPS data and wildlife photographs to the ongoing carnivore census, and meet the villagers their tourism dollars help support. A fee from every paying guest goes toward training disadvantaged youth, building homes for indigenous groups, supplying water tanks and supporting craft collectives. Baskets and bathrobes by local weavers are available to buy.
True to the company name, their Virunga and Mount Gahinga lodges also o er volcano treks across the Virunga mountains, home to the dwindling population of mountain gorillas. You could spend a day climbing Mount Gahinga or trekking sister volcanoes Muhabura and Sabyinyo. Climbs begin at 7:30 a.m. and end in time for a swim.
For dinner, you might have fresh game grilled on an open fire with sweet potato and the local delicacy firinda, made with slow-cooked beans and eaten with steamed kalo (millet bread) or matooke (bananas) served
An hour on the ridge with the night birds calling is as close to heaven as you’re bound to get.
with peanut sauce and dodo (steamed greens). Moman’s botanist Celine Ishimwe designed a vegetable garden of beans, greens and tomatoes and also cultivates hydroponic lettuce. Surrounding farms provide organic eggs and rice. Co ee is strong and wine plentiful. Some locally inspired snacks include banana mandazi (Swahili-style donut) and passion fruit curd, mango tartlet petit fours, and roasted sweet bananas with cream.
Still, every meal is tailored to individual tastes. “Yes, we have menus, but they’re not meant to force you,” says Moman. “You can order ‘outside the box.’ We try and go with the flow.”
The allure of the region extends even to the spa. Massages at Kibale are an important part of the experience, because the Batoro community believes in the healing power of physical touch. One treatment involves hot towels soaked in eucalyptus. Moman says the evergreen naturally draws out muscle pain. For the flagship rungu massage, masseurs prod at the body with a wooden club—“not to be aggressive, but to highlight pressure points,” he says. “It’s like a stronger version of the Scandinavian massage. The club gives more leverage to work a particular knot.”
These are the perks that come with your reservation—though it’s unlikely you’ll have any stress left to ease, because an hour on the ridge with the night birds calling is as close to heaven as you’re bound to get.
THIS PAGE: A traditional fire pit at the Mount Gahinga Lodge. OPPOSITE PAGE (TOP): Kyambura Gorge Lodge. (BOTTOM): A suite at the Mount Gahinga Lodge.
BYRON BAY BLISS
Exploring Australia’s idyllic and iconic eastern coastline
By Kelly Stock
Stretched along the easternmost point of the Australian coastline, Byron Bay is a beacon of serene beauty. As you arrive in town, the welcome sign reads Cheer up, slow down, chill out , setting the tone that attracts travelers in search of relaxation, wellness and an escape from the everyday.
The coastline here is graced with pristine beaches that extend into the horizon, framed by the distant silhouette of Wollumbin. This majestic peak, formed by a volcano whose collapse created the largest caldera in the southern hemisphere, is now adorned with ancient subtropical rainforests. The region’s conservation efforts, borne from struggles with logging in the 1970s, have now birthed a network of protected and pristine parks like Nightcap National Park, where cascading waterfalls like Minyon Falls punctuate the lush scenery.
Amidst this natural grandeur, a legacy of family stewardship shines through. From boutique hotels and restaurants rooted in generational expertise to guides and crafters committed to preserving the land, Byron Bay thrives as a testament to the pursuit of quality and environmental sustainability. This ethos, deeply ingrained in the community, enhances every experience, offering not just a retreat but a journey into the timeless embrace of Byron Bay’s familial legacies and natural wonders.
Multigenerational Retreats
Long an enclave of Australia’s elite, Byron Bay is now revealing its rich tapestry of luxurious retreats and opulent abodes to outsiders, each offering a one-of-akind sanctuary. The guiding light for this movement is the Range Estates, whose portfolio of luxury rental properties includes Copperstone. This architectural marvel was created by Tom and Emma Lane, two parts of the family behind Oroton, Australia’s oldest luxury fashion company. Sitting amidst a rolling mountain
A beautiful property in the Range Estates luxury portfolio of rentals.
range, the property doubles as the Lane’s holiday home. An Australianfarmhouse-meets-Spanish-finca, this family-style retreat has panoramic views of the surrounding hinterlands. There are horse stables for equestrian enthusiasts, modern comforts like an infrared sauna and ice bath, and access to a local private chef. Beyond the opulent interiors and vast rooms built for gathering and reconnecting, the property is also fully sustainable. It captures rainwater for the gardens and is powered by a renewable mix of solar and batteries. When crafting this property, the Lane family was committed to leaving a positive legacy.
Another prominent family, the Arnotts—whose company is the largest producer of biscuits in Australia—have a majestic home just outside Byron Bay called Lo Scoglio where discerning travelers can stay. The design was inspired by Angelica Arnott’s Sicilian heritage and created in collaboration with Tigmi Trading, a rare vintage furniture and design studio (also located in Byron) that sources exclusive items from the furthest reaches of the globe.
Aside from these sanctuaries, closer to town there is a plethora of breathtaking coastal retreats like the Bower Byron Bay (featuring a series of monochromatic abodes in the heart of town), Elements of Byron (an award-winning beachfront resort) or Raes on Wategos (known for its gleaming white villas overlooking the exclusive Wategos Beach). These homes, many embellished with private pools, tropical gardens, and interiors by local designers, cater to discerning travelers seeking privacy and unparalleled comfort.
Amidst this natural grandeur, a legacy of family stewardship shines through.
Capturing Nature’s Symphony
Any typical morning in Byron Bay means awakening to a gentle lightfilled dawn, with golden hues painting the horizon and highlighting the treetops. For art enthusiasts, this might feel almost like an invitation— beckoning you to catch the essence of the experience.
Captivated by so much beauty, it is no wonder the eye of National Geographic photographer Craig Parry has been drawn back again and again. Having grown up in Byron Bay, he has since traveled the world making images, and now provides visitors the opportunity to lose themselves in the art of nature photography. His workshops allow participants to blend the craft of visual storytelling into their travel itineraries.
PHOTO:
Participants can document the majestic moves of humpback whales on their seasonal migration to Antarctica; divers can learn the delicate intricacies of capturing marine life below the surface of Byron Bay’s crystal-clear waters. His tutelage is an immersion in the art of capturing nature’s poetry through a lens.
Kick Back into Epicurean Delight
A serene evening in Byron Bay starts at Bar Heather, which has emerged as a haven for wine aficionados seeking an exquisitely selected list of natural wines. Its charming bistro-style ambiance and live jazz make it the ideal locale to enjoy Chef Ollie Wong Hee’s bites, which draw on both his family’s Chinese heritage and the diversity in modern Australian cuisine. Some favorites include cha ̉ lá lô ´ t, a betelleaf wrapped portion of grilled pork topped with pickles and charred pineapple-chili sauce, or local cuttlefish with Okinawa spinach, and a fennel seed and curry leaf vinaigrette.
Another testament to sustainable family legacy is found at the Farm Byron Bay, where farm-to-table ethos reaches its pinnacle. Its restaurant Three Blue Ducks is a dining destination where epicureans sit at rustic farm tables set among lush rolling pastures. In this culinary haven, the team creates dishes with ingredients harvested just steps away, embodying the essence of sustainable dining.
Every corner here hints at family legacies, sustainable living, and the art of savoring life’s finest moments. A journey to Byron Bay beckons travelers to envision their own next chapters.
THIS PAGE (TOP): Beach hiking trails at Elements of Byron. (BOTTOM): A freshly caught seafood salad from Bar Heather. PREVIOUS SPREAD: A view of the private villas at Elements of Byron.
GLOBAL JET CAPITAL IS HOW THE DEAL GETS DONE.
FROM CROSS BORDER AND JURISDICTIONAL COMPLEXITIES TO IMPOSSIBLE TIMELINES, WE’VE BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT.
Our mission is simple: to transform a potentially complicated and timeconsuming transaction into a seamless, customized financing solution that meets your unique needs. Our decades of experience provide an unmatched level of expertise—and the ability to craft solutions for virtually any challenge—with speed and confidence. And our global footprint gives you access to on-the-ground expertise wherever you’re operating.
So, bring us your challenges. And we’ll show you the art of what’s possible with your next Bombardier aircraft.
From a snowmobile manufacturer to a global leader in business aviation, Bombardier’s enduring legacy is built on innovation and family values.
By Michael Stephen Johnson
Photographs by Carl Lessard
Deep in the Quebec countryside, under a canopy of autumn trees, Laurent and Pierre Beaudoin walk the path towards the lake behind Pierre’s home. They approach the shoreline that bends around a secluded bay and take in the view. The air is still, the only sounds a gentle rustle of leaves underfoot and the muted chatter of father and son. This is a peaceful place, a happy place.
The walk continues. They reach Laurent’s property and cross a field where he keeps horses. Pierre rode here when he was just a boy, and Laurent was still President of Bombardier. Pierre’s equestrian days are behind him now, but having served his own tenure as the company’s President and CEO, not to mention his current role as Chairman of the Board, the Beaudoins are still among Bombardier’s brightest guiding lights.
Pierre stops to admire the landscape, his eyes fixed on the horizon. Laurent admires his son instead. “He’s looking toward the future,” he says, smiling. For the Beaudoins, the future is always top of mind, but beneath the ambition, beneath the tireless pursuit of growth and perfection, lies a foundational value that has endured since the early days of the snowmobile: Bombardier is built by families, for families.
It started with an act of empathy. Growing up in rural Quebec, where winters brought everything to a standstill, Joseph-Armand Bombardier spent his youth experimenting with vehicles that could help his community conquer the snow. In 1934, when his son tragically passed away because they couldn’t access the hospital during a snowstorm, Bombardier doubled down on his vision, determined to prevent parents from ever having to experience the maddening grief he and his wife, Yvonne, endured that fateful night.
His life’s work culminated in 1959 with his unveiling of the SkiDoo, a vehicle that would set the stage for the company’s exciting and innovative future.
1959 was also the year Bombardier met his son-in-law, Laurent Beaudoin. “Like any father, Joseph was skeptical of me,” says Beaudoin, who married Claire Bombardier after studying together at the University of Sherbrooke. Having also grown up in small-town Quebec, Beaudoin knew of Bombardier long before meeting Claire because his father, a wholesale grocer, had purchased snowmobiles for winter deliveries. “But he gave me a chance, even hired me to help some of his partners and make the company more profitable. That’s when his perception of me changed.”
When Joseph-Armand Bombardier passed away in 1964, he entrusted his legacy of innovation to Laurent Beaudoin, who succeeded Bombardier first as Managing Director and then, two years later, as President. “I was only 26 at the time, but he trusted me,” Beaudoin recalls. “I went from Controller to having my hands in engineering, production, marketing… It was total immersion.”
An accountant by trade, Beaudoin honored his father-in-law’s legacy by approaching innovation from a new angle: strategic acquisition. He leveraged the experience and expertise behind Bombardier’s Ski-Doo to make inroads in rail transit, watercraft and, with the acquisition of Canadair in 1986, business aviation. This marked a paradigm shift for Beaudoin: in business jet owners, he discovered a new way to project Bombardier’s passion for innovating and fostering true connections.
Laurent and Pierre Beaudoin at Laurent Beaudoin’s country estate.
TIME FLIES GENERATIONS OF INGENUITY
BOMBARDIER’S RICH HISTORY OF INNOVATION is more than a century in the making. Long before he founded the company in 1942 and unveiled his iconic Ski-Doo in 1959, Joseph-Armand Bombardier spent decades prototyping vehicles that could liberate rural communities from the icy depths of winter. When Laurent Beaudoin took the reins in 1966, he honored his late father-in-law’s legacy by taking the company to the world stage. Laurent’s achievements motivated his own son, Pierre, who went on to inspire generations of Bombardier families and leaders and add to a seemingly endless list of milestones. By Michael Stephen Johnson
A defining decade for Joseph-Armand Bombardier. After studying automotive electrics in Montreal, he opens a garage in his hometown, Valcourt, and invents a vehicle that could conquer the snow. But in 1934, just as Bombardier is about to complete his first production snowmobile prototype, his son falls ill during a snowstorm and dies because the family was unable to reach a hospital. Devastated, Bombardier resolves to complete his snowmobile on behalf of his son. In 1937, he presents the final puzzle piece, his patented caterpillar track, and officially unveils the B7 Snowmobile.
Bombardier founds his company in 1942.
The B7 Snowmobile inspires several iterations but by the 1950s, the company focuses on a 1-2 passenger application.
The Ski-Doo is born in 1959, as is a new era of recreational winter sports. In the same year, Bombardier’s daughter, Claire, marries Laurent Beaudoin. An accountant by trade, Bombardier hires Beaudoin as his Controller. In 1964, he names Beaudoin as his successor. Bombardier passes away later the same year and Beaudoin ushers the company into a period of strategic acquisition.
Laurent Beaudoin takes the company public and leads their first foray outside of the snowmobile sector with the acquisition of Austrian tram manufacturer, Lohner, and its engine manufacturer, Rotax. Within a year, Bombardier is manufacturing cars for Montreal’s fledgling subway system. By 1982, Bombardier makes headlines with a lucrative contract for the New York City Transit Authority.
In 1986, Beaudoin takes Bombardier skyward with the acquisition of Canadair. Renowned for their Challenger aircraft, Beaudoin aspires to revolutionize business aviation from the inside out. In 1990, he acquires the Learjet Corporation, setting the stage for the Learjet 60 and Learjet 75. By 1992, having also acquired Boeing’s de Havilland division and its Dash 8, Beaudoin is ready to transform the aviation world on his own terms.
Beaudoin develops Bombardier’s own business jet platform. In 1993, they announce the Global Express, a clean-sheet business jet that perfectly captures the combined heritage of Beaudoin’s acquisition strategy and Bombardier’s innovative spirit: it boasts a new T-tail and wing, featuring a 35° wing sweep and winglets capable of absorbing turbulence. Upon entering into service in 1999, the Global Express redefines long-range business travel, setting a new standard for in-flight comfort with the smoothest flight and largest cabin in its class.
Pierre Beaudoin is named President of Bombardier Aerospace in 2001. Under his leadership, Bombardier announces the Global 5000 and the Global 6000. Each delivery serves as a reminder of Bombardier’s tireless pursuit of business jet perfection. The Bombardier Challenger 300 also enters into service during this time and becomes a bestseller among corporate and charter operators. By 2008, Pierre Beaudoin is named President and CEO of Bombardier.
In 2021, the Bombardier Global 8000 repeatedly achieves supersonic speeds during flight testing, making it the fastest civil aircraft since the Concorde. The Bombardier Challenger 3500 aircraft enters into service in 2022 as the most sustainably designed and cost-efficient business jet in its class. Also in 2022, after 16 years of research, the EcoJet research project conducts its first flight test, bringing the
Joseph-Armand Bombardier next to B7 snowmobile, model 1937. Taken in Valcourt, in the fields around the factory (1939).
Laurent Beaudoin. Taken in Valcourt, in his office (around 1973).
Bombardier in his office (1950).
Robert de Cotret and Marcel Massé (standing) with Laurent Beaudoin and Barbara McDougall
acquisition of Canadair (August 18, 1986).
Laurent Beaudoin. Announcement of the Global Express project (1993).
Beaudoin
Bombardier’s new logo, the central part of Bombardier’s new brand identity, unveiled in April 2024.
Laurent and Pierre Beaudoin in 2023. Bombardier employees celebrate entry into
“Bombardier is built by families, forfamilies.”
“Business jets let you do a lot more, a lot faster,” says Pierre Beaudoin, who started his Bombardier career in 1985 in the Marine Division. “They let you spend more time networking, but also more time with your family.” Few people understand Bombardier’s heritage like Pierre: as a boy, he traveled the world with his father, meeting clients and their families with children just like him. “It’s one thing to know someone professionally, but if you can know them personally… their family, their humanity… a business aircraft creates that connection.” Bombardier has always treated clients like family—so much so that this emerged as a fundamental point of distinction in the company’s recent rebranding.
By the 1990s, Laurent Beaudoin shepherded Bombardier’s legacy of innovation towards a business jet experience that perfectly mirrored the aspirations of the business jet owner. This formed the foundation of the company’s approach to business aviation across all touchpoints—a foundation that lives on to this very day. Just as Bombardier the man invented and perfected a vehicle that catered to individuals, families, and companies alike, Bombardier the company designed a business aircraft that could meet customers at every possible altitude of their individual needs and values. We see it in the way Bombardier’s industrial and interior design teams converge to deliver comfort and connectivity that is not only best-in-class for all customers but also highly personalized, from custom cabin configurations to gourmet meals at 45,000 feet, from jetlag-combatting circadian lighting to family crests stitched into headrests. We see it in the company’s trademark Smooth Flĕx Wing, which famously delivers unmatched smooth rides, uncompromising short field performance, and recordbreaking speeds, and the award-winning Nuage seat collection, whose cutting-edge ergonomics represent the first meaningful change in aircraft seating architecture in over 30 years.
In the background, every Bombardier business jet is designed to help every customer do a lot more, a lot faster; in the foreground, when each customer takes delivery of their Bombardier business jet, they discover a direct extension of themselves, a mirror-like reflection of everything they have ever achieved and everything they hold dear.
Looking ahead, Bombardier might be focusing solely on business aviation, but the values that form the bedrock of this company —innovation, integrity, family—are arguably stronger than ever. It’s Bombardier’s way of turning the act of empathy that started it all into an enduring legacy of making customers feel seen, feel heard, feel that they’re not so much investing in a vehicle, but rather joining a family.
in April.
Members of the extended Bombardier family at the inauguration of Bombardier’s new brand
SUPER POWERED
The Bombardier GLOBAL 7500 and the Bombardier GLOBAL 8000 are the industry’s most spacious ultra-long-range business jets. But they also excel in performance on short runways, opening up a world of prized destinations.
By Christopher Korchin
In business aviation, speed and range are prime factors when judging the capabilities of a private jet. The Bombardier Global 7500 aircraft shines in both categories: With a top speed of Mach 0.925 (982 km/h) and an impressive baseline range of 7,700 nautical miles (14,260 kilometers), it can whisk passengers from Los Angeles to London, from New York to New Delhi or, for an even longer mission, from Singapore to San Francisco, in style, comfort—and remarkably little time. The forthcoming Bombardier Global 8000 jet will push these numbers to new, unmatched levels with a top speed of Mach 0.94 (1,000 km/h) and maximum range of 8,000 nautical miles (14,816 kilometers).
All of which makes these ultra-long-range aircraft extremely attractive to business jet travelers, whatever city-pair routes they have in mind. But amid all the talk of high cruising speeds, one feature common to the entire Bombardier Global family—which also includes the Bombardier Global 5500 and the Bombardier Global 6500 jets—might be overlooked: their ability to take off, approach, and land at the lowest speeds in their class. This significant advantage means the aircraft can navigate some of the planet’s shortest and most challenging runways. Previously, only much smaller planes could access short-length airfields. But the Global jets’ unique attributes mean that these large jets can arrive at and depart from short-field destinations around the world.
Better still is the fact that some of these short airfields are in highly desirable locations, including Gstaad, Lugano, St. Moritz, Martha’s Vineyard, East Hampton and Tortola, among others. The Bombardier Global jet owners can also access with ease the extremely convenient but notoriously hard-to-access London City Airport. Besides the convenience, the slower landing speeds bring another, certainly the most crucial benefit: they increase safety by giving pilots precious additional decision-making time and require less runway length to stop, giving the passengers added peace of mind.
But how are these super large purpose-built business jets able to navigate notoriously difficult airfields—ones that are not typically accessible to other large aircraft? A major key is the Global jets’ distinctive Smooth Flĕx Wing, which incorporates leading-edge slats—not a common feature on a business jet, but a very valuable one. The slat extends from the front of the wing (i.e., the leading edge), effectively changing its aerodynamic profile. This allows the wing to operate at a steeper angle of attack, generating greater lift at lower speeds. The rear of the wing (i.e., the trailing edge) features Fowler flaps, which are designed to deploy in the same direction as the airflow, minimizing drag and noise. These flaps are particularly useful during approach to increase lift at lower speeds. This sophisticated slats-and-flaps configuration allows the Global aircraft to take off over shorter distances (covering less ground thanks to the reduced speed needed to achieve takeoff). Similarly, landing requires less runway (and less braking time and total distance). Together, these two capabilities give the spacious Bombardier Global jets short-field performance that rivals that of much smaller aircraft.
When the Bombardier Global 7500 aircraft displayed its ability to operate out of the small Gstaad Saanen airport, high in the Swiss Alps, Peter Likoray, Bombardier’s Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales, commented: “This demonstration strengthens the Bombardier Global 7500 as a jet that simply has no peer in terms of combining size and real
world capabilities. Not only can it access demanding airfields in hot and/ or high locations, it also delivers uncompromising value to customers under any conditions, at any time, without the need for tailwinds, and a signature smooth ride through exceptional wing flexibility.”
In another demonstration, the Global 7500 jet achieved a runway takeoff distance of just 2,130 feet (649 meters, or about a half-dozen football fields or pitches) and an astoundingly short landing distance of 1,380 feet (421 meters). This robust capability greatly broadens customers’ options in terms of destinations.
The Bombardier Global 7500 jet’s Smooth Flĕx Wing is distinct in another important aspect: Not only is it designed to absorb and dampen turbulence, providing Bombardier’s signature smooth ride, it also features business aviation’s first high-speed aileron (the hinged section at the end of the wing), engineered to enhance precision and handling throughout the flight. So whether the aircraft is at ultra-high cruising speeds, climbing, descending, taking off or landing, advanced wing technology optimizes safety and efficiency.
The Global jets’ unique attributes mean that these large aircraft can arrive at and depart from short-field destinations around the world.
Although the Bombardier Global 7500 aircraft’s wing design plays a critical role in its stellar runway performance, its dual GE Passport engines give it the thrust (close to 19,000 pounds) and reliability required to make it not only a standout in terms of short-field performance, but also the leader in the ultra-long-range segment. The Passport engine, designed specifically for the Bombardier Global 7500, delivers increased efficiency and lower emissions, and was engineered to minimize cabin noise, even when powering the jet to Mach 0.925.
At the end of each journey, the Bombardier Global 7500 aircraft relies on its state-of-the-art, brake-by-wire braking technology to help achieve those exceptionally short landing distances. Even without its ability to access some of the world’s smallest, most remote or most challenging airfields, the Global 7500 jet would be a compelling package. But add to that its custom Nuage seating, a cabin with four distinct, full-size living spaces, circadian rhythm-based cabin lighting and a low cabin altitude to keep you fresh over long distances, and it becomes a logical choice.
In 2025, the best will get even better when the Bombardier Global 8000 jet enters into service. It will fly even farther and faster - but display its unmatched versatility also when going slow.
Challenger 650
Bombardier Global 5500
• Lowest-in-class direct operating costs
• Fastest in-flight internet connectivity worldwide in its class*
• Industry-leading dispatch reliability
FEATURES
True combined vision system
Exclusive Nuage seat and chaise
4K-enabled cabin with the fastest in-flight connectivity worldwide in its class*
New Rolls-Royce Pearl engine
Advanced HEPA filter that captures up to 99.99% of allergens
FEATURES
True combined vision system
Bombardier Global 6500
Bombardier Global 7500
Exclusive Nuage seat and chaise
4K-enabled cabin with the fastest in-flight connectivity
worldwide in its class*
New Rolls-Royce Pearl engine
Advanced HEPA filter that captures up to 99.99% of allergens
FEATURES
• Four living spaces and a dedicated crew rest area
• Fastest in-flight internet connectivity worldwide in its class*
• Bombardier Vision flight deck with fly-by-wire
• Principal Suite with available shower
• Advanced HEPA filter that captures up to 99.99% of allergens
• Exclusive Nuage seat and chaise
FEATURES
• Fastest business jet in the industry
• Four living spaces and a dedicated crew rest area
• Healthiest and best connected cabin in the industry
• Bombardier Vision flight deck with fly-by-wire
• Advanced HEPA filter that captures up to 99.99% of allergens
