Victor Magazine issue1 2018

Issue 1 2018

A NIM A L BEH AV IOUR

PETROL HEAD

Through the lens of David Yarrow

The new face of Aston Martin

HIGHLAND FLING

SWISS UNIVERSE

Putting the glamour into Gleneagles

Going back to the land in Gstaad

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W O R L D

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C H A R T E R

W E L C O ME E D I T O R ’S L E T T E R

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ritain’s reputation for doing things its own way is well earned. From a weekend at a Highland retreat (Gleneagles, p086) to a world-famous thoroughbred racecourse in Berkshire (Ascot, p118), via a storied members’ club in London (Annabel’s, p044) and a certain carmaker favoured by a certain fictional spy (Aston Martin, p036), nobody does it better. What all these very British endeavours have in common is an appreciation of what true luxury means in the digital age, and an unstinting commitment to being the best in their field – rather like Victor, in fact.

As the concept of wellness has grown from a trend into an industry, plenty of hoteliers have been busily tweaking their offering to accommodate guests’ newfound needs. But at Gstaad Palace (p104), wellness has been around for years. High up in the Swiss mountain air, it’s more a way of life than a marketing gimmick – and their partnership with Jardin des Monts, which has formulated a skincare collection based on the local flora, is a prime example of how to turn a pastime into a product range (this one even includes chocolate).

The modern British luxury theme that’s emerged from these stories also runs through our Trending pages, which display an entirely home-grown selection of idiosyncratic gift ideas. Who knew that we plucky Brits do a sparkling line in silk pyjamas, velvet slippers and saucy board games? As our “made in Britain” section shows, creativity is alive, well, and beautifully British in its display of ingenuity and wit (p012).

A recent trip to Amsterdam confirmed our suspicions that this city was well overdue for a second look.

Long known as the “capital of weed”, according to the Kimpton De Witt’s mixologist, the Cities of Opportunity Index from PricewaterhouseCoopers now ranks it fourth in the world for ease of doing business (and consuming culture on a grand scale). Your insider guide starts on p096.

Of course, we’re in the business of mobility and this issue touches down in other destinations too. In our special glossy supplement, the world’s leading wildlife photographer David Yarrow, who also shot our cover, presents a collection of images that have taken him all over the globe. Whether it’s the prehistoric power of a rhino in Tanzania’s Mkomazi National Park or the nonchalance of a wolf padding along the bar of a deserted drinking den in Ghost Town, USA, Yarrow has captured it all with an honesty that belies the technical wizardry behind his work. Turn to the middle of the magazine to see where he’s been, and to discover where Victor can take you.

Elsewhere in Europe, we also zip down to Genoa to meet the CEO of Piaggio Aerospace (p052). The new Avanti Evo, which will be in skies soon, wouldn’t look out of place in any film sequence involving a quick getaway – something that’s always been close to our hearts.

Enjoy the issue.

Phil Thomas, Editor phil.thomas@flyvictor.com

On the cover: ‘The Old Testament’

by David Yarrow, 2017.

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D IR EC T O R Y CONTENTS

008 Download the Victor app for iOS or go to flyvictor.com, enter fast-track code MAG18 to join us and request a quote today.

VICTOR MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BY: Victor 60 Sloane Avenue London SW3 3DD UK +44 20 7384 8550 US +1 877 275 9336 DE +49 89 242 18 236 info@flyvictor.com @flyvictor

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Concept by philr.co Design by Effective Creative and roseatwork.com

For advertising enquiries, email advertising@flyvictor.com

GO BESPOKE WITH JET CHARTER

BY VICTOR Transparent, capped booking fees 24/7 dedicated customer care Aircraft and crew replacement insurance

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Issue 1 2018 THE PRIMER News & notes The ski season, the sea season, and a few words from our CEO.

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PARTY PIECES London, Monaco & New York From a gallery launch in London to a solar eclipse in Nashville, Victor puts on a show.

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TRENDING Modern British luxury The artisans keeping British creativity on top.

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MOTORING Aston Martin The rebirth of a great British brand.

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SOCIETY Annabel’s A whole new era for one of London’s longest-serving clubs.

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FUTURE OF FLIGHT Piaggio Aerospace Avanti Evo The Italian company with a distinctive approach to design.

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WELLNESS Gstaad Inside an industry that does it naturally.

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NOMAD’S NOTEBOOK Ibiza, Iguazú Falls, Naxos & Paris Where our resident globetrotter's been this issue.

CULTURE Books A round-up of recent releases via the places that inspired them.

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SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT The Art of Curated Travel Wildlife photographer David Yarrow takes us on a tour of places less explored.

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THE CALENDAR Royal Ascot A triumph of tradition – and one of summer’s hottest tickets.

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CHECKING IN Gleneagles How the storied Scottish retreat put the glamour back into golf, via outdoor pursuits, decadent dining and a brand-new bar.

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VICTOR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BP Social responsibility The clean-tech revolution.

KNIGHT FRANK The Wealth Report Private aviation, education and philanthropy according to the global property specialist.

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THE CITY EDITOR Amsterdam With a grown-up approach to urban living, it's back to business in the Dutch capital.

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THINK PIECE Privacy Why isn’t privacy taken more seriously, asks a leading lawyer in the field?

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T HE P R IME R NE W S & N O T E S

CARRY ON COURCHEVEL The Oetker Collection of hotels continues to refresh the parts others cannot reach with L’Apogée, located in the exclusive Jardin Alpin above the former Olympic jump at Courchevel 1850. Enjoy ski-in/ski-out access, impossibly chic staff to greet you with fur-lined boots on your return from the slopes, and Bamford products galore throughout your suite (Lady B is a fan). Plus with Annecy, Chambéry and Geneva airports all within chauffeuring distance, a white weekend becomes a fuss-free prospect.

L’Apogée Courchevel opens for the season on 15th December; oetkercollection.com

NO BUSINESS LIKE SNOW BUSINESS “With heavy snowfall across the Alps in early November and our biggest portfolio to date, Bramble Ski is excited for the start of the 2017/18 season,” reports Pre-Arrivals Manager Sarah Sundstedt. A Victor Preferred Partner for all matters mountainous, Bramble boasts an enviable portfolio of luxury chalets to rent in some of Europe’s best resorts, including Lech and St Anton in Austria, Méribel in France, and Verbier and Zermatt in Switzerland. brambleski.com

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MIAMI NICE With Art Basel rolling into town on 6th December, the Faena hotel on Miami Beach is perfectly placed as the midway point between the fair’s fringes. Designed by the achingly cool architectural practice OMA, the Faena Forum cultural centre is just one of the extracurricular buildings surrounding the hotel that founder Alan Faena is hoping will transform this stretch of the city into a whole new district bearing his name. faena.com/miami-beach

NOW YOU SEA ME Of course, Yuletide doesn’t have to mean powder – just ask Alev Karagulle from Burgess Yachts: “The Eastern Caribbean remains the most favoured winter cruising destination, and from Christmas to Easter there is always a fantastic array of superyachts to charter,” she says. Victor Preferred Partner Burgess knows these islands inside out, making sure you get the most out of your cruise, and can customise an itinerary to suit all the family. burgessyachts.com

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FROM THE CEO My mission is to see Victor become the single largest transactor of on-demand jet charter, and our recent Series B fundraise takes us another step closer to that goal. To recap, last September Victor closed a $20m investment round that was led by BP Ventures, the investment arm of global energy giant BP, and bolstered by family offices, a European growth-stage investment fund, and existing shareholders.

As well as allowing us to reach more time-poor elite travellers than ever before, it also enables us to channel our digital, data-driven expertise into a new B2B offering – a “full spectrum” service platform connecting the suppliers, brokers, fuel providers and flight-planning businesses in what was a traditionally fragmented industry, and that will introduce efficiencies for both customers and the wider supply chain.

We’re helping to change the world around us too. Victor’s partnership with BP Target Neutral allows fliers to offset their carbon emissions and improve local livelihoods through a variety of incredible projects around the globe, and this collaboration is set to expand over time.

Victor’s numbers and performance in 2017 say it all. We’ve grown 946% in four years – a performance that saw us reach the highest echelons of The Sunday Times Tech Track 100 for the third consecutive year. We generated $39m of sales in 2016 and aim to close out circa $60m 12 months on. That our latest fundraising round is led by a major institutional investor like BP is a strong endorsement of our exciting trajectory, our dynamic team, and our vision to reshape private air travel.

As this magazine lands, Victor is enjoying its biggest share of media voice ever, and we’ve seen our New York office more than double in size to deliver a threefold increase in bookings. Word of our “high-tech, high-touch” approach is spreading farther and wider.

I’d like to thank all our fliers, operators, partners and suppliers for your amazing support and to tell you that 2018 is likely to be another big year. New investment in smart technology and data analytics, and a fresh focus to recruit the very best talent and ensure we engage you in the right way (and at the right time) will enhance Victor’s already special blend of innovation, customer service and transparency – a clear recipe for success.

Welcome to the new world of jet charter.

Clive Jackson Founder & CEO

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PA R T Y P IEC E S L O ND O N, M O N A C O & NE W Y O R K

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ponsored by Victor, the launch night of Maddox Gallery's latest London space on Westbourne Grove was the perfect showcase for world-leading wildlife photographer David Yarrow's solo exhibition. A collection of the inhabitants of some of the most remote places on earth, The Untouchables are celebrated in a special supplement on the centre pages of this magazine. In it, Yarrow chooses his favourites and explains how his stunning images are made. davidyarrow.photography

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ursting onto the scene as the face of Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue fragrance back in 2006, the model David Gandy’s portfolio has since expanded to include app developer, underwear designer for a certain high-street chain (one of their bestselling lines), and member of the British Fashion Council. His collaboration with Victor sees him step behind the camera to direct his first film, shot en route to and on location at the 2017 Monaco Yacht Show. The details are still under wraps but keep your eyes on the website to see the results soon. flyvictor.com

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f something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well. That’s why a Victor-appointed Hawker 1000 found itself on a round-trip from Teterboro Airport one dark day last August, in a bid to capture the total eclipse as it spread across the US. Via a stopover in Nashville, Tennessee, this flight really was out of this world.

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T H E G R E AT BR I T I S H MAKE OFF It’s not just cakes that put the G in GB. As Sam Chippindale shows with Victor’s locally-sourced collection of gift ideas, “made in Britain” has never looked so good

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OL I V I A VA N H A L L E P YJA M A S

Dream

on

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on Halle’s luscious silk designs are wasted on bedtime, with pyjamas and robes chic enough for cocktail hour. For the Kensal collection shown here, London street style and heritage sportswear are reinvented with inimitable wit and flair. The Capability Chelsea full-length robe is decorated with a smoking cigarette, coiling snake and prowling panther, yet retains the elegant 1920s silhouette von Halle is known for. Here’s hoping for a cosy Christmas. oliviavonhalle.com

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HANNAH MARTIN JEWELLERY

Let there be

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rom her Clerkenwell studio, Hannah Martin’s elegant, timeless jewellery for men and women can be recognised by its signature edginess, whiff of rock ’n’ roll androgyny, and hint of darkness beyond the beauty. Her Tension necklace and earrings (pictured), which are set with diamonds, sapphires and amethysts in 18-carat gold, are from the Somebody’s Sins collection – a celebration of decadence, possession and freedom. Martin starts by building a visual storyboard with the idea of a character and the world they inhabit. This becomes a series of sketches, which are in turn transformed into technical drawings for around 15 core designs. “The entire process is about developing then editing, opening the mind as far as it will go, then cutting, then expanding again, then editing,” she says.

Image: Joss McKinley

hannahmartinlondon.com

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VIVIEN SHERIFF MILLINERY

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he peace, birdsong and long views over rolling Wiltshire countryside are another world from the glittering milieu in which Vivien Sheriff’s hats and fascinators are worn. Yet it is in her rural atelier that Sheriff and her small team of master milliners clip brightly coloured feathers, trim lace, stitch ribbon and embellish their exotic creations with crystals. At the royal wedding in 2011, some 50 hats worn to the service came from here and no society wedding or event in the season is complete without one of her glorious confections.

A bespoke service is also available. viviensheriff.co.uk

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DUKE & DEXTER FOOT WEAR

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ver worried about walking out the door in your slippers? Lucky you if you happen to be wearing a pair of Duke & Dexter’s elegant and witty loafers, which are as comfortable as slippers and some of the sharpest footwear around. Twentysomething entrepreneur Archie Hewlett has updated the gentleman’s velvet slipper with camo linen, suede and embossed nubuck, and has picked up a fanbase including Eddie Redmayne, Ryan Reynolds and Tinie Tempah along the way. This Skulled Blue pair is a limited edition, while the bespoke range lets your imagination wander with a choice of colour, trim, embroidery and hand-painting. New for chillier winter mornings is the Chelsea Boot: like all Duke & Dexter creations, it’s designed in London and made in Sheffield. dukeanddexter.com

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Ever worried about walking out the door in your slippers?

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S T RU T HER S LOND ON WATCHE S

Time

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ward-winning independent watchmakers Struthers of London specialise in recommissioning vintage and antique watches. These are no mere watch repairs, however. Craig and Rebecca Struthers, antiquarian horologist and master watchmaker respectively, use classic pre-1960s watch movements as the starting point for their horological adventures: parts are restored, replaced, polished and engraved, jewels are inset, and the movement is placed in one of Struthers’ house-designed base cases.

Clients can then choose from thousands of variations in metal, colour and finish to personalise the watch. From their Jewellery Quarter workshop in Birmingham, the Struthers also work on bespoke, one-of-a-kind timepieces. The beautiful hand-drawn sketches charting the evolution of each piece give clients a fascinating insight into the artistry that goes into fine watchmaking.

Images: Andy Pillsbury

struthers-london.co.uk

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A L E X A NDR A L L E W EL LY N B A CKG A MMON SE T S

The

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he soundtrack to a good game of backgammon – the rattle of dice and the swish and click of pieces being moved – is all the more engaging when playing on an exquisite handmade board from Alexandra Llewellyn.

A lifelong fan having learnt as a child in Cairo, Llewellyn embellishes her boards and games tables with naked ladies, leaves and feathers, skulls and cigars. Every minutely inlaid detail is created in England by a team of master craftsmen, each skilled in marquetry, engraving and setting semi-precious stones. Llewellyn offers a permanent collection of boards and welcomes private commissions; her ravishing Marilyn set (pictured) is a collector’s limited edition. alexandralldesign.com

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EDWARD GREEN SHOES

Good for

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f manners maketh the man, then a fine pair of English shoes maketh the gentleman. Hand-cut calfskin from Italy and France, trimmed, stitched and hand-finished on the last are the basis for all Edward Green’s classic shoes, brogues, boots and loafers. The company, based in Northampton where it was founded in 1890, produces around 350 perfectly-crafted pairs a week, working to the founder’s mantra of “excellence without compromise”.

The choice of a classic 202 last or more chiselled 890 ensures an elegant fit, while soles are oak-barrel-tanned for nine months for comfort and durability. These Dover shoes come in dark brown or burgundy Utah. edwardgreen.com

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Since 1781, Asprey has devoted its craftsmanship and distinctive sense of design to ensuring the well–bred are well–equipped

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Leader of the

pack ASPREY LUGGAGE

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ince 1781, Asprey has devoted its craftsmanship and distinctive sense of design to ensuring the well-bred are well-equipped with the finest accessories and decorative luxuries: its urbane GMT Traveller bags up the style stakes with wonderfully squishy suede bull-skin and kid suede interiors.

The hold-alls come in four deeply satisfying colours – carbon, carmine, espresso and marine – and, at just under 50cm long plus an open-ended zip closure, are perfect for PJs. asprey.com

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Run CASTORE SPORTSWEAR

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he brainchild of two brothers who also happen to be ex-professional athletes, Castore is the sports gear you wish had existed back when gyms became a thing. The Rix jacket, pictured here, combines fully taped seams and laser-cut ventilation for unmatched water resistance and breathability – which means there’s no excuse not to pound the streets, whatever the weather.

Tested by leading sports scientists and elite athletes to ensure performance matches pose-ability, this is the most technically advanced jacket on the market. castore.co.uk

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M INDUSTRY HANDBAGS

Excess

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ombining a passion for art history and quirky, original detailing, and a wardrobeful of cult handbags she had fallen out of love with, Maddalena Mincione did what any self-respecting design entrepreneur would do and began to unpick her collection stitch by stitch. Working with a team of London-based artisans, the iconic leather and canvas bags have been remodelled and embellished with bugs and badges, ironic slogans and graffiti (each motif is hand-embroidered, some using vintage British military fabrics). According to Mincione, remaking the bags as individual, extrovert creations was a way of redefining luxury on an intensely personal level. mindustrylondon.com

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eyes The

MODERN BRITISH LUXURY

have it The Aston Martin DB11 is more than a machine: it’s a statement of intent.

Phil Thomas falls in love

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t’s her eyes you notice first. Narrow and set deep into a sharp-angled face, you could be forgiven for thinking this is a supermodel of Slavic origin – but she is in fact a very British beauty. The flagship of the range, the DB11 is Aston Martin’s comeback kid: the thinking man’s grand tourer, 007’s wheels of choice, and possibly the only car in its class to be looked at with real affection as it growls along UK roads.

Named for the late Yorkshire-born industrialist Sir David Brown, who bought the company for £20,500 in 1947 before selling it on in the 1970s, the DB series has always paired beauty alongside sporting prowess.

According to Marek Reichman, Aston’s VP and Chief Creative Officer, “Every part of DB11 is designed to create the world’s most alluring DB to date,” and its new grille, clamshell bonnet and innovative Aeroblade are testament to that.

It’s been a long time coming. On one level, Aston Martin is a great British success story. Crafting breathtakingly beautiful vehicles by hand, it speaks to the traditional values of artisanship, integrity, and a job well done.

And it’s Bond’s car. But just as MI6’s most famous fictional employee has struggled to redefine himself in the information age, Aston has at times also found it hard to adapt.

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The car leaps forward with a burst of power like a big cat in pursuit of its prey Like a grand country estate, financial troubles and ownership issues tended to dog the company as it struggled to come to terms with the changing world around it. But its saving grace was the ability to produce astonishing machines, whatever the circumstances.

“Aston Martin has an incredible heritage and arguably one of the world’s most iconic cars in the DB5,” says Reichman. “This wealth of design history provides a fantastic foundation on which to look forward yet also respect a wonderful past.” Today, it’s in rude health.

The deal with Daimler, which owns five percent of the company, sees the next generation of Astons fitted with Mercedes-AMG engines; the DB11 is the first model to sport Mercedes technology.

Available as a V8 (supplied by Daimler) and a V12 (homegrown), the meatier model boasts 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 200mph. Stats aside, what this actually feels like as you accelerate to join the motorway is simple to describe: pure animal pleasure. The car leaps forward with a burst of power like a big cat in pursuit of its prey, carving through traffic with a confidence borne of its status at the top of the food chain.

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Right now, the automotive industry is in flux about flex

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ight now, the automotive industry is in flux about flex. Carmakers from California to Korea are rushing to release vehicles that speak to a new world order of enlightened, environmentally-friendly consumers who talk of mobility over motoring. It’s a world that seems totally at odds with a niche luxury supercar manufacturer, and yet Aston surprised the lot by announcing that all its vehicles will be able to run on electric by the mid-2020s. Its first fully electric vehicle, the Rapid-e, goes on sale in 2019. So how does it see the future of the automotive industry?

For Reichman, automotive 2.0 offers “huge potential for individual and unique products that have beauty, rarity and individuality as their core”.

Clockwise from left: The AM37 makes a splash; exploring the depths with Project Neptune.

It’s not just road-going vehicles Aston is developing. At the 2016 Monaco Yacht Show, the company launched a 37-metre, £1.6m powerboat called the AM37 (presumably none of that money went on branding). And in collaboration with maritime manufacturer Triton, Project Neptune has resulted in the conception of a £3.1m limited-edition submarine, only 12 of which will be made a year. “We have used forms and proportions that express the same devotion to design, engineering and beauty that shape our cars,” says Reichman of an underwater vehicle that wouldn’t look out of place in James Bond’s next film (keep your eyes peeled for any submersible action when he returns for his 25th outing in two years’ time).

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Putting Aston on the map in Miami.

It doesn’t stop there. At 300 Biscayne Boulevard Way in Miami, Aston has put its name to a residential development that, if it doesn’t trade on it, then certainly alludes to the sort of lifestyle espoused by glamorous clandestine types. So, from automotive manufacturer to design company to luxury goods purveyor: what is Aston Martin today, and what are the advantages to leveraging your brand in this way? “We are always partnering with exceptional companies who are the best in their own right,” explains Reichman.

Fewer than 80,000 Aston Martin cars have been produced in 104 years

Of course, brand partnerships can be a slippery slope (Seat’s role as the official car brand of Pirates of the Caribbean – “because everyone is a little pirate at heart” – springs to mind), but Reichman is keen to point out that Aston takes its collaborations seriously. “Fewer than 80,000 Aston Martin cars have been produced in 104 years,” he says. “We have to make sure to always partner with companies and brands that have the same values and love of unique craftsmanship and beauty.”

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That said, four fast wheels is still what Aston Martin’s core offering is all about, and with year-on-year revenues almost doubling to £410.4m due to rising demand for the DB11, it’s proof the original product line is in good shape. Above all else, it is a mobile sculpture, and a reassuring icon of Britishness – proof that, in an uncertain age, plucky old GB can still come up with the goods. Like Reichman says, “The nature of British design is to be innovative and highly creative yet also respect history… understated yet confident, these are very British traits.”

Of course, all good things must come to an end, and so it proves at junction 11 of the M4. After reading my rights, the Thames Valley police officer who pulls me over fixes me with a sly grin. “Sorry we had to meet like this,” he says, gesturing towards the beautiful anthracite beast idling on the hard shoulder. Formalities dealt with, he can contain himself no longer. Against the roar of the motorway traffic, he asks: “Go on, tell me, what’s it like?” Some might argue the DB11 has no place in today’s world – but perhaps that’s the point.

This is a car that sets you free. astonmartin.com

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Back where it all began with Bond: the DB5.

Crafting breathtakingly beautiful vehicles by hand, it speaks to the traditional values of artisanship, integrity, and a job well done.

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S O C IE T Y A NN A BE L’S

MODERN BRITISH LUXURY

Queen of clubs

Annabel’s is the legendary members-only nightclub where Sinatra propped up the bar, Fergie and Di pretended to be policewomen, and the Beatles were turned away for not wearing ties (or shoes). As it prepares to move – two doors down – from its original Mayfair address, Lysanne Currie delves behind the scenes of the exclusive venue the debs knew simply as “Bel’s”

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Annabel’s is also the only nightclub the Queen has ever visited – popping down to its subterranean depths in 2003 to quaff a gin Martini

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ightclubs aren’t always meant to last. Take Manhattan’s Studio 54: though celebrated as an iconic, if not infamous, venue, it lasted just four years in its disco, hedonism and glitterballs iteration.

Yet more than 50 years after it first flung open its doors to pop and fashion royalty (and actual royalty), Annabel’s in London is still packing them in.

Over the decades, the world-famous nightclub has welcomed everyone from Richard Nixon to Lady Gaga, snugly cocooned in a paparazzi-free environment. Well, so long as they behaved themselves (rudeness spells an instant rescinding of membership) and adhered to a long-debated dress code. Mick Jagger may have been given special permission to forgo a tie, but even the Fab Four were once turned away for being inappropriately attired – along with Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder and Blondie on different occasions.

The Queen goes clubbing.

Beloved of the royals, Annabel’s is also the only nightclub the Queen has ever visited – popping down to its subterranean depths in 2003 to quaff a gin Martini.

And now it’s getting a new address, from 44 to 46 Berkeley Square. In a capital undergoing enormous change, Annabel’s too is moving with the times.

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Swinging Sixties Annabel’s began life in 1963, when a group of gambling pals (including an old mucker of Lord Lucan’s, John Aspinall) decided they needed a pianobar-style venue to get the party started before a hard day’s night at the roulette tables. Aspinall’s entrepreneur friend Mark Birley took up the challenge. Having opened his Berkeley Square Clermont Club the previous year (members included five dukes and 20 earls), Birley transformed his old coalhole of a basement into a cosy nightspot, eventually blocking off the staircase linking upstairs and downstairs. The famous name, of course, was inspired by his ex-wife Lady Annabel VaneTempest-Stewart (who went on to become Jemima and Zac Goldsmith’s mum).

Clockwise: Francesca Von Thyssen and Jerry Hall raise a glass to Valentino; Princess Michael of Kent looks on; "Russian night"; Kid Creole celebrates his 50th.

It was an auspicious time for the UK: among other flashpoints, 1963 was the year of the Beatles’ first number one, the Profumo scandal and the Great Train Robbery. An era of tremendous social change and upheaval, where a pre-swinging, sepia-tinged London was bursting, Wizard of Oz-style, into dazzling pop-art Technicolor, where the classes were starting to mix, and, as Vogue supremo Anna Wintour once put it, where “hairdressers were suddenly equally as famous as duchesses”. Amid all this, Annabel’s would provide something of a bridge between the old world and the new.

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S O C IE T Y A NN A BE L’S

Clockwise from left: Jemima Khan and Kate Moss seal it with a kiss; Lady Gaga sings for her supper; Michael Caine keeps his cool; Jack Nicholson walks tall.

With interior designer Nicky Haslam covering the opening night for Vogue, celebrities and socialites poured through its striped canopy by the score. They schmoozed, made deals and threw shapes on its diminutive wooden dancefloor to the latest hits flown in weekly from New York. Nina Campbell helped give it its bohemian countryhouse look, with cluttered walls, nude portraits, a reclining Buddha – and intimate lighting. The place has since been given a facelift by Birley’s daughter India Jane, but the paintings remain – as does the annual fee for those original 500 members (some of whom are still around), frozen since 1963 at just £5.25 a year.

Over the years, it’s had other facelifts too: in 2003, Birley’s son Robin took over running the club and began issuing memberships to a younger clientele and a new generation of notables. For current owner and society restaurateur Richard Caring, who purchased Annabel’s for £95m in 2007, it’s the way forward – particularly in the wake of the venue’s move. Shock horror: some of those existing 7,000 memberships may not even be invited to renew.

“We want to sift through to see who the really cool members are,” Caring is reported as saying. “Those who are not really cool or who don’t use it very often might not make the cut.”

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It was an auspicious time for the UK: among other flashpoints, 1963 was the year of the Beatles’ first number one, the Profumo scandal and the Great Train Robbery

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New generation room alone is said to be “the most beautiful in town”.

Meanwhile the space that set it all off, the nightclub itself, will be recreated in the basement.

A list of what he calls the ‘First 100’ will provide a good cross-section, says Caring. “We want 21-yearolds there at the same time as 90-year-olds.” In keeping with the times, the infamous dress code has been slightly relaxed too: ties are now optional, and denim and trainers also allowed – though “sports shoes should not look like they’ve actually been used to play sports”.

Amid all this change, it’s important that some things stay the same. The formation of a special “cultural committee”, which included the celebrated photographer Mario Testino, fashion and style commentator Derek Blasberg, leading make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury, and contemporary art collaborator Hikari Yokoyama will preserve the Annabel’s ethos, and help fashion, style and curate the venue in the long term. And with a new executive director, Guillaume Glipa, poached from the Chiltern Firehouse, the mission is clear. “We are taking the classic DNA of Annabel’s and moving it forward for the future, respectfully and tastefully,” he says. Long may she reign.

The £55m move takes place early next year, with the nightclub being “reimagined” in a sumptuous four-floor Grade I-listed Georgian townhouse two doors down at number 46. While fees are set to increase, members will get more for their buck, including significantly more floor space of 26,000 square feet. Combining the classical with the modern, Annabel’s 2.0 will offer more bars, private dining rooms, a spa, and a terraced restaurant garden with retractable roof for members to wine and dine in from 7am until 4am. The ladies’ powder

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annabels.co.uk

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Furs class fun Having opened his Berkeley Square Clermont Club the previous year (members included five dukes and 20 earls), Birley transformed his old coalhole of a basement into a cosy nightspot

With the pup-permitting areas “at the discretion of the reception teams”, Annabel’s is a famously dog-friendly club. Victor’s high-flying hound Mr Sniff rounds up the rest of the best in which to take a paws when you’re doing London on a lead

Blacks Club Once home to Fortnum & Mason’s Charles Mason, Blacks (no apostrophe) was formed by Samuel Johnson in 1764 before earning its more recent moment of drinking notoriety in the naughty Nineties.

Today the building has been restored to its original Georgian glory and looks like a wealthy but discreet townhouse. It’s super homely and the best place to sprawl is in front of the fire as your humans work their way through the supper-club menu. blacksclub.com

The Club at The Ivy Beloved of the theatrical crowd, The Club at The Ivy is a great weekend brunch place for us hounds – the Loft is light and airy and their eggs Benedict and bloody Mary bring humans pure happiness.

Look out for their regular Bark ‘n’ Brunch events in collaboration with Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. the-ivyclub.co.uk

Devonshire The new kid on the block, the Devonshire rightly agreed to welcome us pups (on leads) since it flung open its doors in 2016. Cool and modern, it has a private library, three bars and a slouch-friendly lounge area. devonshire.club

Quo Vadis Steeped in history, the Quo Vadis building was once home to Karl Marx and also spent time as a brothel. The club is above the public restaurant and contains two private dining rooms, a bustling bar and a cosy snug. The vibe is arty and warm, with Soho types chatting and doing the odd bit of work in relaxed fashion. quovadissoho.co.uk/club

5 Hertford Street Housed in an 18th-century Mayfair townhouse, this private members’ club welcomes us pups in all areas apart from the restaurant (can’t think why!). But it doesn’t matter as the rest is SO comfortable and there are toys, treats and even a huge bed for putting up paws. If you do good side-eye, you’ll probably get a stroke too.

5hertfordstreet.co.uk

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RENAISSA

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NCE PLAN

Combining Italian design heritage and iconic interiors with innovative engineering and top-notch green creds, Piaggio’s Avanti Evo has it all. Lysanne Currie takes a first look 

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magine: you’re James Bond, making a fast getaway from the scene of a hair-raising hit job. Sprinting towards the (conveniently placed) nearby runway, with SPECTRE’s henchmen in hot pursuit, you’re confronted with a couple of clapped-out helicopters (no, too rusty, can’t take the risk), an antique cropduster that hasn’t seen service since 1923… and over on the far side of the airfield, a unique-looking – almost catfish-like – private plane. Being Bond, of course, you’ve seen the insides of countless cockpits, and been trained to pilot pretty much everything that’s fit to fly. Still, as you scramble into this mysterious craft, with its distinctive nose forewings and rear delta fins, the thought occurs: “This is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever been inside of.

I wonder how it flies?” And then you lift off, and a wide smile spreads over your face…

Images: © Piaggio Aerospace/Paul Cordwell

The Piaggio Aerospace Avanti Evo might look like it comes straight out of that famous film franchise – but it’s here, it’s real, and, compared with other private jets in this bracket, it’s a snip at £5m. As with so many great objects originating from Italy, from the radio to the typewriter, this is a coolly elegant, beautifully designed and very powerful little marvel; and like those inventions, a truly radical piece of hardware to boot. As Piaggio’s CEO Renato Vaghi says, “This aircraft grants a revolutionary way of travelling, combining luxury and speed with environmental care.”

Piaggio CEO Renato Vaghi.

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This aircraft grants a revolutionary way of travelling, combining luxury and speed with environmental care

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Compared with other light aircraft, the Evo cuts CO2 emissions by up to 40 per cent thanks to a unique (and uniquely efficient) design that incorporates a threelifting-surface configuration. There’s a main wing near the fuselage’s rear, a smaller nose wing, and a tail wing. Meanwhile, an elegantly curved fuselage helps reduce drag, while raising performance by over a third.

With the private jet market enjoying a boom right now, this wonderful thing holds its own, aesthetically and technically; the fastest turboprop currently in the air, it’s capable of doing 402 knots (around 463mph) at a ceiling of 41,000 feet. Little wonder it’s been dubbed the “Ferrari of the sky”.

Poltrona Frau Founded in 1912 by Renzo Frau in Turin (Poltrona is Italian for armchair), the luxury leather goods company became the official supplier to the royal house of Savoy in the 1920s before being appointed to furnish the Italian parliament in the ‘30s.

Military might

Collaborations with design luminaries including Gio Ponti and a showcase of iconic furniture designs ensued, alongside a close working relationship with the automotive industry that started with Lancia in 1988.

Founded in 1884 by Rinaldo Piaggio in Genoa, the company helped usher in the world’s first helicopter, along with twin-engine seaplanes for the Italian Air Force and other light transport aircraft for both the military and civilians. In 1960, it began manufacturing jet engines too, and today it’s the only company in the world that designs both engines and the planes to put them in. Even though the Evo’s innovative design suggests a brand-new aircraft, this is in fact its third generation. It was launched some 25 years ago with an exterior inspired by the Learjet, that iconic, gamechanging PJ beloved of celebrities such as Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Elvis, Marlon Brando, Paul McCartney – and old blue eyes himself, Frank Sinatra (who successfully wooed Mia Farrow with a ride on one during a date).

Known for its uncompromising approach to quality (95 percent of its products are made by hand, and the 21-step leather tanning process far outstrips the industry-standard of between 12 and 15 steps), the Poltrona portfolio has expanded across an increasingly diversified range – and now includes the Avanti Evo.

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The reclining and rotating chairs are swathed in butter-soft Poltrona Frau leather

It’s the inside that counts The interior noise level – pretty much the same as a regular conversation – and the low cabin pressure ensure a pleasant flight. Full air conditioning, folding tables and adjustable lighting also add to the cabin’s appeal, which is currently configured for six or seven passengers (eight is in the design stage). The reclining and rotating chairs are swathed in butter-soft Poltrona Frau leather, and the seats are made by legendary Italian electronics company Iacobucci. It’s compact but not cramped, with a stand-up height of 5’10”, and the baggage compartment is large enough to house ski gear and golf bags.

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If you’re looking to fly further than London to Moscow, other aircraft are available. But the Evo’s maximum flight range of 1,809 nautical miles should be more than enough for most, making it the ideal getabout for weekends on the slopes or the links. And should that fast getaway be in order, the Evo needs a mere 974 metres of runway to take off (as opposed to a Boeing 747’s 1,500 metres), so you’re in the air almost immediately.

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As Vaghi says, the Evo boasts “superior climb performance, huge fuel savings, lower emissions compared to aircraft in the same class, and the biggest stand-up cabin”. Plus, it’s a beauty.

An artist and a scientist in equal measure, Italy’s most famous Renaissance man Leonardo da Vinci would surely approve. piaggioaerospace.it

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Should that fast getaway be in order, the Evo needs a mere 974 metres of runway to take off

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C U LT U R E BOOK S

PAGEVIEW

HIS T ORY

I S TA NBUL

The Islamic Enlightenment by Christopher de Bellaigue

F IC T ION

BE R L IN

A Legacy of Spies by John le Carré Le Carré’s latest novel is a welcome return to the stomping ground that made his (pen) name. As an old case is reopened and an ex-spook is brought in from the cold, we’re transported once again to the dark, wet streets of Berlin as it struggles to cope with the collapse of communism. A meditation on memory in the form of a classic spy thriller, this is a book about what we choose to remember and what we choose to forget. penguin.co.uk

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Via modern medicine and the development of democracy, de Bellaigue’s whirlwind tour of the Middle East introduces us to the scientists, thinkers and writers who transformed Muslim culture.

Starting with Napoleon’s arrival in Egypt at the beginning of the 19th century, The Islamic Enlightenment whips through the next 200 years on a mission to explain how the relationship between East and West developed. For anyone who wants to understand how and why we’ve ended up where we have, this is the perfect start. penguin.co.uk

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Books can remind us where we’ve been and inspire us about where to go next. Phil Thomas rounds up some of the recent releases set in some of Victor’s favourite places

ME MOIR

NE W Y OR K

Insomniac City: New York, Oliver, and Me by Bill Hayes Hayes’ memoir on living with, and falling for, the late neurologist Oliver Sacks is as much a love letter to the city they called home together. Accompanied by the author’s own photographs of street scenes and the people who make them come alive, Insomniac City is a fitting tribute to a man who, above all else, was fascinated by the various forms humanity can take – and who, in choosing the Big Apple as his address, was perfectly placed to witness it. bloomsbury.com

F IC T ION

T E L AV I V

Forest Dark by Nicole Krauss

A R T

When one door closes, another opens in this novel of what-might-have-beens and exploration of the lives we make for ourselves from the chaos of the universe. Of course, the need to impose order and create a narrative from nothing is the same impulse a writer acts on when telling a story – and this is when the book gets really interesting.

Touching down in Tel Aviv, a settlement itself built on conflicting narratives, the parallels between writing and cities (the name Tel Aviv was inspired by the Hebrew translation of the title of Theodor Herzl’s Altneuland) become increasingly entwined. bloomsbury.com

L ONDON

London in Paint by Lee Cheshire From Canaletto to Constable (and plenty more in between), this mid-size coffee-table tome is a delightful record of the ever-evolving nature one of the world’s greatest cities as seen through the eyes of some of the world’s greatest artists. Accompanied by thoughtful commentaries from Cheshire, an editor at the eponymous gallery’s Tate Etc magazine, each of the 100 images shows just how much the city has changed – and what has remained the same. tate.org.uk

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P H A N TO M ONE OF ONE The world needs icons. For those whose presence inspires greatness there is only one choice. Unmatched. Unrivalled. This is Phantom.

Join Rolls-Royce Private Office at the stunning Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, St. Moritz, this winter season to discover more.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd Private Office The Drive, Westhampnett, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0SH privateoffice@rolls-roycemotorcars.com Official fuel economy figures for the Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Wheelbase: Urban 29.1mpg (21.4l/100km). Extra Urban 13.2mpg (9.7l/100km). Combined 20.3mpg (13.9l/100km). CO2 emissions 319g/km. Figures are obtained in a standardised test cycle. They are intended for comparisons between vehicles and may not be representative of what a user achieves under usual driving conditions. Š Copyright Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited 2017. The Rolls-Royce name and logo are registered trademarks.

The Art of Curated Travel

An invitation to explore the world with David Yarrow and Victor The images in this brochure were chosen to astound, excite and inspire – and remind us why we travel.

Download the Victor app for access to 7,000 jets and 40,000 destinations worldwide, and enjoy our unique combination of high-tech innovation and high-touch 24/7 customer service.

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For the latest instalment in Victor’s Art of Curated Travel series, we are proud to present the worldleading wildlife photographer David Yarrow at Maddox Gallery.

The inaugural exhibition to celebrate the opening of Maddox Gallery’s third space, on Westbourne Grove in London, Yarrow’s new series The Untouchables explores some of the most remote destinations on earth and their inhabitants.

To commemorate the exhibition, Victor has commissioned this special-edition brochure featuring eight of the photographer’s favourite images from the series, and asked him to explain the making of each one.

No one has seen more of the world than David Yarrow, or done more to transport us to those places through his work.

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44.4280° N, 110.5885° W Airport code: BZN Dialling code: +1 307

‘American Idol’, 2017 Yellowstone National Park, USA “ This powerful image of a large bull bison was captured near Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

The bison is an emblematic North American animal that roamed the continent millions of years before man. When fully grown, it is a massive beast that deserves our respect and recognition.

The bison is all about the face and I sensed that any picture that didn’t recognise this would miss my goals.

I failed about 10 times with my camera positioning and I tweaked my lens/ camera combination constantly. But on the third day at about 2pm, it all came together. The trees and the sky are most helpful additives – but what a face and what a back structure.

I haven’t seen this sort of image of a big bison before.”

Fly from London Biggin Hill to Bozeman Yellowstone International in a Global 5000 10pax

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‘ Girls on Film’, 2013 Vergenoeg, Namibia “ To tell stories is liberating because we all become too immersed in the repetitious reality of daily life. It is good to dream and to conjure up imagery that is the stuff of fantasy. This is never far from my mind in Africa because we all grew up being told African wildlife stories.

To me, this photograph is as much about light, line and curves as it is about the story. There is a great deal going on within this picture. No one has ever before stood on this remote sand dune with this surreal image in front of them, and that is good enough for me. The story unfolding belongs to the imagination of the buyer, not the artist.”

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Fly from London Farnborough to Windhoek in a Gulfstream G-550 8pax

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45.2938° N, 111.9461° W Airport code: BZN Dialling code: +1 406

‘ The Wolf of Main Street II’, 2015 Ghost Town, USA “ I asked the owner Rosie, who had a ‘seen it all before’ look about him, if he had a problem with us bringing a wolf into the deserted bar. Not a normal request perhaps but he welcomed the idea, only asking what the wolf liked to drink.

Things were getting a little out of hand but Rosie – who is now a good friend – was loving the unexpected course of his morning. We placed some chicken fillets around my neck and the wolf moved with a sense of excitement towards me and my Nikon. A large print of this image now hangs proudly behind the bar and has become a little tourist attraction in itself.”

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Fly from London Biggin Hill to Bozeman Yellowstone International in a Global 5000 10pax

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4° 10' 32.88" S, 38° 13' 55.92" E Airport code: NBO Dialling code: +255

‘ The Departed’, 2015 Mkomazi, Tanzania “ This approach has a high failure rate – if it didn’t, there would be more pictures like it knocking around and I can’t find a single one. Not only is the image pin-sharp but also the rhino is totally uninfluenced by the camera on the ground – he is being a rhino, not a model for a photo shoot. Remotecontrol work is an art in itself, and over the years I have learnt a great deal.

This image is rare on two levels. Firstly, it depicts one of the 90 remaining black rhinos in the country – and how spiritually uplifting to have captured him in seemingly the very best of form. Secondly, it does this with a spectacularly rare angle of view.”

Fly from London Farnborough to Nairobi International in a Falcon 7X 10pax

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63.5321° N, 19.5114° W Airport code: KEF Dialling code: +354

‘Wild’, 2012 Skógafoss, Iceland “ Skógafoss is arguably the most aesthetically perfect waterfall in Europe. But its breadth and height mean it needs some foreground context to lend perspective. We worked with wild Icelandic ponies to try and introduce this ingredient into a wellknown amphitheatre of noise and power. It’s a very challenging brief and the window closes as soon as the first tourists arrive at 9am. This image offers a dreamlike portrayal of Iceland’s raw and wild beauty.”

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‘ Forty Below’, 2016 Scoresbysund, Greenland “ By no small margin, the most extreme community I have chosen to visit is the village of Ittoqqortoormiit in northeast Greenland (Scoresbysund in English).

There are only 450 people in the village and the nearest other community is some 800km away. There are no roads outside the village – just tracks.

Indigenous communities in Africa are invariably raw and elemental to the core but there will always be a great deal going on within 80km, never mind nothing within 800km.

Ittoqqortoormiit is home to the toughest, smartest hunters in the world – it is their way of life, not a weekend pursuit. There is recreational hunting and then there are the Inuit hunters.

They are the last of the big hunters in the world. It is a place where fortitude prevails above all else.”

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Fly from London Farnborough to Kulusuk in a Citation Sovereign 4pax

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‘ The Circle of Life II’, 2015 Amboseli, Kenya “ For three years I had not seen a big herd cross the lake and my regular guide had started to greet me at the landing strip with eyes of resignation.

There have been special vignettes with giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and small elephant groups, but no big elephant crossings.

Those 20 minutes I spent that Sunday with the herd were spectacular. The composition has spirituality to it and, in retrospect, I made good, quick decisions on both camera bodies and lenses. The photograph has a decent chance of passing the test of time: the detail is pleasing and the composition is a gift that perhaps the hours of persistence deserved.”

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Fly from London Biggin Hill to Nairobi International in a Falcon 7X 10pax

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43.5939° N, 4.4690° E Airport code: MRS Dialling code: +33

‘ White Rush’, 2013 The Camargue, France “ The wild grey horses of the Camargue undeniably offer strong visuals for all artists, and many well-regarded wildlife photographers have made their way to this peculiar marsh-rich topography an hour from Marseille.

The problem is that these horses are all too accessible and to an extent cooperative, so there is no shortage of content.

My hope was that by not freezing the moment, an abstract portrayal of movement could be coupled with enough definition to create something that had a real sense of dynamism.

Ansel Adams once said: ‘You don’t make a photograph just with your camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.’”

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Fly from London Farnborough to Marseille in a Citation CJ3 6pax

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Discover where Victor can take you

FLYVICTOR.COM

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MODERN BRITISH LUXURY

on With a new owner and big ambitions, is this a return to the Gleneagles heyday?

Lady Violet Manners reports on the new face of an old favourite 

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W

hen I received the invite to Gleneagles, I wasn’t sure if its claim of being “the palace of the Glens” during the Roaring Twenties was all marketing speak and I thought it all a little exaggerated for a Scottish golf hotel. But after we were greeted at Gleneagles’ own railway station – a first for a UK hotel – and chauffeured three minutes up the road, there she was sitting resplendent in the middle of the Ochil Hills. A grand queen surveying the Perthshire countryside, from the manicured croquet lawns and golf course to the wilds beyond.

We were there to experience the new Gleneagles over the course of an indulgent weekend. Marking the beginning of the Summer Season, we had two days to fall in love again with one of the most UK’s most iconic hotels – but where to begin?

Clockwise from above: The Birnam Brasserie's Winter Garden; flying the flag; they shall go to the ball.

First, the look of the place. From the mint-green lobby to the wide bay windows of the blood-red Century Bar, with THAT view of the Glendevon Moor, David Collins Studio has created a series of gorgeous spaces.

I could have spent hours poring over the delicious menu (cured salmon, naughty burgers), but that would have to wait as my time there was all about embracing the great outdoors.

Previous page: The American Bar.

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How wonderful to have all the ingredients ready and waiting for a sneaky pre–dinner cocktail

Images: Gleneagles

The weather was typical of a Scottish summer’s day: chucking it down one minute and giving us a glimmer of hope with a sliver of sun the next. Thanks to Barbour, we were soon suited and booted in the Shooting Lodge, ready for our team talk before heading out to hit some clays. There’s always a bit of pressure when you’re up against an Olympic gold medallist, but Peter Wilson was generous and gave us the odd pointer.

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What really made this soggy morning out on the field especially entertaining were the warm and engaging words of encouragement from the instructors, some of whom have been here for over 25 years.

Boots off, hats near an open fire, it was easy to forget that we were in a hotel and not on a country shoot weekend. It was perfectly acceptable to walk around in thick socks, piling up one’s plate for lunch with a hearty hog roast and fresh salads, followed by lashings of strawberries and cream and traditional Scottish shortbread.

Thoughts of curling up on a sofa in The Century Bar for a post-lunch snooze were put to one side after discovering the best was yet to come. Accompanied by my unsuspecting partner in crime, the fashion stylist Martha Ward, we set out on a new adventure: a steep pony trek up to the peak of the neighbouring Drummond Estate, negotiating slippery heather, extreme wind and constant drizzle with the promise of a hot sloe gin at the summit to keep us going. Being able to survey the entire estate and look down on Gleneagles – even on a grey day – was picture-postcard perfection.

There’s always a bit of pressure when you’re up against an Olympic gold medallist

Clockwise from above: Learning the ropes; taking aim; Lady Violet Manners.

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Keeping a beady eye on proceedings.

After our rewarding hot toddy, we slid back to the hotel – amusing at times, but also a muddy business. A hot bath was waiting in my gloriously comfortable bathroom, which was marble with heated floors. Feeling that wonderful flush of endorphins and fresh air was all the better in the knowledge that, later, I’d be snug in a thick fluffy dressing gown… and how wonderful to have all the ingredients ready and waiting for a sneaky pre-dinner cocktail.

Unsure how my mane could be tamed after a windswept afternoon, I headed eagerly to the hotel’s hair salon where a team of experts was on hand. Within an hour, I felt ready to don my Matthew Williamson gown and head down to dinner. Gleneagles is that kind of hotel, encouraging you to embrace the outdoors and trudge back with muddy boots through the lobby before demanding a glamorous transformation for dinner.

A space usually reserved for afternoon tea, that evening The Glendevon was set up to enjoy a rather smart gourmet affair. We had much fun catching up on the day’s events with friends, both old and new, and were given the warmest of welcomes by its new owner. Sharan Pasricha, the founder of hospitality giant Ennismore, has thrown his heart and soul into recreating the new Gleneagles.

In an evening that was all about surprises, the night took on Gatsby-esque proportions as we were ushered into The American Bar complete with champagne fountain and live jazz. The lighting was low and sultry, and laughter, music and dancing were in abundance.

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The remodelled rooms blend traditional touches with creature comforts.

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56.2834° N, 3.7522° W Airport code: EDI Dialling code: +44

Fly from Paris Le Bourget to Edinburgh in a Cessna Citation CJ3

LBG

1h40m

EDI

The morning after, I was reluctant to leave my deliciously comfortable bed. As ever with this trip, food was calling and we didn’t hold back on the generous selection of pancakes, smoothies and smoked Scottish salmon. It was important to refuel in anticipation of our final activity of the weekend.

I love riding, and it was quite a treat to be collected by a horse and carriage before being bowled over by the size and scale of the stables. It is incredible to see such a wide selection of steeds chosen to match varying abilities. After a quick refresher with a handy instructor we saddled up and took to the jumps, all of us just about managing to stay on-board.

And then, before we knew it, our Highland fling had come to an end and we were reluctantly whisked back off to Gleneagles station. Our final surprise was a hamper packed full of local goodies to ease our descent back down into the Big Smoke.

The weather was typical of a Scottish summer’s day: chucking it down one minute and giving us a glimmer of hope with a sliver of sun the next

Lady Violet Manners is a Victor special correspondent. @mannersviolet

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T HE C I T Y E D I T O R AMSTERDAM

Hot dam!

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Business-friendly and a cultural capital, Amsterdam is a city that works

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tarting life as a fishing village in the 13th century, Amsterdam grew to become one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th. Known as a diamondselling and financial capital, it boasts the oldest stock exchange on the planet and one of the happiest legacies an ancient trading post can bestow: with 177 nationalities, it is the world’s most multicultural city.

As the centuries passed and the city grew, its remit expanded to include culture as well as commerce and the country’s best-known artists are now represented across a plethora of globally renowned institutions like the recently renovated Rijksmuseum. Among the one million objects documenting the Netherlands between 1200 and 2000 are masterworks from the likes of Hals, Rembrandt and Vermeer. 

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According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s annual liveability ranking (which measures living standards based on five criteria: culture and environment; education; healthcare; infrastructure; and stability), Amsterdam comes in at 18th – not bad in a list that extends to 140. As befits its standing as a trading destination, seven of the world’s 500 largest companies are located here and PwC’s Cities of Opportunity Index ranks it fourth in the world for ease of doing business.

Previous spread: Formerly home to a pirate radio station, today REM Island serves as a restaurant.

Clockwise from left: A modern masterpiece in Oostelijke Eilanden; Pakhuis de Zwijger; a cosy corner.

In keeping with its pioneering attitude to urban life, Amsterdam was also the first place to elect a night mayor. Responsible for looking after the city during its hours of darkness, Mirik Milan’s former role as a club promoter makes him well qualified to understand the vagaries of the night-time economy. According to a report, Dance-onomics: The Economic Significance of EDM [Electronic Dance Music] for the Netherlands, the club industry alone is worth £470m to Amsterdam’s nocturnal coffers, and Milan’s efforts to forge a link between sunset and sunrise have dramatically improved relationships (and bank balances) between often disparate interests.

Today, Amsterdam is managing its role as what the Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) study group calls an “alpha” city with a pragmatism that is thoroughly Dutch. Successfully combining business, culture and quality of life in an increasingly busy environment takes some doing – and Amsterdam’s level-headed approach may well serve as a blueprint for other urban centres looking to evolve in a way that works for everyone.

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PwC’s Cities of Opportunity Index ranks it fourth in the world for ease of doing business

Images: © Koen Smilde Photography, Marie-Charlotte Pezé, Erik Smits

Clockwise from left: The building that made the Netherlands famous; the Rijksmuseum; the main mode of transport.

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T HE C I T Y E D I T O R AMSTERDAM

EXPERT INSIDER Q&A: THOMAS DATEMER,

MI XOLOGIS T, K IMP T ON DE WI T T HO T EL What makes Amsterdam so special?

It’s a big city that is still small enough to be walk/ bike-able, which gives living here the feeling of living in a village.

How has the city changed in the last decade?

What has changed a lot in the past few years is that it has very clearly become a more global city. It’s finally starting to get rid of the “capital of weed” image in favour of a city that has so much more to offer.

Besides that, the bar and restaurant industry has grown into a much more mature and internationally appreciated industry.

Obvious tourist stuff aside, what’s it like to actually live in Amsterdam?

It’s a fun city to live in. Whether you like parties, art or music there is always something going on that's within reach – and you will always run into people you know.

SIGNATURE COCKTAIL LODEWIJK

Where would we find you on a weekend off?

I like going out for lunch or a snack, mostly to Amsterdam North (Pllek, Canibale Royale Noord, Ceuvel) or to my friends' bars (Porem, HPS, JD Williams). In the evenings, I like to invite friends over for dinner and drinks. I love to cook and make drinks for people, even when I’m not working.

30ml Pallini limoncello 45ml Rutte Celery Gin 30ml Cucumber Juice 2 dashes Bitter Truth Celery Bitters

Tell us something about Amsterdam that a visitor might not know.

Mix and serve over ice!

Rent a bike, everything here is easy to do by bike.

There’s a lot more going on than just the city centre.

Thomas Datemer is the mixologist at the Kimpton De Witt's House Bar. kimptondewitthotel.com

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Kimpton De Witt's accommodation includes a well-appointed penthouse.

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01 Brouwerij Troost is a lively brewery with great bar snacks and local beers.

02 Coffee & Coconuts, Lot 61 and Scandinavian Embassy brew the best coffee.

03 GlouGlou is a popular wine bar in the De Pijp neighbourhood that also serves excellent Frenchthemed bites.

04 Razmataz is a gin and tonic bar with outdoor seating.

05 ‘t Smalle is a traditional pub with wood-panelled walls and a canal-side terrace.

E AT

06 Cafe de Klepel styles itself as a “wine restaurant that serves food”, thanks to an excellent three-course set menu and an interesting wine list.

07 Fento is found in de Foodhallen, the indoor food market, and serves plant-based Mexican fusion dishes.

08 Restaurant Breda is a local favourite right now.

09 SLA is your go-to organic salad bar.

10 Vinnies is a casual deli serving great salads and sandwiches.

S HOP

11 Cotton Cake Amsterdam combines a café with clothing.

12 Droog is all about interiors.

13 Sissy Boy is focused on clothing and interiors.

14 Sukha Amsterdam also does clothing and interiors.

15 We Are Labels does what it says on the tin.

16 Wildernis is for the green-fingered.

S TAY

17 Kimpton De Witt is the boutique option with a Palace Quarter locale that’s ideally located in the thick of the action.

18 Conservatorium is the grand dame of the Netherlands, sitting proudly on Museum Square.

V IC T OR T IP

19 Alongside Amsterdam’s major art museums, two lesser-known options include FOAM Photography Museum and Museum van Loon (which also happen to be across the canal from each other).

52.3702° N, 4.8952° E Airport code: AMS Dialling code: +31

TEB

Fly from New York to Amsterdam in a Dassault Falcon 900EX

7h20m

AMS

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Herbal

high

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Despite its reputation, Gstaad isn’t all celebs and champagne. As Anastasia Bernhardt discovers, an ecologically-driven mountainside herb garden and an ancient farmer’s hut are just what nature intended

CALENDULA A genus of annual and perennial herbaceous plants in the daisy family often known as marigolds, it’s native to southwestern Asia, western Europe, Macaronesia and the Mediterranean.

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Welcome to Jardin des Monts, where just two permanent staff – winched up every day on a rickety monorail – are hard at work cultivating over 30 species of herbs and flowers renowned for their healing and aromatic properties. All this goodness is gathered to blend into teas, syrups and a skincare range based around that most Swiss of ingredients: edelweiss.

ery few enjoyable experiences begin with a 300m hill-climb or end with a six-foot Belarusian brandishing a long wooden spurtle in your direction, but this is the exception to the rule.

We’re in Gstaad, the Swiss mountain resort so glitzy that Julie Andrews pays for the Christmas lights. It’s been the Alpine playground of the rich and famous since Brigette Bardot first slipped into a pair of skis; where in the ‘60s and ‘70s you’d have found Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton tucking into lunch at Hotel Olden; and where you’re as likely to bump into Madonna on the slopes as you are to find fondue for dinner.

At 1,350m above sea level, this garden up in the clouds feels as though it’s been here forever. Standing in the shadow of the 153-year-old Mont-Dessous chalet, with its hand-nailed shingle roof, the plot has been transformed into an organic paradise by horticulturists Charlotte Landolt-Nardin and Laetitia Jacot and business partner Sandy Menoux.

So it’s the last place you’d expect a fresh-faced, outdoorsy type with a wicker basket, plucking petals from sunflowers – but it was this bucolic vision we were met with after the 300m stumble up the southern slopes of Mont-Dessous, a short drive from the town centre.

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Everything is done as naturally as possible: the pastures, for example, are tended to by a flock of goats, reviving a local farming tradition and preventing the land from becoming overgrown.

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The project is so local that you cannot find it in any other spa in the world

Images: Gstaad Palace

Clockwise from left: The Mont-Dessous chalet is over 150 years old; back to the land; teamwork; the eponymous garden.

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The same flock’s milk is then used to make a very delicious cheese back at the chalet.

MATRICARIA CHAMOMILLA Chamomile or camomile is the common name for several daisy-like plants of the Asteraceae family, two of which are used to make herbal infusions for medicinal purposes.

Just as chefs harp on about provenance to add an extra layer of meaning to their dishes, there’s something magical about knowing the oil being massaged into your rump comes from the other side of the mountain.

This is a fact not lost on Gstaad Palace, the grand dame of these grand mountains, which invited Jardin des Monts to develop the hotel’s signature spa treatment.

“The project is so local that you cannot find it in any other spa in the world,” says Landolt-Nardin. “Guests can hike to the garden to touch, smell and even taste the plants they will later have in their treatment. To be so close to the source of the ingredients is unique.”

In a 75-minute ritual, we’re slathered from head-to-toe in Jardin des Monts’ energising massage oil, infused with rosemary, vitamin E-packed babassu seed oil and foraged silver fir. Then that spurtle comes into play as the masseuse kneads your muscles as though rolling out pizza dough. The result? Blissfully relaxed without feeling completely out of it.

Back at the hotel, the natural sponge left next to the bathtub says it all: “We know we’re a little oldfashioned but we think natural sponges are rather lovely,” the accompanying note reads.

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But if the Gstaad Palace celebrates tradition, its spa is bang up to date.

Nothing is standard: the sauna has a glass window and woven willow walls, banishing any nagging thoughts of being laid out in a heated cedar coffin; the hamam treatment takes you on a two-hour journey through seven rooms; there’s an exercise bike submerged in the pool; and a trapdoor that allows you to float from indoor pool to outdoor at the touch of a button.

It’s a space that really taps into Gstaad’s “Come up, slow down” motto, something you get a feel for the moment you board the classic train at Montreux before she snakes up into the mountains at her own leisurely pace. It feels painfully slow while your head is still in reality mode, but after a few days in the mountains guests tend to adopt the same rolling gait.

Peter Sellers filmed The Return of the Pink Panther at the hotel in 1975.

An adventure to Gstaad Palace’s Walig Hut will slow you down still further. It’s only a short drive from the hotel but opt instead for the two-hour mountain walk, accompanied by a legion of haughty Swiss cows. The hike is worth it for the deafening silence that awaits at the top, and will help to work up an appetite for Maurizio Pagliano’s hearty cooking – three courses rustled up on an ancient wood-fuelled stove.

Party on.

Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor make an entrance.

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Time your trip to coincide with mushroom season and he’ll even go foraging for your meal. “The Saanenland is a paradise for mushroom-gatherers,” he says.

“There are some very good places to be found up here, heading in the direction of the Arnensee – just make sure you show them to the mushroom inspector to prevent any unpleasant surprises.”

The hut has barely been touched since it was built in 1786, gingham curtains, Moravian chairs, head-thumping ceilings and all. Dinner can be served for up to 14 but it’s best enjoyed overnight à deux, snuggled under deer hides (naturally it’s a popular spot for proposals).

But if it all starts to feel a bit too wholesome, there’s still the option to rip up the dancefloor at the GreenGo discotheque back at the Palace (Princess Di was a fan) or start the following day with a sparkle and a glass of Laurent-Perrier from the breakfast buffet. In the end, though, Gstaad is a place that stays true to its roots: our parting gift was a jar of its award-winning local honey. If you must go back to reality, you might as well sugar-coat it.

46.4718° N, 7.2866° E Airport code: ZKC Dialling code: +41

Anastasia Bernhardt is Features & Food Editor of Country & Town House magazine. jardindesmonts.ch palace.ch Fly from London Biggin Hill to Gstaad Saanen in a Cessna Citation XLS+ The private spa at Gstaad Palace.

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1h20m

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Just as chefs harp on about provenance to add an extra layer of meaning to their dishes, there’s something magical about knowing the oil being massaged into your rump comes from the other side of the mountain

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N O M A D’S N O T E B O O K IBI Z A , I G U A Z Ú FA L L S , N A XO S & PA R I S

Welladdressed

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Our intrepid travel-fixer Timmy Coles-Liddle opens his reassuringly luxurious little black book

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sultry summer of lolling about on hammocks, walking along abandoned Adriatic beaches and sipping cooling cocktails seems a lifetime ago now as I sit in my London office watching the rain batter the window.

Anyway, back to warmer climes: exploring the ancient marble ruins of the Temple of Demeter high up in the mountains on the island of Naxos ignited a usually dormant interest in Greek history, and made for a delightful diversion before winding down the clifftop roads to the sandy shores in front of Naxian on the Beach (naxianonthebeach.com).

A cluster of 10 pleasant pared-back suites with a lively bar playing chilled house beats, we made for the restaurant and tucked in to a lunch of fresh lobster and brown quinoa with pale pink rosÊ whizzed over from nearby Tinos. A last-minute dinner reservation at Barozzi (barozzinaxos.com), the main town’s hottest new launch this year, proved both indulgent and enlightening. Head chef Michael Merzenis has devised a revved-up modern Greek-Italian menu that includes marinated anchovies on cuttlefish ink rice crackers, and vine leaves stuffed with cod and herbs infused with prawn and lemon zest bisque. Magnificent. 

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N O M A D’S N O T E B O O K IBI Z A , I G U A Z Ú FA L L S , N A XO S & PA R I S

Previous spread: Calm waters at the Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay.

In peak season (eek!), I jetted in to test-drive the new Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay (nobuhotelibizabay.com) on the island’s south coast. This 152-room-and-suite family retreat, which has a strictly adults-only section with pool, features jaw-dropping views across the Med. (Sleek new hangout Rehab (rehab-ibiza.com) is next door, whilst some of the best seafood on the island is wolfed down at Fish Shack, an uber-relaxed caféhut a short stroll away.) Nobu’s design aesthetic is bright and elegant: out by the main pool, cream cushions sit proudly on smart wooden daybeds and large cotton drapes billow in the gentle breeze. Its four restaurants include the Nobu that gives the hotel its name; Chambao, a chiringuito or “beach shack”, serving authentic tapas and larger plates; Peyotito, a modern Mexican café that specialises in seasonal ingredients; and Celicioso, a gluten-free café. Not that we spent an awful lot of time in it, but our 1,200sq m junior suite, equipped with private rooftop and dining area, presented us with the perfect space in which to contemplate the joys of a Spanish summer.

Clockwise from above: Bedding down at Nobu; the view from the Belle Etoile suite at Le Meurice; Nobu's Mexican restaurant Peyotito.

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A splendidly action-packed four days in Paris has reignited my long-term love affair with this wondrous city. A whistle-stop tour squeezed into the back of a surprisingly comfortable Citroën 2CV saw us hurtling around the cobbled streets of St-Germain-des-Prés and Le Marais in an attempt to scratch the city’s cultural surface. A few art-gallery stops later, we were seamlessly checked in to our suite at the extraordinarily beautiful Le Meurice (dorchestercollection.com).

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N O M A D’S N O T E B O O K IBI Z A , I G U A Z Ú FA L L S , N A XO S & PA R I S Reassuringly Parisian, the hotel is everything one might wish for in a “grand palais” with its immaculate classical accommodations reinterpreted by designer Charles Jouffre. Think pared-back shades of cream, yellow and blue, impressive proportions and exquisitely made beds. The hotel’s prominent southfacing position on Rue de Rivoli looks across the splendid Jardin des Tuileries, and its light-filled Le Dalí (alain-ducasse.com) brasserie, with clever interiors from the infamous Philippe Starck, provides a splendid spot to enjoy delicate French fancies. A glimpse at the hotel’s newly revamped Pompadour suite left me gawping – this is a place with serious wow factor.

Clockwise from left: The Galerie Pompadour at Le Meurice; the hotel's imposing facade; the Pompadour suite.

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Impossibly slick South American outfit Awasi – the unsurpassed leaders in tailored adventure – is unveiling a third property this year. Located next to Argentina’s Iguazú Falls, the 14 elegantly minimalist wooden villas making up Awasi Iguazú (awasiguazu.com) will sit on stilts just 15 minutes from the world’s largest cascading water feature. As one would expect from an operation like this, each villa will boast a private pool, outdoor shower and ample living space – plus a dedicated guide and 4WD. This means that explorations and tours can be arranged on the spot, avoiding the usual drag of booking in advance. The group’s relentless attention to detail will undoubtedly ensure a top-notch dining experience for those seeking unadulterated gastronomic immersion.

Clockwise from above: Al fresco at Awasi; Kenyan locals.

My latest obsession is a little-known and newly unveiled private residence in Western Kenya.

So private, in fact, that I am under strict instructions not to mention its name. A reliable source has just returned from here, describing it as “a sort of sleek boho retreat part-nestled between the warm earth and dense forest” in the impressive Borana-Lewa Conservancy (borana.co.ke). The architectural ethos, although simple and unfussy, evokes an era of grand Ethiopian churches with cavernous, light-filled spaces and gnarled stonewalls. By all means kick back in your very own hammam after a gruelling day’s game-watching but beware: elephants, leopards and cheetahs, among other enchanting species, roam freely through the 90,000-acre reserve.

Timmy Coles-Liddle is the founder of Nine, a private concierge club that provides tailored travel and lifestyle solutions for families and individuals globally. nineconcierge.com

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MODERN BRITISH LUXURY

And we’re off...

The UK’s most valuable horse-racing meeting and one of the world’s most prominent sporting occasions (the Queen is a fan), Royal Ascot is a firm fixture on the British social calendar. As the official private aviation partner of the 2017 event, Victor was there to support the course’s helicopter landing facility and offer guests the fastest route to the action direct from private airport terminals at Biggin Hill, Blackbushe, Farnborough, Luton and Oxford. Here’s what’s new for next year 119

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romising five days of world-class racing, high fashion, pageantry and fine dining, Royal Ascot will open its gates to more than 300,000 guests from across the globe in June 2018. From the arrival of the Royal Procession at 2pm to communal singing around the Bandstand after the last race, each day is a celebration of the best of British.

Twenty years of the Royal Ascot Racing Club Next year marks the twentieth anniversary of the Royal Ascot Racing Club. Owning up to five horses at a time, it allows members to follow their progress at the training yard, watch gallops with racing luminaries including Richard Hannon Jr, William Haggas and Michael Bell, and enjoy cheering them on when they run at Ascot (or elsewhere) in the Club colours of white and dark blue. All racing and training expenses are included in the Club subscription, and prize money net of trainer, jockey and stable shares is distributed between members. The Club has enjoyed a 20 percent strike rate of Black-type horses (those that have won or been placed in a Group or Listed race). One example of the pedigree on display is Motivator, who won the Epsom Derby in the Club’s colours in 2005.

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Located in the iconic Grandstand, Club members have two recently refurbished rooms, the first overlooking the Pre-Parade Ring and walk-through to the Parade Ring, the other positioned directly over the Horsewalk and Winning Post. An exclusive terrace and viewing area command sweeping views of the racecourse and the Berkshire countryside, and access to these exclusive areas is restricted to members only. Members receive two metal badges: a non-transferable one and a transferable guest badge, making a day at the Club the ideal invitation for clients and friends alike.

Four new fine dining restaurants The Windsor Forest will reopen as the most intimate restaurant in the Royal Enclosure. Seating just 45 guests, with prime views over the Winning Post from its private balcony, Royal Ascot’s prestigious afternoon tea is set to become one of the highlights of a day spent here. Brand new to the Royal Meeting, the Balmoral will celebrate the best of British food with fresh Scottish seafood, Royal Estate beef and locally-sourced cheese. The Gallery joins the 2018 line-up with a relaxed dining environment, complete with private viewing veranda. And The Furlong Restaurant will offer racegoers a mixture of grazing and seated menu concepts.

Royal Ascot runs from 19th to 23rd June 2018. ascot.co.uk

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V I C T O R IN PA R T NE R S HIP W I T H BP S O C I A L R E S P O N S IBIL I T Y

MAKING EVERY FLIGHT COUNT

CARBON

REDUCTION

Following the introduction of Victor’s Carbon Reduction programme in partnership with BP Target Neutral, we proudly introduce a sneak peek of the quarterly flight log each Victor member will receive detailing their activity over the last three months. On the following pages is an example of the type of project an ever-increasing number of Victor flights will support

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ommitted to transforming the way we travel, Victor is proud to introduce its global partnership with BP Target Neutral.

Take off with Victor and BP

Regulated by its own Independent Advisory & Assurance Panel (IAAP), BP Target Neutral has been working for over 10 years to develop a bestpractice model that reduces, replaces and neutralises carbon emissions with a portfolio of high-quality, life-enhancing projects around the world.

All you need to do is look out for the carbon credit symbol on your Victor quotes, which you’ll see more and more of as the programme is rolled out to include an increasing number of operators and routes.

Credits will be automatically added to your Victor account and brand-new quarterly flight log.

Every project in our portfolio complies with either the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), Gold Standard or Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), all of which are approved under the ICROA Code of Best Practice.

If you have any questions about Victor’s partnership with BP Target Neutral, drop us a note at carbonreduction@flyvictor.com

Research by the ICROA and leading academic institutions shows that offsetting one tonne of CO 2 delivers an average of $664 worth of co-benefits – and because flights booked with Victor’s top three operators Air Hamburg, Flairjet and GlobeAir are eligible to earn carbon credits, the additional benefits to local communities around the world can soon add up.

The Carbon Reduction programme is key to Victor’s pioneering role in the jet charter industry, and to the part the company wants to play in the wider world.

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Quarterly flight logs: unique and personalised for every member Advances in technology are enabling greater levels of real-time personalisation in video. Stink’s proprietary personalised video platform, RITA, is helping Victor to provide unique, personalised quarterly updates for every customer in data-driven video stories.

Each quarter, members receive a personalised film showing their recent data that includes destinations, distance travelled, carbon credits earned — and, most importantly, time saved. The data is seamlessly integrated into beautiful landscapes and vistas taken from images of thousands of destinations, and is drawn directly from Victor’s API in real-time.

The films keep members informed with a detailed breakdown of their travel history, while the facts and insights provide an excellent conversation starter over dinner.

James Britton is Global Managing Director of Stink Studios, a creative agency working with luxury brands worldwide. stinkstudios.com

Watch the preview film at flyvictor.com/bp.

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V I C T O R IN PA R T NE R S HIP W I T H BP S O C I A L R E S P O N S IBIL I T Y

Images: BCP

ZAMBIA – FOREST PROTECTION

Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project project is helping farmers with improved conservation farming practices.

Project name: Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project Project location: Lusaka Province, Zambia Funder and supplier: BioCarbon Partners Standard: VCS and CCB Triple Gold Project status Portfolio: Operational 2017

UN Sustainable Development Goals supported

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About the project The project aims to protect the Rufunsa Conservancy, a 38,781-hectare area adjacent to the Lower Zambezi National Park. The project area remains one of the last intact areas of forest in Lusaka Province and provides a 60 kilometre buffer to the Lower Zambezi National Park (LZNP), a strategically protected area in Zambia in a globally significant trans-frontier conservation area.

The Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project protects 39,000 hectares (100,000 acres) of primary Miombo forest that borders the Lower Zambezi National Park (4,092 km sq). Known as the Rufunsa Conservancy.

Families gather round a newly planted tree in the Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project.

How do the projects contribute to carbon reduction?

Who is behind the project?

BioCarbon Partners (BCP) is an African-headquartered, focused and majority African-owned social enterprise that develops and manages long-term forest carbon projects in globally significant and biodiverse landscapes in Africa. The project has received the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) which has invested $14 million in start-up financing with BCP through the Community Forests Program (CFP), to establish verifiable REDD+ activities across 748,000 hectares in Eastern and Lusaka Provinces. The USAID funded Community Forests Program also supports a variety of community-based deforestation mitigation activities to be implemented by BCP within the project zone for the Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project (LZRP).

Deforestation is driven by charcoal production and the expansion of farmlands by residents and longterm immigrants. It is estimated that 53% of Lusaka’s annual charcoal supply originates from the project’s location. The project zone is home to approximately 8,300 people, living in 28 villages, spread within four community zones.

The project expects to reduce deforestation by implementing community-based projects that aim to reduce local dependency on deforestation, improve local livelihoods and resiliency, as well as implementing land management systems such as infrastructure, security, fire management and biodiversity monitoring.

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f l y v i c t o r. c o m

V I C T O R IN PA R T NE R S HIP W I T H BP S O C I A L R E S P O N S IBIL I T Y As part of the Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project, the project developer, BCP, support a school orchard which includes fruit tree planting.

Key benefits • The total emission reductions from the project are estimated to be on average 187,144 tonnes of CO2e per year over the selected 30-year crediting period.

– Financing of environmental education through its Environmental Education Programme; a 21-lesson interactive curriculum targeted at Grade 6 students. In 2017, the Environmental Education Programme is taking place at 4 schools, involving 11 teachers and 153 pupils.

• Approximately 8,300 people have participated in sensitization activities to raise awareness within the local community about local environmental issues and the positive impacts of the REDD+.

• Through the 2015 Revenue Share from the sale of Forest Carbon Offsets following REDD+ project verification, around 64,000 USD was directly invested into the LZRP communities as a result of forest protection. Communities used funds toward projects that brought community-wide benefits including a hammermill and boreholes.

– Working closely with local institutions and organizations to build their capacity to access and manage community resources in a fair, transparent and meaningful way.

– Improving community infrastructure by increasing access to clean water for 58% of the communities with boreholes and wells and constructing a clinic to expand access to healthcare.

• Approximately 3,100 people are direct beneficiaries of the project’s different livelihood intervention activities which include:

– Constructing a teacher’s house to support education opportunities for rural students.

– Provision of training and support to 750 beneficiary households in the implementation of improved conservation farming practices, which help farmers to generate higher yields through more efficient farming practices.

– Partnered with local organization Bee Sweet in 2016 to launch a long term and scalable beekeeping initiative by establishing 4,000 beehives among 200+ new households in Rufunsa over the next 3 years.

– Provision of training to current charcoal producers in sustainable charcoal production practices and financial incentives to operate within designated areas of protected community forest. The project is designed to meaningfully address some of the most serious drivers of deforestation within the project zone for the LZRP.

– Supporting the creation and training of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Dog Detection Unit in partnership with Conservation Lower Zambezi to combat poaching and illegal wildlife trade in and around the Lower Zambezi National Park.

– Creation of local jobs and local employment to 33 people. Positions range from domestic and part-time construction workers, to facilitators and management positions as members of BCP’s renowned Forest Monitoring Team and Community Engagement Team.

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– Supporting the Forestry Department to double the size of its existing tree nursery and modernize it. Farmers are now able to access seedlings for a variety of different types of trees including fruit trees and trees for use in Conservation Farming.

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Clockwise from left: Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project project is supporting the teaching of Environmental Education classes helping pupils like Jessie learn more about her environment.

Bee-keeping is one of the new additions to the local economy brought to the community by the Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project.

The Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project protects 39,000 hectares (100,000 acres) of primary Miombo forest that borders the Lower Zambezi National Park (4,092 km sq). Known as the Rufunsa Conservancy.

Community engagement and support is a key element of the REDD+ Forest protection project.

Added value benefits Carbon management projects are able to contribute to improving the livelihoods of local communities in significant ways. These benefits are a vital part of the broader aims of creating lasting social and environmental sustainability. The benefits are in support of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and include improvements to local economies through employment, higher-value produce and infrastructure upgrades. Many projects will have health benefits, education improvements and a positive impact on gender equality. Different types of projects will carry different benefits. Research commissioned by ICROA and carried out by Imperial College in 2014 set to quantify the impact of voluntary carbon market investments.

An example REDD+ project

REDD+ projects deliver significant carbon savings, working closely with forest communities to enable sustainable livelihoods while conserving the trees. Each year, carbon emissions are reduced by 6,550,464 tonnes, whilst delivering $8,502,324 of total added value. For further information email bptargetneutral@bp.com

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K NI G H T F R A NK T HE W E A LT H R E P O R T

A question of priorities

Private air travel is growing in popularity with UHNWIs around the world.

V I C T O R M A G A Z I N E I S S U E 1 2 0 18

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In collaboration with Knight Frank, Victor presents an excerpt from the global property consultant’s 11th edition of The Wealth Report. According to editor Andrew Shirley, private aviation, education and philanthropy are all high on the agenda for UHNWIs knightfrank.com/wealthreport

T

he results of The Wealth Report Attitudes Survey, which this year is based on responses from almost 900 of the world’s leading private bankers and wealth managers, offer an annual window on the issues that are influencing UHNWI investment and lifestyle decisions. Over the next few pages we use market-leading data and insights to delve deeper into some of the areas covered by the survey that are receiving increasing attention from the wealth industry: travel, education and philanthropy.

GOING PRIVATE

“ Business aviation is deeply embedded as a complement to and, in some cases, a replacement for scheduled airline services”

According to the Attitudes Survey, only 15% of UHNWIs use private aviation for the majority of their business and personal flights. However, the pattern varies widely around the world.

Latin America’s wealthy residents, perhaps worried about the risk of kidnapping, are the biggest users, with 40% opting to go private. Just 4% of Australasian UHNWIs regularly choose to take a private jet, and in Asia their usage still lags behind the region’s rapid rise in wealth creation – only 9% of UHNWIs routinely travel on non-commercial flights.

In-depth data supplied by industry a n a l y s t s J E T N E T a nd W I NG X

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c on f i r m t he s e br o ad p at te r n s , but a lso revea l some str ik ing emerging trends.

While the US (12,717), Mexico (950) and Brazil (786) are the top three nations by some margin when it comes to fleet size, JETNET’s figures show numbers are rising fast in Asia.

Hong Kong (+535%), Taiwan (+367%), China (+347%) and Macau (+300%) all feature in the top 10 list of locations where growth has been fastest over the past 10 years. China, with 277 jets, now claims eighth position in overall ownership levels.

In terms of flight numbers America dominates – over 75% of the world’s 1,000 busiest routes are within the US. “Business aviation is deeply embedded as a complement to and, in some cases, a replacement for scheduled airline services,” says Richard Koe, Managing Director of WINGX. As our data shows, geopolitics can have a major impact on private aviation.

Traffic between Cuba and the US, for example, has taken off sharply since 2012, while the opposite is true of flights between Russia and Ukraine.

Looking ahead, the Chinese market is set to see strong growth, says Mr Koe. “The government is starting to see the importance of business jets as a competitive tool to support corporations in pursuit of regional trade opportunities.”

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K NI G H T F R A NK T HE W E A LT H R E P O R T FREQUENT FLYERS Global and regional private jet traffic* FLIGHTS BETWEEN REGIONS 2016

REGIONAL FLIGHT GROWTH 2012 - 2016

1,529 NON-STOP FLIGHTS (IN 2016)

532

NA 38,439

21,361 RUSSIA / CIS 296

603

NORTH AMERICA 2,909 airfields

EUROPE 957

588

ASIA 1,267

MIDDLE EAST 211

12,906

AFRICA 1,083

+95% +30%

AS

NA

LA

NA

AS

+15%

E

LA

+14%

+15%

E

NA

+12%

E

ME

+10%

3,373

16,486

2,210

80,029

ME E

-8%

E

-9%

NA

AF RU/CIS

-28%

E

RU/CIS

-31%

NA

AF

PRIVATE JET FLIGHTS WITHIN REGIONS (GROWTH 2012–2016)

+12%

LATIN AMERICA 1,251

North America AUSTRALASIA 1,324

+2%

Europe

409,149 1,516,352 (2016)

399,725 (2012) SELECTED COUNTRY-TO-COUNTRY ROUTES

ROUTE (BOTH DIRECTIONS)

TOTAL FLIGHTS IN 2012

US US MEXICO US UK UK BAHAMAS US FRANCE RUSSIA CUBA US NIGERIA UK ISRAEL US MALTA RUSSIA RUSSIA UKRAINE

141,609 19,556 21,467 17,980 6,301 63 453 135 39 4,976

SELECTED AIRPORT-TO-AIRPORT ROUTES

TOTAL FLIGHTS 5-YEAR IN 2016 GROWTH

1,601,395 26,750 21,897 20,507 4,879 904 369 368 120 68

13% 37% 2% 14% -23% 1,335% -19% 173% 208% -99%

GLOBAL RANK TOTAL 5-YEAR FLIGHTS GROWTH

1 5 7 8 27 111 221 223 450 585

370 175 493 366 744 1 707 14 10 940

FLIGHTS (ONE WAY)

TOTAL TOTAL FLIGHTS FLIGHTS 5-YEAR IN 2012 IN 2016 GROWTH

LA Van Nuys Las Vegas McCarran NY Teterboro Washington Dulles Miami Palm Beach Teterboro New York Geneva Airport Paris Le Bourget Nice Côte d'Azur Paris Le Bourget Nice Côte d'Azur Moscow Vnukovo London Luton Paris Le Bourget Monterrey G M Escobedo S Antonio Texas Istanbul Atatürk London Luton Caracas Simón Bolívar Miami Palm Beach

1,990 2,130 1,617 1,808 928 1,065 660 107 47 102

Source: WINGX

FLEET MANAGEMENT Global distribution of private jets** TOP 10 COUNTRIES BY OWNERSHIP GROWTH

REGIONAL OWNERSHIP GROWTH

+201% 63

% FLEET "LARGE" JETS

+110%

53

1. BELARUS 1 (2006) 13 (2016)

+102%

ASIA PACIFIC 565 1,186

EUROPE 1,274 2,569

64

24

NORTH AMERICA 10,008 13,392 +27%

36

LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN 1,966 2,596 +44%

14

+550%

5. HONG KONG 20 127

+535%

28

+380%

8. TAIWAN 3 14

+367%

10. MACAU 2 8

950 834

12,717 (2016) 9,457 (2006)

345 218 6. UK +58%

+347%

193 151 10. AUSTRALIA +28%

+300%

TOTAL 14,535 20,973

V I C T O R M A G A Z I N E I S S U E 1 2 0 18

7,335 8,893 7,162 10,938 7,667 12,157 7,035 27 7,743 15,472

TOP 10 COUNTRIES BY JET NUMBERS

1. UNITED STATES +34%

+404%

7. QATAR 5 24

9. CHINA 62 277

1 3 6 9 32 41 62 140 6,874 14,804

Notes: Data includes all flights covered by European or North America air traffic control. *Routes with over 10 flights.

+600%

4. AZERBAIJAN 2 13

6. MALTA 26 131 +32%

11% 2% 12% -9% 9% -17% 13% 349% 9% -78%

+667%

3. KAZAKHSTAN 4 28

MIDDLE EAST 267 523 +34%

AFRICA 380 481

+96%

38

2,202 2,175 1,810 1,640 1,010 885 745 480 51 22

GLOBAL RANK TOTAL 5-YEAR FLIGHTS GROWTH

+1,200%

2. ISLE OF MAN 9 69 RUSSIA / CIS 75 jets (2006) 226 JETS (2016)

1,704,678

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340 318 7. VENEZUELA +7%

786 414

2. MEXICO +14%

3. BRAZIL +90%

534 354 4. CANADA +51%

435 217 5. GERMANY +100%

277 62 8. CHINA +347%

227 135 9. FRANCE +68%

**Location of operational management Source: JETNET

“ It’s not just about the teaching, it’s about quality of life and the extent of extra-curricular activities available”

EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION Good schools are a key driver of the housing market and their presence often helps to push up local property prices, but UHNWIs from a growing number of countries are choosing to educate their children overseas.

For example, almost half of this year’s Attitudes Survey respondents with clients in Africa said wealthy families were becoming more likely to look abroad for a good school. For Latin America, the figure was 45%, the Middle East 40% and Asia 38%.

A lthough the US, Sw itzerland, Australia and a number of other countries all attract students from overseas, the UK’s private boarding schools are still seen as the gold standard by many, according to specialist education advisors who help UHNWIs find the right schools for their children.

D a t a p u b l i s h e d b y t h e U K ’s Independent Schools Council (see table), which accounts for around 80% of the total number of pupils in independent schools, shows global demand rising strongly over the past 10 years, in particular from China but also from Africa and Russia.

Currency, quality of life and access to the best universities are the key trends boosting demand for a British education, says Ed R ichardson,

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Director of Education at Keystone Tutor s. “A mbit iou s f a m i l ie s i n Singapore have traditionally sent their children to schools in the US, not necessarily because they think they are better, but because of the cost.

Now, they are telling me that the fall in the value of the pound is making the UK look much better value. That sentiment will be echoed in many other places.”

Although a number of franchised versions of well-known UK schools, such as Harrow, Marlborough, Repton and Dulwich College, have opened in Asia and the Middle East, the genuine article is still the preferred choice for those who can afford it, according to Mr Richardson.

“It’s not just about the teaching, it’s about quality of life and the extent of extra-curricular activities available.

Certainly in China there is a feeling that if you’re going to spend money on Western luxuries it is better to buy them in the West. More credit will be given to Harrow itself than Harrow Beijing.”

Middle Eastern families also value the fact that British schools provide access to the best universities in both the UK and the US, he adds. “There is a feeling that schools in the US are really only focused on getting people into US universities.”

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K NI G H T F R A NK T HE W E A LT H R E P O R T

KNOWLEDGE BASE KNOWLEDGE BASE Overseas students joining UK public schools

Overseas students joining UK public schools PUPILS STARTING 2005/2006 SCHOOL YEAR AND 2015/2016 SCHOOL YEAR BY REGION

+120%

+91%

RUSSIA 343 (IN 2005/2006) 753 (IN 2015/2016)

AFRICA 379 713

MIDDLE EAST 190 363

+43%

+41%

LATIN AMERICA 199 285

+55%

+88%

EUROPE 2,373 3,670

-15%

-52%

ASIA 4,454 6,260

AUSTRALASIA 84 71

NORTH AMERICA 362 173

PUPILS STARTING 2005/2006 SCHOOL YEAR AND 2015/2016 SCHOOL YEAR BY COUNTRY

1000

500

1500

MAINLAND CHINA

+124%

+120% 343 753 +108% 458

SPAIN

MALAYSIA

+19%

107 127

+88%*

NIGERIA

461

1%

GERMANY

AUSTRALASIA

952

+91% 190 363 +91% 148 283

MIDDLE EAST

TAIWAN

1.005 (2005/2006 SCHOOL YEAR) 2.924 (2015/2016 SCHOOL YEAR)

135 303

RUSSIA

FRANCE

2500

+191%

THAILAND

INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT

2000

1.097 1.108

-3% 201 194 -15% 106 90 -15% 84 71 -27%

HONG KONG SOUTH KOREA JAPAN

2.186 1.598

-46% 309 167 -54% 261 120 *% change estimated as 2005 data not available

Source: Independent Schools Council

V I C T O R M A G A Z I N E I S S U E 1 2 0 18

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“ Having your children make friends with lots of people from lots of different nationalities is considered very attractive”

Extra-curricular activities are a big draw at UK public schools like Fettes in Edinburgh.

William Petty, of advisor Bonas MacFarlane, has observed a number of other regional trends. “While growth in the Russian market has slowed right down over the past few years, I am seeing a sharp rise in the urgency of enquiries from Turkish families,” he says. “In September last year people were expressing interest, but by December it was: ‘Can we come right now?’ Some people are looking for boarding schools, but others are looking at London day schools with the whole family coming over.”

Although the number of students from the Indian sub-continent is lower than other parts of Asia, Mr Petty expects a rise in demand from India

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and Pakistan over the coming years.

Ironically, he says, one of the first questions many overseas parents a sk about potent ia l school s i s, “How many people from my own country are already there?” “They are very keen to make sure that the school retains a traditional British ethos,” he explains. Conscious of this, most schools try to keep the level of overseas students at under 20%, he says. They are also keen to ensure a diverse mix. “In a world where business is becoming increasingly global, having your children make friends w ith people from lots of different nationalities is considered very attractive.”

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K NI G H T F R A NK T HE W E A LT H R E P O R T

THE BUSINESS OF PHILANTHROPY The results of previous Attitudes Sur veys have consistently shown that philanthropy is becoming more important to UHNWIs around the world. So this year, we dug a bit deeper in order to find out how important philanthropy was in their overall wealth management strategies.

Despite the rising popularity of impact invest ing, philant hropic outc ome s were one of t he le a st important considerations. Perhaps surprisingly, this position didn’t change when we asked specifically about the priorities of the respondent’s millennial clients.

A c c or d i ng to L en k a S e t kov a , Executive Director at the Coutts Institute, who advises the bank’s clients on philanthropy, UHNWIs very often still view philanthropy in isolation from their wealth creation. Nevertheless, she says, “We are certainly seeing more wealthy families actively consider the social and environmental impact of the businesses they own or the investments they make.”

Ms Setkova adds that the firm’s clients are very interested in the benefits of involving the next generation in philanthropy. “We have had children as young as six brought along to the workshops that we facilitate for families to help them articulate their values and craft their philanthropy strategy together.”

The Coutts Million Dollar Donors Report (which tracks donations over US$1m or £1m in the UK, US and Middle East) also found a dramatic increase in the number of major donations – up 57% to 2,197 in 2015 compared with the previous year. A 2016 survey by the charity Philanthropy

V I C T O R M A G A Z I N E I S S U E 1 2 0 18

Impact also found that UHNWIs donate up to 17 times more when they are professionally advised – currently, only 12% of UK UHNWI philanthropists use a special advisor.

The Legatum Group is a private investment partnership based in Dubai, whose partners share the belief that philanthropy is at its most effective when fully integrated into the core strategy of a business.

“We don’t ta lk about t he need ‘to give something back’, because we don’t think businesses should have to apologise for what they do. We believe that free market capitalism in itself is an engine of social good,” says Alan McCormick, one of the Group’s four partners. “We have a distinctive mission. While generating capital is our core business, allocating capital to help others prosper is key to all that we do.”

The group applies a business-like approach to identifying the causes it supports. It tends to focus on areas that have received little attention from other philanthropists or aid agencies, first testing ideas on a small scale to prove they are credible and will make a real difference to a significant number of people by creating long-term systemic change.

Major initiatives to date have included tack ling modern slaver y; “speed schools” for children who have fallen out of the education system; and a programme to eradicate neglected, mainly worm-based, tropical diseases.

“In total, more than 220 million people have received de-worming drugs via this particular project, including the whole of Burundi and Rwanda,” says Mr McCormick.

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“ We are certainly seeing more wealthy families actively consider the social and environmental impact of the businesses they own or the investments they make”

When the world is your oyster

K NI G H T F R A NK T HE W E A LT H R E P O R T

to lifting families and communities out of poverty. “It was the missing link in the aid world. Too many young people that had been educated hadn’t gone into employment, and that bred hatred and resentment.”

The charity’s ethos resonates with donors, who are encouraged to visit the villages they have sponsored. “People are becoming more generous,” says Dr Barnevik, “but they are increasingly focusing on what they get for their money. Every quarter we send them a report detailing how many people have been trained and how many businesses have been created.”

So far, he says, Hand in Hand has helped to create 1.9 million new businesses in India, Afghanistan and Africa. Eventually, the goal is to create 10 million jobs, lifting 50 million people out of poverty.

Hand in Hand International provides mainly women living in poverty with the skills they need to start small businesses.

Image: Legatum Group

Swedish businessman Percy Barnevik is another ambitious philanthropist – his autobiography is tellingly titled I Want to Change the World – who believes that incorporating successful strategies from the corporate world makes philanthropy more effective and sustainable.

“You have to be transparent, keep tight control of your overheads – 90% of our donations go directly to programmes – and not tolerate any corruption,” says Dr Barnevik, who founded the charity Hand in Hand International 14 years ago after retiring from a career that included senior roles with AstraZeneca, ABB, Sandvik, Skanska, General Motors, Investor and DuPont.

Dr Barnevik believes that training people, particularly women – “teach a woman and you teach a generation” – to become more entrepreneurial is the key

V I C T O R M A G A Z I N E I S S U E 1 2 0 18

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T HINK P IEC E P R I VA C Y

Privates on parade

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Leading privacy lawyer Jenny Afia explains why everyone has the right to a private life – and how to protect yours

N

“It is only relatively recently that we have begun to take digital privacy seriously”

o one needs to be convinced that security is important. Even if you only own a tiny onebedroom flat, you’re still going to lock the door when you go out. But privacy, which overlaps with security, is often treated casually, seen as something that only people with something to hide need worry about.

As a privacy law yer, I find this baffling.

If I’m not working, I’m spending time with my two small children. One of their favourite things is when I make up stupid songs for them, sing badly and dance around the room looking like a complete idiot.

Now this, of course, happens in the privacy of my own front room. But what if I discovered I was being watched?

How would I feel about these most private and precious moments being observed by everyone and anyone?

Actually, there’s an entire genre of YouTube videos devoted to this kind of experience. You’ll recognise the scenario. An individual who, thinking they’re alone, lets it all hang out and indulges in some wild singing and gyrating. Then, they have the shock of their lives. They discover that, in fact, that is not the case. They are not alone at all. Instead, there’s a person

141

lurking and watching. When they realise they’re being watched, you can see, and even feel, the sense of shame and humiliation. It’s that sense of: “This is something I’m willing to do only if no one else is watching.”

I’ve borrowed this example from the Pulitzer Prize-winning American lawyer and journalist Glenn Greenwald.

His newspaper’s reports of American and English surveillance programmes put the cat amongst the proverbial pigeons as the stories were based on classified information disclosed by former CIA employee Edward Snowden.

Greenwald has spoken to audiences all over the world about why he felt the need to report on privacy and how it’s being invaded. Intriguingly, when he raises the topic, people frequently tell him they don’t worry about privacy because they don’t have anything to hide. When he hears this position, Greenwald suggests: “Email me the passwords to all your email accounts, not just the nice, respectable work ones in your own names, but all of them, because I want to be able to just troll through what it is you’re doing online, read what I want to read and publish whatever I find interesting.

f l y v i c t o r. c o m

T HINK P IEC E P R I VA C Y

After all, if you’re not a bad person, if you're doing nothing wrong, you should have nothing to hide.”

The typical response at this point is a realisation that it’s not just those who have nothing to hide that want to protect their privacy. Edward Snowden said that saying you only need to worry about privacy if you have something to hide, is like saying you only need to care about freedom of speech if you have something to say.

It is only relatively recently that we have begun to take digital privacy seriously. Think back to Friends Reunited and how we all rushed to share updates about our private lives with old school-friends. And more recently, how many of us have posted baby photos to a pr ivate Fac ebook g roup or a prote c te d Instagram account without thinking ab out it? T h i s b eh av iou r i s s o widespread it has its own definition, namely “sharenting”.

The fact is that images shared by parents can be distributed to mass audiences, despite so-called privacy settings. The children themselves have no rights here. They are too young and vulnerable to even begin to control their own digital footprint. This is why I have often argued that kids have an ethical right, perhaps even a legal

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right, to control this kind of personal information.

One family I represented successfully challenged a newspaper from taking photos from a private Facebook account and sticking them on the front page.

While I was delighted we were able to protect the family’s privacy, arguably the photos should not have been made easily available in the first place.

Psychoanalysts have f lagged the profound cost to all us if we are forced to forfeit elements of our personal privacy. If privacy is forfeited, they say “we lose the sense of a textured, meaningful life”.

My interpretation of this is that if everything we do is always made public, then we are always on show: we are never able to grieve, row, make love or laugh, without the tyranny of “the other” on our backs. If we permanently live in a Truman Show world, we can’t have true freedom of expression.

If we forfeit privacy, another risk is that we lose the world of imagination and creativity. For me, that means stopping doing silly dances for my kids.

For a musician, it could be no longer striking some bum notes in the course of producing the next great musical.

Without privacy, we lose the capacity to relate to one and other intimately. Each and every human relationship – parent,

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“Greenwald has spoken to audiences all over the world about why he felt the need to report on privacy and how it’s being invaded”

“I often find that even if people sign up to the idea that privacy is an essential human right, they think there should be a different rule for those in the public eye”

child, spouse, lover, colleagues, friends – is vulnerable. If there is no privacy, all these precious ties risk becoming polluted because of indiscriminate public exposure. The potential damage is devastating.

I spend my time at work trying to win more privacy for business and creative professionals. I often find that even if people sign up to the idea that privacy is an essential human right, they think there should be a different rule for those in the public eye. That the famous have less right to privacy than other people.

I sort of understand where Joe Public is coming from. It’s easy to think that people in the public eye have made a Faustian pact, trading publicity and riches for control over their private life. Yet if we accept that privacy is a fundamental human right, it shouldn’t just be ignored – or at least not without a very good reason. There has to be a strong public interest to justify invading someone’s privacy. Sadly, many of the stories I see newspapers and magazines trying to publish don’t come anywhere near to meeting the true public interest test.

For newspapers and many other commercial organisations, privacy is big business. Your own privacy is valuable. It’s being monetised

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all the time. Your details can make other people rich. Companies like rapleaf.com will tell you what your personal information is worth. Big life changes – marriage, moving home, divorce – prompt big changes in our buying patterns. A US superstore once infamously predicted one of its customers was pregnant, and sent her vouchers for maternity wear before the teenager had broken the news to her angry parents.

Of course, we’re all much more than our buying and lifestyle choices. I profoundly believe that our privacy is a human right. And no, you don’t give up that human right to privacy, because you do something wrong. Imperfection, as I know only too well, is also part of the human condition. Nor do you lose your right to privacy because you’ve achieved great success.

My fear is that privacy is being treated too carelessly. It’s precious and essential and deserves the same respect as physical security. I’m proud to keep fighting to protect it – and also of my terrible singing.

Jenny Afia is a specialist privacy lawyer and a partner at the law firm Schillings.

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f l y v i c t o r. c o m

T HINK P IEC E P R I VA C Y

Away from prying eyes Afia’s top tips for protecting you, your family and your guests from unwanted attention on holiday

PREPARE

INVESTIGATE

ENGAGE

Few of us want to think about the media impact of a holiday but carrying out some basic due diligence will help you to relax.

Can your hotel or resort offer any assurances that your stay will be kept under the radar? Alternatively, would it be preferable to rent a private villa in a more secluded area to avoid these issues altogether?

Does the restaurant you’ve been dying to go to have a private area?

If appropriate, consider engaging a security company to advise on these issues.

Encountering the paparazzi on holiday is rare but when it does happen it can be extremely stressful. Turn the tables by taking their picture so they can be identified and further action taken. Instruct your lawyers to spell out to them the boundaries of privacy you expect them to observe. With these defined parameters, robust and quick action is much easier to enforce should they fail to toe the line.

1. Choose your destination carefully.

All countries which sign up to the European Convention on Human Rights acknowledge that you have a right to privacy, and that this sometimes extends to activities carried out in public. Obviously the quality of beaches and restaurants is likely to rank higher than local privacy laws when you’re deciding where to go, but it is still a factor worth considering.

2. A scertain where details of your trip might become known, who might record images of it, and if there is anything particularly noteworthy you plan to do that is best avoided.

3. Think about how photographs taken of you on holiday will be of interest to others – will the pictures themselves be of interest or could they be used to illustrate another story about you and your business?

V I C T O R M A G A Z I N E I S S U E 1 2 0 18

DE-SOCIALISE Your family are often inadvertent casualties of the interest the media have in you, but they can also be the source of media stories through use of social media. The media will review social media accounts and feeds from your family, so social media awareness is critical. Talk to your family, guests and friends so that they don’t accidentally expose you by disclosing where you’re going, where you are or what you’re doing.

When prominent individuals first instruct us, they have often lost track of family social media accounts and balk at how much information about their lifestyle is being made public.

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“ Your details can make other people rich”

INSTRUCT In the event you see yourself, family or guests being photographed, request that your lawyers use confidentiality and privacy rights to prevent sharing or publication of the images. If images have already appeared online, ask your lawyers to have the images removed. It’s far easier to do this when images first appear rather than when they are published by a newspaper or magazine.

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Issue 1 2018