Direction of travel in 2026 and why all businesses need talent with a hospitality-first mindset

Ahmed Elhawary talks about navigating the ups and downs of launching Mayfair Jets just weeks before the pandemic. Plus: The CEO and president of The Leading Hotels of the World, Shannon Knapp, on 2026 travel trends.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We check in with friend of the show Laurent Kleitman, CEO of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, to discuss its Austrian debut. Plus: Retail veteran Rania Masri El Khatib on her sustainable fashion label, The Giving Movement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Designer Alexander Neumann talks about the creation of Misfits, a tactile wooden blocks stacking game that started as a student project and is now stocked by more than 35 retailers worldwide. Plus: we catch up with the co-founders of Suri about launching new products ahead of a busy season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nomad founder Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte tells us why he brought his remarkable, roaming design showcase to Abu Dhabi airport’s decommissioned Terminal 1 – a modernist marvel designed by Paul Andreu. Plus: the duo betting Indian food could be the new healthy morning staple.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Klättermusen CEO, Gonz Ferrero, talks about balancing heritage and innovation at the Swedish technical apparel brand. And: Edzard van der Wyck joins us to discuss Sheep Inc’s success at the intersection of sustainability and style.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Brendan Nelson, president of Boeing Global, talks about the company’s turning point as airlines in the Middle East place record orders. Plus: A catch up with Dubai Airports CEO, Paul Griffiths. And: Monocle’s Gulf correspondent, Inzaman Rashid, rounds up the deals and stories that defined the Dubai Airshow 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synhelion co-founder Dr Gianluca Ambrosetti joins us in Zürich to explain how his team is turning sunlight into usable liquid fuel. He talks about the big name partners backing the technology and why scaling solar-made fuels could transform the aviation and mobility industries without overhauling existing infrastructure.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Entrepreneur and Childs Farm founder Joanna Jensen shares how a know-it-all attitude can stall growth and why confidence alone can’t save a struggling enterprise. She discusses lessons from her new book, ‘Making Business Child’s Play: How to Build a Winning Brand’, a practical guide to creating companies that last. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicolas Budzynski, the CEO of globally acclaimed French Mediterranean restaurant La Petite Maison, shares his expansion plans and why he keeps his team focused on long-term vision. Plus: A dispatch from Aalto Founder School.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

L’Objet founder Elad Yifrach talks about the value of materiality in design, smart collaborations and growing a luxury decor brand celebrated for its commitment to craftsmanship. Plus: we meet the boss of Kachimode, a Japanese firm that investigates whether real estate properties are haunted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.