Finito World Issue 15

Issue 15 2025

DAME JUDI DENCH A LASTING ROLE

£5.99

ISSN

2732-5180

UUKK’ S’ S NNUUMMBBEERR OONNEE DDEESSTTI N I NAT ATI O I ONN FFOORR LLUUXXUURRYY WATC WATCHHEESS && J EJ EWWEELLLLEERRYY

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ISSUE 15

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INTRODUCTION Editor: Christopher Jackson Editor-at-large: Claire Coe

FOUNDER’S LETTER I must express our deepest gratitude to Gemma for arranging the front cover feature interview with Dame Judi Dench at Claridge’s.

Contributing Editors: Emily Prescott, Meredith Taylor, Lord Ranger, Liz Brewer, Dr Paul Hokemeyer

Advisory Board: Sir John Griffin (Chairman), Dame Mary Richardson, Sir Anthony Seldon, Elizabeth Diaferia, Ty Goddard, Neil Carmichael

Management: Ronel Lehmann (Founder & CEO), Colin Hudson, Tom Pauk, Professor Robert Campbell Christopher Jackson, Curtis Ross, Julia Carrick OBE, Gaynor Goodliffe

Mentors: Derek Walker, Andrew Inman, Chloë Garland, Alejandra Arteta, Angelina Giovani, Christopher Clark, Robin Rose, Sophia Petrides, Dana JamesEdwards, Iain Smith, Jeremy Cordrey, Martin Israel, Iandra Tchoudnowsky, Tim Levy, Peter Ibbetson, Claire Orlic, Judith Cocking, Sandra Hermitage, Claire Ashley, Dr Richard Davis, Sir David Lidington, Coco Stevenson, Talan Skeels-Piggins, Edward Short, David Hogan, Susan Hunt, Divyesh Kamdar, Julia Glenn, Neil Lancaster, Dr David Moffat, Jonathan Lander, Kirsty Bell, Simon Bell, Paul Brannigan, Kate King, Paul Aplin, Professor Andrew Eder, Derek Bell, Graham Turner, Matthew Thompson, Douglas Pryde, Pervin Shaikh, Adam Mitcheson, Ross Power, Caroline Roberts, Sue Harkness, Andy Tait, Mike Donoghue, Tony Mallin, Patrick Chapman, Amanda Brown, Tom Pauk, Daniel Barres, Patrick Chapman, Merrill Powell, Kate Glick, Lord Mott, Dr Susan Doering, Raghav Parkash, Marcus Day, Sheridan Mangal, Mark Thistlethwaite, Madhu Palmar, Margaret Stephens, John Cottrell, Victoria Anstey, Stephen Goldman, Patrick Timms, James Meek, Dominique Rollo, Tracey Jones, Alan Urmston, Duncan Palmer, James Slater, Charles Hamilton-Stubber, Catherine Wood, Guy Beresford Business Development: Rara Plumptre

Design and Digital: Nick Pelekanos, Ankita Agrawal, D’Arcy Lawson Baker Photography: Sam Pearce, Will Purcell, Gemma Levine Public Relations: Pedroza Communications Website Development: Eprefix Media Buying: Virtual Campaign Management Print Production: Marcus Dobbs

Printers: Micropress Printers Ltd Distribution: Emblem Group

Registered Address: Finito Education Limited, 14th floor, 33 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0PW, +44 (0)20 3780 7700 Finito and Finito World are trade marks of the owner.

We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. All prices and details are correct at time of going to press, but subject to change. We take no responsibility for omissions or errors. Reproduction in whole or in part without the publisher’s written permission is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved. Registered in England No. 9985173

I have worked with many

photographers, including our very own Sam Pearce. She is a creative

force and an accredited Royal Rota

photographer, highly regarded by our

student and career change candidates, not to mention the Editors of all the

national newspapers, online media and picture libraries.

I have known Gemma Levine, another acclaimed photographer and author,

for over three decades and first worked with her on a publication in aid of the Malcolm Sargent Cancer Fund for Children. The special project was a

book entitled People of the 90’s which won commendation, especially for her pictures of Diana, Princess of

Wales. Her work has been exhibited

in galleries worldwide, including the National Portrait Gallery.

Gemma now devotes her life to

combating Lymphoedema, a disease that she was diagnosed with which occurs when the lymphatic system

doesn’t function correctly. It is thought to affect over 200,000 people in the UK. The Lymphoedema Research

Fund at St George’s Hospital Charity is meeting the urgent need for

Dame Judi is justly proud of her legacy and once famously told Louis Theroux to ‘f*** off ’ after he branded her a ‘national treasure.’ Ask any reader and they will tell you that we all feel great pride and a little shared ownership of the Oscar winning actress.

I was in awe to be able to listen to her expressive voice, which manages to convey such a range of emotions.

Some years ago, she did famously lose

this for two days after being scared by a snake during a stage performance of 'Antony and Cleopatra.' Today, she suffers from macular degeneration, a condition which causes eyesight to deteriorate over time. I can honestly say that it hasn’t hindered the sparkle she creates when in her presence.

Each year, we sponsor The Jack Tinker Award for Best Newcomer at the annual Theatre Critics’ Circle Awards.

Held at the National Theatre for the first time, these awards are entirely voted for by professional theatre critics. At a time when we hear so many negative stories about the arts and theatre industries in Britain, it’s a real joy to be involved in an event that purely celebrates the talent, creativity and brilliance - and resilience - of actors, playwrights, directors and designers.

It’s a myth that critics enjoy panning shows. Let’s give them all a curtain call and applaud their valuable contribution.

expanded research into lymphatic

system diseases to pave the way for innovative treatments for future patients.

www.finito.org.uk

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LEADERS

WHEN THE WATER BREAKS

A

t a certain point, the dysfunction becomes so well-known that

it begins to feel ordinary. And yet

there is nothing ordinary about the

slow collapse of Thames Water — the country’s largest water company,

provider of an essential service to

nearly a quarter of the UK population,

and now a cautionary tale in how not to run infrastructure.

The news that US private equity firm

KKR has walked away from a proposed

£4bn deal to recapitalise the company is the sort of moment that usually triggers quiet crisis meetings in Westminster. In

this case, they’re likely already underway.

Without that investment, Thames inches closer to a government-managed special administration, a fate it has managed

to keep at bay with considerable effort — and increasingly elaborate financial choreography.

Thames called the withdrawal

“disappointing” and insisted it would

now proceed with an alternative plan

led by its creditors. That plan, sources

say, is ready and fully funded. But it also represents, in effect, the final available route before the company becomes unmanageable.

For many observers, this outcome was long in the making. When Thames

was privatised in 1989, it carried no

debt. Now, it carries £19bn — a fact

that says something about the limits

of privatisation not just as an ideology

but as a business model. Over the years, successive owners focused more on

financial engineering than engineering

of the traditional kind: upgrading pipes, fixing leaks, preventing spills.

The results have been widely felt and

poorly contained. Thames has struggled to control sewage discharges, repair 6

ageing infrastructure, and meet public

This isn’t just about infrastructure either

scrutiny from Ofwat and increasingly

we’ve lacked the political courage to

expectations — all while navigating

frustrated parliamentary committees.

As Alistair Carmichael MP, chair of the Environment, Food and Rural

Affairs Committee, said last week: “Our concerns have been realised, putting Thames in a perilous position.”

What makes this story more than a

tale of one company’s missteps is the

timing. KKR’s withdrawal came on the very morning that Sir Jon Cunliffe, a

former deputy governor of the Bank of

England, released interim findings from an independent review of the water

sector. His verdict was stark: the system is failing, the regulatory framework is “chaotic,” and the sector will struggle

to attract investment unless reform is undertaken quickly and credibly.

— it’s about imagination. For decades, envision an alternative to the existing model, preferring to manage decline

rather than confront its causes. But the cost of inaction is growing. Whether

through nationalisation, mutualisation or a new regulatory paradigm, reform

is no longer a matter of preference. It is becoming a matter of necessity.

Some, like Castle Water, have said

they are “ready and willing” to step in.

But even those offers appear to lack

committed financing. Others — and this includes the government — are preparing for the possibility that

state intervention may soon become inevitable.

Yet this is about more than a single

There is a quiet consensus emerging.

company or a single crisis. What’s being

doesn’t encourage the right kind of

idea that we can privatise core utilities,

like pension funds,” Sir Jon said. “If

somehow meet public need. Thames

won’t get them.” His words ring true.

visible, indication that this equation no

The system, as currently designed,

tested is the viability of a model — the

investor. “We need long-term investors

extract returns for shareholders, and still

the regulatory system is too volatile, we

Water has become the latest, and most

A sector so central to public health and

longer adds up.

environmental integrity cannot rely on

the instincts of short-term capital alone.

More than just a corporate failure,

Thames Water has become a symbol

of something larger: a warning about

what happens when essential services are treated like abstract assets rather

than living systems. The neglect becomes not only technical, but also moral — a slow erosion of trust in institutions

meant to protect the public. Water, like

electricity and healthcare, is a bedrock of

There are still reasons for hope. Water

services will continue, regardless of what happens to the ownership structure.

People will still turn on taps and expect

— quite rightly — clean water to appear.

But that surface normality hides deeper systemic questions. What are the terms on which we want our infrastructure to

be run? Who should pay for its renewal?

And what happens when the money simply isn’t there?

civilised life. Its decay reflects something

These are questions that go well beyond

citizens.

begin there.

deeper about the state’s contract with its

Thames. But the answers will likely

LEADERS

THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM T

his June, a defining moment for the UK’s healthcare sector will unfold: 350,000 nursing staff across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will vote on a proposed 3.6% pay rise.

Presented with bureaucratic calm, the offer has drawn what the Royal College of Nursing calls “justified outrage” — a figure deemed grotesque in the face of present realities.

“Grotesque” is the right word. It captures the growing chasm between society’s need for nurses and the government’s willingness to properly recognise them. This is not simply a pay dispute. It is a referendum on respect — one taking shape on picket lines, in empty hospital corridors, and in the silent exits of those who can no longer cope.

But the story of nursing doesn’t begin with ballots or budgets. It begins with the nurse. This is not a profession chosen for prestige or wealth. There are no spotlights, no applause. The nurse steps forward to care — to guide people through pain, fear, birth, death. They

hold the clinical and the compassionate in each hand. They are where science meets grace.

new ones. The goodwill of international recruits, like that of their domestic peers, is not infinite.

And yet, we ask nurses to bear all this — while enduring over a decade of realterms pay erosion. Their responsibilities have grown; their compensation has not.

That contradiction is reaching its limit.

All of this arrives as the government prepares to launch a 10-year NHS workforce plan — one likely to rely heavily on nursing. And yet: how do you build a future on a workforce that feels underpaid and undervalued?

Strikes have brought nurses to the public square, not in scrubs but in protest. The image surprised some — but it shouldn’t have. Beneath the saintly stereotype is an economic worker, one who cannot be endlessly taken for granted. And yet, despite the pressures, people still choose to nurse. They still choose meaning. But meaning alone does not pay bills or keep wards safely staffed.

This is a global profession now. UKtrained nurses leave for better pay and conditions in Canada, Australia, the Gulf. Meanwhile, others arrive from abroad, drawn by a historic system that still carries weight. But this flow is fragile. A nation that fails to retain its nurses will, in time, struggle to attract

Nurses are not asking for medals. They are asking for fair pay, safe staffing, and the chance to do their jobs without burning out. To ignore that is not only unwise — it is unsustainable.

The decision ahead is not easy. Any serious pay rise demands trade-offs in a landscape of stretched public services and historic debt. But the test of leadership is not ease — it is priority. In choosing how to treat its nurses, the UK chooses what kind of country it wants to be.

Nursing is a promise — made daily, quietly, with dignity. That promise now needs to be met with policy.

IN PRAISE OF STEPHEN MCPARTLAND A

t a time when politics too often rewards noise over substance,

Stephen McPartland has delivered

something rare: a serious piece of work that might actually make us safer.

The McPartland Review, published

by Finito Publishing, offers a comprehensive roadmap for

strengthening the UK’s cybersecurity

and resilience across public and private sectors. It is thoughtful, rigorous,

and — crucially — grounded in both

technical understanding and practical realism. Rather than grandstanding, McPartland asks the right questions: Where are the systemic gaps? Who is accountable? What would it take to make cybersecurity not an afterthought but a strategic priority?

In an era where critical infrastructure can be compromised by a keyboard stroke and foreign adversaries wage invisible wars, the stakes could not be higher. McPartland’s review

understands that cyber risk is not a niche concern — it is foundational to national resilience, economic competitiveness, and public trust.

But perhaps most importantly, his tone is constructive. The report does not seek blame; it seeks progress. That, in today’s political landscape, is a leadership trait worth celebrating.

We are proud to publish his review and hope it receives the serious engagement — and urgent action — it deserves. www.finito.org.uk

ISSUE 15

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CONTENTS

THIS ISSUE lottieleigh.com

3 FOUNDER'S LETTER 6 LEADERS 10 DIARY Andrew Pierce 12 MEET THE MENTOR Julia Carrick OBE

p10 Andrew Pierce

COLUMNS

FEATURES

20 THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER

46 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Boris Johnson on Conservative reinvention

21 T HE NOVELIST Zadie Smith on belief and London 22 THE POLYMATH

Sarah Tucker wears many hats

24 T HE WORLD CHAMPION Fatima Whitbread on childcare

26 T HE FIXER

Dominic Cummings on the bureaucratic machine

28 A QUESTION OF DEGREE Charlotte Leigh on not going to university

30 RELATIVELY SPEAKING

Dame Judi Dench on longevity, learning, and legacy

60 TOP TEN JUDI DENCH PERFORMANCES A ranking of greatness 62 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF POWER AND INCURIOSITY Why leaders stop listening 66 ABOUT TIME Ever considered a career in clocks?

p28 Charlotte Leigh

88 BURSARY UPDATE Luela Figueira

92 F OOTBALL FOCUS The Talented Mr Mabutt 94 L ETTER FROM DENMARK Sarah Tucker reports

96 L ETTER FROM NOVA SCOTIA Nishad Sanzagiri

100 T URRI AT 100

A century of modern luxury

74 T HE GLASS WORKERS A sector of shattering careers 78 C RYPTOCURRENCY Claire Cummings breaks down the digital currency

Guy Ritchie on his upbringing

32 1 0,000 HOURS

Nigel Tait on justice, reputation and the art of the algorithm

Wikipedia.org

Wikipedia.org

p38 Ece Temelkuranx

p30 Guy Ritchie

34 TOMORROW’S LEADERS ARE BUSY TONIGHT

Zubair Junjunia on equality, EdTech, and activism

38 T HOSE ARE MY PRINCIPLES

Ece Temelkuran on global democracy’s unravelling

40 EVENT REPORT Sir Ed Davey

8

CONTENTS

Alamy.com

p46

M marks the Spot: The Dame, the myth, the legend but what is Judi Dench’s secret weapon?

ART, CULTURE & BOOKS 106 N ORMAN FOSTER AT 90

Building for a world without cathedrals

112 B ACK TO THE BEACH BOYS Remembering Brian Wilson

116 ACTING UP When actors become politicians 120 T HE BARD AT WORK Shakespeare and careers

124 O SCAR EAGLE

136 A NTIGUA AHOY

128 T HE CROWN JEWELLER

144 C LASS DISMISSED

Introducing a new artist

Brian Duffy on Mappin & Webb

Bulletin from the Caribbean Jack Charles

132 A LITTLER BIT OF LOVE Where next for darts?

134 BOOK REVIEWS Including Bill Gates’ Source Code

Wikipedia.org

northsidehouse.com

p112 Brian Wilson

p144 Jack Charles

SCAN BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO FINITO WORLD

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ISSUE 15

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DIARY

ANDREW PIERCE

ON BLAND STARMER, BORIS’S PARACHUTE, AND POLO SHIRTS IN POLITICS

K

eir Starmer once came up to me

and said, “Tory boy, why are you

so awful about me in the paper?” I

thought: where to begin? But instead I said, politely, “Prime Minister,

you’re just really boring.” He gave

me seven and a half minutes of his

time. I’ll never get them back. “How did I do?” he asked at the end. “Still boring,” I replied. His entourage nearly fainted.

Y

ou’d expect any Labour

conference after 14 years in

opposition to be electric. Instead, it was about £30,000 suits, posh

spectacles, and a Prime Minister in a polo shirt. “Why no tie?” I asked.

“They came together,” he shrugged.

I said, “Wagyu, were they?” The

conversation ended there. His special adviser said to me: “You just know how to ruin everything.” I’ve been called worse.

W

hispers now, even at Labour receptions, about whether

Starmer can last. “He doesn’t look like he’s enjoying it,” someone said. “He

knows he can’t do it.” Who replaces

him? They’re already muttering about Bridget Phillipson. “Colder than a

block of ice,” one insider called her.

“A class war cow,” added another. Wes Streeting’s always on telly but doesn’t have the numbers. And Rachel

Reeves? She’s more Gordon Brown tribute act than heir apparent.

R

eeves, we’re told, had a Gordon Brown poster on her wall at

Oxford. Everyone else had pop stars; she had fiscal prudence. Now she’s stuck. No room to raise taxes. No

10

emergency budget without looking panicked. She warned us of a £22

billion black hole — then raised £40 billion in taxes. The Institute for

Fiscal Studies said the hole was more like £10 billion. Either way, no one's buying it anymore.

T

he most awkward conversation I’ve had lately? Tulip Siddiq,

anti-corruption minister, forced to

resign after properties gifted to her were traced to Bangladeshi state

assets. She cleared her desk with a

carrier bag. I asked how it felt being on the backbenches again. Her

response? Two words. Neither of

them printable here. What possessed Starmer to give her the anti-

corruption brief in the first place?

“She’s his best mate in Parliament,”

one Labour MP told me. “They share Sopel (Wikipedia.org) a Jon cow.”

Quite.

A

s for the Tories, they’ve lost the donors and don’t know where

to find them. Reform’s hoovering up the cheques. One tale involves Kemi Badenoch having breakfast with a

major Tory donor. Halfway through, she asked: “Why am I here?” Not,

Shadow Cabinet combined. He’s

convinced Labour will face a by-

election soon — and that it could

break their majority. “Still wants the

Tory leadership,” someone whispered

to me. He’d better move fast. Reform might win the next by-election.

Though it could just as easily

implode — it’s not a party, remember.

It’s a limited company. Nigel Farage is literally the main shareholder.

for millions, has since gone silent.

S

breakfast — this time at Chatham

Mandelson will be there. You read

“Thanks for the toast” — but “Why am I here?” The donor, once good

peaking of Nigel, there’s a party being thrown by Arron Banks

— the man who bankrolled Brexit

Charm offensive it was not. Another

— on a Washington rooftop. Lord

House — ended with her pushing the

that right. Peter Mandelson, once EU

plate back and saying, “I don’t like

this food.” She asked for something else. To the editor of The Times.

Who’d shown up sympathetic.

C

an Boris come back? Well, his book is outselling most of the

commissioner, now courting the man who brought us Trump and Farage,

just to keep Labour’s back channels open with the Republicans. And

people say politics isn’t entertaining anymore.

BRITISH LUXURY LEATHER WWW.ETTINGER.CO.UK

BY APPOINTMENT TO www.finito.org.uk HIS MAJESTY THE KING

ISSUE 15

MANUFACTURER OF LEATHER GOODS G ETTINGER LTD LONDON

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MENTORING

Meet the Mentor:

JULIA CARRICK OBE “LUXURY HAS NEVER BEEN MORE ABOUT EMOTIONAL CONNECTION”

J

ulia Carrick OBE is best known for founding the multi-award-winning

Julia Carrick OBE

Financial Times supplement How to Spend It, an iconic title that helped

redefine luxury publishing. Julia also gained recognition for the British

Luxury sector through co-founding Walpole, the official sector body for UK Luxury, and helping to build it to what it is today. With decades of influence in the global luxury

sector, Julia’s perspective is rooted in

storytelling, heritage and authenticity — all of which she now brings to her

ambassadorial work with Finito World.

She is passionate about mentoring the next generation and is an outspoken

advocate for British brands, heritage and the power of community.

At the heart of Julia’s philosophy is a belief in inspiration, experience and

emotional connection — not only in her professional life, but also in the way she helps young people navigate their path to meaningful work.

“WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE WORK FINITO DOES IS THAT IT SEEKS TO INSPIRE YOUNG PEOPLE AND HELP THEM MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES.” “What I love about the work Finito

does is that it seeks to inspire young 12

people and help them make the right

skills. Blending traditional techniques

painless transition into the workplace.

the perpetuation of luxury’s unique

choices. It’s all about that smooth and The luxury industry places a high

value on craftsmanship, and training programmes for maintaining high

standards and preserving specialised

with modern innovations, ensuring

heritage while embracing technological advancements. The qualities Finito teaches are exactly what the luxury sector is looking for.”

MENTORING

One of Julia’s most high-profile recent

Julia Carrick receiving her knighhood from the Queen

campaigns has been to lobby against

the removal of tax-free shopping for

international visitors to the UK. The

entire tourist economy has been affected, whether that be regional tourist centres

or manufacturers down the supply chain, hotels and restaurants, taxis, galleries

and museums and cafes. Reintroducing

tax-free shopping, which had existed for

decades, but was scrapped would benefit

every region by firing up economic growth and create at least 73,000 new jobs.

Global travel is resuming, and the data shows we are losing out. International

tourists are increasingly being driven into the arms of the UK’s rivals thanks to the absence of VAT rebates, taking their

spending to Paris, Milan and Madrid.

Meanwhile, we’ve cut off our own advantage.

Over the past two and a half years,

Julia has been a powerful voice in this space, working directly with brands, policymakers and experts across the

hospitality, retail and tourism industries.

“I got involved because so many Captains According to Julia, the luxury market has undergone a profound evolution in recent years. Where once luxury was defined by the most expensive

or exclusive product, today it is more nuanced — a blend of emotion, experience and meaning.

“Today’s consumer wants something personal. Luxury now is about

craftsmanship, emotion, and theatre.

People want something that resonates

— something with intrinsic value that

can occupy a special place in their heart.”

Julia has long been on the front line of

cultural change, and she’s quick to point

out that global audiences differ widely in how they engage with luxury. In Asian

markets, trust is paramount; in the West,

sustainability and purpose are rising fast on the agenda.

For Julia, the brands that win are those that know how to create community

— a theme which recurs throughout her work. From her support of the

Design Centre Chelsea Harbour to her

campaigns in defence of British tax-free shopping, Julia sees belonging as central to resilience — whether you’re a young person entering the workforce or a

heritage brand in a crowded market.

“In a period of uncertainty, it becomes more important than ever to bring people together — brands and

customers, students and mentors,

creators and thinkers. That’s how we build something that lasts.”

of Industry and CEO’s asked for my

help. I had the connections, and I knew I could make a difference. The evidence

is crystal clear — this decision is hurting British business.” Together with other

industry bodies Julia is urging Ministers “to seize a major Brexit benefit worth £3.7 billion a year to the economy by reintroducing tax-free shopping for international visitors.”

Julia Carrick continues to bring not just

insight but energy, humour and rigour to everything she does. She is the perfect example of what a mentor can be — a

passionate guide, a fierce advocate, and someone who always remembers that business, at its best, is about people.

As she puts it, “We need to stay relevant, yes — but we also need to stay human.” www.finito.org.uk ISSUE 15

13

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ISSUE 15

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COLUMNS Our regular writers on employability in 2025 21 | ZADIE SMITH Faith and Fiction

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BOJO’S BACKBENCH BLUES Still wants the crown

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CUMMINGS AND GOINGS Bureaucracy kills democracy

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BLEAK TIMES Temelkuran’s stark warning

ACC E S S O R I E S B AT H R O O M S B E D S C A R P E T S , R U G S & F LO O R I N G C U RTA I N S , P O L E S & F I N I A L S FA B R I C S F U R N I T U R E H A R DWA R E K I TC H E N S L I G H T I N G O U T D O O R FA B R I C S O U T D O O R F U R N I T U R E PA I N T T I L E S T R I M M I N G S & L E AT H E R WA L LCOV E R I N G S

ABI INTERIORS ALEX ANDER L AMONT + MILES ALTFIELD A LTO N - B RO O K E A N D O B J E C T S A N D R E W M A RT I N ARTE ARTERIORS ARTISANS OF DEVIZES AUGUST & CO BAKER LIFEST YLE BELL A FIGUR A BRUNSCHWIG & FILS C & C MILANO CASAMANCE CECCOTTI COLLEZIONI CHASE ERWIN CHRISTIAN LEE (FABRICUT ) CHRISTOPHER HYDE LIGHTING COLE & SON COLEFAX AND FOWLER COLLIER WEBB COLONY BY CASA LUIZA CRUCIAL TRADING DAVID HUNT LIGHTING DAVID SEYFRIED LTD DE LE CUONA DEDAR DONGHIA AT GP & J BAKER ECCOTR ADING DESIGN LONDON EDELMAN EGGERSMANN DESIGN ELITIS ESPRESSO DESIGN FLEXFORM FORBES & LOMAX FOX LINTON FR ATO GALLOT TI&R ADICE GEORGE SPENCER DESIGNS GL ADEE LIGHTING GP & J BAKER HAMILTON LITESTAT HARLEQUIN HECTOR FINCH HOLLAND & SHERRY HOULÈS HOUSE OF ROHL HUMA KITCHENS IKSEL DECORATIVE ARTS INTERDESIGN UK JACARANDA CARPETS & RUGS JAIPUR RUGS JASON D’SOUZA JEAN MONRO JENNIFER MANNERS DESIGN JENSEN BEDS JULIAN CHICHESTER KINGCOME KRAVET KVADRAT LASKASAS LEE JOFA LELIÈVRE PARIS LEWIS & WOOD LINCRUSTA LIZZO LONDON BASIN COMPANY LONDONART WALLPAPER LOOM FURNITURE MARVIC TEXTILES MCKINNON AND HARRIS MINDTHEGAP MODERN BRITISH KITCHENS MORRIS & CO MULBERRY HOME THE NANZ COMPANY NOBILIS OFICINA INGLESA FURNITURE ORIGINAL BTC OSBORNE & LITTLE PAOLO MOSCHINO LTD PAVONI PERENNIALS SUTHERLAND STUDIO PHILIPPE HUREL PHILLIP JEFFRIES PIERRE FREY PORADA PORTA ROMANA QUOTE & CURATE RALPH LAUREN HOME RESTED ROBERT LANGFORD ROMO RUBELLI THE RUG COMPANY SA BAXTER ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE SACCO CARPET SAMUEL & SONS SAMUEL HEATH SANDERSON SAVOIR BEDS SCHUMACHER SHEPEL’ SIMPSONS THE SPECIFIED STARK CARPET STUDIO FRANCHI STUDIOTEX SUMMIT FURNITURE THG PARIS THREADS AT GP & J BAKER TIGERMOTH LIGHTING TIM PAGE CARPETS TISSUS D’HÉLÈNE TOLLGARD TOM R AFFIELD TOPFLOOR BY ESTI TUFENKIAN ARTISAN CARPETS TURNELL & GIGON TURNSTYLE DESIGNS TURRI VAUGHAN VIA ARKADIA (TILES) VISPRING VISUAL COMFORT & CO. WATTS 1874 WENDY MORRISON WEST ONE BATHROOMS WIRED CUSTOM LIGHTING WOOL CLASSICS ZIMMER + ROHDE ZOFFANY ZUBER

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w w w.dcch.co.uk www.finito.org.uk

ISSUE 15

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COLUMNS

The Former Prime Minister

BORIS JOHNSON THE FORMER PM LOOKS BACK ON THE UPS AND DOWNS OF HIS ADMINISTRATION

W

hen I was Prime Minister, I was firmly on the side of Israel:

that’s because Israel has the right to

protect its population against the kind of orgy of sadism and violence that

was perpetrated against innocent men, women, and children on 7 October.

“I THINK THERE IS HOPE THAT WITH TRUMP BACK IN THE WHITE HOUSE CAN GET TO AN END OF THIS APPALLING BUSINESS IN GAZA.”

was entirely to do with the survival of

But the fact remains: Covid took Britain

a nationalist cause around which the

control and spending. It was tyrannical.

Vladimir Putin and the desire to have Russian people could rally.

the right thing to do, but immensely

independence. It is overwhelmingly

the end, it changed the Conservative

to support them. This isn’t just about

The ongoing disruption to global

their country, for their freedom, for their

costly. It changed the economy, and in

important for us in the West to continue

Party too.

land—it’s about destiny. Any deal must

shipping lanes and geopolitical tensions

make it clear that Ukraine’s future is

in the West. They must have a path to NATO, the EU, and proper security

guarantees, or else any land deal is just another pause before Putin attacks again.

this was an attempt to frustrate peace

I think there is hope that with Trump

Of course, I sometimes look back at my

to an end of this appalling business in

disaster. The government actually,

encouraged Hamas to do what they did, in the region. To cut a long story short, back in the White House, we can get Gaza. Everyone seems to forget that

hostages are still being held in Gaza. If Hamas wants to fix this thing, give the hostages back.

time as PM. Covid was an unutterable after a great deal of initial difficulty,

handled it pretty well because we had

Trump presidency could unlock things,

we used our powers of persuasion and

glimmers of optimism for the world. A

the spread of a contagious disease. But

and I think this is one of them. I pray

organisation, and once we had the

that it does.

vaccine, we moved fast.

I think the freedom of Ukraine is

Let’s not forget folks that we vaccinated

What Putin did was absolutely evil.

and 100 per cent of those over 80 and

incredibly important for everybody.

45 per cent of the adult population

Ukraine is a free, sovereign, independent

vulnerable by March 2021. In the EU,

for his invasion. The reason he did it 20

supply chains. More companies are bringing manufacturing closer to

home—a trend that will dominate

economic discussions this year. The balance between globalisation and

national security concerns is shifting, and it’s happening faster than many expected.

If Rishi and I had stuck together, I think we would have won the next election.

Even in July 2022, we were only a

couple of points behind Starmer. I had

a great innings, but like all politicians, I look back and wonder—what if ?

It’s very difficult in a mature, diverse,

highly freedom-loving society to stop

threat to Russia. He had no justification

around China and Taiwan are reshaping

the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe.

I am perverse in the sense that I see

country. It was no threat and remains no

We paid people to stay at home. It was

The Ukrainians are fighting like lions for

“COVID WAS AN UNUTTERABLE DISASTER.”

Lead by the Iranians, who clearly

to the left. It massively expanded state

it was about 10 per cent. That was a

huge problem politically for them and a massive benefit for us.

Boris Johnson

COLUMNS

The Novelist

ZADIE SMITH THE CELEBRATED WRITER ON HER SLOW JOURNEY TOWARDS FAITH

O

ne morning recently, I opened the internet and saw an

extraordinary painting by Tracey

Emin of the Passion. It’s in the Royal Academy and has rave reviews, but

the review said: what could be more shocking than a painter like Tracey Emin painting the Passion?

I was thinking of when I was a baby

writer. I remember reading these lines

by David Foster Wallace, which you could put on a wall: “If you worship money, you will always feel poor. If

you worship beauty, you will always feel ugly. If you worship power, you will always feel weak.” I remember

years of writing books, that if writing

was a way of being good, it was a very slow process. This is a very laborious way of becoming a slightly better person.

At NYU, I would meet truly evil moral philosophers, selfish poets, or brutal novelists — and I include myself. I

thought: “This doesn’t work. Look at all

Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, we feed people in the community. When I walk through the neighbourhood, I now think: that’s not a meth head, that’s Dave. I see every layer of my community — because I know these people now. It’s that thing: how do you want to be connected with

these people — and look at me.” When

people? It’s also about being in a place

street I was born on, in the nice house,

have gathered to be quiet. I suddenly

I moved back to London, to the same

where, for thousands of years, people

not the council estate across the road,

found that a not-contemptible idea.

I was surrounded by Jews and Muslims and Catholics. Like the Jews, I don’t

have heaven and hell; like the Muslims,

The language of Anglicanism is meaningful to me — and the whole

I believe in surrender to contingency;

conception of prayer has interested me

When I wrote White Teeth, the comedy

find the story of Christ inspiring. And

effective, good, or faithful Anglican, but

Muslims and Jehovah’s Witnesses

There’s a local church in my area, and

space — that at least in contemporary

the third set thought they didn’t have

I was a kid — a big 19th-century

else.

thinking: “If you worship God, what

and like the Anglicans and Catholics, I

more and more. I’m not in any way an

of that book was religious people —

like the Hindus, I have many gods.

I was so interested in the idea that this

— and then a third set: liberals. And

it’s the church I used to dance in when

will you always feel?”

a religion, but they did. That’s what

interested me as I grew up in radical

atheism. Once, when I was about nine, my father bought me a Bible for my birthday, and I threw it out of the window in front of his face.

church, and half of it was sold off

to flats around 1987. I found myself

going one day and walked in, nervous.

The congregation, on a good day, is

12 people — half of whom are heroin addicts. The first day I walked in, the

I was interested in religions as

vicar didn’t come — and one of the

by people breaking fast, and seder — I

giving a eulogy for another homeless

Teeth, I wrote The Autograph Man,

I think I had an alibi in my mind — an

On Beauty is about the worship of

idea that God exists universally and

philosophical systems. I was fascinated

congregation, a homeless man, was

was always introduced. After White

man. I thought: what am I doing here?

which is about Judaism and Buddhism.

Iris Murdoch alibi. I think, to me, the

art. NW, for me is an Anglican novel.

Swing Time is about that syncretic

African idea. To me, The Fraud is a

Catholic novel. I’ve realised, after 25

capitalism — is not available anywhere

in every culture is God — and that is

what interests me. It’s still an alibi —

I’m in an Anglican church worshipping an Alsatian.

Zadie Smith (Wikipedia.org) www.finito.org.uk

ISSUE 15

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COLUMNS

The Polymath

SARAH TUCKER THE WRITER AND BIOGRAPHER OF EDWARD DE BONO EXPLAINS WHY YOU DON’T NEED TO HAVE JUST THE ONE CAREER THE PATH IS A LIE, AND THAT’S EXCELLENT NEWS

Then I became a yoga teacher. Then a novelist. Then a travel journalist.

Then a radio presenter. Then I wrote

When you're nearing the end of

the biography of Edward de Bono,

halfway legible, still unsure how to

thinking. I am, according to most HR

asks The Question:

But let me tell you something with

university overdraft maxed, degree

the man who literally invented lateral

properly cook rice someone inevitably

departments, an absolute nightmare.

“SO, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE?” The implication? That you're supposed

authority and zero apology, life gets vastly more interesting when you

stop trying to be one thing and start building sideways.

to know. Worse, that there's one

BURN THE MAP, HERE’S THE WEB

there, somewhere, is your One True

We’re conditioned to think of careers

walk, possibly while wearing beige

shake hands, get promoted, die slightly

deliverables.

What if it’s a web?

Let’s be blunt, the path is a myth.

That’s the idea behind polymathy,

cobbled back alley full of detours,

interests deeply and letting them feed

urban fox. At worst, it’s a conveyor

strategic. And it’s increasingly how

perfect, gleaming answer. That out

Career, the path you were meant to

as ladders to climb rung by rung,

chinos and answering emails about

inside. But what if it’s not a ladder?

There is no path. At best, it’s a

the concept of pursuing multiple

strange signage, and the occasional

each other. It’s not scatterbrained. It’s

belt to burnout, boredom, and having opinions about coffee machines.

the world works, even if LinkedIn still prefers a tidy CV.

But here’s the real plot twist the fact

A polymath is someone who doesn’t

with the brochure:

synthesise across disciplines. They’re

nobody’s told you because it messes

just know a bit of everything they

the ones who read an article about

YOU DON’T HAVE TO CHOOSE ONE THING. YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT FOREVER. AND YOU’RE NOT BROKEN BECAUSE YOU HAVEN’T FIGURED IT OUT.

bird migration and end up designing

I’m Sarah Tucker. I was a banker.

pollination.

22

an app that improves traffic systems.

Or study philosophy and become better marketers. Or quit law to

become chefs, only to return as food policy advisers.

It’s not confusion. It’s cross-

PORTFOLIO CAREERS, ALSO KNOWN AS “HAVING A LIFE” Then there’s the portfolio career, which sounds like something your uncle

in private equity would fake-smile

about but is actually the backbone of a lateral life.

Imagine your career not as one long

job title that gets gradually sadder, but as a set of overlapping projects, gigs,

roles, and fascinations that evolve over

time. It’s working in UX while running a podcast. Consulting by day, writing noir fiction by night. Designing a

fintech start-up while teaching Pilates in the park.

You don’t have to put “multi-

hyphenate” in your Instagram bio. You

just have to stop pretending there’s only one acceptable shape for a “real job”.

BUT ISN’T THAT… FLAKY? No. It’s the opposite of flaky. It’s

adaptive. Flaky is staying in a job

you hate because you can’t imagine anything else. Lateral thinking is

noticing the cracks in the wall and

realising you might enjoy knocking the whole thing down.

Some of the most interesting people alive never picked one lane. Maya Angelou, poet, journalist, calypso

dancer, Hollywood director, civil rights activist. Hedy Lamarr, actress and coinventor of Wi-Fi. Steve Jobs said a

single calligraphy class shaped Apple.

Elon Musk… well, he’s a cautionary tale, but you get the point.

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Lateral living isn’t lack of focus. It’s

layered intelligence. It’s competence with range. And in a world that no

longer rewards staying in your lane, that range is power.

THE MYTH OF THE ONE CAREER Here’s what nobody tells you about career advice, it’s mostly retrospective fiction.

People stitch a narrative together after the fact to make it sound intentional. Nobody includes the existential dread, the unpaid internships, the months spent making spreadsheets about spreadsheets.

Your first job will likely be a placeholder.

That’s fine. Your degree might never come

up again, except in pub quizzes. Also, fine.

The idea that your life has to make sense

now is ludicrous, and possibly a conspiracy by people who peaked in Year Eleven.

The careers of the future, the ones that

don’t exist yet, will be shaped by people

who didn’t specialise too early, who kept playing with ideas, mixing skills, and

asking strange questions. Who saw not

just the career ladder, but the scaffolding

around it, and redesigned the whole thing.

BUT WHAT DO YOU DO WITH ALL THIS? Start with what’s in front of you.

Write down not just what you’re “good at”, but what you do compulsively even when

nobody’s asking. The niche YouTube rabbit holes. The odd obsessions. The moments when you disappear into a task and time loses all meaning.

Next, look sideways. Where do your skills

and interests intersect? Are you an English student with a gift for data? A software

developer who plays jazz piano? A politics undergraduate who sketches cartoons in the margins?

Those aren’t quirks. They’re raw materials.

Combine them, and suddenly you’re

doing work nobody else is equipped to do because only you have that combination.

STRUCTURE WITHOUT SHACKLES Now, before you dash off and start six

side hustles and a non-profit, a word of caution. The dark side of polymathy is

what psychologists have called “Leonardo

but to take stock of your life so far.

And the question you’ll ask yourself

won’t be, Did I follow the path? It’ll be, What did I build?

Did you accumulate titles, or stories?

A career, or a body of work?

A CV, or a life?

Syndrome”, the tendency to start

Be the person who went wide, deep,

creative goldfish on espresso.

it. Who made sense of the mess and

everything and finish nothing, like a

and strange. Who took the job and left

The trick is structure. Systems. Deep work.

occasionally turned it into something

some of it needs follow-through. Use tools

rewired the staircase, painted it red,

Not everything has to be monetised, but

brilliant. Who didn’t just climb, but

- old-school calendars or AI if it helps - to

and installed a trapdoor.

build containers for your chaos.

And don’t worry if it doesn’t look tidy.

Tidiness is for IKEA. You’re building something better.

WHAT THEY DON’T TEACH AT CAREER FAIRS Polymaths, the ones with portfolio

careers and lateral minds, tend to do

LATERAL LIVING ISN’T THE BACKUP PLAN. IT’S THE PLAN THAT LETS YOU CHANGE THE GAME. Now go do something gloriously unfocused.

Sarah Tucker is a novelist, journalist,

better in times of crisis. They adapt

broadcaster, yoga teacher, travel writer,

crumble when one job disappears or

Bono. She’s available for existential

faster. They innovate more. They don't

lecturer, and biographer of Edward de

one industry shifts, because they’re not

career counselling, assuming there’s tea.

defined by that job or that industry.

Also, they’re more interesting at dinner parties.

A study by Dr Robert Root-Bernstein found that Nobel Prize winners were disproportionately likely to paint,

dance, act, or write poetry. Not because it made them smarter, but because it made them more flexible. Creativity isn’t a hobby; it’s a survival trait.

FINAL THOUGHT, THE LOFT At some point, you’ll be older.

Maybe even thirty. And you’ll go

metaphorically, or literally, into your

attic. Not for Christmas decorations,

Sarah Tucker www.finito.org.uk

ISSUE 15

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COLUMNS

The World Champion

FATIMA WHITBREAD THE FORMER OLYMPIAN JAVELINIST DESCRIBES THE PROGRESS OF HER CAMPAIGN TO FIX THE CHILDCARE SYSTEM IN THIS COUNTRY

Fatima Whitbread (Alamy)

S

omething extraordinary happened at our recent summit. And I don’t

say that lightly. What we saw was a

genuine shift — in tone, in energy, and in belief. For too long, the care system has been fragmented, siloed, full of

good intentions and poor execution.

24

But for once, we saw collaboration on a national scale: 110 organisations, from virtual school heads and mental health professionals to police commanders and local authorities — all coming together to say: enough.

This wasn’t just another event. It was a

movement in the making. Guests came from across the four nations — even as far as the Isle of Man — and we saw,

for the first time, a unified conversation about care. Ministers, stakeholders, and most importantly, the young people

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themselves, gave voice to something urgent: the need for belonging.

BELONGING IS NOT A LUXURY You cannot thrive in life if you don’t

first know where you belong. And for

too many children in care, the absence

of stability, consistency and love creates

deep wounds that last a lifetime. When we interviewed young people for this campaign, their message was clear: “Listen to us.” Over 80 interviews, including with children, ministers,

frontline workers and experts, revealed a system that needs more than reform — it needs reimagining.

“YOU CANNOT THRIVE IN LIFE IF YOU DON’T FIRST KNOW WHERE YOU BELONG.”

foreword to our programme, tells me we’re not shouting into a void. The challenge now is to keep the momentum going.

“WE NEED TO ELIMINATE THE POSTCODE LOTTERY THAT DETERMINES A CHILD’S FUTURE.” I’m taking the campaign on the road — localising the work, speaking directly to communities, and continuing to

build on the momentum we’ve created.

The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Wikipedia)

improve the care system through shared

Too much money gets lost in admin

right. We need depth and breadth —

frontline — the people who show up,

lottery that determines a child’s future.

a difference. Look after your smaller

Nicola Sturgeon said it well: “We’ll only good practice and knowledge.” She’s

and red tape. We need to support the

and we need to eliminate the postcode

day after day, doing the work that makes charities, and they’ll look after you.

THE POWER OF THE ARTS, SPORT AND TECHNOLOGY

WHAT COMES NEXT

We’re campaigning to raise the age at

I believe in the power of creativity. Sport

public petition to support it — available

to 25. Think about that: how many of

identity, direction. That’s why part of

is simple: Invest in our children, and

which young people leave care from 18 us were truly ready at 18? And yet, a

third of care leavers become homeless

within two years. We’ve also called for a National Foster Register, to ensure

matching is done with care and dignity

— so children aren’t moved from “pillar to post” 30 or 40 times. That isn’t care.

That’s trauma.

COLLABORATION, NOT COMPETITION I was proud to have the support of figures like Michael Gove, Helen

Hayes, Janet Daby and Lord John Bird — each speaking with authenticity,

each recognising the power of lived experience. Michael was himself

fostered. He knows what’s at stake. The support from leaders across party lines, including Keir Starmer who wrote the

We have a White Paper coming, and a

changed my life. It gave me purpose,

soon at Fatima’s Campaign. The message

our campaign involves introducing arts,

you invest in your future. It’s not just

sports and tech programmes to engage young people and teach vital life skills.

political; it’s moral.

FUNDING THE FUTURE

“THESE CHILDREN ARE NOT STATISTICS. THEY ARE POTENTIAL.”

I’ve raised funds mostly from the

This campaign has challenged me in

These aren't just hobbies — they are

pathways to employment, to self-worth, to sustainable independence.

everyday person — the small donations, the believers. We’ve had little to no

financial backing from big corporates, even though many of them are aware

of our work. I’ve learned tough lessons about how competitive and political

funding can be. But here’s what I’ve also

every way — physically, emotionally,

financially. But I don’t regret a second

of it. Because something is happening.

People are waking up. And as long as I’ve got breath in my lungs, I’ll keep pushing.

learned: if you invest in smaller charities,

The care system doesn’t just need fixing.

will be the ones still standing when the

statistics. They are potential. And it’s time

the ones rooted in community, they system falls short.

It needs to be seen. These children are not we gave them the chance to fulfil it. www.finito.org.uk

ISSUE 15

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COLUMNS

The Fixer

DOMINIC CUMMINGS THE FORMER ADVISOR TO BORIS JOHNSON SURVEYS THE LANDSCAPE OF BRITISH POLITICS

S

even years after the referendum and four prime ministers later, what

see it every day: Cabinet ministers reading

across Westminster and Whitehall: this

before a word had been spoken. The actual

should be obvious is still being denied country is governed by a self-satisfied

cartel of parties, civil servants, and media hacks who no longer even pretend to fix

things. They just want to be seen to care, while everything gets worse.

Everyone says “we need change” but

nobody in power is willing to do change.

The system is fundamentally broken —

and both Labour and the Conservatives

are now fully invested in keeping it broken.

Take immigration. We ran the 2019 election on a simple promise: fix the system with a proper points-based

model. Boris and I sat in meetings and

said clearly, cut low-skilled immigration, increase the high-skilled intake. The

mandarins smirked — they assumed

out scripts written by civil servants, prime ministerial “conclusions” pre-written

battles happen in the footnotes — over

who writes the paper that goes into the meeting, not the meeting itself.

This is not a functioning democracy. It’s a bureaucracy masquerading as one.

actually changed. Blair, Cameron, May,

government? No.

Johnson, Starmer — all variants of the

So where does that leave us? In a country

same formula: no strategy, no urgency, no accountability. The system absorbs

opposition, neutralises disruption, and rewards inertia.

Reeves warned of a £22 billion black hole

numbers in history. Meanwhile, Sunak

reward? More media praise. Meanwhile,

even slow them.

and productivity collapses.

Now Labour has taken over — and

You can’t fix this with another focus

on exactly the same policies. Immigration,

complete redesign.

claimed he’d “stop the boats.” He didn’t

services get worse, NHS waits grow longer,

Starmer, Reeves and Streeting are carrying

group or one more spin doctor. It needs a

taxes, energy, education — no new ideas,

We need a new model of governance

decisions. When I worked in No.10, you’d 26

company in which Farage is the sole

the establishment? Probably. Can it run a

or they’re gaslighting the public. And their

fake machine with fake meetings and fake

not a serious political party. It’s a limited

2016, in 2019 — and watched as nothing

We now have the highest legal migration

know politics is a Potemkin village. A

energy. On the other hand, Reform is

it’s a protest vehicle. Can it help topple

£10 billion. So either Labour can’t count

People outside SW1 can see this. They

He’s long been consistent on borders and

again and again for change — in 2010, in

Boris got bored, the whole thing collapsed.

model and are going through the motions.

one hand, Nigel says the right things.

candidates. No strategy. It’s not a party,

billion in taxes. The IFS said the hole was

inherited the Osborne-Sunak-Bailey

and Reform?” Good question. On the

historic lows? Because people have voted

blocked implementation. Once I left, and

and media theatre. They've simply

People say: “Ah, but what about Farage

shareholder. There’s no structure. No

in public finances — then raised £40

underpinned by civil service groupthink

things.

Ask yourself this: why is public trust at

we’d forget. When we didn’t, they simply

no delivery, just more of the same, all

people who’ve sat in panels about building

where voters know that the core issue isn’t party versus party — it’s system versus

people. Westminster versus the rest. And

as long as officials, broadcasters and legacy parties keep pretending that this is all

normal — that our economic stagnation, migration chaos and institutional decay

are just background noise — things will keep getting worse.

We need new forces. New coalitions. New

brains. And less politics-as-PR. Until then, we’re just rearranging deckchairs while the ship takes on water.

— one that prioritises outcomes, not

appearances. That means stripping back

Whitehall, rebuilding from first principles, and ending the system where ministers

serve officials, not the other way around.

Real reform would mean cutting 30% of central bureaucracy, moving key

institutions out of London, and hiring people who’ve built things rather than

Dominic Cummings

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www.finito.org.uk

ISSUE 15

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COLUMNS

Question of Degree

CHARLOTTE LEIGH THE JEWELLER DIDN’T FOLLOW THE TRADITIONAL PATH. INSTEAD, SHE BUILT TWO THRIVING BUSINESSES, RAISED A YOUNG FAMILY, AND REVOLUTIONISED THE BESPOKE JEWELLERY EXPERIENCE—PROVING THAT SUCCESS ISN’T ABOUT TICKING BOXES. I’m the only one in my family who didn’t go to university—and that turned out to be my superpower.

I actually started a degree in dance, drama and art at the University of Birmingham in 2001, but I quickly realised it wasn’t for me. I’ve always been creative and curious, but sitting through lectures on the theory of Russian ballet didn’t quite hit the spot. I left, and for a while, I felt like the family failure.

Everyone else was racking up degrees, and I felt like the one who hadn’t made the cut.

Now, I see things differently. I strongly suspect I’m neurodivergent—ADHD, autism, or maybe both—but I’ve never chased a diagnosis. Instead, I’ve learned to understand myself and create success in a way that works for me, not despite me. And honestly, that freedom to build outside the system has been my greatest asset.

At 21, I launched my first business—a property inventory company—from my mum’s spare room. She’d just left a coercively controlled marriage and had no means, so together we built something from scratch. No experience.

No qualifications. Just grit, late nights, and a whole lot of trial and error.

Within two years, we’d secured investment, moved into offices, hired staff, and added additional property services like PAT tests and EPCs. We landed clients like Berkeley Homes, JLL, Savills, and The Crown Estate— many of whom still work with us today.

And just to keep things interesting, I also survived a brain haemorrhage in the 28

Charlotte Leigh

middle of it all.

The business taught me everything you don’t learn in a lecture hall—how to make decisions when you don’t feel ready, the importance of customer service (which we won awards for), how to problem-solve, and how to take a punch and keep moving. But after several years of growth and success, something still wasn’t sitting right: I was missing a creative outlet.

Then came my engagement ring.

I had what should have been a joyful experience—but instead, it was frustrating and impersonal. I was oversold a diamond that didn’t suit my needs, ended up with a design I loathed, and was left with a ring I was too embarrassed to show off. And I realised

my friends were having the same experience: “It’s nice… but I don’t love it.” How had something so meaningful become so transactional?

That was my lightbulb moment.

Despite having no experience in the industry, I decided to reimagine the fine jewellery experience from the ground up.

I got my GIA diamond qualifications, trained with Melanie Eddy at The Goldsmiths’ Centre, and worked (unpaid!) in workshops just to observe the goldsmiths at work and understand how jewellery is actually made.

One moment with Melanie will stay with me forever. I asked her, “Am I mad for thinking I can do this?” She looked at me and said, “Charlotte, you’re already doing it.” That gave me the confidence I

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emotional intelligence, creativity, and resilience. I’ve learned to back myself even when others didn’t. And that ability to trust my gut is what’s allowed me to innovate where others followed tradition.

Redefining failure and success I’ve been underestimated plenty of times. I’ve had moments of self-doubt, of feeling judged for not having a degree. But now I see those moments for what they were: fuel. Success, for me, is about freedom, purpose, and legacy— not just accolades.

Advice for others needed—but there was more. I told her how I approached my designs by first working out the profitability and then designing the piece backwards from there. She paused and said, “I’ve never heard a designer work that way before.”

Most get swept up in creativity and then realise later that the design isn’t commercially viable. But I was doing it the other way round—balancing creativity with business instinct from day one.

While building industry connections, I was still running the property business and raising two small children at home.

It was intense. But every free moment, every nap time or evening, I poured into refining my design process.

I started by working with family and friends, asking for their unworn or inherited pieces—the ones sitting in jewellery boxes, untouched but too sentimental to part with. I remodelled them, tested my CAD and 3D-printing workflow, and perfected the client journey. I designed pieces that could be seen, touched, and tried on in model form before they were made. Everyone was blown away. The response was clear: I was onto something special.

celebrities, and collectors. I source the best-value diamonds for every budget—including rare fancy coloured stones and investment-grade options.

I specialise in remodelling heirlooms into showstoppers and creating bespoke pieces that are as meaningful as they are beautiful.

To anyone feeling the pressure to follow a conventional path—especially young people—please know: there are many ways to succeed. University is brilliant for some. But the world also needs people who are brave enough to do things differently. Who listen to their gut. Who bet on themselves.

My clients get a truly immersive experience, and they work directly with me—not a junior designer. I bring together artistry, transparency, and cutting-edge technology, and I work exclusively with the finest workshops in the UK. My goldsmiths have won six Craft & Design Awards and are widely regarded as the best in the business.

The full circle

I’ve been featured in national newspapers, magazines, and on television. But for me, the real reward is the look on a client’s face when they see their story told in precious metals and stones. When the work speaks to their heart.

Charlotte is a UK-based entrepreneur, diamond specialist, and bespoke fine jewellery designer. After launching a successful property business at just 21, she went on to disrupt the fine jewellery industry with her immersive, client-led design process. Her work has been featured in national newspapers, magazines, and on television. She works closely with high-networth individuals, celebrities, and collectors to create extraordinary one-of-a-kind pieces using a blend of traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology.

Today, I’m still a director of the property business, but the day-to-day is handled brilliantly by my husband and mum— freeing me up to focus fully on jewellery design. And I’ve never felt more aligned with what I do.

So I launched.

The power of instinct and self-belief

Today, my jewellery business is thriving.

I work with high-profile individuals,

Without any formal background, I’ve had to lean hard on soft skills—instinct,

In the end, being “unqualified” is what made me exceptional. I wasn’t boxed in by the way things had always been done. I built something better—two businesses, in fact—while raising a family and rewriting the rulebook.

No degree required.

charlotte@lottieleigh.com www.lottieleigh.com @lottieleighfinejewellery www.finito.org.uk

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Relatively Speaking

GUY RITCHIE THE LEGENDARY FILMMAKER ON HIS BACKGROUND AND UPBRINGING AND HOW IT IMPACTED HIM

L

et me say something off the bat: I don't really trust anything that

Guy Ritchie (Wikipedia)

doesn't burn, bend, or break. That's why I'm a fan of wood. It moves, it cuts, it

burns. It gives back. And I'm not sure our modern world gives back in quite the same way.

I'm not very interested in theory that

doesn't bleed into action. If it doesn't

burn, bend, or break, it's probably not

worth much. Wood does all three — and so, I've built a life around it.

I was raised by a single mum in a

rambling old farmhouse in Hatfield

Heath, Essex — not posh, not poor, just full of dust and character. My dad was a bit more of a rolling stone, dropped

in now and then. But his story shaped me in ways I'm still understanding.

He had a rough time. Lost both his

parents before the age of ten. Saw his grandmother killed in front of him

during the war when a bomb dropped on the Cumberland Hotel. Of 26 relatives before the First World War, only three

early on. I'm dyslexic — which meant, in

I didn't meet anyone who went to

history without making a religion of

thick. I was neither. Just wired differently.

whole world — it just didn't touch mine.

made it through the second. I carry that it. But it's part of me. It's why I can't stomach complaining.

the eyes of 1980s teachers, either lazy or

I always thought the way I saw the world was perfectly logical. It just didn't match

My mum, too, had no real parenting in

the paper in front of me. But when you're

late. The result? An upbringing without

just get up and leave. Which I did —

the value of resilience. These were people

I didn't grow up in the system. Or rather,

her early years. She wasn't adopted until

10 years old, you don't explain that. You

much softness. But in a way, it taught me

permanently — at 15.

who didn't outsource their responsibility — they just got on with it. The real

consistency in my life was things. Broken things. Old things. Solid things. Bits of

machinery, wooden stools, rusty spanners — things that had stories but didn't talk.

I didn't like school much. That was clear 30

I grew up dodging it. No one talked to

me about what being an adult meant. No

one had a conversation about the point of education — certainly not independence, or self-reliance. It was all structure, no

essence. And I've been suspicious of that imbalance ever since.

university until I was about 30. That

Instead, I was earning a tenner a day in

the back of a van moving antiques, fixing Windsor chairs badly, trying to make

something out of the day with my hands.

I grew up fiddling with broken chairs in the back of a van, trading antiques for a

tenner a day, learning how to tell a story

with your hands before you ever thought of writing one down. I started Ritchie's Removals at 18. My education came

through weight, friction and figuring things out.

I learned early on that family isn't just

biology — it's who shows up. My mum

COLUMNS

showed up. She worked hard, believed in

storytelling, or jiu-jitsu. You have to feel

you can build with your hands and live in

that's why I've always wanted to build

“THE EDUCATION SYSTEM DOESN’T TELL YOU THAT BEING AN ADULT MEANS BECOMING SOMEONE YOU CAN RELY ON.”

We need to solve the housing crisis, yes

I'm not a fan of dependency. That's

means something.

me before anyone else did. And I suppose communities — whether on a film set or in a village square. Family is people who

do the work with you. Who shoulder the weight and walk beside you when it's easier to drift off.

“I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE WAY I SAW THE WORLD WAS PERFECTLY LOGICAL. IT JUST DIDN'T MATCH THE PAPER IN FRONT OF ME.” That's still the way I like to work.

it. It has to hurt a bit.

not a boast — it's just that by then, I'd

already figured out how to pay my way.

I've always felt independence — real

independence — is the goal. Not because it's heroic. Because it's honest. Because

if you build something yourself, it'll hold you up when everything else falls away.

Efficiency is romantic to me. The right

The education system doesn't really talk

when you're not looking. It's the same

adult means becoming someone you can

chair, or a career. You've got to marry the

how to shuffle around the deck of the

beautiful but doesn't work, it's not worth

At my company, of the hundred or

point. The sweet spot's in the overlap:

university degree. He was a captain in

with your heart.

— but not just with units and data. With

villages. With craftsmanship. With pride.

Wouldn't it be nice to build something

people want near them? Somewhere that fits in, not stands out. Somewhere you'd be proud to walk your kids through.

That's what I'm aiming for — not the Disney version of a model village, but

something that breathes and burns and Somewhere along the way I became

obsessed with charcoal, pizza ovens, and stargazing. The fire draws you in — the

stars remind you you're small. And if you cook your eggs on a slowly cooling oven

in the morning, you start your day with a kind of poetry that's been lost.

What I'm trying to do — in films, in

that old-fashioned sense of direction.

“THE NATURAL WORLD OFFERS EVERYTHING — WARMTH, FUEL, RHYTHM, CLARITY. IT WILL TEACH YOU TO LISTEN, IF YOU'LL LET IT.”

those two worlds: form and function,

difference between boys and men. Boys

Everything I'm interested in now —

designed. You walk into one of my cabins,

I don't like being bound by conditions,

it — the roof slides off, the woodburner's

the very real fear around my children's

tool for the job. Something that works

about that. Doesn't tell you that being an

with how I build — villages, cabins, a

rely on. Instead, we teach young people

conceptual with the physical. If it's just

boat — never how to swim.

it. If it's efficient but ugly, it misses the

so people we employ, only one's got a

beauty that earns its keep.

the army, and you can tell — he's got

building, in community — is to reconcile

He doesn't drift. And I think that's the

essence and structure, the primal and the

drift. Men row.

and sure, there's a bit of theatre about

even though I often am — tethered by

ticking — but it's also designed to last, to move, to evolve.

Here's the irony: my kids prefer living here, in a cabin under a £12,000

retractable roof, than in our "proper"

house. Why? Because they can see the

wellbeing. I swing between wanting to

build a village and wanting to disappear into the woods. But the village keeps

same thing: how to live well, without becoming tethered to nonsense. The natural world offers everything —

warmth, fuel, rhythm, clarity. It will teach you to listen, if you'll let it.

So here's the goal: build things that last.

again — if we get the basics right.

they're perfect — but because they work

believe we can build places people love And here's the thing: I'm not nostalgic.

It's fun. It's warm. It doesn't lie to you.

with top hats and handshakes. I'm

The same could be said of community,

or stargazing — it all comes back to the

winning. I believe in people. And I

sky. Because they can cook with fire.

Because something real happens here.

whether it's charcoal, jiu-jitsu, storytelling

I'm not yearning for some lost England yearning for the future. A better one. One

People. Buildings. Ideas. Not because when the storm comes. Stop asking

others to define you. Don't outsource your beliefs. Don't drift. Row. And the storm always comes. www.finito.org.uk

ISSUE 15

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Ten Thousand Hours

NIGEL TAIT CHRISTOPHER JACKSON TALKS TO THE GREAT LAWYER ABOUT JUSTICE, REPUTATION, AND THE AGE OF THE ALGORITHM

N

igel Tait, Managing Partner at Carter-Ruck, enters not with fanfare, but with a calm authority, courteous, composed, and that particular brand of lawyerly calm that comes from decades spent keeping other people’s reputations and privacy protected from media attacks. As with many media lawyers, there’s a distinct sense that he could tell some extraordinary stories but of course, they’re all confidential and Tait is far too discreet to tell them, which is exactly why clients and referrers alike trust him.

Nigel Tait, managing partner, Carter-Ruck

That discretion is part of the job and

it’s precisely because of his steady hand that Tait is known in legal circles as

“the doyen” of media law. Many lawyers’ websites make grand claims, but in

Tait’s case, it’s no exaggeration. Over

the years, he’s been at the forefront of

"I hadn’t read much of the book by the

privacy and defamation cases. But as we

what I was currently reading and what

some of the UK’s most high-profile

sit down in his smart Fetter Lane office; appropriately low-key, yet at the very heart of legal London, what emerges is not just a career of highlights, but a story of personal and professional evolution against the backdrop of

a rapidly shifting media and legal landscape.

FROM FRANCIS PYM TO FRONT PAGE STORIES

time of the interview but was asked

I thought of it," he says. "On the back cover a reviewer had stated that it was hard to disagree with what the author said, so I used that as my answer. It

obviously worked he quips, "because I received an offer.

Over a career of almost 40 years,

Tait has become a central figure in the defence of individual privacy

and corporate reputation in the UK

THE CHANGING FACE OF LAW “When I started,” he says, “it was telex

machines, then faxes. Now, a defamatory

tweet/post can reach millions in minutes and the legal consequences need to move just as fast.”

Tait has had a front-row seat for

that transformation. Carter-Ruck, its reputation originally forged for

its defamation and privacy work, has a now long and notable presence in Parliamentary, sanctions and

Rewinding to the beginning, Tait’s

and beyond. His professional life has

with a grand masterplan. In fact, he

the explosion of social media, making

at Carter-Ruck saved, he says, by his

unrecognisable compared to today. It’s

Adaptability has always been at the

change.

for a media law firm evolution isn’t just

entry into the profession didn’t come

spanned the rise of the internet and

laughs as he recalls his trainee interview

the early days of his career almost

last-minute glance at the back cover of Francis Pym’s Politics of Consent.

32

a story of rapid and at times alarming

International Arbitration law, advising

MPs, global business leaders, companies and heads of state.

cornerstone of a good legal adviser but

COLUMNS

important its essential. "To operate

before its published which occasionally

WWI now also provides mentoring,

to be ahead of the issues our clients face

seek an injunction. Then there is post-

community of shared experience. “The

consistently at this level the firm has had from the intricacies of digital platforms and global reputational risk to evolving concepts of privacy and the balance of freedom of expression." Tait says. Tait

knows this means not only keeping pace

with (and in his case developing) the law but shaping his advice so it reflects the

realities of the 24/7 media environment his clients and all of us face. Tait says

“clients want clarity, speed and strategy

and a real awareness of the issues they’re dealing with. But above all they want results”.

“AT ITS BEST, MEDIA LAW IS ABOUT DIGNITY — GIVING PEOPLE THE TOOLS TO TELL

may have to involve going to court to publication where you deal with the

aftermath and seek redress. But much of our work involves keeping clients

out of trouble and away from the media spotlight in the first place."

Standout moments? Tait has had

plenty including PJS v News Group

of the Year, and the firm continues to

sit comfortably in Band 1 of the legal directories. Tait, Spear’s magazine's

Reputation Lawyer of the Year, as usual, underplays his own role in that success.

A LEGAL CAREER IN THREE ACTS Asked to break down the role for

aspiring lawyers, Tait offers a neat

framework. “There are really three

stages in claimant media law,” he says.

“Pre-publication, that’s the firefighting stage, trying to prevent the breach

of privacy/confidence or defamation

changing that. Not just in policy but in practice.”

LEGACY AND

of Appeal twice and finally to the

Tait remains focused on the future. “I

For someone with such a storied CV,

Supreme Court where the UK’s highest

love working with young lawyers and

court granted an injunction to prevent misuse of private information. "It was

certainly one of the high points of my career," says Tait.

watching them grow into their careers and I am still learning myself from others.”

“I LOVE WORKING WOMEN WHO INSPIRE:

WITH YOUNG

CHAMPIONING EQUITY IN

LAWYERS AND

LAW

been his long-standing commitment to

Reputation Management Law Firm

“We’ve got to be intentional about

that went to the High Court, the Court

PROTECT IT, WHEN

with the 2024 Citywealth Award for

structural and cultural,” Tait reflects.

LEADERSHIP

One of the less talked-about but deeply

That evolution was recently recognised

challenges for women in law are often

Newspapers, a landmark privacy case

THEIR STORY, OR IT MATTERS MOST.”

career development support and a

WATCHING THEM

significant strands of Tait’s career has

GROW INTO THEIR

inclusion, particularly the advancement

CAREERS AND I AM

of women in the legal profession.

STILL LEARNING

encouraged the Women Who Inspire

MYSELF FROM

At Carter-Ruck, he supported and

(WWI) initiative, a network designed to

OTHERS.”

professionals in law and beyond.

What’s the one thing he hopes young

spotlight, celebrate and empower female The initiative hosts high-profile guest speakers from across business, law,

media and politics, from BAFTA-

nominated producer Sam McAlister, best known for securing the Prince

Andrew interview for Newsnight, to

Baroness Helena Kennedy KC, a tireless voice for civil liberties. “These are

people take from his story?

“Don’t be afraid of complexity,” he says.

“And never forget that what we do

affects real lives. At its best, media law

is about dignity, giving people the tools to tell their story, or protect it, when it matters most.”

women with extraordinary stories and

As I leave his office, I realise that while

a space where young female lawyers

changing, figures like Nigel Tait provide

impact,” says Tait. “We wanted to create and students could hear and see what’s possible.”

It’s more than just a speaker series.

the media landscape may be ever-

the kind of consistency the world still badly needs. Calm in the storm, and clarity in the noise.

www.finito.org.uk

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COLUMNS

Tomorrow’s Leaders

ZUBAIR JUNJUNIA FINITO WORLD MEETS ZUBAIR JUNJUNIA, THE YOUNG FOUNDER OF THE EXTRAORDINARILY SUCCESSFUL Z NOTES

Zubair Junjunia

Let’s begin at the beginning — when you look back at your early years, were there signs even then of the

path you would follow? What first

awakened your passion for education and equal access?

I was born and raised in Jeddah, Saudi

Arabia, to Pakistani parents, and studied

in a British school. It was a multicultural upbringing, fusing my Pakistani heritage with British schooling and Saudi culture and history. Even then, I noticed a clear gap. I had great resources and qualified teachers, but I saw others around me struggling due to a lack of relevant

passion to serve the mission of equal access in education.

You founded ZNotes at just 16. Can you take us back to that moment?

What was the gap you saw —

and how did you begin to build something from nothing?

At 16, I saw firsthand the inequities

of the education system as I took an

exam alongside hundreds of thousands of others around the world, yet each

facing completely different realities. This realisation of the uneven playing field prompted me to start ZNotes.

resources or underqualified teachers. It

During my IGCSEs, I had created

standardised exams that played such a

my exams, I thought to share these

felt unfair that students faced the same big role in our future, yet the support we received was so unequal. This firsthand experience of witnessing educational inequality was the beginning of my 34

notes to revise for myself, and after online so it could benefit others too.

That was the first version of ZNotes.

What I did not realise was that there

were thousands of students around the

world looking for just that. When I

started getting messages from people in different countries saying how much it

had helped them, I knew this had to be built into something bigger. Suddenly, we had users coming from all over the

world who not only benefited from the resources but also began offering to

contribute, turning it from a solo project to a student-led movement.

Today, ZNotes is an award-winning

online learning platform providing free

access to high-quality learning resources and peer-learning support that has

reached six million students and 40+

million hits in 190+ countries. ZNotes primarily focuses on students between the ages of 14 to 18 completing high

school exams across nine national and

international exam boards by providing free access to high-quality learning

resources and peer-learning support.

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A lot of young people have ideas,

but fewer have the staying power to turn them into sustainable, global organisations. What personal

qualities or mindsets do you think helped you make that leap?

I think a big part of it is being

consistent. I never imagined ZNotes

would become what it has today, that I

would be running a global startup from an initiative I started as a teenager 11 years ago. But through my schooling and university years, I continued to

stay consistent and dedicated. More

importantly, I believed in solving the

underlying social problem rather than

being obsessed about my solution. This enabled ZNotes to continue to evolve

and serve our users in the best possible way, always remaining differentiated

and relevant. The habits of consistency

empowered on that journey.

ZNotes has grown into a global

should be a bigger part of how we educate young people today?

movement, but it’s also still personal.

Entrepreneurship is not just about

users and to the mission behind the

solving, creativity, and resilience.

How do you stay connected to your platform?

ZNotes continues to be supported by hundreds of volunteers spanning the

globe, each contributing across varying

levels of engagement and skillsets. With

starting businesses; it is about problemThese are skills every young person

should have, whether or not they start a company, and play an increasingly

important role in future jobs in an AIpowered world.

students at the heart of everything

What role do you see for policy,

and connected to our student base.

collaboration in fixing the structural

we do, we always remain relevant

government, or cross-sector

Alongside our learning platform that

problems in education?

serves millions, ZNotes also cultivates a global peer-learning community on

Discord that supports tens of thousands of students. This community is a

continuous source of feedback and new ideas as our platform develops.

Access and equity in education

is a wicked problem, and it needs

collaboration across the third sector,

governments, corporates, and startups to really solve it. In the startup world,

we have the ability to move fast, adapt

appear in my life in other ways too, such

The education sector is facing

quickly, and use the latest technologies

(running every single day a minimum of

accessibility to post-pandemic

also comes with limitations: startups

the future of learning? And what

need to focus on narrow use cases to

as my dedication to my running streak

5km outdoors) that has now lasted over 10 years! Finally, it is about making it

sustainable - I dedicated time towards

ZNotes during my university years but also maintained healthy academics,

social and sports activities. Whether it

was racing for the UCL Cross Country team, to travelling with friends or

going deep into learning about general relativity and cosmology in my maths

degree, I maintained a healthy balance across my varied interests.

What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started?

To be a leader is to empower every single individual in your team, to

identify their unique traits and enable

them to contribute towards the mission

over a sustained period of time. It is easy to be obsessed with achieving isolated tasks and maximising productivity,

but true innovation and growth as a

team only happens when everyone is

immense change — from AI to

to solve problems. But that mindset

inequality. What excites you about

often lack resources and capacity and

worries you?

build sustainable models. That is not

AI has the potential to truly personalise

focus allows for innovation.

learning at scale like never before.

However, it maintains the critical

challenge that any digital tool has

- those across the digital divide will have inequalities exacerbated. We

must consider how we bring these

technologies to those most likely to be left behind. Alongside this, we must ensure the quality and delivery of

content ensures cognitive development

and accuracy of information. At ZNotes, we have developed a personalised

AI tutor bot that answers students’

questions by using only pre-validated

and syllabus-aligned learning content.

Our future AI strategy continues to

leverage our unique data and aligns with learning principles.

Do you believe entrepreneurship

necessarily a bad thing, though, and the What really matters is how we

collaborate with others to scale those

innovations. Larger organisations like governments, multilaterals, and non-

profits bring the structure, networks, and scale that startups cannot always reach

on their own. That is why collaboration is key.

For ZNotes, we have worked with

amazing partners like UNDP, who have not only elevated our work but also

helped us access country offices and

bring our work to the ground. We have

partnered with non-profits to co-create content, especially around skills. And

we have had support from corporates through accelerators, funding, and

credits, organisations like Samsung,

AWS, Meta, EY, and many more. That www.finito.org.uk

ISSUE 15

35

COLUMNS

is how ZNotes continues to operate and

moments. That is actually the heart of it.

quieter parts. Success in relationships,

but growing through the strength of this

and I do not keep going because of it

as a person, maintaining health and

scale impact: staying agile as a startup wider ecosystem.

I did not start ZNotes for recognition, either.

Who have been the key mentors

What truly fills me with joy is hearing a

far? Are there writers, thinkers, or

into someone who tells me how ZNotes

perspective?

real, tangible change that matters more

I have always drawn inspiration from

time, I understand how powerful these

or inspirations in your journey so

meaningful piece of feedback or running

figures you return to when you need

impacted their life. That is the kind of

social impact leaders like Muhammad Yunus, who pioneered microfinance

with Grameen Bank. I also look up to other founders in the EdTech space

like Haroon Yasin from Taleemabad,

Mathieu Nebra from OpenClassrooms, and Luis von Ahn from Duolingo, who have built impactful, scalable education platforms while sustaining strong,

values-driven companies that support

their teams and create real employment opportunities.

than any global stage. At the same

platforms can be. They open doors to

partnerships, governments, and global collaboration. So, I see it as a balance,

friendships, starting families, developing balance, these matter just as much. In

fact, they might be the only things that remain when everything else is gone.

Finally, what’s next for you and

ZNotes? What are you most excited about over the coming year?

ZNotes now reaches over a million

students each year with 85% of them in

emerging economies. In the last year, our

staying grounded in the mission while

largest user bases have been in South

the impact. The mission has to stay at

Africa, and the Middle East, regions

recognising that visibility can help scale

Asia, Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan

the centre of everything.

with young populations and strained

What does success look like to

you now — and has that definition changed over time?

Success is shaped by our experiences

education systems. What is exciting is that this growth has mostly been

organic, driven by students sharing it

with each other, grassroots communities, and teachers adopting the platform.

I am incredibly fortunate to have a

and the things we value most at a given

admire and can turn to for honest advice

only image of a “successful” startup

scaling this impact further by going

curve and a massive valuation. But that

localised content, adding more language

smaller teams with sustainable revenue

through our school-focused initiative.

Looking ahead, we are focused on

global advisory council of people I

moment. There was a time when the

when it matters most. And beyond

was one with a hockey stick growth

deeper. That means expanding our

definition is already changing. Today,

support, and increasing adoption

models and deep impact are often seen

We have already launched pilots for

the professional side, the founder’s

journey is deeply personal. I have been lucky to have mentors and family

members who share my values and

aspirations, and who have been essential to my own growth as a leader and to

ZNotes’ evolution as a mission-driven organisation.

You’ve been featured by Forbes,

Samsung, and UNDP — but you remain grounded. How do you

stay balanced amid the demands of

as more successful than companies with inflated valuations and huge employee bases. Mission-driven and impactful

companies are gaining more recognition, and rightly so.

My own definition of success has

evolved in that same way. I see success in how much impact an organisation can

national curricula in places like Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Pakistan, and India, and we want to keep growing our support

across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Leveraging AI to accelerate content

development and facilitate peer-learning allows us to scale impact faster.

create, not just externally for its users,

At the same time, we are building

I am incredibly grateful to be recognised

success shows up not just on its balance

ministries of education so we can reach

with inspiring leaders and young

in the way it becomes a catalyst for

systems of support. Through emerging

been like this, much of the ZNotes

ecosystem.

glamour, without the visibility or global

success we often overlook: the personal,

visibility and leadership?

but internally for its team. A company’s

partnerships with NGOs, EdTech, and

and given the chance to share spaces

sheet or in its impact report, but also

even more learners and create stronger

changemakers. But it has not always

others, how it inspires and supports its

journey happened without the glitz and

And then there is a whole other layer of

36

AI technologies, sustainable education

models, and a proven ability to execute, ZNotes is pioneering the future of

equitable, technology-driven learning.

The Smart Solution for GCSE Maths Success and Personalised Education Empower your school community with innovative digital tools that support teachers, engage students, and help every learner reach their potential - an essential solution in today’s world, where technology complements teaching, not replaces it.

For more info visit: www.21c.digital www.finito.org.uk

ISSUE 15

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COLUMNS

Those Are My Principles

ECE TEMELKURAN THE TURKISH WRITER AND NOVELIST ON THE STATE OF GLOBAL DEMOCRACY

M

y problem with the word democracy to begin with

is what kind of democracy are we

talking about? There is a growing

reaction against democracy. From

where I stand, what I see is the crisis

of the capitalist system coupled with a broken form of democracy.

It is natural and understandable that

people lost their faith in democracy on a global level – and especially in those

countries where we thought democracy was mature and well-developed. For decades, especially since the end of

the Cold War, democracy has failed

to fulfil its promises: the fundamental

contract of equality has been cancelled by capitalism. I believe the unleashed

form of capitalism called neoliberalism has taken over.

“DEMOCRACY HAS FAILED TO FULFIL ITS PROMISES: THE FUNDAMENTAL CONTRACT OF EQUALITY HAS BEEN CANCELLED

BY CAPITALISM.”

Ece Temelkuran (Wikipedia.org)

The most important achievement of

Much of the debate around these

it made us believe that it’s not an

capitalism, and the way in which

neoliberalism or capitalism is that

ideology – it’s the given order and the natural way of things. Many

People are reacting to this reality

people think that this is the world –

authoritarian regimes, general

people think America is capitalism.

reaction to politics. People are trying

America and humanity are bigger than

the promises of human equality,

There are many books on this,

in various ways, whether it be

that capitalism is the world. Many

cynicism against democracy or a

Many people do not realise that both

to find another system which fulfils

this.

dignity and justice.

including my How to Lose a Country.

38

things evades the question of

neoliberalism deformed the idea of

democracy. The idea is that if we can fix one or two things in the political

machine then everything will be back to normal. The analysis also often

outsources the problem to the people – we say the people don’t believe in

democracy enough and that it needs to be reinvigorated.

The question became: Why did we

COLUMNS

lose our faith in democracy? There

was a massive panic after Trump came to power and there was a desperate

mobilisation. We watched it from the other part of the world with pitiful eyes.

What are Trump, Modi or Erdogan supporters? They are reacting to a

we need to go back to emotion, cause, faith, meaning.

“THE MOST IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENT OF NEOLIBERALISM IS

system but they are reacting to a

THAT IT MADE US

given. It is an essentially emotional

BELIEVE IT’S NOT

system with a narrative they’ve been narrative which tells the supporters that they are victims, their pride is

broken and if they come together and support this strongman, he will go

to the power hub, defend their pride

and make the elite kneel down before them.

AN IDEOLOGY — IT’S THE NATURAL WAY OF THINGS.” I left my country in 2016 because

I do not call it rightwing populism anymore - is inherently present in the neoliberal system and we realised it too late.

Some people wanted to see people in army boots when we talk of fascism.

This was necessary in the 1930s when there was a massive workers’ movement. Today, there is no such massive strong workers’ movement or leftist movement. Actually, they can come to power through clownish figures such as Trump.

It was painful to see American

the fear was paralyzing and it was

democracy come to pieces in four

I moved to Zagreb on the borders

political animals. They had fascist or

impossible to do any intellectual work.

years. Modi, Erdogan – these are

I STAND, WHAT

of Europe. I was watching the same

political Islamist organisations which

I SEE IS THE

high definition. I was going around in

“FROM WHERE

CRISIS OF THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM COUPLED WITH A BROKEN FORM OF

movie on a bigger screen with more

Europe and the United States saying: “This is what is going to happen to

had been there for decades. Trump had nothing, just funny hair and a television show and we saw the whole

you.” It took them quite a long time

mechanism coming down.

going through was different. They

“FASCISM IS

to accept that the crisis they were

thought things happened in Turkey

INHERENTLY

India because it’s a crazy country –

PRESENT IN THE

to what was really going on.

NEOLIBERAL

those people together. The victimhood

But they forgot there are seven

SYSTEM — AND WE

But then there was another bit:

dictatorship, which I outline in How

REALISED IT TOO

DEMOCRACY.” It was the politics of emotions, which they are masters of, which brought

because it’s a Muslim country, in

Western exceptionalism blinded them

was true – it was to do with inequality.

easy steps from democracy to

manufactured victimhood. Many of

to Lose a Country. They just don’t

LATE.”

feel in life. We can approach it, or

So what’s the common reason? It

We have to do something globally

cannot feel it. We do not know the

democracy. It was eating up what was

which we are living right now. These

Modi and Trump were caricatures of

promised them that, they promised

articles in 2016 that Trump would

us cannot know what ordinary people

always happen in the same order.

glimpse it, or understand it – but we

was capitalistic ideals taking over

urge to feel part of a greater thing

left of democracy.

strongmen, these political leaders,

human cynicism. There were serious

them meaning and a cause – these are the things which progressives and the left in general have left behind. So

about this. We have to share information – and my part of the world has to share experience and yours share the stamina. Ask anyone in Turkey or India, and they’re

only last one year – and now there is

exhausted. First, we have to come

immunity. The fact is fascism – and

inhumane.

a Supreme Court hearing about his

to the agreement that the system is

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39

EVENTS

A New Politics of Care

SIR ED DAVEY SPEAKS AT THE EAST INDIA CLUB The Rt Hon Sir Ed Davey MP

F

inito recently hosted a special breakfast at the East India Club,

bringing together a wide-ranging

group of guests from across politics,

business, law, media, and education.

Among the attendees were Professor Michael Mainelli, Romie Tager KC, David Landsman OBE, Lady Lucy French, Giles Clarke, and many

others. The guest of honour was the

Rt Hon Sir Ed Davey MP, Leader of

the Liberal Democrats, who delivered a deeply personal and timely address

on the themes of care, leadership, and the urgent need for social reform.

moment to present Sir Ed with a hat

in policy terms, but in deeply personal

on it in a gesture that combined

more than that, I wanted to tell the

with the Liberal Democrat colours humour with high regard. “This is Ece Temelkuran today’s stunt,” said Davey.

Speaking without notes, Sir Ed shared a moving and often raw account of

the UK who care for a loved one every single day and yet are rarely seen or heard in our political discourse.

My father died when I was four. He

of care should be at the heart of how

gone by March. I didn’t really know

political mission—and why the issue

we think about policy, the NHS, and the future of the economy. Below,

we publish an edited version of his remarks:

I wrote Why I Care: And Why Care

Dinesh Dhamija, who also took a

has been shaped by caring—not just

40

story of over seven million people in

how his personal story has shaped his

The event was generously sponsored by entrepreneur and philanthropist

ways. I wanted to tell my story, but

Matters because so much of my life

was diagnosed in November and

him, but he did everything he could

in those final months to protect us—

leaving a will to support our education and letters to each of his sons. That

sense of love, of being cared for even in absence, stayed with me.

My mother was extraordinary. She

EVENTS Dinesh Dhamija, sponsor

The Rt Hon Sir Ed Davey MP

David Landsman OBE

Simon Blagden CBE and Ronel Lehmann The Rt Hon Sir Ed Davey MP

Stephen Alexander, Nicholas Riddle and Julia Thaxton

www.finito.org.uk

ISSUE 15

41

EVENTS Graham Child

Dinesh Dhamija, The Rt Hon Sir Ed Davey MP and Ronel Lehmann Zubair Junjunia

42

EVENTS Roderick Lynch and The Rt Hon Sir Ed Davey MP

held our family together in the aftermath of that loss. But when I was twelve, she became seriously ill with cancer. My brothers and I, alongside our grandparents, became her carers. I spent countless hours by her side. That experience, painful as it was, taught me resilience—and taught me that a stable, loving family can carry you through almost anything.

Later in life, I looked after my grandmother. And today, my wife and I care for our son John, who has a serious neurological condition.

These experiences don’t just inform my politics; they define them. They’ve shown me how broken our system is, but also how much possibility there is for change—if only we have the courage to prioritise care as the essential infrastructure of a functioning society.

For too long, we've talked about reforming social care in the abstract.

Since 1997, there have been 27 reviews and commissions, two rounds

of legislation—and yet we’re still stuck. Meanwhile, the NHS is under immense pressure, in part because people can’t be discharged due to a lack of proper care provision.

Too often, decisions are made without

But here’s the thing: if we supported family carers properly, if we recognised them as partners rather than invisible assets, we could transform not just the care system but the wider economy.

It’s not just a moral imperative—it’s a financial one.

admissions, improve wellbeing, and

In my constituency, a group of carers for people with dementia formed a WhatsApp group. That simple act—no massive funding, no grand strategy— reduced isolation, increased access to advice, and extended people’s capacity to care for their loved ones at home.

It worked. It’s those kinds of low-cost, high-impact innovations we need to scale.

The medical profession, for all its brilliance, often overlooks family carers. My wife and I have seen this firsthand when advocating for our son.

the people who know the patient best.

That mindset has to change.

Care isn’t sentimental—it’s structural.

If we get it right, we reduce hospital save money. But more than that,

we become a better society—one

that values reciprocity, understands

vulnerability, and rewards empathy.

I also talk in the book about the

anthropologist Marcel Mauss, and his

idea of the gift—not just as a material exchange, but as a moral contract.

That’s how I see caring. It’s not a

transaction. It’s a relationship. It’s the essence of being human.

We have to think differently—about how we train, how we plan housing, how we support working carers, and how we build a culture that

doesn’t isolate people as they age,

but integrates them. It’s not about

sentiment. It’s about systems. And it’s long overdue.

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ISSUE 15

43

FEATURES Deep dives into the issues that matter 66 | IT TOLLS FOR YOU Time and Careers

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62 AGAINST INCURIOSITY Why do we turn a blind eye?

78 CRYPTO Breaking down the digital lingo

88 FIGUERES IT OUT Our Latest Bursary Candidate

COVER STORY

EXCLUSIVE:

DAME JUDI DENCH AND THE ART OF LONGEVITY CHRISTOPHER JACKSON

Alamy.com

46

COVER STORY

D

ame Judi Dench doesn’t walk; she glides. Even at 90, she seems

Technique, and I notice how a fluency

used to being looked at, this must be

different element — air, yes, but mixed

a spatial awareness is still there even in

someone now very near total blindness.

diminishment.

to move as though through some

with light. There’s an effortlessness to her presence, a practiced grace that

doesn’t just enter a room; it reshapes it.

I see a group of girls have their photo taken with her, and when she moves

away they jump up and down in delight like they’ve just finished their final exams: “She’s so lovely!”

I. AT CLARIDGE’S The scene is Claridge’s and her 90th

birthday – well, not exactly, since her real

of movement characterises her, and how

“GRACE ISN’T DECORATION —

difficult. Even so, there is no hint of For a while I must admit I’m one of

those looking at her and this gives me a moment to look at the famous face,

and then look at the sculpted likeness by

IT’S FOUNDATION.”

Frances Segelman. “I can imagine what

All of the famous have their power. In

were alive today. How wonderful to see

my own life, I remember the gallery

of the well-known: the jauntiness of

Roger Daltrey; the quiet bafflement of Andre Agassi at all the fanfare; Sting’s seigneurial good cheer.

Dame Maggie Smith would say if she

Judi being turned to a monument before our eyes.”

Segelman works swiftly and clearly

enjoys her work. What one thinks as

one watches is not just of this face: the

birthday was last year and it is now May

And it’s never anything less than very

that other milestone. In fact, it’s a fund-

Often I’ve seen a well-known

characters it’s also inhabited.

involuntarily, you flinch slightly. There’s

Victoria in Mrs Brown and again in

2025, as close to her 91st birthday as

raiser organised by the photographer

and protégé of Henry Moore Gemma

Levine to help raise funds and awareness for lymphoedema research. This is a

disease that rarely receives the attention it deserves, despite its often devastating

effects. Since her own diagnosis, Levine has thrown herself into the cause

with both urgency and grace, and this

event was another example of how she leverages art for activism.

As part of her training, Dench was

taught what is known as the Alexander

bizarre.

kindly eyes, the look of earned wisdom and the quiet dignity – but of all the

person arrive at an event and, almost

This is the face that has been Queen

a ritual in that moment, one which

Victoria & Abdul, where warmth and

both parties know by heart: the person is recognised; the observer performs

recognition. And in the eye of the storm, the famous person — that weary dancer in a dance they never quite chose — steels themselves once more.

steel lived side by side. It's the face that was both commanding and broken as

Iris Murdoch in Iris, and that brought a quiet, terrifying gravitas to M in the James Bond franchise. On stage, it’s

been Ophelia, Cleopatra, Lady Macbeth

It is sometimes possible to see her

– each one rendered unforgettable

there must be many better things in

humanity, and force.

and admired. It’s possible to study

Dench has worn the masks of monarchs,

there up on the stage and think that

with that unmistakable blend of clarity,

the world than to be globally famous

Across film, theatre, and television,

Shakespeare all your life, to devote every

matriarchs, mentors, and mischief-

fibre of yourself to the transmission of

language, memory, and meaning, and to

find yourself paraded in public like some curious relic — an artefact of culture in a time that increasingly undervalues it.

makers – from the imperious Queen

Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love to

the humorous and warm-hearted Jean

in As Time Goes By. The face Segelman sculpts is not just Judi Dench’s; it

Despite this, grace can go a long way,

is layered with the memories of all

being sculpted I notice that she has

composite of performance, power, and

aware too that she must be under a

She has moved audiences in quieter,

to see, and sensing people, coming in

Philomena Lee searching for a lost son,

and as I talk to Dench while she’s

the lives she has brought to life – a

a considerable amount of that. I am

presence.

certain amount of stress, not being able

more intimate roles too – as the devoted

and out of her orbit, but not knowing

who they might be. Even for someone

or the steadfast Mrs. Fairfax in Jane

Eyre. Each portrayal feels deeply livedwww.finito.org.uk

ISSUE 15

47

COVER STORY

“SHE DOESN’T PERFORM TO SHOW OFF. SHE PERFORMS TO SERVE THE WORK — AND PERHAPS, DEEPER STILL, TO SERVE THE TRUTH.” From those early years, she was marked not by arrogance, but by an intense, almost sacred curiosity. One of her

childhood friends later recalled that

Alamy.com

Judi "seemed older than the rest of

in, shaped by empathy and an acute

in 1934 in Heworth, a suburb of York,

Even in smaller parts, she lends depth

where the arts were not some lofty

understanding of human complexity.

and nuance that make scenes linger in memory.

Judith Olivia Dench grew up in a house ideal but part of the nature of daily life.

Her father, Reginald, was a GP and

What Segelman captures is not just a

medical officer for York Theatre Royal;

of a performer who has shaped the

Catholic who valued education and

for more than six decades. Dench's

imagine that Dench may have drawn

expression: it holds stories, centuries,

Sir Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast. It was at

likeness, but a legacy – the embodiment

her mother, Eleanora, a devout Irish

emotional landscape of British acting

civility. In respect of the latter, we can

face, rendered in clay, holds more than

on her in her most recent great role in

and an enduring commitment to truth in performance.

As the speeches went on, Dench, ever

the professional, dissolved the reverence with a deft quip: "I hope you’ve got

my good side," she said to the sculptor, with perfect comic precision. The room exhaled.

this intersection of science, discipline, faith and theatre that Judi Dench was formed.

She was the youngest of three children.

Her elder brother Jeffery Dench

would go on to become a respected

Shakespearean actor himself, and it was in watching him perform that young Judi had her first brush with destiny.

II. THE SPELL OF BEGINNINGS: YORK, SHAKESPEARE, AND SIBLINGS To understand Judi Dench, one must

return not just to the geography of her

beginnings, but to the atmosphere. Born 48

She has spoken often of the moment

she saw her brother playing in Macbeth at St. Peter's School, York. The line —

"What bloody man is that?" — shocked and enthralled her. “Shakespeare was

swearing!” she recalled, wide-eyed, even in later retellings. She was seven or eight, and she was hooked.

us, even when she was little. There

was something in the eyes." Those

eyes, which convey so extraordinarily everything from Iris Murdoch’s

bafflement at her own declining powers to Lady Macbeth’s hunger for power, have been an essential part of her art ever since.

Dench's path to the stage wasn’t linear.

Her first ambition was to become a set

designer. It was only when she attended the Central School of Speech and

Drama in London — then housed at

the Royal Albert Hall — that she began to move from behind the scenes to

centre stage. Her time at drama school has become semi-mythical. In her first

audition, the examiner famously told her she would never work in film due to her "funny face."

And yet that face — now iconic — has

gone on to inhabit queens, spies, lovers,

mystics, and mothers with an emotional clarity that has moved generations. It’s

a useful reminder not to listen to people who say you can’t do something – the truth is that many people have secret potential within them, and that this

simply needs to be allied to the will, as it was in the case of Dench.

COVER STORY

Alamy.com

At Central, she trained under luminaries

sincerity that made her unraveling all

golden generation that included Vanessa

and critics noted her expressive face

like Yat Malmgren and was part of a

Redgrave and Ian McKellen; the latter would decades later play Macbeth to

the more painful to witness. Audiences and voice — tools she would later

III. APPRENTICESHIPS IN GENIUS: MENTORSHIP AND MAGIC

wield with great power — already

There is a moment in every great

grace that would define her career.

innovation — when homage transforms

passivity, Dench offered something

transition didn’t come with fanfare or

woman undone not by weakness, but

to flame: quiet, resolute, irreversible.

carrying the seeds of the control and

artist’s life when imitation gives way to

In a role often reduced to tragic

into authorship. For Judi Dench, that

more searching: the quiet fury of a

flashing lights, but like a candle taking

commitment to a task.

by betrayal.

It began at the Royal Shakespeare

After graduation, she joined the Old

From there, she joined the Royal

Company — that fabled, ruthless

as Ophelia in Hamlet in 1957. To this

would become a cornerstone. But it

twenties, found herself among titans.

and emotional directness. Though it

sometimes tepid. A Times critic once

Paul Scofield, with his extraordinary

already marked by an instinctive clarity

too northern, too polite."

For All Seasons; the legendary Peggy

intelligence. Her Ophelia was not

former stage manager described her

Dench’s Lady Macbeth in seminal roles for them both. One of her teachers,

who later directed her, remarked that

Judi "listened harder than anyone I ever taught. She was completely present."

It is a reminder of the importance of

Vic Company and made her stage debut

Shakespeare Company, where she

crucible — where Dench, still in her

role, she brought a startling freshness

wasn’t all triumph. Early reviews were

She didn’t blink. Instead, she watched.

was her professional debut, Dench was

dismissed her Cleopatra as "too small,

presence best gauged today in A Man

of speech and a remarkable emotional

And yet, she remained grounded. One

a fragile, ornamental figure, but a

as "the most generous person in the

young woman whose descent into

madness felt palpably real — driven

not by hysteria, but by heartbreak and

confusion in a collapsing moral world.

Dench avoided sentimentality, instead grounding Ophelia in a youthful

green room."

What we begin to see here is a career not built on celebrity, but on trust:

trust from colleagues, trust in the work, and ultimately, trust from the audience.

That trust has never been broken.

Ashcroft; Ian Holm, flickering with intensity. She was learning not in

classrooms but in the theatre itself — from how they entered a scene, how they paused, how they said nothing.

Greatness was not a performance, she realised. It was an accumulation of

attentiveness. It is out of the crucible of this experience that Dench’s particular kind of watchful acting was born: by www.finito.org.uk

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COVER STORY

paying attention herself, she discovered

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over time that her acting could have exactly the intelligence of someone learning about the world. All her

performances show people unusually

alert to the world, and this is why we watch her so minutely – because it

tracks our sense of how life might be if we were similarly switched on.

“SHE NEVER SHOUTS. SHE BARELY GESTURES. BUT SHE LISTENS SO COMPLETELY THAT

Alamy.com

EVERYONE AROUND

Simon Callow — her later friend and

Sally wasn’t all sparkle and sin — she

HER BECOMES

her as a member of the audience. He

person, not a performance.

BETTER.” One day, she was rehearsing The

Merchant of Venice and faltering.

John Gielgud, never one to dispense

compliments lightly, murmured from the darkness: “Don’t push. The words will

carry you.” That phrase — deceptively simple — became something like a

mantra. She understood that the actor’s job wasn’t to impress but to channel.

Not to dominate a text, but to be possessed by it.

I ask Dench what Shakespeare would have been like to meet, and she says, unconsciously echoing Scofield’s

most famous film role: “A Man for all Seasons.”

Would he have been the quietest person in the room? “Perhaps,” she says, “but certainly the most intelligent.”

The anecdotes from this time are

instructive. Peter Hall once stopped a

rehearsal and, after a long silence, simply said, “Judi, you're not acting the emotion — you’re being it. Carry on.” And so

she did. With quiet ferocity and humble genius.

50

sometime co-star — first encountered was watching television, the four-part John Hopkins masterpiece Talking to a Stranger. “She was on fire,” he said.

“The camera didn’t just love her — it obeyed her.” The performance was a

psychological scalpel: Dench playing

a daughter navigating the wreckage of

family, each episode rotating the point

of view like a lens turned to focus. Even then, she had that extraordinary control — to let the emotion tremble just behind the line, waiting, coiled.

From the outset, she rejected the glitz.

After curtain calls and critical raves, she would retreat. Make tea. Call her mum.

"You mustn’t believe them when they say you’re brilliant," she once said. "Because then you might have to believe them when they say you’re not."

was bruised, human, riveting. You saw a There was London Assurance, that halfforgotten gem from Dion Boucicault, dusted off and suddenly glimmering,

thanks to Dench and Donald Sinden.

Critics didn’t know what to do with it.

The text was antiquated, fussy — and yet she made it sing. Pregnant with

her daughter Finty during the run, she joked about being wildly miscast as a

dewy Gloucestershire ingénue. But her

comedic timing was surgical. She made every syllable land.

These weren’t just performances; they were demonstrations of a philosophy.

Dench doesn’t perform to show off.

She performs to serve the work —

and perhaps, deeper still, to serve the truth. Her entire career has had that

sense of being in quiet alignment with

There’s something profound in that:

something larger. She carries lines like

while still breathing. A faith in work,

said a word on stage or screen she didn’t

work it was. There was Sally Bowles

The genius of Judi Dench lies in her

with Liza Minnelli that it might have

gestures. But she listens so completely

a refusal to be made a monument

prayers. You get the feeling she’s never

not worship. And what astonishing

first feel vibrating in her bones.

in Cabaret, a part so closely associated

restraint. She never shouts. She barely

been suicide to attempt it. But Dench

was “the quintessence,” said Callow. Her

that everyone around her becomes

better. Like all great artists, she seems

COVER STORY

(Dane Judy Dench's personal photos)

less interested in expressing herself than

in making herself available to expression.

Her mentors taught her to aim for

the real. They taught her to distrust

applause. They showed her how to be timeless without ever seeking to be fashionable.

And so she became something rare in British theatre: an actress whose

fame does not obscure her, but clarifies her. Whose presence on stage makes everything else more visible. Whose entire life is an argument for the

kind of greatness that is only possible

through attention, patience, and a nearly devotional humility.

IV. THE DAUGHTER, THE DAY, AND THE DANCE OF GRACE After the sculpting had finished and Alamy.com

the crowd had begun to disperse into

Claridge’s mirrored corridors, I found

handled it well, and is now an important

— Judi Dench’s daughter. Finty had

she takes me over to Dame Judi, that

myself chatting with Finty Williams

just performed a poem onstage which

support to her mother. I notice when

she whispers in her ear: “Don’t worry,

she had written for her mother, and

it’s only me” – meaning perhaps that the

performing the poem had been hard and

for her mother.

I was moved by it: I could sense that

evening is indeed a little bit of an ordeal

so asked if she wrote poems generally.

But before that moment, I learn a bit

expressed surprise and congratulated her

in her own right. There is a trait I

“This is my only one,” she said and I on it.

“YOU DON’T WATCH DENCH IN IRIS; YOU ACHE ALONGSIDE HER.” It was a soft moment after the spectacle, and something about Finty’s openness made it clear: she has grown used to

living next to greatness — and though it has likely not been an easy life, she has

more about Finty, who is an actress

pick up on too and which I often find among the sons and daughters of the well-known – a kind of deliberate

downplaying, designed to ground your

life in something realer and more helpful than fame. She is the sort of person who seems to know — without ever needing to say so — that the world will never

quite see her without comparing her to her mother. And yet she speaks of Judi not as a figure of public adoration, but

as something deeper, something quieter: her mum.

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COVER STORY

Has it had its benefits? “She’s always been just there,” Finty said. “That

sounds banal, but I mean it in the best way. Always listening. Always ready.

The only time I ever used Mum’s fame

is when I had a huge crush on Antonio Banderas and she managed to get me

along to a film premier to meet him. I was so incredibly star-struck.”

Which tells you quite a lot about the absurdity of celebrity, as it’s not too

difficult to imagine Banderas in turn being star-struck by Finty’s mother.

Although he may not have been, one might say that given their respective

acting abilities, he perhaps should have.

Finty has often offered a warmly

candid glimpse of what it’s like living in the orbit of someone so globally

known—both the perks and the little absurdities. She’s spoken about the

moment their family went public with Tom & Geri, her mother’s beloved

V. THE ROLES THAT BUILT THE MYTH: A CATALOGUE OF GREATNESS And so the career continued. It’s

impossible here to survey the breadth

be played.

Let’s begin with Macbeth. Dench first

performed Lady Macbeth for the RSC

and screen, but the mother coming

off set, shedding roles and fame, and stepping gently back into familiar routines—always a little bit more tired but firmly grounded in the cocoon of family.

performances ever given in the role.

theft of memory. One of the final

to hyperbole, called her “demonic,

but smiles faintly at her husband, was

possessed.” But what made it special

education in how to act without words.”

Lady Macbeth did not scream for power

alongside her.

McKellen himself, not exactly prone

scenes, where Iris can no longer speak

carnal, and terrifying — like a woman

described by The New Yorker as “an

was not its volume but its silence. Her

You don’t watch Dench in Iris; you ache

— she whispered it into the ear of fate.

And then, of course, there was M.

And in doing so, she transformed the role from the shrill into the shrewd.

LISTENS. IN AN INDUSTRY OF

Then there was A Midsummer Night’s Dream, where she played Titania

while heavily pregnant. “I looked like a

just endured the end of the Cold War

and was looking for reinvention. What they got, when Dench entered, was

revelation. In one scene, she refers to

Bond as a “sexist, misogynist dinosaur,” and you could feel the tectonic plates of cinema shift. Here was authority

not as masculinity, but as intellect. As

stillness. As wit sharpened like a blade.

She brought ballast to Bond, grounding the fantasy with something like actual stakes.

In her hands, Titania became a force

worked. Judi was the real power in the

But the effect was anything but comical. of nature — not merely a fairy queen,

but a matriarch of the cosmos, wielding her magic with earthy sensuality and

say that it would be very interesting

how many actresses could go from Lady

curious thing to talk to celebrities and

It is worth pausing to reflect on this:

to ask Judi abut Shakespeare. Finty,

Macbeth to Titania without breaking

52

GoldenEye (1995), the franchise had

Pierce Brosnan was so intimidated he

unimpeachable command.

go and ask her.”

When Dench was cast as M in

Christmas tree,” she would later joke.

I then find myself saying that it’s a

cheerfully and kindly, says: “Well, let’s

but as bewilderment. Dench didn’t act of language. She made you feel the

GIVES US DEPTH.”

not the actress commanding stages

Alzheimer’s is rendered not as tragedy

is, by all accounts, one of the greatest

one who adored cooking simple

a shoot. In these reflections, you see

youth. In that film, the descent into

illness. She acted the slow disappearance

SURFACE, SHE

dinners and quietly retreating after

Dench played the older Iris Murdoch,

in 1976 opposite Ian McKellen. It

Finty recalls her dear mum taking

a deliberately normal role at home,

surrender to her.

while Kate Winslet portrayed her in

SHOUTING, SHE

meals—were seen through a new lens.

perhaps more accurately, the screen’s

redefined how those roles are meant to

has played many roles. It’s that she has

calling her “Dame Judi’s daughter.” family life—shopping trips, casual

And then came the screen years — or,

Let’s talk about Iris (2001), where

“IN A WORLD OF

From that moment on, everyday

staying human.

and depth of the work. It is not that she

stage show, joking that fame became real when everyone at school started

rooms, while raising a child, while

stride? And do so while working on tight budgets, in freezing rehearsal

practically wilted on screen — and it room, and everyone knew it.

She would return again and again,

reprising the role until her character’s death in Skyfall (2012), in a scene

so touching it reduced audiences to

stunned silence. No other character in

Bond had ever been allowed a farewell

like that. Because no one else had earned it.

COVER STORY

“YOU DON’T DIRECT JUDI. YOU LISTEN TO HER. YOU WATCH WHAT SHE’S DOING AND THEN, IF YOU’RE LUCKY, YOU GET OUT OF THE WAY.” Kenneth Branagh, who directed her in

Belfast (2021), said recently: “You don’t

direct Judi. You listen to her. You watch

But perhaps the best summation came

herself. It’s about the work. About the

lucky, you get out of the way.”

that listens. Most actors are trying to be

Shakespeare. “He was capable of being

what she’s doing and then, if you’re

In Belfast, she plays the grandmother

from Ian McKellen: “She has a soul heard. Judi is always hearing.”

people she’s learned from, especially

all things, “she says, “of imagining his

way into every condition or attitude of

— and in the hands of any other actor,

And perhaps that is the secret. In a

with Dench, it becomes the emotional

industry of surface, she gives us depth.

What is it which makes the work so

in soft light, seem to contain all of

and yet, somehow, ahead of us.

a writer isn’t intelligent then they simply

that would’ve been a minor role. But

world of shouting, she listens. In an

fulcrum of the film. Her eyes, framed

She is not above us. She is among us —

Northern Ireland’s pain and resilience.

Watching Judi Dench perform is to be

You don’t realise until the final scene

how much you’ve depended on her to

keep the whole film afloat. And when she’s gone, the film dims slightly, like

someone has turned down the wattage on the screen.

She’s often asked how she prepares.

reminded not only of what acting can be, but of what people can be, if they

choose grace over ego, truth over display, and excellence over fame.

VI. MEETING THE

life.”

good? “It is all to do with intelligence. If can’t surprise you – and they certainly can’t create work which endures like

his does. I think what we’re seeing is

somebody who is always in some way

ahead of us. It’s this which accounts for the richness of the work.”

So the work is satisfying down the

generations because intellect is always

satisfying? “That’s right – it’s something

Her answer is always the same: “I don’t.

MONUMENT

truth.”

to patronise — to use words like

always exciting. That’s how it seems to

that acting, in her philosophy, is not

mental clarity after 85 were an amusing

to gain it, the more you understand it.”

to feeling, to silence, to timing. There’s

that kind of thinking. She is — and

and I wonder what it’s like for her to be

where Dench’s character manipulates

Utterly, unnervingly so. You feel it in

of an eyebrow. It’s not the words. It’s the

like a camera lens. You say something

I learn my lines, and I try to tell the

There is a temptation, with the elderly,

that crosses the generations and is

This is not false modesty. It is a reminder

“sprightly” or “sharp as a tack,” as if

me – it never seems to lose interest, only

about artifice but about access — access

party trick. But Dench obliterates

She is looking in my general direction,

a scene in Notes on a Scandal (2006)

there is no better word — present.

talking to me: am I shape? A strange

Cate Blanchett’s with the subtlest flick

conversation: her gaze locks onto yours

breath between them.

Critics have tried, for decades, to

name her magic. “Effortless,” they say.

“Invisible technique.” “Stage presence.”

half-clever, and she quietly raises an

eyebrow — not in judgement, but in a kind of mischievous encouragement.

When she speaks, it’s not about

suggestion of an interviewer? Or can she make me out a bit.

Not everything we say is serious. I

say I heard that one of the soldiers in

Macbeth ended up being eaten on the toilet by the T-Rex in Jurassic Park

(1993). It’s not quite that she shrieks at www.finito.org.uk

ISSUE 15

53

COVER STORY

JUDI DENCH: EDUCATIO 1934

Born in York, England, to a doctor and a dressmaker; raised in a Quaker household, which instilled in her a lifelong sense of social conscience and humility.

1961

1957

Made her professional debut with the Old Vic, playing Ophelia in Hamlet across Europe and the US.

Joined the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), where she would spend decades redefining the great heroines of Shakespeare.

(Alamy)

(Dane Judy Dench's personal photos)

1966

(Dane Judy Dench's personal photos)

Starred in the seminal TV series Talking to a Stranger, which established her as a major dramatic talent and earned critical acclaim.

1957

Graduated from the Central School of Speech and Drama, London. Described by her tutor as “without peer.”

1934

1939

1944

1949

1954

1959

1964

1969

1974

that but she is obviously delighted: “Yes

her answers seeming to come with a

creeps into fame. She doesn’t wield her

It is a nice image of how her own

suspects that this might be to do with

the shawl she is wearing on the night I

and the popular – how an actor today

— about each syllable of text. It’s the

off when it gets in the way.

one minute, then eaten alive on by a

all of yourself, whether you’re starring in

hovered protectively, as daughters do,

that was a surprise ending, wasn’t it?”

surprising immediacy and clarity. One

celebrity like a sceptre. She wears it like

career has alternated between high art

the years spent caring — really caring

meet her — something to be shrugged

might be mastering iambic pentameter

choice, again and again, to show up with

As our conversation continued, Finty

dinosaur on a commode.

a West End production or recording a

not with panic, but with love that had

But as I speak with her, I notice the

radio play in a damp BBC basement.

precision of her speech. It was said of

I also get another sense. That kindness,

always seemed to have more time on the

it’s foundation. She has spent her life

the tennis great Roger Federer that he

in Dench’s world, isn’t decoration —

ball: Dench is a bit like this in interview,

refusing the cynicism that so often

54

clearly been deeply rehearsed across years.

VII. GRACE UNDER FIRE: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF POISE

19

COVER STORY

ON & CAREER TIMELINE

979

1988

2006–2012

Appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to drama.

Cemented her role as M in the James Bond franchise, culminating in Skyfall — a performance that gave the role gravitas and unexpected emotional weight.

(Wikipedia.org) (007.com)

1998

2022

Won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Shakespeare in Love, despite only appearing for eight minutes of screen time.

Nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in Belfast, directed by Kenneth Branagh, marking nearly 60 years at the forefront of British acting.

(Alamy)

1984

1989

1994

1999

2004

2009

2014

2019

There’s a moment just before the curtain

the psychology beneath them. Dr. Paul

“THE SPOTLIGHT

adjusting to shadow. It’s the moment

and author, has spent a career studying

IS NOT HOME. THE

rises — the hush, the breath, the eyes when lesser actors panic, when the

body betrays you with sweat, tremor, or forgetfulness. Judi Dench has admitted to this feeling. “I’m always frightened,”

she has said. “Always.” But she shows up anyway.

What is that? Bravery? Grit? Madness?

Or something rarer still — grace?

To understand Dench, one must

understand not only her performances but

Hokemeyer, the distinguished psychologist what he calls “grace under pressure” — and he places Judi Dench in that rare category of individuals who have mastered it.

“She speaks often about nerves before a performance,” Hokemeyer tells me.

“And yet what she delivers is brilliance with warmth and control. That’s not

PERFORMANCE, HOWEVER BRILLIANT, IS ONLY ONE PART OF A LARGER LIFE.”

contradiction. That’s grit — the ability

In this framing, Dench’s stage fright

something meaningful.”

she still cares. It means the work still

to tolerate discomfort in pursuit of

2024

is not a flaw but a feature. It means

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COVER STORY

matters. Hokemeyer explains that highfunctioning people — whether actors,

Alamy

CEOs, or parents at the school gates

— often experience intense emotion just before key moments. But what separates the truly exceptional is the ability to narrate those feelings without being controlled by them.

“She knows those nerves are part of

the deal,” Hokemeyer says. “They give

meaning to what she’s doing. And she knows that on the other side of that

discomfort is something extraordinary.”

This is not just a professional skill. It is a life skill.

You see it in the way Dench handles interviews — gently correcting the

questioner when they overstep, but never shaming them. You see it in the way she navigates fame — not with the hauteur

of someone bored by attention, but with the amused patience of someone who knows it to be both ridiculous and, at

times, useful. At one point, when I wish her Happy Birthday, she almost yelps:

“But it was six months ago! This whole thing is just obscene!” But she is here, I can see, for her friend – and to do

whatever she can to fight her friend’s disease.

Hokemeyer calls this ability “participant

observation” — the capacity to be both in the experience and outside it, observing

harm. That’s the most elegant kind of power.”

it. Judi, he says, has perfected this. “She

In a world of overstimulation, where

also aware of how that moment fits

Dench reminds us that attention is a

can be in the moment emotionally, but

into a larger story — the character’s, the audience’s, her own.”

It’s an emotional and intellectual

feat. And it’s made possible by what

Hokemeyer calls “a cultivated grace.”

“Grace is not just personality,” he says.

“It can be learned. Judi Dench has it

naturally, yes. But she’s also practiced

it — with every line she’s delivered, every silence she’s held. She knows how to

move through the world without causing 56

steps away from the stage or the screen

— she does not seek validation. She seeks tea. A dog to walk. A friend to call.

noise is often mistaken for significance,

This, too, is part of the psychology of

kind of gift. That composure is not about

self. That the spotlight is not home. That

suppression but about alignment. That

to be still is sometimes the most radical thing you can do.

Watching her, you get the sense that she’s not performing for applause. She’s not

even performing for us. She’s performing for something older — perhaps even

eternal. Call it craft. Call it vocation. Call it, simply, the work.

And when that work is done — when she

grace. Knowing that the role is not the the performance, however brilliant, is only one part of a larger life.

Hokemeyer leaves me with one final thought: “In moments of pressure, I

sometimes ask my clients: What would

Dame Judi do? The answer is usually to

pause. To listen. To act with kindness and courage. And then — to go on.”

Go on. That’s the phrase that keeps echoing.

COVER STORY

Go on, despite fear. Go on, despite grief.

not new. But the current crises — of

to give.

memory — have a way of making

Go on, because you still have something It’s what she’s done, again and again.

And it is, perhaps, the truest definition of grace there is.

VIII. THE LONG LIGHT: OPPORTUNITY, LEGACY, AND THE NEXT GENERATION What do you do when your role model

funding, of attention span, of cultural serious artistry feel like an endangered

species. And yet, when Dench appears, something shifts. For a moment, we

remember what we’re losing if we let the craft fall away.

She is proof that the long game still matters.

At 90, she is still working — albeit more

Gemma Levine

selectively — and still changing how we

better than most. She has reflected

It’s a question that young actors — and

industry that too often discards women

flatteringly, sometimes not — and asked

whenever Dame Judi Dench appears

an ecosystem allergic to subtlety, she’s

galvanising and humbling: a reminder

a world that insists on categorising us

is still better than everyone else?

understand what an actress can be. In an

older ones too, if they’re honest — ask

after 40, she has redefined late style. In

on screen. Her very presence is both

made minimalism magnetic. And in

that mastery doesn’t always roar, and

that longevity isn’t a fluke — it’s a form of character.

But Dench’s career also invites a more uncomfortable question: would a Judi Dench be allowed to become Judi Dench today?

Consider the landscape. Young actors

today enter an industry more saturated and less forgiving. Image often trumps

depth. Audiences scroll faster than they

watch. Casting directors want followers,

not apprenticeship. And yet — into that world, Judi Dench still stands as proof that another path is possible.

“SHE LEAVES A

— dramatic or comic, stage or screen

— she has wandered freely, obliterating borders.

But more than her roles, it’s her

approach that has created space for

others. She is not jealous of younger

industry itself. Make us believe you

exist — with integrity, with rigour, with

meaning. Give us stories that hold rather than manipulate. Give us the patience to

talent, but for the reminder that real

And yet she never makes it easy for

opportunity isn’t about being in the

gatekeeper. Not because she excludes —

staying in the game long enough to earn

aspiring to the life she has lived must

moment to lift others.

them. She is, in her way, an accidental

right place at the right time. It’s about

but because she raises the bar. Anyone

your moment — and then using that

confront not only her greatness, but the

There is something profoundly hopeful

path it took to get there. The hours. The humility. The discipline.

Dench. Not in speeches, but in choices.

TRANSFORMATION.” She didn’t come up through YouTube,

to forget what greatness looks like.

The arts are always in crisis. This is

That advice applies just as well to the

generosity is not theatrical; it’s ethical.

has made it harder for the culture to

slowly, carefully, she built something.

believe you exist.”

We need Dench not only for her

Not in manifestos, but in presence. She

waited. She failed. She learned. And

act the part. Be the person. Make me

them. She invites them in. This

APPLAUSE BUT OF

algorithm. Instead, she trained. She

She once told a young actor: “Don’t

care again.

TRAIL NOT OF

and she certainly never danced for the

us to look more closely.

talent. She praises them. She watches

This is the quiet revolution of Judi

she wasn’t "discovered" on a whim,

us back to ourselves — sometimes

reward laziness — and harder still for it She also reminds us that the arts, when properly valued, are not a luxury but

a necessity. In every society, there are

those who interpret, who translate, who empathise and echo. That’s what actors do — and what Judi Dench has done

in this.

Because if someone like Judi Dench — born in 1934 in York, in a time before

television, in a country still reeling from war — could become the most beloved actor of her generation without ever

compromising her values, then perhaps it is still possible.

Perhaps the next Dench is out there now — in a cramped flat, reading Shakespeare out loud to no one, wondering if it will ever matter.

And perhaps, one day, it will. www.finito.org.uk

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COVER STORY Judi Dench in A Little Night Music in 1995 directed by Sean Mathias.

(The National Theatre)

She got on with it while reimagining Shakespeare for new generations. She got on with it while elevating every actor lucky enough to share her stage.

She got on with it while grieving, while laughing, while ageing in public.

And she continues to get on with it — because for her, the work is never done.

Not because she’s restless. But because she’s faithful.

“JUDI DENCH HAS MADE IT HARDER FOR THE CULTURE

Wikipedia.org

TO REWARD LAZINESS — AND HARDER STILL FOR VIII. THE FINAL BOW: STILLNESS AND STORM My favourite Judi Dench performance?

It’s actually not quite so well-known. It’s her rendition of Send in the Clowns by Stephen Sondheim.

She performed it during a revival of A Little Night Music in the mid-

1990s at the National Theatre, and it

is, simply, devastating. Dench doesn’t

sing it with the technical perfection of a classically trained vocalist — that’s

not the point. She speaks-sings it with such raw, controlled emotion that the

pauses between the lines are almost as

powerful as the words themselves. Every syllable is loaded with regret, affection, bitterness, and self-knowledge. It’s a

masterclass in how a song can become a monologue.

What makes it so unforgettable is that

Dench doesn’t perform the song — she performs Desirée’s heartbreak. When she sings “Isn’t it rich?” she doesn’t

project — she almost whispers, as if the 58

line has just occurred to her. And when

IT TO FORGET WHAT

irony is like a blade. In her hands, Send

GREATNESS LOOKS

she reaches “Well, maybe next year,” the in the Clowns becomes not just a torch song, but a quiet, perfectly measured

collapse — one that leaves the audience breathless and utterly undone.

All of this is why, in the end, it is not

the accolades that define Judi Dench —

though there are many — but the effect.

She leaves a trail not of applause but of

LIKE.” Remember again the story she tells about being taken as a child to see her brothers perform Macbeth, and that one line which caught her ear: “What bloody man is that?” And something stirred.

transformation.

She was, she says, “bewitched.”

To meet her, to watch her work, to speak

The word is perfect. She has never

kind of moral weather system. You find

language, by mystery, by the need to

with those who love her, is to enter a

yourself recalibrating — not just what

you thought about acting, but what you thought about what it means to move

stopped being bewitched — by tell stories. And in return, she has bewitched us.

through the world.

If we are lucky, we will see her again —

At 90, she does not insist on reverence.

on screen, or on stage, or perhaps just

would, one suspects, be slightly horrified

might do a double-take, unsure whether

She rolls her eyes at sentimentality. She by all this fuss. “I just got on with it,” she’d probably say, and she wouldn’t

be lying — but she’d be omitting the miracle of how she did so.

walking down a street, where someone they’ve seen a person or a statue come to life.

In truth, she is both.

COVER STORY

Unsplash.com

Alamy

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TOP TEN JUDI DENCH PERFORMANCES 1. LADY MACBETH – MACBETH (RSC, 1976) Why it’s great: Dench’s portrayal was ferocious and elemental — an interpretation that

suggested not madness, but calculation and buried trauma. Her stillness was more terrifying than any hysteria.

Quote: “She was demonic, carnal, and

terrifying - like a woman possessed.”

Ian McKellen, her co-star What it reveals: This performance marks her full

maturation in the classical canon.

www.007.com

What it reveals:

Her ability to communicate emotional

It also showed her ability to bring

A turning point in her screen career

devastation through nuance, not

often stylised, anticipating her later

icon. It confirmed that even in brief

delicate and unguarded.

unmistakable.

4. M – JAMES BOND SERIES (1995–2012)

psychological realism to roles that are

— from respected thespian to global

screen performances.

appearances, Dench’s authority is

2. QUEEN ELIZABETH I – SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE (1998) Why it’s great: She won an Academy Award for 8

minutes of screen time. Dench’s Queen

Elizabeth is both terrifying and hilarious — a monarch rendered human by her own loneliness and deadpan wit.

Quote: “A masterclass in economy… she

commands the film like a general surveying troops.”

Roger Ebert 60

3. IRIS MURDOCH – IRIS (2001) Why it’s great: Playing the novelist as she descends into Alzheimer’s, Dench gave a performance of rare vulnerability. Her expression

of confusion and loss felt unbearably personal.

Quote: “She turns every glance into a revelation.

It’s like watching a great cathedral fade into mist.”

The New York Times What it reveals:

melodrama. This is Dench at her most

Why it’s great: She reinvented the Bond franchise.

As M, she wasn’t just a foil to Bond’s

recklessness — she was the moral centre of the films, the adult in the room.

Quote: “The only M who ever truly made Bond feel small.”

The Guardian What it reveals: Her extraordinary modernity. Dench

showed that a classically trained actor

COVER STORY

could command blockbuster franchises with integrity and depth.

5. VIOLA – TWELFTH NIGHT (RSC, 1969) Why it’s great: This was Dench in her poetic prime

— lively, lyrical, and luminously comic.

Her delivery of Viola’s soliloquy became

legendary for its emotional transparency.

Quote: “The most humane Viola I’ve ever seen…

7. PHILOMENA LEE – PHILOMENA (2013) Why it’s great: Based on a true story, Dench’s

Philomena is innocent, witty, wounded — and quietly seething. She navigates class, religion, and grief with total

“She has this quality of burning from the

inside — anger that’s been lacquered with charm.”

Harold Hobson

An actress at ease with herself, able to

Dench with total command of verse.

6. ARMANDE VOIZIN – CHOCOLAT (2000) Why it’s great: As the cantankerous landlady with a taste for rebellion, Dench was acid-

tongued and soulful. A rare chance to see her play mischief with depth.

Quote: “She delivers every line like a gourmet chocolate truffle — rich, dark, and unexpectedly tender.”

memory. Her presence gives the film its soul — calm amid the chaos.

“She says more with one look than most

What it reveals:

truths without overacting. A young

autobiographical film with stillness and

Quote:

waiting for her.”

ability to mine Shakespeare’s emotional

Dench anchors Kenneth Branagh’s

Quote:

Steve Coogan, co-star

Her instinct for language and her early

Why it’s great:

restraint.

one felt that Shakespeare had been

What it reveals:

9. GRANNY – BELFAST (2021)

strip away theatricality and focus solely on character. A late-career triumph

actors can with a monologue.”

IndieWire What it reveals:

Her ability to function as a symbol — of home, wisdom, and loss — without ever feeling abstract. She’s still teaching us what screen acting can be.

that’s all about empathy.

8. JUNO BOYLE – JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK (NATIONAL THEATRE, 1980) Why it’s great: A rarely discussed performance, but legendary among those who saw it.

Dench’s Irish matriarch was both tragic and furious — full of bitter realism.

Quote: “She had us laughing one moment, then left us unable to breathe the next. I’d

never seen an audience so exhausted by emotion.”

10. TITANIA – A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (RSC, 1962) Why it’s great: She was heavily pregnant, barefoot, and painted in silver — and yet her

performance felt ancient and magical.

Titania became earthbound and divine.

Quote: “A force of nature. She made the

supernatural seem ordinary, and the ordinary magical.”

Peter Hall, director

Peter Travers

Michael Billington

What it reveals:

What it reveals:

What it reveals:

Early experimentation, daring

Her comic timing and emotional

Her mastery of tragicomedy, and her

elevate even sentimental material into

was Dench the raw character actress, not

agility. This was the Dench who could something quietly profound.

physicality, and a deep sense of mischief.

roots in working-class storytelling. This

Even then, Dench knew how to hold

yet an institution.

available to the moment.

attention by making herself utterly

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ESSAY

ESSAY

INCURIOSITY KILLED THE CAREER IRIS SPARK

T

here is a moment in every great crisis where someone, somewhere, knew the problem was coming.

But their concerns were ignored, dismissed, or buried under the weight of bureaucracy. We’re not really in a position to say this sort of thing is entirely to do with other people: we all in our lives have things flash across our desks – or even across our minds – and we think: “Might that be significant?”

“Should I do something about that?” But there might be a million reasons not to: we’re tired, or there is something else pressing down on our attention, or perhaps we tell ourselves it’s not really our responsibility.

Someone else will handle it. It’s only later that we realise we ought to have done something.

Wikipedia.org

These things in our daily lives might be trivial enough: forgetting to renew a parking permit with the angels at Southwark Council; replying to an email; planning ahead for a birthday party.

But the problem is that this exact habit when it replicates during a senior decision-making role can be catastrophic. And we’re seeing that pattern repeat again and again. It happened with the Post Office scandal, where sub-postmasters were falsely accused of fraud due to a flawed IT system. It happened with Grenfell, where residents warned of fire risks long before tragedy struck. It happened in the Church, where allegations of abuse were overlooked to protect reputations. In each case the same pattern is at work.

It happens, repeatedly, because of one fundamental flaw in leadership: a lack of curiosity.

62

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF POWER AND INCURIOSITY

in power often fail to ask the right

Dr. Paul Hokemeyer, a leading clinical

he says. “They are either getting what

psychologist, explains why those

questions. “People in positions of power tend not to be particularly curious

because they have no reason to be,”

they want or myopically focused on

ESSAY

getting what they want. Both situations diminish the leader’s motivation to stretch beyond what is in their immediate sight line.”

Alamy

In other words, when things are going well—at least for those at the top—why shake things up? Why listen to the low-ranking employee waving a red flag when it’s easier to dismiss them as a pessimist?

But this isn’t just about laziness; it’s about psychology. Hokemeyer warns that “curiosity requires humility.

Unfortunately, in today's ethos of authoritarian regimes, humility has been replaced with hubris. And as we know from the Greek tale of Icarus, hubris breeds destruction.”

“THE POWERFUL REASSURE THEMSELVES THAT NOTHING IS WRONG—UNTIL THE WEIGHT OF EVIDENCE IS TOO OVERWHELMING TO IGNORE.” BY THEN, OF COURSE, IT’S TOO LATE.” It’s a damning assessment, but history backs him up. Theresa May, in her book The Abuse of Power: Confronting Injustice in Public Life, reflects on how those in charge repeatedly fail to engage with difficult truths: “The powerful reassure themselves that nothing is wrong— until the weight of evidence is too overwhelming to ignore.” By then, of course, it’s too late.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CURIOSITY IN LEADERSHIP Nicky Morgan, former Education Secretary, believes curiosity isn’t just important—it’s fundamental to good

leadership. “There have been a lot of instances in the UK recently where the world would have been a lot better if the people at the top had been more curious about the problems beneath them,” she says.

was developed by Amy Edmondson at Harvard Business School and refers to a culture where people can come forward with their mistakes, uncertainty, and doubts and be supported rather than judged.

Her list is long. “We’ve had the Post Office scandal, scandal in the Church, as well as Grenfell and a myriad of others.”

In each case, disaster could have been mitigated, if not prevented, if those in charge had simply asked more questions.

Edmondson first introduced the idea of psychological safety in the late 1990s while researching how medical teams function. She discovered that the highest-performing teams weren’t necessarily making fewer mistakes— they were simply more willing to admit them and learn from them. As she explains, “Psychological safety is not about being nice. It’s about giving candid feedback, openly admitting mistakes, and learning from each other.”

In her book The Fearless Organization, she warns that in cultures where fear dominates, there’s a tendency for employees to stay silent, and for vital issues go unaddressed: “Silence is the enemy of high performance. If you don’t have psychological safety, people are afraid to speak up, and when that happens, organisations fail.”

But curiosity doesn’t just happen.

Leaders need to build cultures where truth can rise to the surface. According to Hokemeyer, “The best way to maximise the flow of information from low to high is in a culture of psychological safety. The construct Nicky Morgan, (Wikipedia.org)

This means no more punishing the whistleblowers. No more fostering an environment where bad news is something to be buried. Because, as Morgan points out, “The most vital information has to land on the desk of the ultimate decision-maker.” If it doesn’t, what’s the point of leadership at all? www.finito.org.uk

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ESSAY

A FAILURE TO LISTEN Look at what happened at Grenfell.

In 2016, resident Edward Daffarn wrote in his community blog: “Only a catastrophic event will expose the ineptitude and incompetence of our landlord.” One year later, the tower burned. As Theresa May later reflected in Abuse of Power, “Grenfell was not just a tragedy; it was a national shame. Time and again, warnings were ignored.

Those in charge simply did not listen to the people they were supposed to protect.”

“GRENFELL WAS NOT JUST A TRAGEDY; IT WAS A NATIONAL SHAME. TIME AND AGAIN, WARNINGS WERE IGNORED.” Look at the Post Office scandal. When sub-postmasters complained that the Horizon IT system was faulty, they were dismissed. Alan Bates, who led the legal fight to expose the scandal, recalls how impossible it was to be heard: “You were either lying, incompetent, or on the take.” The independent inquiry into the scandal later found that the Post Office had “repeatedly and deliberately” ignored evidence of faults, prioritising its own reputation over the lives it was destroying. It took over two decades before justice was even acknowledged.

And look at the Church of England, where the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, resigned after admitting that survivors of abuse had been failed.

The Church’s safeguarding failures weren’t new. Reports had been coming in for years, but, in Welby’s words, “we simply didn’t listen.” The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) was damning: “The Church’s culture of secrecy and deference allowed abusers to hide in plain sight.”

These aren’t just missteps; they are 64

systemic failures rooted in a refusal to be curious about the uncomfortable. When W.H.Auden wrote that ‘the crack in the tea cup opens a lane to the land of the dead’, he was observing that sometimes the greatest catastrophes stem from small things.

Dr. Harriet Lerner

THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE So what is to be done?

Firstly, organisations need to build psychological safety. “This, like all organisational cultures, needs to start at the top,” says Hokemeyer. “The C-suite executives must cultivate humility, strength, curiosity, wisdom, patience, and drive.” That’s a tall order, but necessary.

Without it, businesses, governments, and institutions will continue to repeat the same failures – and we’ve seen enough of what that looks like.

“FOSTERING CURIOSITY EARLY IS THE BEST WAY TO CREATE A GENERATION OF LEADERS WHO DON’T ACCEPT THINGS AT FACE VALUE.” Secondly, curiosity needs to be embedded in education. “We need to be teaching young people not just to learn facts, but to question them,” says Morgan. She believes that fostering curiosity early is the best way to create a generation of leaders who don’t accept things at face value. “It’s not enough to say ‘this is the way things are.’ We need to encourage young people to ask ‘why?’ and ‘what if ?’”

Thirdly, we need to abandon the mistaken belief that workplace culture should be "nice." As Edmondson points

out, true psychological safety is not about avoiding discomfort but about making space for honesty. “Psychological safety is not being nice. It’s about candour, about making it possible for people to speak up,” she argues.

The problem is that many workplaces conflate niceness with people-pleasing, which, in reality, leads to avoidance and stagnation. As psychologist Dr. Harriet Lerner explains, “Niceness is overrated.

When we prioritise being nice over being honest, we end up betraying ourselves and enabling dysfunction.”

Dr. Jordan Peterson echoes this sentiment, warning that people-pleasing is often “a deceptive strategy” to avoid conflict while allowing issues to fester unchecked. If organisations want to solve real problems, they must replace superficial harmony with a culture where respectful challenge and tough conversations are the norm.

Finally, we need to reward those who speak up. Right now, the systems we operate in tend to punish dissenters, not elevate them. That has to change. The biggest disasters of the past few decades weren’t surprises to everyone—someone always saw them coming. The challenge is making sure they are heard before it’s too late.

Because incuriosity doesn’t just lead to stagnation. It destroys careers, damages institutions, and—when taken to its worst conclusion—costs lives.

ESSAY Jordan Peterson, (Wikipedia.org)

“PEOPLE-PLEASING IS OFTEN “A DECEPTIVE STRATEGY” TO AVOID CONFLICT WHILE ALLOWING ISSUES TO FESTER UNCHECKED.” www.finito.org.uk

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THE CLOCK AND THE COMPASS

RETHINKING TIME IN A WORLD OUT OF BREATH AN EXPLORATION OF HOW WE EXPERIENCE TIME, THE CAREERS BUILT AROUND IT, AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF TEMPORAL PERCEPTION IN OUR HYPERCONNECTED AGE

IN THE WORKSHOP WHERE TIME LIVES In a quiet loft in Dacre, near Penrith, surrounded by the gentle symphony of dozens of ancient clocks marking their own rhythms, I encounter something extraordinary: a hand from Big Ben, lying casually on a workbench like a fallen giant's finger. The bronze appendage, worn smooth by centuries of London weather, seems almost alive in the stillness of Keith Scobie-Youngs' workshop at the Cumbria Clock Company.

The juxtaposition is striking. Here, in rural Cumbria, the "heart of the UK" has been transplanted. Here Big Ben's mechanism has been ticking away in their test room for two years.

The famous clock that marks time for a nation has found refuge in this contemplative space, where the ancient craft of clockmaking continues its patient work.

Keith, who graduated in Horology and took the risk of setting up his own company over 30 years ago, moves through his workshop with the deliberate precision of someone who understands that good work cannot be rushed. The air is thick with the scent of oils and metals, and everywhere there are the ghosts of centuries past — pendulums that have swung for generations, springs that have coiled and uncoiled through world wars and social revolutions, gears that have meshed in perfect harmony longer than most human lives.

"The beauty of a clock like this is that you as a clockmaker become part of its history," Keith explains, his hands resting on a mechanism that has outlived its makers. "You want to leave your mark, but you also want to preserve what came before. When Big Ben's heart left our workshop, it was like a child leaving home."

"Time," Einstein once said, "is an illusion." And yet we race it daily. We "spend" it. We "save" it. We "waste" it.

Western culture, in particular, seems to have entered a dangerous romance with the clock — only to find the affair joyless, our calendars full and our souls malnourished.

Why is it, then, that some move through life with easeful clarity while others feel perpetually late for everything? Is the difference cultural, psychological — or something deeper still?

LINEAR VS. CYCLICAL: THE CULTURAL FAULTLINE The West conceives of time as linear — a narrowing corridor stretching from cradle to grave, lined with appointments, aspirations, and ever-shrinking windows. It's a commodity, and we are its employees. In the East, time is not a ladder but a wheel. Events recur, wisdom returns. The seasons spiral inward.

Dr. Paul Hokemeyer, a clinical and consulting psychotherapist who has spent decades studying the intersection of psychology and temporal perception,

explains this cultural divide with surgical precision: "Through this Western lens of scarcity, time becomes a foe — a wild boar we must hunt or master. People with this view often have a strong external locus of control. They live in a state of unsatisfied demands and unfulfilled expectations. Rather than seeing time as a gift to savour, they view it as an obligation to manipulate."

This psychological framework, Hokemeyer argues, creates what he calls "temporal anxiety" — a condition where individuals feel like "agents in life rather than principals, bugs rather than windshields." They are seldom at ease in the world, constantly measuring their worth against the ticking clock.

He contrasts this with the cyclical understanding more prevalent in Eastern traditions: "Time becomes a benevolent teacher.

It's not something to dominate, but to embrace — an energy rather than a currency. A friend, not a foe. In Eastern cultures, where time is viewed as unlimited and abundant, people can engage with it as a nurturing force rather than a threatening one."

And in this reframing, he offers a balm for the anxious: "To view life as constant practice — a journey rather than a destination — is to reclaim your relationship with time.

It transforms our experience from one of scarcity and competition to one of growth and meaning." www.finito.org.uk

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become more aware of stressful events in others' lives, this awareness itself can lead to higher stress.

“PEOPLE ASSUME NEW TECHNOLOGIES WILL GIVE THEM MORE TIME. BUT WHAT OFTEN HAPPENS IS THAT IT INTENSIFIES THE PACE.” The widespread prevalence of social media notifications may contribute to the perceived acceleration of time, though through flow and meditation states, alternative perceptions of time can be experienced.

DR. JAMES NYE AND THE MAKING OF TIME: GUARDIANS OF TEMPORAL CRAFT

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THE DIGITAL ACCELERATION: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA WARPS TIME Recent research has revealed disturbing truths about how our digital habits are reshaping our temporal experience. A study found that time spent on social media does, in fact, speed up time – users severely underestimate the amount of time they spend, with what feels like 10 minutes easily being 30 or 40.

Dr. Hokemeyer sees this as a manifestation of our Western relationship with time taken to its logical extreme: "Social media platforms 68

are designed to accelerate our sense of time passing. They create what I call 'temporal compression' — where our attention becomes fragmented across multiple timelines, notifications, and feeds. This leaves people feeling simultaneously rushed and empty, as if they're living in fast-forward while missing the substance of their own lives."

The psychological impact is measurable.

Research shows that stressful and threatening stimuli produce time distortion effects, with individuals perceiving these stimuli as lasting for different amounts of time compared to a standard unit. As social media users

Against this backdrop of digital acceleration, there exists a quiet rebellion — those who make time, literally. Dr. James Nye, a master clockmaker, philanthropist, and time scholar, represents more than nostalgic craftsmanship. As Master of the ancient Clockmakers' Company and custodian of a nearly 400-year-old tradition, he embodies a different relationship with temporality entirely.

"I've spent most of my life trying to ensure the survival of the trade," he says. "Clockmaking isn't dying — it's just small. Like time itself, its value isn't always visible, but it's profound."

Dr. Nye's work exists in fascinating tension with our modern temporal anxiety. While most of us experience time as a source of stress, his profession requires the kind of meditative patience that Dr. Hokemeyer advocates.

Every tick represents precision, every

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mechanism a meditation on the nature of measured time.

"We're teaching teenagers to lovingly restore antique mechanisms," Dr. Nye explains. "There's something profound about watching a young person slow down enough to understand how a pendulum works. They're not just learning about gears and springs — they're learning about rhythm, patience, and the beauty of sustained attention."

The irony is palpable: in an age of temporal acceleration, traditional timebased crafts are experiencing a quiet renaissance. In the 2023/24 academic year, there were 736,500 people participating in an apprenticeship in England, with 339,600 apprenticeship starts and 178,200 apprenticeship achievements. While specific data on horological apprenticeships remains limited, the broader trend suggests a growing hunger for skilled, timeintensive crafts.

Recent government studies show that 85 per cent of apprentices remain in fulltime employment after completing their apprenticeship, and 6 in 10 continue working with the same employer. This stability stands in stark contrast to the gig economy's temporal fragmentation.

Keith Scobie-Youngs, whose Cumbriabased company has been painstakingly repairing the world's most famous clock as part of a secret operation while Big Ben's bongs were silent, describes the psychology of his apprentices: "They come to us from a world of instant gratification, where everything is immediate. Learning to make a clock teaches them something radical — that the most valuable things require sustained attention over time. It's counter-cultural in the best possible way."

Dr. Nye sees this trend as psychologically significant: "These young people are instinctively seeking what I call 'temporal grounding' — work that requires presence, patience, and a

Keith Scobie-Youngs

different relationship with time. They're rejecting the Western model of time as commodity and embracing something more akin to the Eastern approach of time as teacher."

from August 2023 to January 2024 rose to 200,550, marking a 2.5% increase from the previous year. This growth occurs despite — or perhaps because of — our culture's temporal acceleration.

The apprenticeship model itself represents a fascinating alternative to our culture's temporal anxieties. Unlike university education, which operates on compressed semesters and standardised timelines, apprenticeships unfold according to the rhythm of mastery itself.

Dr. Hokemeyer notes the psychological implications: "Apprenticeships teach what I call 'temporal sovereignty' — the ability to resist external pressure and develop according to one's own natural rhythm. This is exactly what young people need to counter the temporal anxiety that social media and competitive culture create."

“WE TREAT TIME AS A RESOURCE TO BE MINED, SPENT, OPTIMISED. BUT TIME ISN’T A CURRENCY – IT’S A CONTEXT.” "We can't rush the development of a skilled clockmaker," Keith explains, his hands moving with the deliberate precision that comes from decades of practice. "The hands need to learn sensitivity, the eye needs to develop precision, the mind needs to understand the intricate relationships between components. This takes time — real time, not compressed time."

The number of apprenticeship starts

THE THREAD OF BRITISH CRAFTSMANSHIP: FROM CLOCKWORK TO GREAT WORKS Keith Scobie-Youngs speaks passionately about how clockmaking opens onto a much broader tradition of British workmanship that extends far beyond the workshop. "When people think of British engineering excellence, they often think of the great names — Brunel, Telford, Stephenson. But what they don't always realise is that this tradition of precision, of understanding how complex mechanisms work together, it all comes from the same source." www.finito.org.uk

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The connection between clockmaking and broader engineering prowess is more than metaphorical. From the beginning in the 15th century through the 17th century, clockmaking was considered the "leading edge," most technically advanced trade existing. The skills required — precision metalwork, understanding of gears and ratios, the ability to create mechanisms that must work reliably for centuries — these same skills built the Industrial Revolution.

pioneering steamships — all required the kind of systematic thinking that clockmakers had been perfecting for centuries.

"Look at Isambard Kingdom Brunel," Keith continues, gesturing toward a photograph of the great engineer on his workshop wall. "His father, Marc Brunel, was deeply involved in precision engineering and mechanical innovation. The attention to detail, the understanding of how minute tolerances affect entire systems — this is clockmaker thinking applied to bridges, railways, and ships."

"What we're preserving," Keith says, "isn't just the ability to repair old clocks. We're preserving a way of thinking, an approach to problemsolving, a relationship with materials and mechanisms that built the modern world. Every apprentice who learns to adjust a hairspring is connecting to the same tradition that gave us the Thames Tunnel, the Great Western Railway, and the SS Great Britain."

Indeed, Brunel has surprising connections to horology, and his engineering approach reflected the same meticulous attention to mechanical precision that defines clockmaking.

The great suspension bridges, the revolutionary railway systems, the

This tradition continues today. As Keith noted about their work on Big Ben: "The beauty of a clock like this is that you as a clockmaker become part of its history and want to leave your mark."

But the mark being left extends beyond individual clocks to the preservation of

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“TIME IS NOT NEUTRAL. IT’S SHAPED BY STRUCTURES OF POWER.”

an entire way of approaching complex problems with patience, precision, and respect for the accumulated wisdom of centuries.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF 'FALLING BEHIND' Dr. Hokemeyer's work with patients who feel "behind" in life reveals the profound psychological toll of our temporal culture. His insights go beyond simple advice, revealing the deeper structures that create temporal anxiety: "I see two types of patients struggling with time. The first are what I call 'temporal perfectionists' — people who measure their worth against arbitrary timelines. They feel behind because they're racing against benchmarks that were never meaningful to begin with. The second group are 'temporal fugitives' — people running from their own lives, always looking ahead to the next milestone rather than inhabiting the present."

He argues that social media has intensified both patterns: "Curated timelines create false standards. People see others' highlight reels and assume

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they're behind in some cosmic race.

But here's what I tell my patients: 'One of my favourite expressions is: early to bloom, early to rot.' We're in an era where true value lies in slowness — in the wisdom gathered over time, not merely the speed of achievement."

This philosophy aligns with emerging research on time perception. Scientists are increasingly focusing on the role that emotion plays in distorting our sense of time, with stress and anxiety making time feel simultaneously scarce and endless.

“SLEEP IS NOW CONSIDERED AN OBSTACLE TO PRODUCTIVITY.” Meanwhile, Dr. Nye's work represents part of a broader movement toward what might be called "temporal crafts" — professions that require a different relationship with time.

Beyond clockmaking, these encompass traditional apprenticeships from blacksmithing to violin making, careers that demand what Dr. Hokemeyer calls "temporal maturity" — the ability to work within natural rhythms rather than artificial deadlines. The restoration arts form another crucial branch of this movement, with conservators, antique restorers, and heritage craftspeople working with time itself, preserving objects that carry temporal weight across generations. Finally, contemplative professions including meditation teachers, therapists, and spiritual guides help others develop healthier relationships with time, offering pathways toward what might be called temporal wisdom.

Dr. Nye sees these professions as offering something essential: "We're not just preserving skills — we're preserving a way of being with time. In a world that's forgotten how to be patient, we're keeping alive the knowledge that some things can't be rushed."

THE NEUROSCIENCE OF TEMPORAL PERCEPTION

Dr. Hokemeyer

Recent neuroscientific research supports both Dr. Hokemeyer's observations and James' experiential wisdom. The brain's perception of time is remarkably malleable, influenced by attention, emotion, and environmental factors.

Dr. Hokemeyer explains the clinical implications: "When people feel chronically behind, it's often because their attention is fragmented. They're not fully present in any moment, so time feels both rushed and empty. The antidote isn't time management — it's attention management. This is why contemplative practices and focused work, like clockmaking, can be so therapeutic."

The digital age has created what researchers are calling "temporal dysregulation" — a condition where our natural rhythms become disrupted by constant connectivity and artificial urgency.

“SLOW IS NOT ABOUT DOING EVERYTHING AT A SNAIL’S PACE. IT’S ABOUT DOING THINGS AT THE RIGHT SPEED.” Against the backdrop of temporal acceleration, counter-movements are emerging. The "slow" movement — encompassing slow food, slow fashion, and slow living — represents a cultural rejection of speed-obsessed temporality.

Dr. Hokemeyer sees this as psychologically necessary: "People are beginning to understand that the Western approach to time is making them sick. They're experiencing what I call 'temporal whiplash' — the constant switching between accelerated digital

time and natural human rhythms. The slow movement is really about temporal healing."

Dr. Nye's clockmaking work intersects with this cultural shift: "We're getting inquiries from people who want to learn clockmaking not as a career, but as a practice. They want to understand how to slow down, how to pay attention, how to work with their hands in a way that connects them to different rhythms."

THE FUTURE OF TIME: TOWARD TEMPORAL WISDOM As we look toward the future, both Dr. Hokemeyer and Dr. Nye offer visions of what healthier temporal relationships might look like.

Dr. Hokemeyer advocates for what he calls "temporal literacy": "We need to teach people that time perception is malleable, that they have agency in how they experience temporality. This isn't about time management — it's about time philosophy. We need to help people understand that there are many ways to experience time, and the Western linear model is just one option."

Dr. Nye envisions a future where traditional temporal crafts serve as www.finito.org.uk

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This is what both Keith Scobie-Youngs

Dr. James Nye

the clockmaker and Dr. Hokemeyer, the clinician, remind us: that time is not a

commodity to be traded, but a context to be inhabited. It is not money. It is meaning.

Dr. Hokemeyer's final insight captures the essence of this transformed

relationship: "A rich and meaningful life is a composition of experiences,

lessons learned, and relationships lived

over time. When we stop trying to race against time and start dancing with it, we discover that we have more time bridges between old and new ways of being: "I see young people who are brilliant with technology but starved for something deeper. They're drawn to clockmaking because it offers what their digital lives can't — a sense of continuity, of connection to something larger than themselves. The future isn't about choosing between technology and tradition, but about finding ways to integrate both."

refuse to accept the dominant cultural narratives about time. Their work offers practical pathways toward what Dr. Hokemeyer calls "temporal sovereignty."

For Dr. Hokemeyer, this means helping people develop what he terms "temporal resilience": "It's the ability to remain centred in your own rhythm regardless of external pressures. It's understanding that late isn't bad — it's often wiser. It's recognising that the age of traditional gatekeepers is ending, and that today's thought leaders are those who have taken the time to colour outside the lines."

than we ever imagined. The question

isn't how to manage time — it's how to inhabit it fully."

"TIME IS ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT UNITES THE MECHANICAL AND THE METAPHYSICAL.

“IT'S UNDERSTANDING THAT LATE ISN'T BAD — IT'S OFTEN WISER. For Dr. Nye, temporal rebellion means preserving skills and knowledge that IT'S RECOGNIZING embody different relationships with THAT THE AGE time: "Every clock we restore, every apprentice we train, every technique we OF TRADITIONAL preserve is an act of resistance against GATEKEEPERS IS the tyranny of speed. We're not just ENDING, AND THAT making timepieces — we're making time itself visible, tangible, beautiful."

TODAY'S THOUGHT LEADERS ARE THOSE WHO HAVE WHAT TIME REALLY TAKEN THE TIME TO ASKS OF US Time, when seen rightly, is not a COLOUR OUTSIDE dictator — but a mirror. Our perception THE LINES.” of it reveals who we are: whether we

Dr. Nye adds his craftsman's

Both men represent what we might call "temporal rebels" — individuals who

clock — we are its masters, if only we

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race it from fear, stretch it in service of curiosity, or sit quietly beside it, listening.

perspective: "Time is one of the few

things that unites the mechanical and the metaphysical. Every gear teaches

patience, every spring teaches resilience, every pendulum teaches rhythm. In

the end, whether we measure it with

Swiss precision or lose it in a Japanese

tea ceremony, time asks only this: to be lived."

In the end, both the psychologist and

the clockmaker offer the same radical

proposition: that our relationship with

time is a choice, not a given. In a world that profits from our temporal anxiety, perhaps the most revolutionary act is

simply to slow down, pay attention, and remember that we are not slaves to the remember how to be.

(Unsplash.com)

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SECTOR ANALYSIS

A SMASHING SECTOR

A DEEP DIVE INTO THE GLASS INDUSTRY

GEORGE ACHEBE CONSIDERS THE OPTIONS IF YOU WANT A CAREER IN OUR MOST TRANSPARENT MATERIAL

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G

lass is one of humanity’s greatest unsung heroes. We see through it but rarely see it. From the smartphone screens we tap daily to the wine glasses raised in celebration, from the windows that frame our cities to the fibre optic cables carrying our conversations, glass is both ubiquitous and invisible. It is an industrial workhorse, an artistic medium, and a scientific marvel—all at once.

Yet, despite its essential role in modern life, the glass industry faces profound challenges. British glass manufacturing, once the envy of the world, now finds itself at a critical juncture. The sector 74

employs over 23,000 people directly, with thousands more in associated supply chains, yet it must navigate an increasingly complex landscape of global competition, soaring energy costs, and urgent sustainability demands.

glass, we wouldn’t even be able to hold this webinar—since fibre optic cables, made of glass, are the backbone of our global communication network,” he noted.

These challenges were front and centre at the 695th Lord Mayor’s Lecture, a high-profile online event that convened leading minds from science, manufacturing, and business to discuss the past, present, and future of glass.

SHAPE-SHIFTING MATERIAL

Professor Tim Connell, an emeritus professor at City, University of London, introduced the session with a reflection on glass’s unseen impact. “Without

Dave Dalton, CEO of British Glass, was among the speakers taking the audience through the scientific and practical aspects of glass. “Glass is not just a material—it is a material state,” he explained. “It’s a frozen liquid with no long-term structure, making it one of the most adaptable substances known to humankind.”

SECTOR ANALYSIS

“IT’S A FROZEN LIQUID WITH NO LONG-TERM STRUCTURE, MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST ADAPTABLE SUBSTANCES KNOWN TO HUMANKIND.” He went on to highlight its surprising applications. “Most people think of glass as something we look through rather than at. But glass plays a fundamental role in everything from medical instruments to high-performance engines, wind turbine blades, and even space exploration.”

Richard Katz, CEO of Glass Futures, echoed this sense of boundless potential while stressing the need for transformation. “We are building a future where sustainability and innovation go hand in hand,” he said.

“The glass furnace of tomorrow will be radically different from today’s— potentially electric or hydrogen-powered rather than gas-fired.”

Mark Holford, a Court Member and Charity Trustee of the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers, underscored the material’s dual identity. "Glass is arguably mankind's most versatile material," he told The World of Glass Museum. "It's been with us for millennia, yet we're still discovering new applications and properties. What other material can be both a work of art and a critical component in quantum computing?"

Holford, who has amassed a collection of over 200 pieces of contemporary glass art, understands this duality well.

His passion for glass extends beyond its industrial applications to its role in creativity and craftsmanship. The workforce in the glass sector reflects this diversity: on one end, engineers and

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scientists developing new formulations and manufacturing techniques; on the other, artisans preserving centuries-old traditions of glassblowing, cutting, and engraving.

THE NEXT GENERATION OF GLASSMAKERS One of the biggest concerns raised at the lecture was the future of the glass industry’s workforce. Katz has long been an advocate for fostering a new generation of talent. At the Glass Focus

Awards 2023, he stressed: "The glass industry offers extraordinary career opportunities, from highly technical roles in research and development to hands-on creative positions. We need programmers and artists, chemists and craftspeople. The challenge is ensuring that these skills aren't lost as veteran workers retire."

James Badgett, CEO of the Angel Investment Network, says: “It’s an interesting point that often people don’t think sector-first when it comes to their careers – they think the wrong way round about what they’re good at. That’s www.finito.org.uk

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important too but in a highly disrupted economy, it’s a good idea to think of those things which are definitely going to be around. AI needs glass – so I think it’s a good sector to look at.”

THE ENERGY CRISIS AND GLOBAL COMPETITION Dalton has been vocal about the pressures facing UK manufacturers, particularly the rising cost of energy. In an op-ed for Manufacturing Today, he warned: "Energy costs are crippling our sector. Glass manufacturing is energyintensive—there's no getting around that fact. When UK manufacturers are paying significantly more for energy than their European counterparts, let alone those in Asia, it creates an uneven playing field that no amount of innovation can fully overcome."

At the Lord Mayor’s lecture, he reiterated the challenge. “Glass should be at the forefront of the green transition. It is infinitely recyclable without quality degradation. Solar panels depend on glass. Double and triple glazing reduces energy consumption in buildings. But manufacturing glass itself remains carbon-intensive, and transforming production processes requires massive investment.”

Some of that investment is beginning to materialise through initiatives like Glass Futures, an industry-backed research and technology organisation developing a £54 million Global Centre of Excellence in St Helens.

The facility aims to revolutionise glass production, reducing carbon emissions while enhancing the UK's competitive position.

GLASS IN FLUX The challenges facing the UK glass sector are mirrored on the global stage, where geopolitical shifts, trade policies, 76

and environmental regulations add further complexity.

Katz, speaking at a Glass International panel, noted: "The glass industry is inherently global. Raw materials may come from one continent, be processed in another, and the final products shipped worldwide. Any disruption to this ecosystem has cascading effects."

Dalton, addressing a House of Lords Industry Briefing, offered a perspective on the policy landscape: "On one hand, a rollback of carbon reduction targets could temporarily ease pressure on energy-intensive industries like ours. On the other, it risks putting the US—and by extension, anyone trading with them—out of step with global sustainability trends. Short-term relief could mean long-term competitive disadvantage."

Meanwhile, China’s glass industry remains dominant, producing over half the world’s glass. As The Economist reported in a special manufacturing issue: "China’s vertically integrated supply chains allow for a level of efficiency that Western manufacturers struggle to match. While once known for lower-quality glass, China is now a leader in architectural glass, solar panels, and high-end consumer goods."

TRANSPARENT FUTURE Amid these complexities, the British glass sector is searching for a path forward—one that builds on its heritage while embracing technological advancements.

Dalton sees the industry’s future in specialization: "Our future lies in specialised products, innovative materials, and processes where intellectual property and technical expertise outweigh raw production costs."

Katz envisions a synergy between tradition and modernity. "British glass has an incredible heritage of craftsmanship. When we combine that

with cutting-edge research in materials science and digital manufacturing, we create products that cannot be easily

replicated elsewhere," he told Glass & Glazing Federation Quarterly.

Education will play a pivotal role in

ensuring this vision becomes reality.

Programs supported by the Worshipful

Company of Glass Sellers aim to equip

future generations with the skills needed to thrive in both technical and artistic roles.

“We need to reframe glass careers for young people,” argued Holford in a

discussion with Crafts Magazine. “This isn't just about industrial jobs—it's

about being at the forefront of materials science, sustainable manufacturing, and artistic innovation.”

"GLASS HAS SURVIVED FOR MILLENNIA BECAUSE OF ITS ADAPTABILITY. I HAVE NO DOUBT IT WILL SURVIVE FOR MILLENNIA MORE." For a material that is transparent, the future of glass remains anything but

clear. Yet its resilience, versatility, and continued relevance make one thing

certain: this ancient material will shape our modern world in ways both visible and unseen.

As Dalton puts it: "Glass has survived

for millennia because of its adaptability.

I have no doubt it will survive for

millennia more. The question is whether the UK will remain at the cutting edge of its production and application."

In an industry where fragility and

strength coexist in perfect harmony, the same duality seems to define its future prospects.

PHOTO ESSAY

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CRYPTOCURRENCY

THE MOTHER'S DAY REVOLUTION:

CLAIRE CUMMINGS ON BITCOIN, DEMOCRACY, AND FIGHTING FINANCIAL AUTHORITARIANISM I

n the distinguished surroundings of the In and Out Club, Claire Cummings recounts how a cup of coffee in bed on Mother's Day 2023 sparked the creation of Britain's only think tank dedicated solely to digital assets—and why she believes Bitcoin represents the ultimate democratic alternative to an increasingly authoritarian financial system.

It's not often that a revolutionary idea is born over breakfast in bed on Mother's Day, but then again, Claire Cummings has never been one to follow conventional paths. As we settle into our conversation at the In and Out Club, the founder of the Centre for Digital Assets and Democracy (CDAD) reflects on that pivotal morning in March 2023 when her career took a decisive change.

"IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT A REVOLUTIONARY IDEA IS BORN OVER BREAKFAST IN BED ON MOTHER'S DAY, BUT THEN AGAIN, CLAIRE CUMMINGS HAS NEVER BEEN ONE TO FOLLOW CONVENTIONAL PATHS." 78

"My daughter brought me a cup of coffee in bed, and the name just came to me," Cummings recalls with evident fondness. "While I was having my cup of coffee, before I opened my presents, I just went online to Companies House and set it up."

Within hours of that moment of inspiration, Britain had its first— and still only—think tank focused exclusively on digital assets. But the story behind that Mother's Day epiphany reveals a much deeper journey through the corridors of financial regulation, commodity trading, and ultimately, a growing frustration with what Cummings sees as the creeping authoritarianism of modern financial oversight.

From Hedge Funds to Human Rights Cummings' path to Bitcoin advocacy began in the early days of hedge fund regulation, when European financial legislation was refreshingly simple.

"When I qualified as a solicitor, the only piece of European legislation we really Luke Littler (Wikipedia.org) had to deal with was something called the Investment Services Directive, and it was about 6 pages long," she recalls.

"If you wanted to do things in Europe, all the European nations just complied with this six-page document."

Those days of regulatory simplicity are long gone, and it is clear Cummings looks back on them with a certain nostalgia, though termpering this with an understanding that regulations needs to adapt. What followed was

Claire Cummings

an avalanche of legislation—MiFID, AIFMD, and countless other acronyms that transformed the financial landscape into what Cummings describes as a "sclerotic industry that fails to properly acknowledge or use the existing laws.

After all, as just example, we have the Fraud Act." "I can remember, almost overnight with AIFMD, clients coming in, and whereas before I'd be able to say, 'Yep, we can do that fine,' I'd have to say, 'Yep, we can do that, but first of all, we've got to do blah, blah, blah.' And it's hard to perceive how anything that came in there has protected hedge fund investors."

It was during this period of regulatory expansion that Bitcoin emerged, offering something radically different.

"When Bitcoin came about and I looked at the screen showing Bitcoin trading, it reminded me very much of the commodity trading I'd understood in my legal career," Cummings explains.

"But it was the decentralisation and the freedom that brought, and the lack of any central bank involvement."

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The Democracy Connection

The name of Cummings' think tank— the Centre for Digital Assets and Democracy—reflects her conviction that Bitcoin represents something far more significant than just another financial instrument. It's about human dignity and democratic principles, particularly in countries where these are under threat.

"When you see how Bitcoin is used in countries where there is no democracy, that's when the sun comes out and starts shining brighter," she says, her voice carrying genuine emotion. "There was a lady escaping Afghanistan who was able to take her Bitcoin with her because she has the access code in her head. Once she was safely away from the Taliban she went to an internet café, accessed her wallet, took out her savings and was able to support herself and her family because of the code she’d kept in her head."

"WHEN YOU SEE HOW BITCOIN IS USED IN COUNTRIES WHERE THERE IS NO DEMOCRACY, THAT'S WHEN THE SUN COMES OUT AND STARTS SHINING BRIGHTER." This isn't just about individual stories of escape and survival. In Afghanistan today, there are businesses that, behind the scenes, employ women and girls and pay them in Bitcoin so there's no trace. "They haven't got to hide a piece of gold or hide any physical notes. It's all there in a wallet with a seed phrase in their heads, and they can trade secretly as long as they have access to a mobile phone."

The Regulatory Overreach

But Cummings' concerns about democracy extend beyond authoritarian

regimes to what she sees as the erosion of democratic accountability in Britain's own regulatory system. "When the FCA is given an astonishing amount of power, including to write the regulations around the legislation, you have to ask whether we are moving to a quango which is more powerful than the people that were elected? And whether that is democratic?"

according to Cummings. "In America, they have a crypto czar who understands finance and crypto. They have new heads at the SEC and CFTC, people whose backgrounds are in finance and crypto.

They've got people heading up the regulators who want to promote crypto, who want to have a level of regulation but don't want the regulation to be stifling."

This question goes to the heart of her critique of modern financial regulation.

"Nobody knows how many quangos there actually are in this country," she notes with obvious frustration. "Cameron and Osborne had that wonderful idea of the bonfire of the quangos, but I don't think anybody lit any matches on that one."

"THE ELECTED NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THEY'RE SERVANTS OF THE PEOPLE. IT'S NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND."

The proliferation of unaccountable regulatory bodies represents, in Cummings' view, a fundamental challenge to democratic governance.

“Do the elected remember that they’re servants of the people? That it’s not the other way around? This is one of the principles at the heart of whether we are a democracy or not.”

Learning from America The contrast between the approaches of the UK and US governments to cryptocurrency couldn’t be more stark,

Cummings’ think tank is apolitical but it does make you wonder about the difference between the US and the UK. It is all a question, one feels, of practical business experience. IHow many people in the Cabinet would you employ? Who would you give a job to and think they could understand that at the end of every day, you've got to balance the books and pay your employees?

This lack of real-world business understanding among policymakers creates what Cummings sees as a dangerous disconnect between regulation www.finito.org.uk

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and reality. “I fear the civil service and the quangos may be running the country, and not anyone who is actually elected.

They may screw up but at least they have to stand for re-election every four years."

The Path Forward

Despite her frustrations with the current regulatory environment, Cummings sees opportunities for reform. She advocates for mutual recognition between UK and US regulatory frameworks, leveraging the common law heritage both countries share. "The UK and the US have similar regulators with similar principles and are both common law jurisdictions.

Some mutual recognition of each other's regulations would allow for trade to be conducted more easily."

The think tank's work focuses on practical policy engagement, though Cummings admits the self-funded nature of the operation creates constraints. "I'm funding most of it myself, so it has to be staggered."

A Financial Grab Bag

As our conversation draws to a close, Cummings returns to the human element that drives her advocacy. She speaks of Jewish friends whose parents, shaped by Holocaust trauma, always kept " 100 pounds stuck in pockets of different jackets"—a financial grab bag for emergency escape.

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"Bitcoin is the digital version of that," she explains. "That basic human dignity of providing for yourself and your family, for not living off handouts."

Whether it's women in Afghanistan trading secretly through coded wallets or individuals in democratic countries seeking alternatives to an increasingly regulated financial system, Bitcoin represents something profound in Cummings' vision: the preservation of financial freedom in an age of growing authoritarianism.

An important aspect of her education of both Parliament and the broader public is her “cryptionary”, parts of which we publish overleaf. “We were very luck to get Lord Ed Vaizey to publish the foreword,” she recalls. “Nobody comes to Parliament fully equipped with knowledge of cryptocurrency and so it’s an important resource to take into meetings, and know exactly what quite complicated terms refer to.”

"THAT BASIC HUMAN DIGNITY OF PROVIDING FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY, FOR NOT LIVING OFF HANDOUTS." That Mother's Day morning in 2023, over a simple cup of coffee, Claire Cummings didn't just register a company. She declared war on financial authoritarianism, armed with nothing more than a conviction that democracy and decentralisation are the keys to human dignity. In a world where regulatory complexity threatens to strangle innovation and individual liberty, her think tank stands as a beacon for those who believe that financial freedom is inseparable from human freedom.

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Freepik

www.finito.org.uk

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CUMMINGS PEPPERDINE CRYPTIONARY

A DICTIONARY OF CRYPTO TERMS A SMALL SELCTION OF SOME OF THE CRYPTO TERMS EXPLAINED IN THE CUMMINGS PEPPERDINE CRYPTIONARY ADVANCED ANALYTICS

BIGTECH

CONSENSUS MECHANISM

The use of mathematical and statistical formulas

Large, well-established technology companies

A method for validating entries into a

information, recognise patterns in data and predict

products that are very similar to financial products

secure. In cryptocurrency the database is

and algorithmic trading to generate new

outcomes and their respective probabilities.

which provide financial products and services or and can include crypto products.

ALGORITHM

BOE FINTECH ACCELERATOR

A set of computational rules to be followed

A Bank of England (BoE) initiative by which

exercises.

understand how technological innovation could

in calculations and in other problem solving

ALGORITHMIC TRADING Using a computer algorithm to trade financial

instruments, with the algorithm determining the individual parameters of orders (such as whether to initiate the order, the timing, price or quality

distributed database and keeping the database blockchain which means that the consensus mechanism secures the blockchain.

CUMMINGS PEPPERDINE

the BoE partners with firms to help the BoE

What can we say? The leading firm for crypto,

impact its policy objectives, and specifically

in the United Kingdom. We’re also quite good

financial stability. The BoE carries out proofs

of concept on use cases that could enable it to function more efficiently and effectively.

BIG DATA

fund and investment law and regulatory issues

at tax and accounting. Happy to meet you here.

CROWDFUNDING A means by which individuals and businesses can raise money from the public to support a

of the order and how to manage the order after

The use of digital tools and information systems

business, project, campaign or individual, usually

human intervention.

algorithms) to generate, collect, store and process

individual seeking financing explains the project

velocity from different types of sources, often in

investment from as many parties as possible.

volume, variety and velocity.

of which only two (loan-based crowdfunding

its submission) and where there is limited or no

AIFMD The Alternative Investment Fund Managers

Directive (AIFMD), an EU direction which was onshored post- Brexit and which puts in place a comprehensive framework for the regulation of

(such as powerful processors, software and

through online platforms. The business or

high volumes of different types of data at high

being financed in a pitch to attract loans and

real time. The FCA talks about the three “Vs”:

The FCA identifies four types of crowdfunding,

BITCOIN

and investment-based crowdfunding) are

regulated. The unregulated two are donation

based crowdfunding and pre-payment/rewards-

The first decentralised, digital currency. It uses

based crowdfunding.

with no central authority or banks. Instead,

CRYPTIONARY

is carried out collectively by the network

This is it. Enjoy!

BLOCKCHAIN

CRYPTOASSETS

‘clean’. Money laundering also includes money

A type of database that is decentralised,

A broad term used by regulators and

obtained. The FCA is the anti-money laundering

shared record of information that is maintained

secured digital representation of value or

than a central authority. It is a type of distributed

distributed ledger technology (DLT) and can be

set of features, organising its data in a chain of

comprise a range of different forms, referred

validated and then “chained” to the next block.

also used more generally to distinguish digital

alternative investment fund managers. It generally includes those trading cryptoassets via a fund.

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING RULES The rules which apply to entities to prevent the

exchange of money or assets that were obtained criminally for money or other assets that are that’s used to fund terrorism, however it’s

and counter-terrorist financing supervisor of UK cryptoasset businesses.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) Information technology systems that perform

functions and tasks normally requiring human intelligence. Examples of use include speech recognition/natural language processing and machine learning.

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open-source, peer-to-peer technology to operate managing transactions and the issuing of bitcoins

distributed, and self-proving, which provides a

governments to refer to a cryptographically

and updated by a network of computers rather

contractual rights that use some forms of

ledger technology (DLT) that has a specific

stored, transferred or traded electronically. They

blocks. Each block contains data that is verified,

to by UK regulators as tokens. The term is

Although blockchain is a subset of DLT, through

currency and assets from fiat currency. The

popular use, it has become a generic term for all

DLT projects. Its best-known application in the financial services sector is bitcoin.

FCA has created a framework for categorising crypotoassets.

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CRYPTOCURRENCY A type of digital currency that uses cryptographic encryption to validate and secure transactions.

Major cryptocurrencies include bitcoin (the first

decentralised cryptocurrency), ethereum, litecoin and ripple. Cryptocurrencies are sometimes unregulated tokens.

CRYPTOASSET EXCHANGE PROVIDERS These are firms which exchange, arrange or make arrangements (whether automated or otherwise)

for the exchange of money (i.e. fiat currency) and cryptoassets; or of one cryptoasset for another.

They need to be registered with the FCA for this business.

CUSTODIAN WALLET PROVIDERS These are firms that provide services to safeguard, or to safeguard and administer: cryptoassets or private cryptographic keys on behalf of its customers,

or which hold, store and transfer cryptoassets.

They need to be registered with the FCA for this business.

DAO Meaning decentralised autonomous organisation, a

DAO is a automated and decentralized organisation which is unaffiliated with any particular nation

state and runs on blockchain and smart contracts.

Generally it may manage open source, blockchainbased projects or make crypto investments.

DECENTRALISED FINANCE (DEFI) DeFi refers to an automated form of traditional

financial products and services that operates using digital smart contracts which are built on the

blockchain. Accessible to anyone with an internet

connection, DeFi platforms use decentralised apps which are not controlled by a cental authority

("dapps")to enable transactions between DeFi

participants without the need for a centralised

financial intermediary (ie a broker, exchange or bank).

DIGITAL CURRENCY Also known as virtual currency. A digital

representation of value exists electronically and functions as a medium of exchange, a unit of

account and a store of value. They are not issued or backed by government or other public authority (unlike fiat currency) but are issued and usually controlled by their developers and used and

accepted among the members of a specific virtual community as a means of payment that can be 84

transferred, stored or traded electronically. Digital

Tokens that are not issued or backed by any

as a medium of exchange within the computer

to be used as a means of exchange. Usually, a

currencies include credits for computer games used games where these are issued, as well as e-money

and cryptocurrency. Although initially designed to be used to make payments, many are now held as speculative assets by investors.

central authority and are intended and designed decentralised tool for buying and selling goods

and services without traditional intermediaries.

They may fall outside the FCA’s regulatory perimeter.

DIGITAL SANDBOX

FCA

A controlled, supervised space that provides

The Financial Conduct Authority of the United

high-quality synthetic data assets to test and

financial services firms and financial markets

successful applicants with access to a range of develop their propositions and a focused ecosystem to accelerate early-stage development. The FCA launched a digital sandbox to support products and services at earlier stages of development.

Kingdom. The FCA is the conduct regulator for in the UK. It is also the anti-money laundering

and counterterrorist financing supervisor of UK cryptoasset businesses.

FCA INNOVATE DISRUPTIVE FINTECH Novel and more radical innovations in technology that aim to disrupt established financial services markets and the business models of entities

operating in these markets, or establish new

markets for financial products and services. The opposite of non-disruptive FinTech, obvs.

DISTRIBUTED LEDGER TECHNOLOGY (DLT) A publicly available electronic medium of

Launched in 2014, this is an initiative of

the FCA as an innovation facilitator aimed to promote competition in the interest of

consumers, help new and established business (both regulated and nonregulated) tackle

regulatory barriers and introduce innovative financial products to the market. Innovate

support and services has multiple strands such as

the Regulatory sandbox and the Digital sandbox.

FIAT CURRENCY

exchange that features a permissionless

Also known as fiat money. Money that a

everything, but no single user controls the ability

tender, but which is not backed by a physical

distributed ledger where all participants can read to write anything, and a decentralised system

for exchanging value. Blockchain is one type of

distributed ledger that organises data into blocks

that are chained together in an append only mode and all cryptoassets utilise various forms of DLT (blockchain or other).

DOUBLE-SPEND The risk that a digital currency can be spent twice because digital information can be reproduced, which is in contrast to physical money. Many

saw potential in Bitcoin as is solved this problem.

Theft however can allow double spend.

E-MONEY TOKENS Any token that satisfies the definition of e-money in regulation 2(1) of, and are not otherwise

government has issued and declared to be legal commodity such as gold (which means that its

value is not derived from the material from which it is made).

FIFTH ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING DIRECTIVE (5AMLD) EU legistion which applies in the UK, this

directive bought certain cryptoassets within

its remit, with the FCA as the UK’s regulatory

body. Specifically, providers of exchange services between virtual currencies and fiat currencies (i.e. platforms used to exchange money for

cryptocurrency) as well as custodian wallet

providers are within its remit and those providing these services must be registered with the FCA.

FINTECH

excluded under, the Electronic Money Regulations

An umbrella term describing technology-

they are properly authorised and have the correct

regardless of the nature or size of the entity

2011 (SI 2011/99) (EMRs). Firms must ensure permissions under the Financial Services and

Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) to carry on activities involving e-money tokens.

EXCHANGE TOKENS

enabled innovation in financial services,

providing the services, that could result in new business models, applications, processes and products.

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE KEYS

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FORK

INNOVATION HUB

A fork in the blocks of data which form a

An institutional arrangement in which both

makes a change to the blockchain’s protocol.

the competent authority to discuss FinTech-

blockchain, a fork happens when a community The chain forks, producing a second blockchain that shares all of its history with the original, but sets off in a new direction.

FSMA The Financial Services and Markets Act

regulated and unregulated entities engage with related issues and clarify how their proposed or actual business models comply with the regulatory

framework in place. The FCA provides direct support to business through its innovation hub.

MACHINE LEARNING The ability of computers to learn without being

created the FCA as the UK’s regulator for

experience, for example by recognising patterns from

insurance, investment business and banking, and the Financial Ombudsman Service to

resolve disputes as a free alternative to the courts.

GAMING GUILDS Part of GameFi, gaming guilds provide

gamers with the necessary funds and tools to

participate in blockchain-based online games a

“pay-to-win” model and thus provide gamers in exchange for a cut of players’ earnings.

GLOBAL FINANCIAL INNOVATION NETWORK (GFIN) Formally launched in January 2019, an

international group of financial regulators

and related organisations, which includes the FCA and whose objective is to create a new

explicitly programmed, instead learning patterns from many examples of data.

MANAGED ACCOUNT A portfolio account opened with a financial institution that is owned by one investor who then appoints a third party to manage the assets within it in

accordance with a set investment strategy. The assets

of a managed account are not co-mingled but remain those of the investor.

Short for “regulation in markets in cryptoassets”, this

is draft EU legislation which is intended to provide an EU-wide set of rules for cryptoassets and activities in cryptoassets.

make it impossible for any entity to manipulate, replace, or falsify data stored on a blockchain network.

INITIAL COIN OFFERING (ICO) Also known as a token sale or a coin sale (see

Tokens). A digital way of raising finance online

from the public using digital currency and DLT. The issuer issues a proprietary digital coin or token against payment in a cryptocurrency,

like bitcoin or ether. The digital coin or token issued is related to a specific firm or project.

It may represent a share in a firm, a pre-

payment voucher for future services or have no discernible value at all. ICOs vary widely in

design and types and are often projects that are in a very early stage of development.

intelligence (AI), and computation linguistics that

analyse, process, and understand human language.

NON-DISRUPTIVE FINTECH FinTech products or services that trigger incremental innovation and increase efficiency in established and The opposite of disruptive FinTech.

NON-FUNGIBLE TOKENS (NFTS) These are cryptoassets that represent the proof of

title to a unique digital asset. They are digital tokens

that are the equivalent of certificates of ownership for virtual (and sometimes physical) assets, such as works

OPEN BANKING A framework to allow banking customers to provide access to their banking data and accounts to trusted

third party financial services providers (typically tech

startups and online financial service vendors) through

MIFID

firms providing services to clients linked to ‘financial

blockchain technology. Immutable transactions

An interdisciplinary field of computer science, artificial

MICA

sharing different experiences and approaches.

Unchangable, and so a key features of

NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING

of art, collectibles or music.

UK legislation and rules regulating markets in financial

IMMUNITABILITY

with the FCA before beginning to conduct business.

often mature sectors of the financial services industry.

framework for cooperation between financial

services regulators on innovation related topics,

businesses which trade in the UK must be registered

focuses on programming computers and algorithms to

2000. The primary piece of financial services legislation in the United Kingdom, it also

order to continue to carry on business. Cryptoasset

instruments (UK MiFID framework) which apply to

instruments’ (generally: shares, bonds, units in collective investment schemes and financial and commodity

derivatives), and the venues where those instruments are traded. Originally an EU direction, Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (2004/39/EC).

MINING The process by which new cryptoassets enter into

circulation and new transactions are confirmed by the

application programming interfaces (APIs).

PEER-TO-PEER AGREEMENT Also known as P2P agreement. An agreement under

section 36H(4) of RAO, where a lender (an individual or relevant person) provides credit to a borrower (an

individual or relevant person) for an amount less than or equal to £25,000, and the agreement is not entered into by the borrower wholly or predominantly for the purposes of a business carried on, or intended to be carried on, by the borrower.

PROOF OF CONCEPT

network, performed using sophisticated hardware that

A demonstration intended to verify the potential of

a problem is solved, the miner is awarded the next

and could be commercialised.

solves a complex computational maths problem. When block of cryptoassets and the process recommences with a trickier problem.

MONEY LAUNDERING, TERRORIST FINANCING AND TRANSFER OF FUNDS (INFORMATION ON THE PAYER) REGULATIONS 2017 As amended, the MLRs including the requirement

to be registered with the FCA by 9 January 2021 in

certain concepts or theories for real-world application

PROOF OF STAKE A cryptocurrency consensus mechanism for processing transactions and creating new blocks in a blockchain

PROOF OF WORK A system that requires feasible amount of effort in

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CRYPTOCURRENCY The public key is comprised of a string of random numbers and can be used to encrypt a message,

which only the intended recipient can decipher and

in-house applications run by incumbent financial institutions.

read by using the associated private key, which is

SAFT

private key is a secret key, and must remain known

A simple agreement for future tokens, it’s all in the

related so that whatever is encrypted with a

the cryptoassets between crypto developers and its

corresponding counterpart.

to futher develop their cryptoasset and then sell.

also made of a long string of random numbers. This only to the recipient. The key pair is mathematically

name. It is a contractual investment agreement in

public or private key can only be decrypted by its

investors whereby the developers seek to raise funds

RAO The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000

(Regulated Activities) Order 2001 No. 54. Among other things, the RAO sets out the activities and

types of investments which fall within the FCA’s regulatory perimeter.

REGTECH The adoption and use of technology by regulated

SECURITY TOKENS Tokens with specific characteristics that give the token holder rights akin to those provided by

“specified investment” in the UK like a share or a

debt instrument as set out in the RAO. They must reach the RAO definition of specified investment.

Security tokens fall within the regulatory perimeter

and firms carrying on “specified activities” involving

security tokens will need to ensure they are properly authorised and have the correct permissions

SUPTECH The use of technologically enabled innovation by

regulatory authorities in their role as supervisor of financial services firms.

TECHSPRINTS Events that allow regulators to gather participants from across the financial services industry and

beyond to develop ideas and discuss challenges.

Participants in FCA TechSprints include large

financial services institutions, RegTechs, FinTechs, academics, technologists and innovators. Also referred to by the FCA as “hackathons”.

TOKENS In the UK, the term used to denote different forms of cryptoassets, which may be regulated tokens or

unregulated tokens. These are categorised as exchange

under FSMA and comply with relevant rules and

tokens, E-money tokens, security tokens and utility

requirements.

tokens.

SMART CONTRACT

UNREGULATED TOKENS

A self-executing contract (created using blockchain

Any token that is not an E-money tokens or a

REGULATED TOKENS

where the terms of the agreement between the

exchange tokens. These tokens fall outside the

In the UK, tokens that fall into the category of

distributed, decentralised blockchain network.

financial services firms and other market

participants to help them to follow and meet

regulatory and compliance requirements, such

as reporting, more efficiently or effectively than established legacy systems.

or other distributed ledger technology (DLT))

security tokens or e-money tokens.

parties are written into code that exists across a The terms of the contract are then executed and

enforced on the occurrence of specified events in

REGULATORY PERIMETER

the contract, which can trigger financial flows or

The regulatory perimeter describes the boundary

action by the parties. The software can also be used

that separates financial services activities which are regulated in the United Kingdom, generally by the FCA, from those which are unregulated.

changes of ownership, without the need for further to make and execute chains or bundles of contracts linked to each other, all operating autonomously and automatically.

STABLECOIN

A controlled, supervised space within which both

A hybrid breed of cryptocurrency that is often

test innovative products, services, business models

Algorithmic stablecoins do not back assets, but

and delivery mechanisms in the real market, with real consumers, with the support of a regulatory

authority for a limited time. It offers tools such as

restricted authorisation, individual guidance, waivers and no-enforcement-action letters.

ROBO-ADVISORS Information technology applications that underpin automated advice models. Robo-advisors combine

digital interfaces and algorithmic trading, including

pegged to real assets (including fiat currency).

prospective product or service, but do not grant

holders rights that are the same as those granted by

specified investments. They fall outside the regulatory perimeter under FSMA. Utility tokens that meet

the definition of e-money fall within the E-money

VIRTUAL CURRENCY See Digital currency.

VIRTUAL WALLET

the aim of automatically stabilising their price

Also known as digital wallet. A virtual currency

UK, stablecoins will only be regulated under FSMA

offering a payment account) from which payment

algorithms will create or destroy stablecoins, with against some other, typically fiat, currency. In the

account (equivalent to a bank or payment institution

if they meet the definition of e-money under the

in virtual currencies can be made or received to and

EMRs or security tokens.

from other wallets.

STAKING

VIRTUAL CURRENCY EXCHANGE PLATFORM

automated financial recommendations, contract

blockchain network and confirm the transactions

advisors can be standalone firms and platforms or

Tokens that grant holders access to a current or

their supply to match the demand for them. The

The process of verifying cryptocurrency transactions

brokering and portfolio management. Robo-

UTILITY TOKENS

instead rely on mathematical rules to adjust

machine learning models, to provide a range of financial services advice. This may include

regulatory perimeter.

tokens category.

REGULATORY SANDBOX authorised and unauthorised financial firms can

Security tokens. This includes utility tokens and

which involves committing holdings to support a

Providers engaged primarily and professionally in

and thus allows participants to earn passive income

fiat currency (see Article 1(1) of the Fifth Money

on their holdings.

exchange services between digital currency and

Laundering Directive ((EU) 2018/843) (MLD5)). www.finito.org.uk

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BURSARY

LUELA FIGUEIRA

BROADCASTING BRILLIANCE, BUILDING A FUTURE

BY CHRISTOPHER JACKSON

Luela Figueira

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BURSARY

S

ome people carry the future inside them like a flame. It doesn’t flicker,

though the wind may blow. It holds

steady—even when the next step isn’t yet clear. When we first met Luela Figueira, she was already on fire.

A First-Class law graduate, a live TV

host by 22, and a young woman raised in Guyana now navigating Britain’s

job market under the ticking clock of a graduate visa, Luela had everything—

results were stellar: First-Class in her LLB, a Distinction in her LLM in

International and Commercial Law, and awards for top performance in nearly every module.

And yet: even with such credentials, when graduation came, the next

chapter didn’t immediately write itself.

Between Systems

talent, drive, voice. And yet, like so

Like many international students in

waiting for the door to open.

Despite her achievements, her right to

many in her generation, she was still What followed was a story not just of transformation, but of self-assertion.

Through her time with Finito, Luela turned potential into power. She

refined her purpose, deepened her

the UK, Luela faced structural barriers. stay hinged on finding a graduate-level job that paid over £30,000. This made even temporary roles a gamble—and every application a negotiation not just of talent, but of survival.

voice, and now stands ready—not as a

“It was overwhelming,” she recalls.

creative force for change in a world

and getting no response. I started

passive jobseeker, but as a confident, that urgently needs it.

A Start in the Spotlight Luela’s story begins in the town of

Linden, Guyana—a place of resilience, rivers, and red earth. At just 19,

she was already a radio presenter,

scripting, producing, and hosting her own show. By 22, she was anchoring a daily television programme, The

Café, interviewing artists, politicians,

and community leaders, often live and unscripted. “I had to be quick, calm, confident,” she says. “It taught me

early how to speak when it counts.”

This wasn’t youthful dabbling. It

was work. Between jobs at Devine

Entertainment, community leadership roles in her local youth revival group, and a growing passion for social

justice, Luela was already combining media skill with public purpose.

Later, that passion led her to law.

She moved to the UK, studying at

The University of Buckingham. Her

“I was applying to jobs constantly

questioning everything—even whether I belonged in this system.”

Finito entered the picture at a

crucial moment. Through our bursary

programme, supported by The Stewarts Foundation, Luela was matched with experienced mentors who didn’t just offer career advice—they listened,

understood, and helped her locate the through-line in her story.

“She had all the ingredients,” says

Sophia Petrides

the social media campaign for her

restaurant employer during the busy

Christmas season, and her volunteer

radio presenting role at 3Bs Radio in Buckingham.

More importantly, she began to identify key sectors where her passions aligned with opportunity: sustainability,

communications, PR, and law. She

started applying more strategically— including for a role at the Global

Green Growth Institute in Guyana, a perfect convergence of her legal

training, writing skill, and interest in global development.

“She’s a natural communicator,” says

Matt Thompson, another of her Finito mentors. “But she also has real depth.

Her work on climate change and

human rights shows that she’s thinking

not just about her own career, but about how she can contribute to the future.”

mentor Dominique Rollo. “But like

That work includes a significant

those with multiple identities and

Denning Law Journal, where she makes

help translating her brilliance into

based approach to climate change

understand.”

degradation with fundamental legal

so many young people, especially

academic paper published in The

international backgrounds, she needed

a compelling case for a human rights-

something the job market could

in India—linking environmental

From Fragment to Focus At Finito, the first steps were practical:

protections. It’s serious, articulate, and ahead of its time.

refining her CV, highlighting

The Guyana Reconnection

profile that reflected her range. She

to Guyana. What she found stunned

transferable skills, building a LinkedIn

Over Christmas 2024, Luela returned

added new experiences, such as leading

her.

www.finito.org.uk

ISSUE 15

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BURSARY

Professor James Tooley, Vice Chancellor; Luela Figueira; Ronel Lehmann, Dame Mary Archer, Chancellor

“SHE STOPPED WAITING FOR PERMISSION. SHE STARTED SEEING HERSELF NOT JUST AS A JOB APPLICANT, BUT AS A PARTNER IN THE COUNTRY’S GROWTH.” SOPHIA PETRIDES, FINITO MENTOR

“It was surreal,” she says. “Suddenly,

effort. She is an exceptionally bright

itself becoming a land of opportunity.

wide range of skills and talents. Her

the place I left to find opportunity is I realised: I could be part of that.”

She began researching jobs in the

oil and gas sector, legal compliance, sustainability communications, and global trade. Her mentors helped

her refine her approach. She started

reaching out to people—overcoming her natural reluctance to cold-

call—and soon had meetings with

fact it was Luela herself who had first

spotted the opening at Sui Generis on their website, and my Finito colleague James Slater and I were impressed (though not surprised) by the

thoroughness of her preparation once

she had secured an interview with the firm’s principal.”

“There was this shift,” says mentor

In early 2025, her persistence paid

for permission. She started seeing

affairs professionals in Georgetown.

Sophia Petrides. “She stopped waiting

off when she was offered a position

herself not just as a job applicant, but

at The Sui Generis Law Firm, a

booming. Since the 2015 discovery of

role that aligned her legal training

has become one of the fastest-growing

development. As Finito Senior

cranes dot the skyline of Georgetown.

a richly deserved job offer and the

Caribbean-South American frontier, is

leading law firm in Georgetown—a

massive offshore oil reserves, Guyana

with her commitment to Guyana’s

economies in the world. Construction

Mentor Tom Pauk wrote: “It was

Roads widen. Malls sprout. International

culmination of a year’s worth of

90

new employer is lucky to have her. In

business leaders, lawyers, and public

The country, once a quiet corner of the

delegations line up at embassies.

and personable young woman with a

intensive mentoring, and a great team

as a partner in the country’s growth.”

The Power of Recognition One of the most moving moments in Luela’s Finito journey came

unexpectedly. She was selected as recipient of the Finito Award at

Buckingham—recognising a student who had shown “the greatest degree

BURSARY

of excellence.” The prize: a signet ring, crafted by none other than Bentley & Skinner, royal warrant holders to His Majesty the King.

“IN A PERFECT WORLD, COMPREHENSIVE CAREER GUIDANCE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ALL REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND. THE STEWARTS FOUNDATION IS DELIGHTED TO SUPPORT THE IMPORTANT WORK OF FINITO VIA ITS BURSARY SCHEME.” STUART DENCH, CHAIRMAN, THE STEWARTS FOUNDATION

“I was shocked,” she says. “I didn’t

know people were noticing me. To

be given something so beautiful, so

The signet ring crafted by Bentley & Skinner

and impact intersect. She wants

her poised interventions at conferences

wants, always, to empower others—

Human Rights and Climate Change.

to tell stories that matter. And she

particularly the young women who

look like her, speak like her, and might otherwise go unheard.

She’s now targeting roles in

legal policy, sustainable business

development, and public engagement in sectors like mining, agriculture,

and energy. She has begun building

She is not waiting anymore. She is

Luela’s mentors all say the same thing: she is more than employable. She is essential.

“Every time we spoke,” says

Dominique, “I came away more impressed. Not just by what

As she prepares for her wedding in

she’s done—but by the grace and

whether a return to Guyana or a

That grace is visible in everything from

a US firm—Luela’s vision is clear. She

of a Christian Girl, to her volunteer

2026 and considers her next move—

intelligence with which she carries it.”

remote legal communications role with

her poetry collection The Confessions

wants to work where law, creativity,

generation of leaders might look

like—not self-promoting, but serviceminded. Not waiting for power, but

The Last Word

through work.

A Rising Voice

Returning with More

offers a blueprint for what the next

faith, and her commitment to dignity

The ring became more than jewellery.

her story.

creativity, and moral clarity, Luela

on her lived experience, her Christian

belong.”

just on her finger, but in the centre of

increasingly means adaptability,

cultivating it.

building.

token of her resilience. It sits now not

And in a world where employability

a powerful "why" statement, drawing

symbolic—it was like being told: you

It was a reminder of her worth, and a

like the International Conference on

work mentoring Guyanese youth, to

Luela’s story is still unfolding. She has returned to Guyana. She may

find herself on global stages, leading

communications for climate resilience initiatives or policy campaigns. She

may become a broadcaster again—or

an advocate, or a mother, or all three.

But what’s certain is that the arc of

her life now bends not toward fear, but toward possibility.

Finito didn’t give her talent. That

was always there. But what we did

give—through conversation, belief,

and guidance—was space. The space to grow, to reflect, to rise.

And Luela has done just that. www.finito.org.uk

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CAREERS

THE TALENTED MR. MABBUTT

BY CHRISTOPHER JACKSON

I

t is a late spring afternoon when I meet Keith Mabbutt at the

Keith Mabbutt

Beaumont Hotel. He’s early, of course.

There’s something about his manner that suggests someone for whom

lateness would feel like a betrayal

of self-respect. When he shakes my

hand, it’s with the energy of a former

footballer, which he is. But there’s more to Mabbutt than sport or business.

What strikes you immediately is the

humility, and the sense of someone who has had to become comfortable with both devastation and grace.

"I always wanted to be a footballer," he tells me, smiling, as if the dream never

quite left him. "From a very early age, it was football or nothing. People around me saw it, even in primary school. I

was the one with the ball, trying to take

everyone on." He laughs softly, not with arrogance but with fondness for that vanished boy.

"I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A FOOTBALLER, FROM A VERY EARLY AGE, IT WAS FOOTBALL OR

Charlton," he says. "A country run. I went

outer orbit to the amateur leagues left

same again." Mabbutt doesn’t dramatise it.

was shot. Mental health wasn’t something

down a pothole. My knee was never the

He doesn’t need to. The facts are enough: a career derailed, a young man forced to recalibrate his dreams.

NOTHING."

What followed was a painful drift. He

And it wasn't a fantasy. Mabbutt had

semi-professional football, haunted by

the talent. He was scouted by Millwall, Charlton, and Gillingham, eventually

playing alongside future Premier League stars. "I was training with the likes of Scott Parker. He went on to captain

England. And there I was, his teammate."

But as in many sporting stories, the dream fell apart with an injury. "Pre-season at 92

found himself unable to commit to

the proximity of what might have been.

"I’d turn up to clubs, sit in the car park, wondering what I was doing there. Six

months earlier I’d been on the cusp of topflight football. Now I was trying to prove myself to people who had day jobs."

The descent from the Premier League’s

more than physical scars. "My confidence we talked about back then. But in hindsight? I was in a bad place."

What happened next could have been a footnote. But instead, it became a

beginning. Flicking through the Evening Standard, he came across a recruitment

advert. "I went to the interview thinking

I was applying for a job. Turned out they were interviewing me as a candidate to

put on their books. But by the end of the

meeting they said, 'We want you to work here.'"

So began Mabbutt’s second life. Starting in admin at PSD, a City recruitment

CAREERS

firm, he applied the same diligence and passion that once defined his football.

"I just put myself about. Got to know people."

Within months, he was approached to

become a consultant. "And this moment came," he says, with a certain wonder. "I said, 'Actually, I want to set up my own

company.' Even now, I don’t know where that came from. It was like something outside me spoke."

"I’D TURN UP TO CLUBS, SIT IN THE CAR PARK, WONDERING WHAT I WAS DOING THERE. SIX MONTHS EARLIER I’D BEEN ON THE CUSP OF TOP-FLIGHT FOOTBALL. NOW I WAS TRYING TO PROVE MYSELF TO PEOPLE WHO HAD DAY JOBS." What followed was, in his words, "a bit

and other ventures, including CVSeeMe.

managed to convert that experience into

young people in meaningful careers,

of my job now? It’s seeing people believe

com Mabbutt has placed thousands of

helping them avoid the void he once fell

into. "It’s personal for me. I know what it’s like to feel lost.

"WHEN YOU’RE IN SPORT, YOUR IDENTITY IS EVERYTHING. WHEN THAT GOES, IT CAN BE BRUTAL."

mad". With PSD’s blessing, he started

I ask him how his own playing days

in Kent, transforming it into both home

"Sport teaches you about pressure, about

out alone, renting a four-bedroom house

inform his professional work. He pauses.

and office. "I didn’t want a separate office.

reading people, about timing. But mostly,

I needed to feel in it. I was literally on

my own, phoning candidates, building something from scratch."

The company he founded would become

The Enhancement Initiative UK, a niche

graduate recruitment consultancy serving students and young people transitioning into life after their studies. "There’s this

huge psychological shift," he says. "When

you’re in sport, your identity is everything.

When that goes, it can be brutal."

Through The Enhancement Initiative UK

it teaches you about failure. And what you do after."

At this point, we drift into philosophy.

Mabbutt’s tone changes: it becomes

softer, more reflective. "I think everything you go through is preparation for

something. I’m not sure I believe in

luck. But I believe in grace. I believe in showing up."

It’s a rare thing to meet someone who has seen both the best and the worst of what life can offer, and who has

something useful to others. "The best part in themselves again. That moment when they realise they’re not finished."

We talk about legacy. He shrugs,

uncomfortable. "I don’t think about legacy. I think about impact. About

helping someone get through the week.

If that’s what I can do, then I’m good."

"THE BEST PART OF MY JOB NOW? IT’S SEEING PEOPLE BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AGAIN. THAT MOMENT WHEN THEY REALISE THEY’RE NOT FINISHED." But legacy might find him anyway.

As we part ways, Mabbutt insists on

paying for the tea. It’s a small thing. But maybe that’s how you build a life worth

remembering: not in glory or riches, but

in small, consistent acts of generosity. In remembering what it’s like to be young, full of hope, with a ball at your feet and the whole world ahead of you. www.finito.org.uk

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LETTERS

LETTER FROM DENMARK

BY SARAH TUCKER

Lego (Unsplash.com)

I

n 1932, in Billund, a carpenter called Ole Kirk Christiansen

see the dystopia you can dismantle at

lateral thinkers. Kystlandet is less about

1958, his workshop had produced the

to sit down with 5,000 bricks between them? Perhaps egos would click into

life.

began carving toys out of wood. By

Lego brick: a small, studded square capable of locking imagination

into place. Since then Denmark has been exporting not just toys, but a

philosophy. Forget mindfulness apps

or stress-management seminars: Lego is Jung, Freud, Woolf, and Atwood in plastic.

For Jung, Lego would be archetypes

you could hold in your hand; for Freud, sublimation made simple, towers built

rather than neuroses untangled. Woolf

would recognise in it the architecture of

a room of one’s own, and Atwood might 94

will. And if world leaders were made

place and the urge to play soldiers might finally subside.

This thought comes easily in Denmark, where play has always co-existed with pragmatism. On my recent visit, I

travelled beyond Copenhagen and its

tourist icons into the coastal region of Kystlandet. Here Denmark reveals its

true self: not the stage set of fairy tales,

but a slower, more challenging landscape of weathered photographs, second-hand shops, and people who have chosen to retreat from speed without retreating

from ambition. They are not stoics but

what to think than how to think about

And what it teaches is that the good life

requires structure—like Lego—but with space for reinvention.

I began at The Little Organic Farm

Shop outside Billund, run by Karen

and Ole. Both former dancers—Ole

also an ex-soldier—they now farm 25 acres of vegetables, 300 hens, and an

impressive side business in microgreens and mushrooms. Compost bags stuffed with coffee grounds sprout fungi like

bouquets, used once, then recycled into soil. Apprentices arrive from across

Europe to exchange labour for food and lodging. What they really absorb is the

LETTERS

choreography of resilience: two people reshaping their lives and careers with patience and generosity.

Nearby, the Brandbygegaard Winery and Distillery offered a different

rhythm. Lone and Soren are polymaths who might themselves be built of

Lego, endlessly reassembled. They grow

vegetables, keep vineyards and orchards, distil gins and ciders, design their own labels, write cookbooks, play music,

host concerts, and raise five children.

Their legendary summer suppers—

apple ciders, sparkling fruit wines, and food grown metres from the table—

Denmark Coast, (Unsplash.com)

are booked out years in advance. The

lesson here is that the “good life” is not about narrowing down but expanding possibilities.

“THE GOOD LIFE REQUIRES STRUCTURE— LIKE LEGO—BUT WITH SPACE FOR REINVENTION.” Finally, I stayed at Reballegaard, a renovated estate where Tine and

Magnus Svensson have transformed a

former pig farm and nursing home into a serene bed and breakfast. Magnus still commutes to Copenhagen, but

Tine builds furniture from floor tiles, ferments her own kombucha, and is

Nyhavn, Denmark (Unsplash.com)

ideology but by practice. Where other

the unconscious, Jung sketched the

hesitation, here there is only action,

for the self, and Atwood warned of

cultures complicate life with guilt or

invention, and steady tenacity. It is not less life, but more purposeful life.

archetypes, Woolf demanded space

societies gone wrong, then Denmark

quietly offers the missing manual. Not theory, but practice. Not conflict, but

teaching him to drive a tractor. Together

Which is, perhaps, the Danish secret.

yoga sessions, sound baths, and wellness

of construction. You begin by following

World peace may not arrive overnight,

whitewashed beams, warm greys—could

and build anew. Lego, once again,

pour them a glass of Danish fruit wine,

real point is not décor; it is intention. A

and freedom.

suggests that happiness—personal or

construction.

they are creating a retreat that hosts

Happiness is not a matter of escape but

workshops. Their house—fur throws,

the instructions, then break them apart

but hand the narcissists a bucket of Lego,

feature in Homes & Gardens. But the

provides the metaphor: both framework

and let them build together. Denmark

life built block by block.

Across these encounters runs a common thread, particularly among the women of the region. They move forward

without hesitation, empowered not by

When I left Kystlandet, I thought again

political—begins exactly there.

of Lego’s founding motto: det bedste

Sarah Tucker is The Boardroom Bard

enough. Modest words, but radical in

of travel features for national and

er ikke for godt—only the best is good

(theboardroombard.com) and author

their implications. If Freud mapped

international press.

www.finito.org.uk

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TRAVEL

LETTER FROM NOVA SCOTIA

NEW SCOTLAND, OLD FRIENDSHIPS

BY NISHAD SANZAGIRI

Peggy’s Cove lighthouse (unsplash.com)

I

’d be forgiven for thinking I never left Scotland. There were bagpipes on the boardwalk, tartan scarves in tourist shops, and a fiddler playing what might as well have been the soundtrack to Braveheart. I’d just flown nearly seven hours across the Atlantic from Edinburgh to Halifax, but as I stepped out into the crisp Canadian sun, it felt less like arrival and more like teleportation; from the Scottish Highlands to their North American echo.

The pine trees were a giveaway. So were the pickup trucks. Long flat carriageways lined with conifers, 96

enormous metallic cars that looked like they’d been bred to survive journeys harsher than any to be found on the other side of the pond. But the names — Inverness, Berwick, Dundee, New Glasgow — disoriented me, although they shouldn’t have. Nova Scotia, after all, is Latin for “New Scotland,” which only reinforced my long-held theory that for a people who conquered half the planet, the British showed remarkably little flair for invention. It was as though they took a map of Britain and copied it eastward in permanent marker. No wonder, then, that when I told a friend in

London I was off to Halifax, he asked if I meant the bank down the road.

But this wasn’t Scotland. This was the Maritimes, one of Canada’s eastern provinces, where the people call themselves Maritimers with a charming pride that comes from living close to wind and water, and where the horizon feels just a little further away than it usually does, as if the land and the seas are caught in an eternal tussle to see who can stretch itself longer. I had come to visit a friend I hadn’t seen since high school, and in spending a week together — with her partner, in her world, surrounded by the life she

TRAVEL

Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada (unsplash.com)

had made — I found that childhood friendships offer a strange kind of intimacy, one unmoored from time, where just a few good conversations can elevate the faded outlines of shared adolescence.

“PERHAPS THERE’S A PARTICULAR DIGNITY IN BEING KEPT AROUND FOR WHAT YOU WERE RATHER THAN WHAT YOU ARE.” On the first evening, we drove to Peggy’s Cove, that most photographed of Nova Scotia’s postcards, complete with a lighthouse perched on saltlicked rocks. The road there wound gently, the sea peeking in and out like

a shy child behind curtains. Boats bobbed in the water that created small inland lakes from the vast ocean like freckles on a sunburnt nose. Layers of green hugged and spilled over the roads with all its shades — mossy, piney, sun-washed — and the smooth tarmac stretched on endlessly, flanked on either side with yellow lines and a sky so blue, it almost felt boastful.

By the Cove, I stared at the lighthouse, wondering how many lives it had saved, of sailors and lost men at sea, before becoming an extra on tourist photos. It looked tired ... in the way old things get tired when they outlive their purpose. In 2010, the Canadian Coast Guard had declared it “surplus,” a word that sounded like bureaucracy but felt like betrayal, and I couldn't help thinking that if lighthouses had feelings, would this

one be hurt? Or bitter? Or would it be resigned, the way an elderly professor might watch the school tear down the chalkboards and still show up in tweed and tie, just in case a student needed something explained?

Standing there, I wondered if obsolescence always arrives so mundanely, with paperwork instead of drama. The lighthouse still stood, still posed for photos, still held its recently-painted form against the salt wind, but it no longer saved anyone from the rocks. Perhaps there’s a particular dignity in being kept around for what you were rather than what you are. Or perhaps, like old friendships revisited after years apart, the purpose was never as fixed as I initially thought. The lighthouse no longer guides ships through storms, but it still helps people find www.finito.org.uk

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TRAVEL

Cape Breton (unsplash.com)

their bearings, still offers a reason to drive out to the edge of things.

My friend and I were no longer the teenagers who’d shared homework and heartbreaks, but weren’t we finding new coordinates for each other?

“Welcome to God’s country,” said my friend’s partner, as we crossed into the island of Cape Breton. It was a phrase his grandfather would tell him during their childhood trips, and standing there, watching the light play across the highlands, I understood why some places make believers out of skeptics.

The Cabot Trail wound before us like a meditation on curves — serpentine roads that rose and fell with such drama that my stomach forgot which way was up. Each turn revealed another impossibility: mountains that seemed to lean into the sea, forests that tumbled down cliffsides like 98

green waterfalls frozen mid-pour, and always, always, that endless stretch of the Atlantic, changing colours like a mood ring worn by the gods.

The ocean here couldn’t make up its mind what to be. Turquoise in the shallows, navy in the depths, and at sunset — oh, at sunset — it turned the kind of red that makes you understand why our ancestors invented mythology.

Standing on those cliffs, watching the sun bleed into the horizon, I thought of Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god who as a child mistook the sun for a ripe apple and leapt Icarus-like toward it. There’s something about a sunset this fierce that makes you want to reach for it too, to pluck it and take a bite, even if it guarantees a fall.

It’s a rare thing, finding a place that offers both stunning views and the smooth roads to reach them — most

countries, I’ve found, make you choose between beauty and accessibility. But here, the asphalt ribboned through the highlands like it had been laid by someone who understood that the journey and the destination were the same thing. No wonder car companies flock here for their commercials; this is where machines on wheels go to look graceful.

The distances in Nova Scotia play tricks on you. It’s the second smallest of Canada’s provinces, yet the drive from Halifax to the northern tip of Cape Breton is the same as London to Edinburgh — a fact that made me reconsider everything I thought I knew about scale. Perhaps it’s the smooth roads that compress time, or maybe it’s the views that stretch it, but hours passed like minutes while minutes felt like tiny eternities. Not

TRAVEL

having a driver’s license meant I could surrender completely to the passenger seat, watching the scenery unspool through glass. I told myself I didn’t mind not driving, though in truth, these roads made me ache to have my hands on the wheel; oh what it must be to feel the car lean into those concrete curves.

“THE CABOT TRAIL WOUND BEFORE US LIKE A MEDITATION ON CURVES — SERPENTINE ROADS THAT ROSE AND FELL WITH SUCH DRAMA THAT MY STOMACH FORGOT WHICH WAY WAS UP.” But even paradise has its anxieties.

By the time I arrived in Nova Scotia, it hadn’t rained in weeks. The forests were dry, the air was crisp, and every conversation included some mention of drought and the potential of wildfires. At a café in downtown Halifax, I had overheard someone remind their friend to turn off the tap while brushing.

In Cape Breton, all trails were closed and everywhere we went the signs reminded us of the likelihood of extreme fire danger. The drought had been going on for weeks, turning the forests into kindling and the air into something that crackled with the faint prospect of a live matchstick. It felt wrong, all that water stretching to every horizon while the land thirsted.

My friend mentioned the old line from Coleridge we used to recite in school — “Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink” — and suddenly the Ancient Mariner’s rime didn’t seem so ancient anymore.

Climate change has a way of making

Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada (unsplash.com)

poetry feel prophetic, of turning metaphors literal.1 Here was an island surrounded by ocean, watching its forests brown at the edges, waiting for a rain that wouldn’t come.

On my last morning, we returned to the water’s edge. The fog had rolled in overnight, thick as wool. Through the mist, I could hear bagpipes again — some busker on the boardwalk, I assumed, playing for early morning joggers and insomniacs alike. The sound carried differently in the fog, and I thought about how the Scots who settled here must have felt carrying their instruments across an ocean, determined to make the new world sound like the old one.

But of course, it never quite does. The notes may be the same, but the air that carries them is different. The names may be the same — Inverness, Dundee — but the places themselves have their own stories now, shaped by different seasons, different storms, different sorrows, and celebrations. Even my friend, whom I’d known when we were both different people in a different country and a different decade, had become someone beautifully unfamiliar, rooted in this place I was only passing through.

As I drove back to the airport for my flight, past those borrowed place names and towering pines, I realized that Nova Scotia had given me something I hadn’t known I was looking for: the understanding that we’re all translations of something older, all trying to make the familiar strange and the strange familiar. The lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove may be surplus now, but it still stands, still witnesses, still helps people find their bearings even if it no longer saves them from the rocks.

“WE’RE ALL TRANSLATIONS OF SOMETHING OLDER, ALL TRYING TO MAKE THE FAMILIAR STRANGE AND THE STRANGE FAMILIAR.” The bagpipes faded as we pulled away from the coast, but I could still hear them long after they’d stopped, the way you can still feel the waves hours after you’ve left the shore. Some echoes, I was learning, are worth experiencing, even if — especially if — they sound nothing like the original. www.finito.org.uk

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DESIGN

TURRI AT 100

A CENTURY OF MODERN LUXURY

BY CHRISTOPHER JACKSON

T

here are few names in Italian design that carry quite the resonance of Turri. For 100 years, the brand has stood not only as a symbol of refinement, but as a living testament to the ways in which heritage and innovation can co-exist—sometimes even in the same curve of a chair or the sheen of a tabletop.

Vesta Collection

Founded in 1925, Turri has always been a company with an eye trained both on the craftsmanship of the past and the opportunities of the future. One does not reach a centenary by accident; it requires vision, daring, and the quiet, daily discipline of excellence. Now, in 2025, the brand celebrates its 100th anniversary—not as a resting point, but as a springboard for evolution.

The Language of Elegance

Each collection this year is a declaration of intent: Turri is not content to repeat itself. It is building, questioning, reinterpreting the idea of modern luxury from the inside out.

We begin with the Vesta collection, conceived by Francesca Lanzavecchia.

Named for the Roman goddess of the hearth, it reimagines the home as sanctuary—fluid forms, subtle textures, and soft geometries envelop the user in warmth, familiarity, and grace. The collection speaks in tones of intimacy: upholstery with a tactile softness, wood finishes that feel timeless yet wholly modern, and an overall sensibility that brings emotional depth to contemporary design.

From there, we move to Marco Acerbis’ trio of innovations: the Joel, Nabi, and Lynn chairs. Each offers a distinct silhouette and personality. Joel exudes quiet strength with its enveloping 100

backrest and tailored upholstery, ideal for both home and contract spaces. Nabi introduces a graceful asymmetry that feels almost sculptural, a conversation between void and volume. Lynn is the most delicate of the three—sleek, agile, and intentionally pared back, it embodies a purity of line that feels effortlessly elegant.

Acerbis’ Kenobi table brings further contrast and drama. With a commanding

central pedestal and a top that seems to hover weightlessly, Kenobi is at once structural and serene. The interplay between strong materials—perhaps marble or high-polish lacquer—and minimalist form evokes Japanese restraint blended with Italian sophistication.

This is a table that anchors a space not through ornament, but through intention.

The Kyma collection, designed by

DESIGN

Kenobi & Lynn

“THIS IS A TABLE THAT ANCHORS A SPACE NOT THROUGH ORNAMENT, BUT THROUGH INTENTION.”

Vesta Collection

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DESIGN

Nook

Kyma & Nabi Table and Chair

Matteo Nunziati, takes its name from the Greek word for wave—and appropriately so. Here, movement is captured in material. The surfaces ripple gently, like a memory of water, rendered in the most refined woods, leathers, and lacquers.

There’s a lyricism to this collection—a harmony between stillness and motion, modernity and comfort. Kyma is where architecture meets poetry.

Nunziati’s additional work on the Atelier collection extends this dialogue between function and finesse. With elements inspired by the bespoke craftsmanship of haute couture ateliers, the collection offers meticulously detailed cabinetry, sleek upholstery, and striking material contrasts. Every element is precise: brass accents, stitched leather, and symmetrical inlays evoke the discipline of tailoring, 102

DESIGN

Bow

A Living Legacy

To walk through a Turri showroom today is to feel time folding in on itself—not in nostalgia, but in continuity. The pieces are unmistakably of this moment, yet they carry within them the integrity of a century’s worth of choices.

And so, as Turri turns 100, it does not merely look back. It steps forward—with new collaborators, fresh visions, and an unwavering belief that beauty, well-made, never ages.

In the quiet triumph of a perfectly executed seam, or the bold sweep of a new silhouette, the brand reminds us: modern luxury isn’t a trend. It’s a tradition—constantly reimagined.

while remaining deeply livable.

Lastly, the Bow and Nook collections

by Studio Milo offer a study in duality.

Bow is extroverted—its generous curves seem to invite movement and interaction, its forms drawing the eye with a subtle playfulness. It’s a collection that brings warmth and dynamism to formal spaces.

Nook, by contrast, offers moments of quietude. With enveloping silhouettes and subdued finishes, it carves out space for solitude and reflection. Together, they speak to the full emotional landscape of a home—joyful, restorative, social, and sacred.

Bow Vases

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CULTURE The lighter side of employability 106 | FOSTER CARE: Buildings built with belief.

Freepik Martin Amis (Alamy.com)

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Wiki

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112 GOOD VIBRATIONS Genius bruised by beauty

Wiki

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116 ACTING OUT When performers seek power Wiki

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134 ARDERN WARNING Soft power, hard exit

ARCHITECTURE

NORMAN FOSTER AT 90

BUILDINGS FOR THE AGE WITHOUT CATHEDRALS GEORGE ACHEBE

The Gherkin, London (unsplash.com)

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T

here are no cathedrals left to build. This is the quiet

knowledge that hums beneath the profession of architecture in our time. The days of Brunelleschi

and Borromini, when an architect

could spend a lifetime lifting stone to the heavens in the service of

transcendence, are gone. Today’s work is different—more bounded, more

briefed, more bureaucratised. And yet: there are those who persist in finding sublimity within the commission.

Who, in spite of everything, still

manage to make architecture do what it has always done at its best: remind us who we are.

Norman Foster turns 90 this year. He is not just one of Britain’s most successful architects; he is the consummate

21st-century builder: international,

collaborative, technologically attuned, and never once interested in the kind of starchitecture that reduces the

building to a signature and the city

to a sketchpad. His is a practice not of bombast but of clarity. And that

makes him, in some ways, the last great modernist.

Sir Norman Foster (Alamy)

“THERE ARE NO CATHEDRALS LEFT TO BUILD.”

the Reichstag in Berlin. That now-

that still reveres engineering as a poetic

To speak of Foster is not to speak of

in light; it makes visible the workings of power. The visitor spirals up, the

He is global in the truest sense: a

one building, or even of many. It is

to speak of a way of working, and—

more importantly—a way of thinking.

Foster’s buildings are often described as clean, minimal, restrained. But in truth they are generous. They believe in the

future, and they place human beings at the heart of that belief. That’s why so

many are places of work, of assembly,

of movement. They are never precious.

They are used.

He has always been interested in

what it means to work—not just as

an architect, but as a citizen. Look at

famous dome of glass doesn’t just let

parliament sits below—an architectural metaphor rendered legible to all.

Germany, so often a land scarred by the 20th century, found in that gesture a

reassertion of democratic dignity. And

Foster, for his part, found a symbol not of his own ego, but of restoration.

He has long had a particular

relationship with Germany. His office has employed many of its brightest

young architects, and he is held in high regard not only for the Reichstag but for his sense of order and clarity— Paul Joyce, Banana Study

qualities deeply admired in a culture

discipline. But Foster is not national.

student of the built world who sees in

each site an opportunity not to impress, but to elevate.

“FOSTER’S BUILDINGS ARE OFTEN DESCRIBED AS CLEAN, MINIMAL, RESTRAINED. BUT IN TRUTH THEY ARE GENEROUS.” The Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt,

completed in the 1990s, was the world’s www.finito.org.uk

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first ecological skyscraper. Not because it sought the label—this was long

before the age of LEED certification

and ESG metrics—but because it was designed to breathe. With its atria

and gardens spiralling up through the

structure, it was a provocation in steel

and glass: could even a financial tower have soul?

It turns out it could. And that has

been Foster’s gift: to find, amid the constraints of budget, legislation, and use-case, the flicker of the

transcendent. That’s not easy. Today’s

architects are hemmed in by regulation, by planning committees, by clients

who want more and pay less. The work is rarely about vision alone. It’s about

compromise, iteration, and endurance.

“THE VISITOR SPIRALS UP, THE PARLIAMENT SITS BELOW—AN ARCHITECTURAL METAPHOR RENDERED LEGIBLE TO ALL.” But in that world, Foster has managed to do what few have done: create a

language that is instantly recognisable without ever being self-indulgent.

The Gherkin—30 St Mary Axe—is

a perfect example. It is often spoken

of as iconic, but it is really pragmatic:

shaped as it is to withstand wind loads, to minimise light loss to the street,

to require less air conditioning. It is a building that teaches you, if you

listen, that beauty is a by-product of intelligence.

This, too, is Foster’s genius: his

intelligence is technical, not theatrical.

He has always been an architect of the real. And that is no small thing in a

profession often tempted by spectacle.

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Commerzbank Tower, Frankfurt (unsplash.com)

ARCHITECTURE

The Reichstag, Berlin (unsplash.com)

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The reality of architecture today is not

of lone visionaries but of teams. Foster’s firm employs hundreds—designers,

researchers, engineers, model-makers.

His research studio doesn’t just test

materials; it models futures. It asks how cities will move, how buildings will age, how energy will flow. And it does this

not in the hope of being noticed, but in the hope of being useful.

That word—useful—is rarely associated with art. But it should be. Particularly in architecture. Buildings are not

sculptures. They must serve, support,

sustain. And Foster’s do. They do not just gleam. They function.

His work at Apple Park in Cupertino is

testament to that. Commissioned by the late Steve Jobs and built after his death, the building is a circle: vast, inward,

quiet. It is a campus not of dominance

but of meditation. Trees in its core, solar

panels on its roof, silence in its design. It could have been a monument. Instead, it is a working environment—albeit one that redefines what a working environment can be.

“BEAUTY IS A BY-PRODUCT OF INTELLIGENCE.” And what of employability? That

often-ignored measure of architectural success? Foster has created not just

buildings but jobs. His practice has trained thousands. It has become a

proving ground for the best talent from every continent. He has shown that

architecture, when properly run, is not only sustainable environmentally, but

economically. It is a career, not a calling.

A practice, not a fantasy.

This is vital. Too many young architects emerge from university with vision but

well-trained, realistic, yet still capable of

still listening. His firm continues to work

truth larger than architecture: that the

planning, on energy systems, on new

dreaming. And in this, too, he echoes a highest form of vision is that which includes others.

across every continent. It advises on city ways to live. For Foster, architecture is

not the creation of forms but of futures.

no footing. Foster’s legacy is not only

Turning 90 is, for most of us, a slowing.

It is not about fame, but about continuity.

he has sent into the world: rigorous,

He is still sketching, still questioning,

something that works.

in glass and steel—it is in the architects

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But Foster shows no sign of stopping.

It is about the quiet thrill of making

ARCHITECTURE

Apple Park, Cupertino (unsplash.com)

And perhaps, in the end, that’s what

But if architecture still has a sacred

contemporaries. He has never chased

liveable. To create spaces where work

separates him from so many of his

eccentricity. He has chased excellence.

He has not sought to disrupt, but to

clarify. And in that clarity lies something radical.

We may live in an age without cathedrals.

task, it is this: to make the world more can happen, where life can unfold, where democracy can be seen, and where beauty has a chance to emerge.

“THE HIGHEST FORM OF VISION IS THAT WHICH INCLUDES OTHERS.”

Foster has done that. For ninety years, and counting.

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MUSIC

THE LAST GENIUS

BRIAN WILSON AND THE AMERICAN IMAGINATION IRIS SPARK

Alamy

Legendary musician and songwriter, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, in Santa Monica, California in 1990. Photograph by Ithaka Darin Pappas (Wikipedia.org)

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I

t is now three months since Brian Wilson died, and the silence around his passing feels enormous.

When the news broke on a warm day in June, it seemed not just the death of a person but the last great breath of a certain kind of American dream—a dream set to music, of sun-drenched harmonies and melancholy surf, of a California that never quite existed but which, through his songs, always felt close.

Wilson (top) with his brothers Carl (middle) and Dennis (bottom) at a Beach Boys photoshoot, earlyWikipedia.org 1963 (Wikipedia.org)

The tributes came, not as a formality, but with real awe. Elton John called him the greatest influence on his songwriting. Bob Dylan, famously reluctant to praise, said only: “He was a true American original.” Paul McCartney recalled crying the first time he heard God Only Knows, calling it the greatest song ever written.

Carole King, Bruce Springsteen, Barry Gibb—all found in Wilson something that transcended genre. Something not just brilliant, but necessary.

“IT SEEMED NOT JUST THE DEATH OF A PERSON BUT THE LAST GREAT BREATH OF A CERTAIN KIND OF AMERICAN DREAM.” Wilson’s passing marked more than the end of a career. It marked the end of an era. And it forced a reckoning: who now remains from that golden lineage of American songwriters, that line stretching from George Gershwin and Cole Porter, through Sondheim, Dylan, Mitchell, Springsteen—and, yes, Brian Wilson?

In many ways, he was the most improbable of them all. Where Gershwin was urbane, Wilson was introverted. Where Porter was witty, Wilson was sincere. Where Dylan was elliptical, Wilson laid his heart bare in falsetto. Yet his genius was no less

towering. He understood harmony the way poets understand rhythm: intuitively, obsessively, almost painfully.

He once said that music had started coming into his head in teenage years and had never quite left. These weren’t just tunes—they were revelations.

“Teenage symphonies to God,” as he called them.

He belonged to that very rare breed of composer who seems to work not from tradition, but from compulsion.

The lineage is small: Mozart, Schubert, Gershwin, maybe Lennon at his best.

With Wilson, the music seemed to come from some inland sea of longing.

And the fact that he made this music while enduring deep psychological pain makes it all the more astonishing.

Much of that pain began at home. His father, Murry Wilson, was famously violent and emotionally cruel—a man whose ambition for his son was rivalled

only by his resentment of him. Murry beat Brian, manipulated him, sold the rights to the Beach Boys’ early catalogue behind his back. To grow up under that shadow and still emerge with a spirit intact would have been enough. That Brian emerged with such generosity of musical feeling—songs full of hope, yearning, and love—is a miracle.

“HE UNDERSTOOD HARMONY THE WAY POETS UNDERSTAND RHYTHM: INTUITIVELY, OBSESSIVELY, ALMOST PAINFULLY.” There’s a quality in Wilson’s music that resists cynicism. It isn’t naive; it’s brave. It believes in beauty as a survival www.finito.org.uk

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Wilson performing with the Beach Boys during their brief 2012 reunion (Wikipedia.org)

In 2004, Smile was finally released— rebuilt from memory, preserved notes, and old dreams. It was, quite simply, a resurrection. Critics wept. Musicians rejoiced. It was like watching an unfinished symphony come to life— because that’s what it was.

“THESE WEREN’T JUST TUNES—THEY WERE REVELATIONS. ‘TEENAGE SYMPHONIES TO GOD,’ AS HE CALLED THEM.” And later still, he gave us That Lucky Old Sun, a suite that reflected not just his love of Los Angeles, but his hardwon gratitude for life itself. It was the work of a man who had survived everything: family, fame, madness, irrelevance—and still believed in song.

strategy. And perhaps that is why his songs endure. When he was still barely out of his teens, he began composing what would become Pet Sounds, an album of such emotional subtlety and harmonic innovation that it left even the Beatles stunned. McCartney later said it was the record that pushed them to make Sgt. Pepper. But Pet Sounds wasn’t merely competitive—it was devotional. Tracks like You Still Believe in Me and Caroline, No contained a fragility that was rare then, and rarer now. The vulnerability was not theatrical. It was structural. It was the music.

And then, just as his powers were peaking, came the collapse.

Wilson’s mind, always sensitive, 114

became overwhelmed. The unfinished masterwork Smile, intended to follow Pet Sounds, fell apart. The studio sessions became erratic, the ambition too great to bear. The band resisted. The drugs crept in. And so began one of the most tragic interludes in pop history: a genius silenced by the very force that had once made him great—his own brain.

For years, Wilson disappeared. He stayed in bed. Gained weight. Heard voices. Drifted. It seemed he might never return.

But here is where his story transcends the usual myths of pop. Because he did return.

Slowly, haltingly, painfully. He wrote again. Recorded again. And eventually, decades later, finished what he started.

In Wilson’s life, we find one of the most powerful examples of what real employability can look like. Not résumé polish or boardroom polish.

But perseverance. The ability to keep creating even when the world has forgotten you. The choice to finish something decades after it began. The courage to stay vulnerable when it would be easier to disappear.

This is not just the story of a musician. It is the story of someone who found work—real, enduring, valuable work—in the act of imagining. That is the highest form of employment. And Wilson, with all his damage, might be the purest example we have of it.

We live in a world where youth and noise are rewarded. But Brian Wilson reminds us that the work that matters often happens in silence, in solitude, in pain. That genius is not a moment, but a practice. And that the job is never really over.

MUSIC

Paul McCartney (Wikipedia.org)

“GENIUS IS NOT

The Beach Boys in 1968, left to right: Dennis Wilson, Mike Love, Carl Wilson (top), Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston (Wikipedia.org)

A MOMENT, BUT A PRACTICE. AND THE JOB IS NEVER REALLY OVER.” Now that he’s gone, we are left with the music. And in those songs—in the swell of Surf ’s Up, the ache of Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder), the perfect simplicity of Wouldn’t It Be Nice—we hear the whole arc of a man’s life. The striving, the failure, the return.

We hear someone finishing what they began.

In the end, Brian Wilson did more than soundtrack America. He enriched it. And in doing so, he gave us a template—not for stardom, but for what it means to keep working at something beautiful, no matter the cost.

That, perhaps, is the real job of genius. www.finito.org.uk

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POLITICS

FROM STAGE TO STATE

WHEN ACTORS BECOME POLITICIANS

BY LAURA KING Ronald Reagan sitting in General Electric Theater director's chair (wikipedia.org)

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POLITICS

There is something theatrical about politics. The podium, the camera, the carefully measured pause. The cultivated charisma. The tragic flaw.

In fact, one might argue that our political stage has always favoured the performer over the policy wonk—those who know not only how to speak, but how to be seen.

So it should not surprise us that, occasionally, the actor steps out of character and into history. And when they do, the lines between performance and power—between role and responsibility—begin to blur in compelling and uncomfortable ways.

Offical presidential potrait of Jimmy Morales (wikipedia.org)

it worked.

“THERE IS SOMETHING THEATRICAL ABOUT POLITICS… OUR POLITICAL STAGE HAS ALWAYS FAVOURED THE PERFORMER OVER THE POLICY WONK.”

But Reagan was not an isolated case.

In Italy, the comedian Beppe Grillo founded a political movement from scratch—the Five Star Movement— powered by protest, satire, and social media. In Guatemala, Jimmy Morales, a former comic actor who played a character named “Neto,” was elected president in 2015. He ran on an anticorruption platform. Ironically, his presidency would later be haunted by the same charges.

Ronald Reagan was once the President of the Screen Actors Guild, a B-movie mainstay, and the affable host of General Electric Theater. He was also the 40th President of the United States, whose tenure reshaped American economics and conservatism for generations. When he walked into the Oval Office in 1981, there were those who laughed. But Reagan—by then already fluent in the rhythms of public imagination—was not there to amuse. He was there to narrate.

And, in that narration, to govern.

“‘MORNING IN AMERICA’ WAS NOT A POLICY. IT WAS A MOOD… CINEMA IN THE GUISE OF LEADERSHIP—AND IT WORKED.”

He brought to the presidency not a detailed legislative background, but something more elusive: presence. A sense of timing. And above all, a belief in narrative. “Morning in America” was not a policy. It was a mood. It was set lighting and optimistic brass. It was cinema in the guise of leadership—and

And then there is Volodymyr Zelensky.

Few stories better encapsulate the surreality of modern politics than Zelensky’s. A comic actor who once played a fictional president on television, he became—within a matter of years— the actual president of Ukraine. The initial reaction outside Ukraine was bemused indulgence: how quaint, how postmodern. But then came 2022.

Russia invaded. And the actor, still in his 40s, stood his ground in Kyiv, refusing

Jimmy Morales as Neto

evacuation, speaking to parliaments around the world via webcam, dressed in olive green. Suddenly, the comedian became Churchillian. The actor became an avatar of democratic resistance.

There’s a temptation to dismiss these transitions as aberrations—quirks of our distracted, media-saturated age.

But perhaps they tell us something deeper about employability in the modern world. Namely, that the skills we once thought belonged only to entertainment—the ability to command attention, to distill complexity into image and story, to perform sincerity— are now central to public life.

“THE ACTOR, STILL IN HIS 40S, STOOD HIS GROUND IN KYIV… SUDDENLY, THE COMEDIAN BECAME CHURCHILLIAN.” Zelensky’s power wasn’t just rhetorical.

It was emotional. He understood that in a moment of violence, the world needed not only facts but feeling. Not only geopolitics but courage made visible.

The camera that once filmed his sitcom now transmitted a war president to the world.

And isn’t that what Reagan grasped, too? That politics is not simply a matter www.finito.org.uk

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POLITICS Volodymyr Zelensky at a comedy show at a concert hall in Kiev on February 22, 2019 (Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko)

of law but of atmosphere? That people don’t vote only with their reason, but with their longing?

This is not to say that acting and governing are the same. They’re not. The dangers of confusing the two are real, and often catastrophic. The stage, after all, contains exits. A bad line is followed by a second take. In governance, there are consequences. Words start wars.

Promises shape budgets. Missteps cannot be edited in post.

“WE LIVE IN AN AGE WHERE ATTENTION IS THE MOST PRECIOUS CURRENCY.” But perhaps the deeper point is this: the move from acting to politics is not a betrayal of seriousness, but a recognition that seriousness takes many forms.

We live in an age where attention is the most precious currency. And those who can hold it—honestly, skilfully, artfully—may be more employable than ever, not in spite of their theatrical background, but because of it.

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This is not always comfortable. We expect politicians to emerge from certain pipelines: law schools, think tanks, town halls. When they arrive via the backdoor of celebrity, we feel uneasy.

As if the membrane between real and fake had grown too thin.

But maybe this discomfort is useful. It forces us to ask: what do we really want from our leaders? Expertise, yes. But also empathy. Clarity. Presence. And a sense, however faint, of narrative arc.

There are dangers, of course. For every Reagan or Zelensky, there is a populist showman for whom the performance never ends—leaders who govern not through substance but spectacle. The border between authentic communication and dangerous demagoguery is perilously narrow. And yet: the solution is not to sneer at actors who govern, but to demand that all who govern do so with a greater sense of the human drama.

The deeper truth is that we are all performing, in some way. Every interview, every job, every speech. The question isn’t whether you’re acting. It’s whether the act serves something real.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Wikipedia.org)

“THE QUESTION ISN’T WHETHER YOU’RE ACTING. IT’S WHETHER THE ACT SERVES SOMETHING REAL.” Zelensky’s performance was real. So

was Reagan’s, in its way. Both turned

skill into meaning. And both remind us that careers, like countries, evolve. The theatre, like the ballot box, is a place where stories are told—and where, occasionally, lives are changed.

In the end, when the actor becomes the politician, we are left not with

contradiction, but with a kind of clarity: that leadership, like theatre, is a matter of courage, composition, and presence.

And if that’s true, then perhaps the real question is not “Why do actors go into politics?” but rather, “Why don’t more

politicians learn to act—with grace, with truth, with something that feels like love—for the people they serve?”

SPORT

A.I.

Two tiny letters that can make a massive difference to your business.

Find out how we can help you to become faster, better and more profitable.

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LITERATURE

SHAKESPEARE AND THE QUESTION OF WORK

BY MARTIN PLANTINGA

Wikipedia.org

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here is perhaps no name more encrusted with reverence than that of William Shakespeare. The word itself is a kind of cathedral now—evoked in solemn tones, halfwhispered in the presence of genius.

We study him in schools, quote him in speeches, carve him in marble.

He is the writer par excellence, the Englishman beyond England, the answer we give when asked what our culture once was and still, perhaps, aspires to be.

Shakespeare's Globe, London, England (Wikipedia.org)

But what if we look at Shakespeare not as a monument, but as a man at work?

He was, after all, a working playwright.

A jobbing actor. A part-owner in a theatre company. A man concerned not only with verse and vision, but with audiences, earnings, and entrances. His theatre, The Globe, was also his office.

His collected works are not just a canon—they are a career.

“HE DIDN’T KNOW HE WAS WRITING ‘SHAKESPEARE.’ HE WAS WRITING FOR MONEY. FOR APPLAUSE. FOR TUESDAY NIGHT.” He didn’t know he was writing “Shakespeare.” He was writing for money. For applause. For posterity, yes, but also for Tuesday night.

And therein lies the real miracle.

Shakespeare wrote as one who knew the urgency of employment. Born the son of a glover in Stratford-uponAvon, his education was good but incomplete. He was not universityeducated, unlike Marlowe or Jonson.

He appears in no great academic tradition. Instead, he travelled to London and found work—humble, precarious, unpredictable work. He acted in other men's plays. He edited, revised, marketed, borrowed, recycled.

He had a family to feed. A business to maintain. The theatre was often closed by plague. His reputation was never fixed, always in negotiation.

And yet, through that churn of deadlines and disarray, he composed a body of work that still illuminates the deepest questions of our lives: love, power, jealousy, ambition, failure, forgiveness. Not because he stood apart from the working world—but because he stood inside it.

“NOT BECAUSE HE STOOD APART FROM THE WORKING WORLD—BUT BECAUSE HE STOOD INSIDE IT.” Shakespeare understood employment.

He understood kings and their responsibilities, but also clowns and their roles. He wrote not only Hamlet and Lear, but the Gravedigger and the Fool. He gave voice to the servant as well as the sovereign. His world teemed with professions: soldiers, merchants, messengers, courtiers, shepherds, midwives, witches, thieves, priests. Every play is a labour market

in miniature. Every scene a lesson in the economy of the soul.

Take King Lear, where the abdication of work—Lear’s refusal to do the job of reigning—leads to catastrophe.

Or Macbeth, where ambition becomes employment corrupted, a job description turned into blood.

Or The Tempest, where Prospero sets down his magic—his work, his art—in favour of a return to ordinary governance.

Or take Henry V, where a young king finds that the performance of leadership is itself a form of labour.

“Upon the king! Let us our lives, our souls, / Our debts, our careful wives, / Our children, and our sins lay on the king!” cries the soldier Williams.

In other words: to be employed as a ruler is to be employed in everyone’s anxieties. It is a crushing contract.

“EVERY PLAY IS A LABOUR MARKET IN MINIATURE. EVERY SCENE A LESSON IN THE ECONOMY OF THE SOUL.” www.finito.org.uk

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unsplash.com

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Even the comedies are riddled with

labour. As You Like It takes place largely among shepherds. Twelfth Night among stewards and waitingwomen. Shakespeare saw that love does not unfold in palaces, but in the break rooms and backstage areas of life.

His lovers must work to be together.

Mistaken identities aside, their greatest challenge is often economic.

And what of the theatre itself ? In Shakespeare’s time, it was not the elite institution we know today. It was noisy, smelly, democratic. Groundlings jeered from the pit. Actors changed costumes in plain sight. The line between art and hustle was porous.

Shakespeare thrived there not because he transcended it—but because he mastered it. He was adaptable. He rewrote when needed. He gave his audience what they wanted, and then— crucially—what they didn’t yet know they needed.

HE DIDN’T RESIST THE CONDITIONS OF HIS TIME—HE DANCED WITH THEM. Here is the key to his employability.

Not just his talent, but his versatility.

He moved between genres, between patrons, between moods. History one year, tragedy the next, then a comedy, a problem play, a sonnet sequence.

He didn’t resist the conditions of his time—he danced with them.

This is why he remains so modern. In an age like ours, where careers twist and shift, where reinvention is constant, Shakespeare is a patron saint of creative employability. He teaches us that craft is not a fixed thing. That greatness can be improvised. That excellence is not always announced from above, but assembled from below—line by line, play by play, deal by deal.

The title page of the First Folio of William Shakespeare's plays (wikipedia.org)

And perhaps this is why he continues to matter in the world of work. His words enter our emails, our courtrooms, our pitches, our vows. He’s the bard of the breakroom as much as the palace.

He has something to say about power and its uses. About colleagues and betrayal. About purpose and burnout.

About the long day’s journey into night.

In the end, Shakespeare shows us

not how to escape labour, but how to dignify it. He dignifies the speaker, the listener, the maker, the dreamer. And in doing so, he offers us a vision of work not as drudgery, but as poetry—a place where our talents meet the world’s needs, again and again, until we, too, can say: “We are such stuff as dreams are made on.”

And then, quietly, return to the task at hand. www.finito.org.uk

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ART

OSCAR EAGLE: INTERIORS OF THE MIND

BY CHRISTOPHER JACKSON

I

'm looking at an interesting and unusual picture. In the centre, a guitar leans against an armchair, its strings catching the light. A record player sits idle nearby, a stack of vinyl hinting at a personal soundtrack.

These are ordinary objects, but something in their arrangement—the stillness, the weight of presence— suggests more. The painting is called The Lucky Man, and though no figure appears in the scene, it feels unmistakably like a portrait.

The artist is Oscar Eagle, and it was this painting that first caught the attention of Ronel Lehmannn, CEO of Finito Education.

"When my chairman told me that he had an artist in residence, I did not believe my ears," Lehmannn says.

"However, in the same breath he suggested I drive over to see what this was all about."

The studio was above the garage at Sir John Griffin's Potters Bar home—an unassuming space filled with canvases, brushes, and the unmistakable presence of a working artist. Lehmann recalls, "I saw a young man, with incredible talent and artistic brilliance. One painting caught my eye. I thought: this should hang in the Hippodrome."

That instinct proved right. He contacted Simon Thomas, CEO of the London Hippodrome. "Simon agreed before even seeing the work.

The same thing happened with Liam West at Kerridge's—he committed to displaying Oscar's work in the private dining room."

This kind of response has followed Oscar Eagle throughout his emerging career. Though still early in his journey,

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The Lucky Man

there is a considered maturity to his painting: a studied observation not just of interiors, but of the lives lived within them.

Knight Mentor Sir John Griffin, the man who made Oscar's artistic journey possible, speaks

with the confidence of someone who has backed talent before. "I knew his family and find Oscar to be a pleasant young man who is a very talented musician and creative in art. He is worthy of my support," he explains.

Griffin's commitment went beyond mere encouragement. "I had a snooker table above my garage. I sold the

ART

in painting. He worked in the film industry, on high-profile projects such as Mission: Impossible 7, as well as music videos and advertising. "But it didn't feel right for me at that moment," he explains. "My mind was focused on art. It just felt like the right thing to do."

Brass Monkey House

"I LIKE TO CAPTURE THE ESSENCE AND PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE'S LIFE BASED ON THE THINGS THEY LOVE," A key connection came through his brother, who introduced him to art dealer Frankie Shea. "Frankie took me to events and introduced me to the art scene. I liked the vibe immediately," Eagle says. "He's given me advice that stuck with me. He's inspired me to keep going."

Observing the Personal

snooker table and gave him the space," he reveals. "I admire how Oscar holds down another job and has the capacity to create compelling art."

For Griffin, Oscar's work represents something distinctive in today's market.

"It is a matter of individual taste. I really like his art and see his work is going to be commercially successful.

I recognise quality," he says with characteristic directness.

Having supported numerous talented individuals throughout his career, Griffin sees something special in Oscar's potential. "Yes, I have, it is so rewarding to see talent succeed. Oscar is going to be very successful. He has

what it takes. He rings the bell with me. He is going places. More and more people see it. It is a tough business to sell art. These are difficult times. I let him into my home."

A Singular Vision Interviewed over email, Oscar explains that The Lucky Man acts as a visual journal—an exploration of identity and artistic formation." It reflects different aspects of me, both as a person and as an artist," he writes. "It's full of things I like—objects that hold meaning, things that ground me."

Oscar's creative path did not begin

Oscar's subject matter revolves around personal spaces, often interiors populated by objects that suggest stories. "My new collection is based on homes around the world, especially beautiful properties in the UK," he writes. "Each painting includes items people have collected over the years— things that are sentimental to them and speak to their families."

The West London Flat, one of his recent pieces, carries this concept forward. It is a study in character—of a space made meaningful through its contents. The composition is spare but never cold; it invites attention and contemplation.

"I like to capture the essence and perspective of someone's life based on the things they love," Oscar explains.

"It's similar to my first collection, which was entirely about what I liked—shoes, guitars, the music I grew up with." www.finito.org.uk

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ART

West applies a rigorous test to emerging artists: "One true test of for an artist's appeal is if we can show an experienced collector (or even an emerging buyer) an image of a piece and they can immediately tell who the work is by based upon the style.

We need them to say 'that's X artist!'.

That's a hard level to find, but is a nonnegotiable step in truly building an artist to a certain level. That high-bar is one that Oscar Eagle has already begun to jump over."

Jimmy

The contemporary art market has evolved, West explains, with collectors becoming more discerning and demanding. "Collectors want more than just interior art now. They're sick of mass produced work and no one is buying art anymore based on a motif of 'that'll do'. Buyers have become more and more informed, which is brilliant."

Another painting, Piccadilly Lounge, presents a nocturnal space. The lighting is cinematic; there's a faint nostalgia in its shadows. "It's based on scenes that catch my eye and relate to me through other people's lives," he says. "It's how I observe the world."

Music is a constant thread. "I've been playing guitar since I was seven," Oscar shares. "It's one of my biggest inspirations, and it helps when I feel mentally blocked. It centers me."

Industry Recognition

Liam West of West Contemporary brings a gallery owner's perspective to Oscar's emerging career, identifying the 126

qualities that set the artist apart in an increasingly competitive field.

"Recognisability," West begins when asked what initially drew him to Oscar's work. "In the information-heavy world we live in today, with constant images, artists and artworks forcing their way into our minds hundreds of times a day, it has become harder, and also even more important, for artists to have a distinctive, recognisable, unique-tothem style. In a competitive field of talented creatives, everyone is competing for the bombarded attention spans of collectors, galleries, press, public and so on."

"EAGLE'S WORK IS UNIQUE AND FRESH AND HAS MANAGED TO FIND A WAY TO PARADOXICALLY BE BOTH RECOGNISABLE AND EQUALLY FEEL NEW EVERY TIME YOU SEE IT." This shift has created opportunities for artists like Oscar who offer something genuinely distinctive.

"People want exceptional service and a guiding, experienced hand. They won't settle for spending their hard-earned money on any art now to fill a space.

They want so much more, they want art for them—not just to decorate a wall. They want authenticated work, backed up by reputable industry players and they want unique works and low editions. They want work that feels personal or speaks to them, or feels unseen."

ART

West sees Oscar's work as perfectly positioned for this new collecting landscape. "Eagle's work is unique and fresh and has managed to find a way to paradoxically be both recognisable and equally feel new every time you see it. The trend I see working to elevate the artist is more to do with the collecting patterns of serious patrons and their growing desires to support unique artworks by unique artists in unique editions. Oscar ticks all three boxes."

Warhol's Way

Looking Ahead When it comes to Oscar's future, West emphasises the importance of forging an individual path. "Over my career and our experience with West Contemporary over the past few decades, we've come to see and appreciate the importance of artists carving out a personal route to achieving artistic goals—and that applies to Oscar as much as anyone.

What happens next will not be the exact same path trodden by those before him."

West's advice balances learning from others with maintaining artistic independence. "It is important he takes aspects (both artistically and dare I say it commercially) of artists and careers he admires, but remains committed to finding his own way.

Listening to the advice of experienced names in the industry is helpful, but adopting his own road is the only way to make this truly work. As you'll see from all my answers; unique is the key."

While cautious about adding pressure to an emerging artist, West's confidence in Oscar's trajectory is clear. "In my position, it would be unfair to over speculate and add unnecessary pressure to an emerging artist. What I will say is; Oscar Eagle is about to have a lot of eyes on his work."

Ronel Lehmann believes Oscar Eagle has all the elements required for a lasting career. "He's had the best springboard to success. He's a wise soul on young shoulders," he says.

His work now hangs not only in the Hippodrome—where it sits among a lineage of visual creators like Doris Zinkeisen and Peter Blake—but also in private collections and spaces curated with purpose.

The Hippodrome itself, designed by Frank Matcham and historically rich with artistic commissions, has long been a home for visual storytelling.

From the illustrated programmes of

John Hassall to the war-era cartoons of Captain Bruce Bairnsfather, it

has always recognised the power of

images to resonate with audiences. In this sense, Oscar Eagle is a natural successor.

Asked what advice he would give other

young artists, Oscar is clear: "Find your own style that represents you and what you like. Art isn't just about paint. It's everywhere—it's versatile."

And while his studio may still be

above a garage, the spaces his paintings inhabit are growing larger by the day. www.finito.org.uk

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HISTORY

BIG LUXURY INTERVIEW:

BRIAN DUFFY ON MAPPIN & WEBB'S ROYAL HERITAGE AND MODERN RENAISSANCE I

n an intimate conversation at the company's London offices, Watches of Switzerland Group CEO Brian Duffy reflects on the remarkable journey of Mappin & Webb—from Victorian silversmiths to the home of the Crown Jeweller - and how strategic investment has restored one of Britain's most storied luxury brands to its rightful place.

John Mappin

The morning August light streams through the windows of the Watches of Switzerland Group offices as Brian Duffy settles into our conversation, surrounded by archival photographs that tell the story of one of Britain's most enduring luxury brands. As CEO of the group that encompasses Mappin & Webb, Goldsmiths, and Watches of Switzerland, Duffy has overseen a remarkable transformation. The group he oversees has posted impressive results over the past years, but we’re here particularly to discuss the heritage brand Mappin & Webb that seems to hold a special place in his strategic vision.

"Mappin & Webb has always had more potential than we fully realised," Duffy begins, his tone carrying the conviction of someone who has spent years understanding the nuances of luxury retail. "It's a very distinct brand with an amazing heritage, and for all the designs and everything that we did around either product or stores, we very much recognised that heritage and its position within the market."

From Sheffield Silver to Royal Warrant

The photographs surrounding us tell a story that spans centuries. Victorian-era 128

Luke Littler (Wikipedia.org)

images show craftsmen bent over their work in Sheffield workshops, natural light streaming through those characteristically large windows that were essential for precision work. "Obviously, this is all manual," Duffy explains, pointing to an image of silversmiths at work. "The main thing that they use at the end of the day is pliers. You always look for natural light in watch and jewellery work—you'll find the workshops are always with huge windows."

These weren't just any craftsmen. Mappin & Webb held Royal Warrants for six

consecutive monarchies, stretching from Queen Victoria to the present day. "We used to be one of the luxury brands of

the world when London and the UK was such a significant centre," Duffy notes, flipping through advertisements from the early 20th century showing stores

in London, Rome, Paris, Buenos Aires, Canada, Argentina, and Johannesburg.

HISTORY

"This business then became owned

by Landsbanki, the Icelandic bank," Duffy explains. "The net result was this group was under-invested in and stayed profitable the whole time, but really nobody was thinking long term about the group. Whatever vision or strategy that Baugur or anybody had for Mappin & Webb was put on a back shelf."

Queen Elizabeth II, (Getty Images)

Enter Apollo Global Management in 2013, and Duffy's arrival in 2014.

His assessment was clear: "My whole observation of the group was that we were under-playing the strength of the brands that we had and the brands that we represented—Rolex and Cartier and Patek and so on. The business really needed investment and elevation."

What Duffy discovered surprised even him: "This actually is the best luxury watch market in the world per capita, and domestically within Europe is by far and away the best luxury jewellery market as well. So there was a strong rationale to say, these are great markets, and they've been underserved."

The Philosophy of Luxury Retail

"THE CROWN JEWELLER PLAYED A VERY SIGNIFICANT PART IN THE QUEEN'S FUNERAL... I FOUND THAT VERY MOVING. IT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST POIGNANT PART OF THE WHOLE THING." But perhaps most significantly, Mappin & Webb is home to the Crown Jeweller — a master craftsman in making and restoring jewellery who came to the fore during recent royal ceremonies. "The

Crown Jeweller played a very significant part in the Queen's funeral," Duffy recalls with evident emotion. "He's the one that at the very, very end of the funeral, removes all of the crown jewels from the coffin and hands them over. I found that very moving. It was probably the most poignant part of the whole thing."

The Apollo Years and Strategic Renaissance Like many luxury brands, Mappin & Webb's journey through the early 21st century was marked by financial turbulence. The brand was part of a group owned by Baugur, which collapsed during the 2008 financial crisis, leaving the business under-invested despite remaining profitable.

Duffy's approach to luxury retail is deeply philosophical, rooted in understanding what truly motivates customers in a category where purchases are driven by desire rather than necessity. "Luxury, particularly in this market, delivered correctly shouldn't be elitist," he explains.

"It should make people feel special and valued, and it should translate all the way through to the store environment, critically the way your sales people approach and interact."

His concept of luxury selling is built around partnership rather than pressure: "Our whole view of selling is that you go on a journey with a client, but you're there as partners on the journey. As soon as the client senses that you're selling to them, that you have an interest, then you've lost that magic."

This philosophy is embodied in what Duffy calls "Xenia"—ancient Greek for hospitality. "It goes back to ancient www.finito.org.uk

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HISTORY

Mappin & Webb store in Paris, 1900

Greek civilization when there was a responsibility of the host towards the guest, to make them comfortable and to know them and understand their needs.

Our whole concept of Xenia is about know me, remember me, and wow me."

"LUXURY, PARTICULARLY IN THIS MARKET, DELIVERED CORRECTLY SHOULDN’T BE ELITIST. IT SHOULD MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SPECIAL AND VALUED." Heritage Meets Modernity

The challenge for Mappin & Webb, as Duffy sees it, lies in positioning the brand within a jewellery category 130

increasingly dominated by global giants.

"The jewellery category now really is global, and it's dominated by the French and the Italians," he notes. "You have these massive global brands like Cartier and Tiffany and Bulgari, and then you have a lot of great, more niche brands that will be local, very product-driven, and there's not a lot in between."

Rather than compete directly with these global powerhouses, Duffy's strategy focuses on leveraging Mappin & Webb's unique heritage and its relationship with British clients. "The brand has more heritage and substance than we can fully take advantage of," he acknowledges.

"It has a great deal of awareness and affection within the UK, and it's got a unique relationship with our clients."

This relationship was on full display during a recent royal visit, when King Charles III and Queen Camilla toured the company's facilities. "We knew that they would be walking upstairs, so we didn't want them to be exhausted. On all the landings we had product that goes

back many years. They were able to see all of this, and they're so good at it—just expressing what seems to be very genuine interest and intrigue."

Royal Commissions and Craftsmanship Today, Mappin & Webb continues its tradition of royal commissions from their silver workshop in Essex, creating everything from FA cups to ceremonial pieces for the palace. "We get a lot of military commissions from the palace as well," Duffy explains, pointing to a photograph of a silver piece they created for then-Prince Charles. "Apparently it's still on his breakfast table for marmalade."

The company's role in major state occasions extends beyond ceremonial pieces. During the State Opening of Parliament, Mappin & Webb's Crown Jeweller plays a crucial role in the ancient ceremonies that define British constitutional monarchy.

HISTORY Catherine, Princess of Wales

Looking Forward As our conversation draws to a close, Duffy reflects on the broader challenges facing the luxury industry—from tariffs affecting Swiss imports to the changing dynamics of global luxury consumption. But for Mappin & Webb, these challenges seem almost secondary to the larger opportunity he sees in fully realising the brand's potential.

Cold Stream, 1908

those photographs spanning nearly two centuries of craftsmanship and service, it's clear that under Duffy's stewardship, Mappin & Webb isn't just preserving its past—it's writing the next chapter of a very British luxury story.

"We really focus on our stores, our clients, our client service," he says.

In Duffy's vision, Mappin & Webb's future lies not in competing with global luxury conglomerates on their terms, but in being uniquely, authentically British— the home to a crown jeweller that serves not just royalty, but anyone seeking a piece of that extraordinary heritage.

Silver Workshop

As I prepare to leave, surrounded by www.finito.org.uk

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SPORT

BULLS-EYE: WHY DARTS IS MORE THAN JUST A PUB GAME GEORGE ACHEBE ON LUKE LITTLER AND THE NEW CAREER WORLD OF THE OCHE

W

hen 16-year-old Luke Littler marched onto the stage at the Alexandra Palace in December 2023, there was something electric in the air— something the sport of darts hadn’t felt in decades. By the time the final whistle blew in the World Championship, Littler had become more than a headline. He was a phenomenon.

Wielding a composure far beyond his years and a throw that barely wobbled under pressure, Littler stunned seasoned pros and captured the public imagination.

But what made the story truly remarkable wasn’t just the stats or the spectacle. It was what he represented: the changing face of darts—and the growing recognition that the sport is no longer a sideshow. It’s a career.

Darts has long been underestimated.

Dismissed as a pub pastime or a postwork indulgence, it now commands stadium audiences, global broadcasting deals, and seven-figure sponsorships. The rise of Littler is only the latest proof that darts, like boxing before it, has evolved into a serious economic engine—and a legitimate route to purpose and prosperity.

Precision and Paydays

The numbers tell a clear story. The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) has transformed the game over the past 25 years into a global entertainment product, with the World Darts Championship alone drawing more than 3 million UK viewers annually and millions more internationally.

Prize money has ballooned. The winner of the 2024 World Championship walked 132

Luke Littler (Wikipedia.org)

away with £500,000—more than the Wimbledon women’s singles finalist.

Littler, despite falling just short, turned professional and soon racked up multiple six-figure cheques before even turning 17.

With televised events spanning Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and brands eager to tap into darts’ cross-generational appeal, the sport has become fertile ground for ambitious young athletes—and for the many roles that support them:

coaches, managers, physiotherapists,

data analysts, media producers, graphic designers, and social media teams.

The Oche Ecosystem For every Littler or Van Gerwen, there are dozens of professionals behind the scenes. Marketing agencies now tailor entire campaigns around darts stars.

Analysts crunch statistics on accuracy

SPORT

under pressure. Venues employ thousands on logistics and event production. Even hotels and pubs feel the ripple—every major tournament boosts local economies.

Then there’s the rise of streaming and YouTube coverage. Highlight reels, training videos, and livestreamed qualifiers have broadened access and interest. For young players, this means more exposure.

For creators and analysts, it means jobs.

In short: darts is no longer about what happens in the pub—it’s about what happens across an entire economy.

Littlermania and the TikTok Era

What made Littler so special wasn’t just his skill, though that was prodigious. It was his story. A teenager with a PlayStation username, wearing a grin and firing in 180s like it was nothing, upending the established order and speaking afterwards with calm self-assurance.

The public couldn’t get enough. Littler went viral. TikTok edits, interviews, memes. He was relatable—young, grounded, effortlessly talented. His rise didn’t just revive interest in darts. It brought new audiences in: teenagers who had never watched a match. Parents who saw in him a new kind of role model.

Sponsors followed. Interviews piled up. Suddenly, darts had its first Gen Z superstar—and with it, the sense that a new career pipeline was opening.

Because here’s the thing: Luke Littler didn’t just show that a 16-year-old could make a run at the world title. He showed that if you’re disciplined, presentable, and digitally literate, darts can be a job. And not just for the player, but for an entire team.

Past the Pub

Historically, darts has been a workingclass sport. It required no expensive gear, no academies, no elite club membership.

Just a board, some arrows, and time. It’s still that, but it’s also now something more—a passport out of the everyday for those who can master its unique pressure.

The path from pub to profession has been formalised. There are academies.

Youth development programs.

Mentorship schemes like those run by the Junior Darts Corporation. These create ladders for kids—many from disadvantaged backgrounds—to develop not just technique but self-confidence, routine, and purpose.

all these areas. And if you're a school-

It's not hard to draw parallels to boxing.

Both offer a chance to carve out identity and career without traditional academic structures. Both attract kids who may not fit the standard mould. Both demand intense psychological stamina, despite the stillness of the form.

continue to thrive. Local tournaments

And both are now surrounded by career ecosystems far beyond the arena itself.

leaver today with a sharp mind and

creative drive, the darts industry might just be where your skills shine.

Grassroots and Global While Littler grabs headlines, the real power of darts lies in its grassroots.

Community darts leagues across the UK still fill pubs on weeknights. Initiatives

now aim to bring the sport into schools

and youth centres—providing structured paths for progression and mentorship.

The sport’s growth isn’t just national,

either. Darts is surging in Germany, the Netherlands, and even China. In 2024, Bahrain hosted its first-ever World

Series of Darts event. The game once "BY THE TIME THE seen as peculiarly British is going global.

FINAL WHISTLE With this growth comes opportunity— BLEW IN THE WORLD not just for players, but for those who CHAMPIONSHIP, can support the game’s expansion LITTLER HAD BECOME through infrastructure, education, and communications. It’s employability, not MORE THAN A just entertainment.

HEADLINE. HE WAS A PHENOMENON." Lessons from the Line

Not Just the Players

Like boxing, darts is also creating roles for the non-athletes. There are data roles at the PDC, marketing positions at darts equipment companies, commentary gigs on Sky Sports, event planning jobs across Europe. Youth coaches, physios, mental conditioning specialists. One can now be employed by darts without ever throwing a dart.

What Littler has taught us is that

success isn’t just about ability. It’s about timing. He arrived at the moment darts was ready to evolve—and

helped catalyse that change. But his

journey also reveals what’s increasingly true across all professions: the next

generation doesn’t just want to play.

They want to work smart, build brands, and bring others along with them.

And then there are the new frontiers.

Augmented reality is being trialled to enhance viewer experience. AI is being explored to predict player form. Brands want fresh voices to communicate to younger fans. All of this demands a new kind of talent—not just athletes, but creatives, thinkers, digital strategists.

And that’s why darts matters in 2025.

Littler’s rise has created fresh demand in

just for fun. It’s for the future.

It’s no longer a punchline—it’s a

pathway. From schools to stadiums,

from bedrooms to boardrooms. It’s not about luck. It’s about focus, practice, opportunity.

And when the arrows fly, it’s no longer

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BOOK REVIEWS

BOOK REVIEWS

UPLIFTING BOOKS FOR CHALLENGING TIMES to contribute.” That ethos, gently embedded, runs through every chapter.

His fascination with software begins not with some prophetic vision of the internet, but with an Altair 8800 and a ticking deadline. His descriptions of founding Microsoft with Paul Allen are riveting not for their nostalgia, but for their candour. “We didn’t know how to run a company. We just knew we didn’t want to stop writing code.”

SOURCE CODE: MY BEGINNINGS

BY BILL GATES If you’re looking for an origin story that doesn’t rely on mythology, Source Code is a quietly remarkable read. In the first volume of his memoirs, Bill Gates strips away the caricature of tech titan and replaces it with something altogether more human: a relentlessly curious teenager who spent more time hacking traffic systems and debugging BASIC than dreaming of world domination.

What emerges is not just a portrait of prodigy, but a powerful reminder that employability is a lifelong process—one forged not in flawless execution but in feedback loops, failed ideas, and the strange, invisible scaffolding of resilience.

The book begins in early childhood in Seattle, where Gates recalls the steady influence of his parents: a civicminded lawyer father and a formidable mother who saw leadership not as title but duty. Gates writes: “I never felt expected to be great. I just felt expected 134

HE WRITES ABOUT BURNOUT, THE INTENSITY OF OBSESSION, AND THE AWKWARDNESS OF MANAGING PEOPLE WHEN YOU’D RATHER BE ALONE WITH A SCREEN.

doesn’t just encourage adaptability— he embodies it. He went from a kid programming at 3am to running the world’s largest software company to— eventually—reimagining philanthropy.

His story is proof that careers are not straight lines. They’re circuits.

Ultimately, Source Code is less about the invention of Microsoft and more about the reinvention of self. It’s about how a restless, socially awkward teenager built something that lasted—not because he knew everything, but because he kept asking the right questions.

For any young reader wondering whether they’re on the “right track,” Gates has a liberating message: there is no one track. But there are ways to build, to contribute, and to stay curious enough to matter.

What’s striking is the tone: vulnerable, detailed, and self-reflective. Gates doesn’t shy away from his early missteps—missed deadlines, flubbed pitches, the arrogance that comes with being the smartest person in the room.

He writes about burnout, the intensity of obsession, and the awkwardness of managing people when you’d rather be alone with a screen.

There are wonderful tangents. A whole section is devoted to his admiration for Warren Buffett, not as an investor but as a thinker. Elsewhere, he ruminates on the value of reading, confessing that The Great Gatsby still haunts him. “It’s not about wealth,” he writes. “It’s about whether you can see the future and do something about it.”

That future-orientation is central to the book’s employability relevance. Gates

A DIFFERENT KIND OF POWER

BY JACINDA ARDERN There’s a moment in A Different Kind of Power when Jacinda Ardern recounts being told—by a senior male

BOOK REVIEWS

MP—that she was “too nice” to lead.

The implication was clear: leadership requires ruthlessness, and Ardern, with her softness and empathy, didn’t fit the mould.

The Fall of the Titans They left without announcing it—

Her memoir is a gentle but pointed rebuke to that view. Written in the same measured tone that made her globally admired, Ardern offers not just a political narrative, but a manifesto for an alternative form of authority—one rooted in compassion, communication, and moral clarity.

She doesn’t claim perfection. From New Zealand’s early COVID response to the Christchurch mosque attacks, she often second-guesses her own decisions, inviting readers into the uncertainty that defines public leadership. But what distinguishes this book is her honesty about doubt—and her insistence that it doesn’t weaken leadership; it refines it.

“I wasn’t trying to be perfect,” she writes.

“I was trying to be useful.”

one by one, our lamps turned low.

Suddenly we know the hush that comes when the vast has gone to ground.

Bolt ran as if joy were a law.

Now the track clocks slower times.

The silence after the great storm stays, and can seem louder than thunder.

VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS

heaving himself up when it mattered, to stamp the collective memory.

In his 90th year, the Dalai Lama

Federer could win while seeming to dance.

simplicity and quiet moral weight. Voice

Now the tournaments are a little bland –

recounting of exile or religious

a little Federer-less – for those who saw

has gifted us a memoir of disarming

There are lighter moments, too— anecdotes about her daughter, about latenight dinners with exhausted staffers, about the oddity of suddenly being recognised in foreign airports.

he writes, “is not just my own. It is the

For anyone entering a new job, building a team, or wondering whether they’re “too soft” for power, this is essential reading.

moved water as if part of it:

BY THE 14TH DALAI LAMA

For Finito World readers, the book is especially relevant. It explores how one can lead without abandoning kindness, how one can command without shouting.

Ardern shares workplace insights on burnout, delegation, and the quiet power of asking for help. She confesses to struggling with imposter syndrome and encourages young professionals to see vulnerability not as a flaw, but as a form of intelligence.

But at its core, A Different Kind of Power is a deeply serious book. It’s about rethinking success. About making space for decency. About changing—not just what leadership looks like—but how it feels.

Phelps too, designed for the pool,

for the Voiceless isn’t a chronological

instruction—it’s a human document,

how it really is to play that sport.

when others cannot.

The crowd adapts. It learns to cheer

focused on what it means to speak

He reflects on his early years, the pain

for those who make the current summit –

responsibility of hope. “My freedom,”

even if that summit is lower somehow.

of leaving Tibet, and the enduring

test of whether I can help others find

The world rebuilds. The new ones come.

theirs.”

There’s no posturing here—just clarity.

For readers seeking purpose in work or voice in a noisy world, his reflections offer subtle courage.

This is a book best read slowly. It invites reflection. And in a world

obsessed with disruption, it gently

reminds us that real influence often

And something in the air remains— not grief, exactly, but a weight.

The knowledge that such things were real and might, once more, come round again.

By Olivia Humphrey

begins in stillness.

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INTERNATIONAL

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

A TWIN-ISLAND NATION WITH SOUL AN IMMERSIVE PORTRAIT OF A COUNTRY REDEFINING CARIBBEAN TRAVEL, WITH INSIGHTS FROM COLIN C. JAMES, CEO OF THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY

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T

here are places you visit. And then there are places you feel. Antigua and Barbuda—a pair of islands nestled in the warm embrace of the Caribbean Sea—offer that rarest of experiences: a destination that becomes a memory as soon as you arrive.

At first glance, it’s everything you imagine. Turquoise waters. Swaying palms. Beaches—365 of them, in fact, one for every day of the year. But look closer, and you’ll find something deeper: 136

a country not resting on natural beauty, but building something thoughtful from it. A country where tourism, culture, and sustainability aren’t separate threads, but woven together by design.

climate, but of the welcome.”

As Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, puts it: “Antigua and Barbuda offers everything you imagine: turquoise waters, rich culture, flavourful cuisine, and unforgettable people. But what truly sets it apart is the warmth, not just of the

secluded, ecological, quietly luxurious.

Each island offers something distinct.

Antigua, the larger and livelier of the two, is a place of energy, heritage,

and innovation. Barbuda is gentler—

But together, they form a single, unified vision of what Caribbean travel can become.

“Antigua is celebrated for its rolling hills, historic landmarks, and vibrant local

INTERNATIONAL

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INTERNATIONAL

Nelson's Dockyard in English Harbour(wikipedia.org)

life,” says James. “Nelson’s Dockyard, our standout attraction, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and will mark its 300th anniversary in 2025—a major milestone for the region.”

is one of our most transformative achievements,” James says. “It marks a new era for the island and strengthens Barbuda’s position as a top-tier destination for luxury travellers.”

vision too. “We’re seeing momentum with new resort projects, including Nikki Beach Resort, and anticipated openings from Marriott and One&Only,” he confirms.

While Antigua thrives on rhythm and activity—sailing, culinary festivals, cultural immersion—Barbuda offers refuge and retreat.

Momentum is building across the tourism landscape. “We recently hosted the CHTA Caribbean Travel Marketplace for the first time in May—a historic event that placed Antigua and Barbuda at the heart of Caribbean hospitality conversations,” James notes.

Even internationally, the islands are earning new visibility. “We’re celebrating our Silver Medal win at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, marking our debut with a garden inspired by the islands’ landscapes, heritage, and regenerative future,” James says proudly. “It was a proud moment that showcases Antigua and Barbuda’s growing global voice.”

“Barbuda is defined by its natural beauty and sense of seclusion,” he continues.

“It’s known for its untouched 11-mile stretch of pink sand and as home to the Caribbean’s largest Frigate Bird Sanctuary. With the launch of the new Barbuda International Airport, the island is now more accessible to highend travellers and poised for considered, sustainable development.”

This is a nation on the move—but doing so with purpose.

“The opening of the Barbuda International Airport in late 2024

The islands are also making major culinary strides. “With the recent openings of Nobu Beach Club in Barbuda and The Hut on the private island of Little Jumby, we are redefining culinary luxury in the Caribbean,” says James. “These standout venues are elevating the islands’ dining scene and firmly positioning them on the global gastronomic map.”

New hotel developments are part of this

“ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA ISN’T JUST A DESTINATION— IT’S A FEELING, WHERE GUESTS CAN SIMPLY BE.” www.finito.org.uk

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“ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA OFFERS EVERYTHING YOU IMAGINE: TURQUOISE WATERS, RICH CULTURE, FLAVOURFUL CUISINE, AND UNFORGETTABLE PEOPLE. BUT WHAT TRULY SETS IT APART IS THE WARMTH—NOT JUST OF THE CLIMATE, BUT OF THE WELCOME.”

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Environmental stewardship isn’t a trend here—it’s a principle. “Sustainability is embedded in our vision for tourism,” James affirms. “From preserving Barbuda’s precious ecosystems like the Frigate Bird Sanctuary, to launching low-impact experiences like the Coral Reef Restoration Project by The Elkhorn Marine Conservancy.”

What truly distinguishes the islands is how culture is celebrated—not as spectacle, but as a living, breathing force.

“Our events calendar is strong and always on,” says James. “Antigua Sailing Week, Carnival, Culinary Month, and Art Week each offer an immersive way to experience the vibrancy of Antiguan and Barbudan culture.”

This reef programme, he explains, supports not only marine biodiversity but longterm sustainable tourism. “It restores and cultivates underwater coral nurseries and was proudly recognised in Wanderlust’s Travel Green List Awards 2025,” says James.

For visitors, these events aren’t just entertainment—they’re entry points into identity. “These are more than events,” he continues, “they are expressions of identity, community, and creativity.

Visitors can enjoy authentic cultural experiences year-round.”

Hosting the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in 2024 was a signal of Antigua’s growing diplomatic and ecological leadership.

“Antigua proudly hosted the conference, reaffirming its role as a global voice for resilience, sustainability, and climate leadership among island nations,” James adds.

And the benefits go both ways: “They inspire pride and participation among locals, who bring each celebration vividly to life,” James notes.

Beyond beauty and biodiversity, Antigua and Barbuda have something else to offer: opportunity.

“Antigua and Barbuda is a nation of opportunity,” James states. “With a

stable political environment, forwardthinking leadership, and a clear plan for sustainable, inclusive growth, we are ready to welcome investment that respects our values and future vision.”

The invitation is serious and strategic.

“We’re particularly keen to work with partners across hospitality, wellness, real estate, and green technologies,” he adds.

“This is a destination where meaningful investment doesn’t just thrive—it leaves a legacy.”

For all the metrics and milestones, the essence of Antigua and Barbuda is emotional. It’s about connection— to nature, to culture, to each other.

“Whether you're dancing in the streets during Carnival, watching the sunset over English Harbour, or simply chatting with a local fisherman,” James says, “there’s a genuine connection here.”

And if he had to put it simply? “Antigua and Barbuda isn’t just a destination,” he says. “It’s a feeling—where guests can simply be.”

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NEXT ISSUE 1 LEADERS

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p15 Sir Ed Davey MP

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4 FOUNDER'S LETTER 7 DIARY Kiki McDonough 8 MEET THE MENTOR James Slater on legal careers

COLUMNS

FEATURES

12 T HE NOVELIST

30 AMAL CLOONEY EXCLUSIVE How the human rights lawyer is

Zadie Smith on literary universality 13 THE INSURGENT Nigel Farage on sclerotic Britain 14 THE SLEEP SCIENTIST Sophie Bostock on the need for sleep 15 T HE OPPOSITION LEADER Sir Ed Davey MP on the care sector 19 THE POLYMATH

changing the world

40 CHRISTMAS PEACE Will war ever be over?

51 T HATCHER AT 100

Where’s the Right going?

57 S ECRET ECONOMY The Jobs of Christmas

64 B URSARY REFLECTIONS

Ronel Lehmann on seasonal giving

Sarah Tucker’s multifaceted career 19 QUESTION OF DEGREE Tom Pauk on law qualifications 20 RELATIVELY SPEAKING Ayesha Vardag on family influence

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When Hollywood Meets Law: The Inside Story of the World’s Greatest Power Couple.

ART, CULTURE & BOOKS 96 CATHEDRAL TIME Building for the future 98 MARIAH ET AL. A look at Christmas music

130 BOOK REVIEWS

134 WINTER OLYMPICS Prelude to Milan 2026 138 SWEDEN NOTES

126 C HARLES DICKENS

140 NOVA SCOTIA

Patron Saint of Christmas

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From Smartphone Nation to ADHD

121 I T’S A WONDERFUL LIFE The ultimate career film

142 COSTEAU 144 CLASS DISMISSED Rufus Norris

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CLASS DISMISSED

JACK CHARLES WE TALK TO THE DEBUT AUTHOR OF BARLEY SUGAR ABOUT HOW HE FOUND TIME TO WRITE HIS FIRST NOVEL AROUND HIS CAREER AS A PLUMBER FW: BARLEY SUGAR IS SO ASSURED. HOW MANY NOVELS DID YOU TRY TO WRITE BEFORE YOU WERE IN A POSITION TO WRITE THIS ONE?

OF ONE TIME FRAME INTO ANOTHER SLIPSTREAM. WAS THAT A PROBLEM YOU WERE CONSCIOUS OF? YOU CERTAINLY SOLVED IT SOMEHOW!

I’d mainly written short stories. This is my first serious attempt at a novel.

I tried to trust that the reader would be on the journey alongside Lewis, unraveling the depths of the story as he does. Each flashback is hopefully a welcome discovery.

WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING ARE YOU A NINE TO FIVER AT YOUR DESK EVERY DAY OR IS IT A BIT LESS LINEAR THAN THAT? A bit of both: I tend to be relaxed whilst I’m plotting and then more disciplined once I know where I’m going.

HOW DID YOU HIT UPON TEDDY BOYS AS SUBJECT MATTER? My father told me tales about Teddy Boys. The backdrop of the original teen rebellion and the birth of youth culture was perfect for the story I wanted to tell.

Plus, the Teds come with an amazing look and soundtrack!

DID YOU NEED TO DO MUCH HISTORICAL RESEARCH TO GET THE TEXTURE OF THE FLASHBACKS RIGHT? Yes, I wanted to get the subtleties right.

Whether that be the cut of a dress or a certain song playing on the radio.

IT’S INTERESTING HOW WE BEGIN IN THE PRESENT MOMENT AND THEN GO BACK IN TIME. THE DANGER WITH THAT IS ALWAYS THAT IT CAN BE JARRING FOR THE READER TO GO OUT 144

RACE PLAYS AN INTERESTING ROLE IN THE BOOK. YOU HANDLE IT DELICATELY IN THE CHARACTER OF WINSTON. WAS THAT INSTINCTIVE OR WERE YOU PARTICULARLY WARY OF DRAWING THAT CHARACTER? Winston’s strength and sensitivity, for me, are the heartbeat of the novel. His backstory, ethnicity and social class, all play parts in shaping not only the way the world sees him, but also the way that he looks back at the world. If I was wary of anything, it was of striking a balance within him that would give the eventual decisions he makes the weight they deserve.

YOUR PROSE STYLE IS POETIC BUT NEVER HOLDS UP THE NARRATIVE. DO YOU THINK THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THIS BOOK OR MIGHT WE SEE DIFFERENT STYLES IN FUTURE WORKS? As brutal as it is in parts, to me, Barley Sugar is a beautiful story. I attempted to capture some of that in the writing. As

for future works, it’s impossible to say.

Stylistically, I enjoy playing with words and rhythms, so I imagine that will always be in there somewhere.

HOW DO YOU FIT YOUR WRITING AROUND YOUR DAY JOB AS A PLUMBER? I jot notes throughout the day and write mostly on weekends.

WHICH AUTHORS INFLUENCED THIS BOOK? IS THERE ANY ANXIETY OR INFLUENCE IN YOU AS A WRITER? I wanted Barley Sugar to have the feel

of a true crime story. In terms of tone,

Lorenzo Carcaterra’s Sleepers definitely had an impact.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU AS A NOVELIST? I’m currently undergoing chemotherapy.

During that time, if I can, the plan is to work on the new novel.

AN EVENING TO CHANGE LIVES

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Champagne Reception • Gourmet Three Course Dinner Inspiring Guest Speakers • Celebrity Appearances Live Entertainment • Exclusive Fundraising Auction SEATS ARE LIMITED - BOOK NOW! RSVP: nic.careem56@gmail.com MEDIA PARTNER