Victor Magazine 2017 - issue1

Issue 1 2017

Inside the head of Hintsa

How to keep 14 Formula 1 drivers and the world’s top-flight CEOs on track

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Beach life in LA, high life in St Moritz, wild life in Zanzibar and more

Wish you were here?

Turn to p98 to find out more.

Welcome W

Based in Geneva, our meeting with Hintsa gave us the chance to spend a little more time in Switzerland and investigate a country that’s always proved popular with you. In St Moritz, we pay a visit to Badrutt’s Palace, the grande dame of Alpine abodes, to learn the story behind the legend. In Zürich, we rediscover a city that many of us pass through on business or en route to the slopes but that demands closer inspection as a destination in its own right. Our Swiss special starts on page 17.

On the cover: CGI and post-production

by Third Eye Studio.

Last summer in LA, Reggie Bush became our first Victor Champion.

A superstar American football running back, his charitable venture was the ideal opportunity to introduce our

Venice is a city that never fails to lift the spirits – especially when you arrive by water taxi. With the private terminal at Marco Polo almost nearing completion, La Serenissima seemed like the perfect pick for our inaugural Property Portfolio (see p51). Combining local knowhow with professional advice, it offers another way to live that shows the difference expert knowledge can make. And with a selection of properties from rental to purchase, the prospect of skipping from jet to boat to door has never looked more enticing.

But back to the matter at hand: achieving your best is a theme that runs throughout this issue. On page 112, Victor founder and CEO Clive Jackson discusses what the companies of the future will need to do to stand out; on page 68, Victor board member and Hyperloop SVP Nick Earle reveals a mode of transport designed to reinvent how the world works; and on page 106, the Corinthia Hotel’s neurologist-inresidence (yes, really!) Dr Tara Swart explains why lifelong learning is the key to success.

Enjoy the issue.

Phil Thomas, Editor phil.thomas@flyvictor.com

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Another destination that invited us to stop and stay awhile is Montenegró.

Sparkling away at the eastern end of the Med, the future for this little gem is growing brighter as the international business community invests, hotels break ground, and travellers touch down. Our Nation Report takes a deep dive on page 72.

own philanthropic arm by providing jets between the Reggie Bush Charity Weekend’s events (see p90). Speaking of jets, on page 46 we welcome the Legacy 500, the stunning new aircraft

by Embraer, that’s available to fly now with Victor; and we pay a visit to Martin Kemp, the designer responsible for refitting the Bombardier Challenger 604 you’ll see on page 83.

F LYVICTO R.C O M BEGINNINGS

hat does it feel like to be in pole position? That’s the inspiration behind this issue’s cover and interview with Hintsa. Alongside the power and the glory, being an F1 driver is a high-pressure job – and that’s where the performance specialist comes in.

Applying a finely-tuned combination of scientific rigour with an enlightened attitude to wellbeing, Hintsa helps many of the sport’s top practitioners perform to the best of their abilities.

High-pressure jobs come in all shapes and sizes, of course, which is why they’re also in demand with corporate CEOs, entrepreneurs and thought leaders – people like Victor members, in fact. We reveal all on page 18.

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UK +44 20 7384 8550 US +1 877 275 9336 DE +49 89 242 18 236

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VICTO R M AGA ZIN E P E O P L E & P L AC E S

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Download the Victor app for iOS or go to flyvictor.com, enter fast-track code MAG17 to join us and request a quote today.

CONTENTS

Some of the places we’ve been and the people we’ve met to bring you this issue 6 Keep calm and carry on Bits and pieces to get you going.

46 Legacy project | london Victor’s Lewis Montlake reveals Embraer’s all-new Legacy 500.

98 Treasure island | zanzibar Timmy Coles-Liddle reports on the new face of eco tourism.

51 Property Portfolio | venice The ins and outs of island life, baroque-style.

104 Data: centre | atlanta The Weather Company’s Dr Todd Crawford explains the business behind the forecast.

SWISS SPECIAL 18 Game theory | geneva How the pioneering performance specialist Hintsa went from Ethiopia to Formula One.

68 Vacuum pact | las vegas The future of transportation starts here.

106 Head mistress | london The Corinthia’s neurologistin-residence discusses the power of positivity.

26 Palace intrigue | st moritz Our new series on the world’s legendary hotels kicks off with Badrutt’s.

72 Golden opportunity | montenegró Our inaugural Nation Report discovers a country on the cusp.

32 Pretty as a picture Iconic Swiss poster art from the golden age of travel.

83 Challenge accepted | london Martin Kemp on refitting a Bombardier from the inside out.

112 Fast forward Victor’s founder and CEO Clive Jackson on the interplay of service and technology.

40 Business class | zürich Combining business with pleasure, meet a city of surprises.

90 The making of a Champion | la The American footballer Reggie Bush tells Victor what charity means to him.

114 Air ways With over 7,000 at your disposal, there’s a jet for every occasion.

Victor magazine is published by: Victor 60 Sloane Avenue London SW3 3DD +44 20 7384 8550 info@flyvictor.com @flyvictor Concept by philr.co Design by roseatwork.com

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CONTRIBUTORS Timmy Coles-Liddle Where’s the most far-flung destination our intrepid explorer has found himself? “To the very top of Dune 45 in Sossusvlei, Namibia, 170 metres up.

One side is totally in shadow at sunrise and sunset – immense.”

ADVENTURE, p98

Martin Kemp If the designer’s company was asked to refit Air Force One, how would he approach the task?

“Such a plane would presumably need a long lifespan, so timelessness springs to mind.

We would undertake it with our usual dignity and diplomacy.”

PLANE SPEAKING #2, p83

Richard Shepherd The poster boy of Mayfair dealership Sotheran’s, what’s Shepherd got his eye on? “This poster (see right) strikes a chord as it takes me back to when I lived in Norway. It would remind me of the mountains fading into the fjord below. The colours are great as well.”

POSTER ART, p32

WORLD OF VICTOR

Davide Paladino The first thing Victor’s Paladino does when he arrives back in his hometown of Zürich is head for the lake and the river: “You can swim in summer and hang out at the beach bars. It’s so gorgeous!”

SEASONAL CITIES, p40

Keep calm and carry on VICTOR’s picks for all you need to take on board – and a little advice on how to pack it

It’s a wrap Armand Diradourian cashmere travel blanket New York-based Diradourian has been creating cashmere collections since 1994.

Applying a contemporary design eye to the traditional techniques of the hand weavers and master knitters of the Himalayas, his products are a perfect example of locally sourced luxury.

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So when the cold sets in on that late-night flight high over the Atlantic, keep the chill at bay with this generously sized travel blanket. Designed with portability in mind, its satin-lined pouch will slot right into your carry-on. mrporter.com

TRENDING

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VICTO R M AGA ZIN E I N V E N TO R Y

Make your marque Aston Martin DB11

astonmartin.com

Look out for an in-depth report on the new face of Aston Martin in the next issue of VICTOR magazine.

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Aston Martin’s latest four-wheeled invention is the luxury carmaker’s first model since its repositioning as a design company – one that just happens to make ridiculously beautiful vehicles. Suggesting a successful transition, the sublime styling for which the company is famous is there in spades in the DB11, and also in the boats included as part of the new line-up.

Although this gorgeous car isn’t strictly a travel essential in the carryon sense of the word, driving it to the terminal could easily become the transfer of choice.

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Fast food On Air Dining inflight catering The brainchild of head chef Daniel Hulme, the aim of this fine-dining specialist is to serve restaurant-quality food up in the air. And by restaurant quality, we’re talking Michelin-starred: expect dishes like spiced poached pear and blue cheese mousse, followed by grilled Kagoshima wagyu beef, to name just two, all served in a presentation box so handsome you’ll want to take it home. Bon appétit! onairdining.com

Bubble water Phizz vitamin tablets

phizz.co

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Boasting a rehydration formula that supercharges water with electrolytes, glucose, vitamin C and zinc, Phizz is a Swissmade pick-me-up designed to combat flight fatigue, common colds, and maybe the odd hangover. Using high-quality ingredients, its double-pronged approach works by helping your body to rapidly absorb water while stimulating your immune system – leaving you with no excuse to get up and go. The perfect size for pockets and pouches alike, this orange-flavoured tablet is your one-stop drop to a brighter future.

Furs class Pets on jets

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One of the best things about travelling by PJ is being able to choose who to fly with, so avoid the stress of being separated from four-legged friends by taking them along in the cabin with you. All it takes is a quick call to your Victor Personal Account Manager to dot the i’s and cross the t’s, and you’ll be ready to trot through the official channels with none of the hassles that come with commercial carriers.

With Victor, pigs (and dogs) really can fly. flyvictor.com

The Victor app Download the latest version of the Victor app to make the most of your membership and enjoy a streamlined service from the palm of your hand. Compare quotes and book jets in an instant, using an intuitive process that lets you share itinerary details with fellow passengers and even send directions to your departure airport direct to your device.

Flying with Victor means you can be in the air in three hours flat, making that last-minute meeting or impromptu weekend getaway breezier and easier than ever before. flyvictor.com

F LYVICTO R.C O M I N V E N TO R Y

Appy times

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Smart set Horizn Studios Cabin Trolley

Required reading

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We Chose to Speak of War and Strife: The World of the Foreign Correspondent

by John Simpson

VICTO R M AGA ZIN E I N V E N TO R Y

The BBC World Affairs Editor’s latest tome is a fascinating look back at an extraordinary 50-year career, during which he’s reported from all the wrong places at all the right times. Along the way, he offers a history of the role we now call “foreign correspondent” and offers spirited appreciations of some of its best exemplars. For anyone curious about the people and events that have shaped our lives, and who wants to be reminded why we travel in the first place, this book is a good place to start. bloomsbury.com

Claiming to be Europe’s first smart luggage brand, each piece comes with an inbuilt removable battery that allows mobile devices to be recharged up to six times; a Horizn Personal Travel Assistant; a GPS tracker; and a mobile app to control everything from one place when you’re on the go. Silent Japanese wheels, an easy-reach front pocket, and a TSA-approved lock keep things smart on the outside too, while the ultra-durable shell with Vacchetta-leather finish puts the chic in geek. horizn-studios.com

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Professional packer Cari Blickstein’s top five tips on travelling light 1. Fill empty space When it comes to packing, you need to make use of every little inch of suitcase space that you can. Roll tops, underwear, socks and other small items, and stuff them into your shoes to make sure every possible space is filled.

2. Roll, roll, roll To save space and stop creasing, roll your clothes instead of folding them. This will alleviate the need to iron your items once you arrive, leaving you with lots more space in your suitcase. (Rolling prevents creases more effectively than folding.)

3. Love your Ziplocs The best way to organise electronics like cables, phone charger, camera charger, adaptors and headphones is with the same plastic bags you’d use to keep liquids safe.

These bags are also great for medication, jewellery and sewing kits, as well as things for the journey home like keys and tickets.

4. Pack with purpose Take each item you wish to pack and place it on your bed. You can instantly remove 50 percent of those items by asking yourself, “Will I really wear use them or do I end up wearing

the same things over and over?” Try to pack things that can be worn for dual purposes. A kaftan for the beach can easily become a dress, and a long skirt can double as a strapless maxi. Be creative with your wardrobe!

5. Share your itinerary Email a friend or family member your full itinerary, passport number, insurance documents, and access to online banking so they can wire funds should a situation arise. Having these things accessible in a private folder in the cloud is a lifesaver in any sort of emergency. impeccablypacked.com

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Leader of the pack

National treasure 40

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With a population of eight million and a land area of 15,940 square miles, Switzerland is a small country with a big presence.

Home to pretty cities, clockwork efficiency, and world-renowned ski resorts, it consistently tops global quality of life surveys – as well as being a firm favourite among Victor members.

From the neoclassical grandeur of Geneva to the old-school glamour of St Moritz and the buzzy boulevards of ZĂźrich (with some vintage posters in between), VICTOR takes the pulse of a nation.

F LYVICTO R.C O M SWITZERLAND

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Game

theory 19 F LYVICTO R.C O M HINTSA

As an industry leader in the rarefied field of human high-performance, Hintsa counts many of the world’s top sportspeople, business gurus and entrepreneurs as clients.

VICTOR catches up in Geneva

GAME CHANGERS

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eneva is famous for keeping things behind closed doors.

All over this quiet city, some of the biggest deals in the world are being negotiated inside elegant neoclassical buildings while tourists negotiate the medieval cobbles of the Old Town outside them. And, it seems, the business of keeping Formula 1’s drivers and the world’s top CEOs on track is no different.

On an unassuming avenue close to the Hôpital Universitaire de Genève lies Hintsa, the most high-octane, high-

It all started a long way from Switzerland, however – over 3,000 miles away, in fact, when Dr Hintsa was working as a missionary doctor in Africa in the ‘90s. It was in Ethiopia that he witnessed the training regimes of elite long distance-runners: noticing how they adopted an intuitively holistic attitude to health and wellbeing, he began to wonder how such an approach could be developed and applied in a wider context.

That development and application has left a lasting legacy: after taking on his

“What if your performance now is only 80 percent of what you are capable of?”

performance specialist on the planet.

This is where four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel comes for guidance on supercharging his performance, using a technique developed by the late orthopaedic and trauma surgeon Aki Hintsa.

first F1 client, a certain Mika Häkkinen, in 1998, Dr Hintsa went on to spend 11 years as physician and chief medical officer of McLaren; was instrumental in securing 11 World Championship titles; built a vast network of likeminded experts all over the world;

Previous spread: The team includes Sebastian Vettel’s performance coach Antti Kontsas (second from left). Vettel currently drives for Scuderia Ferrari.

Above: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes AMG Petronas) takes direction from performance coach Ville Vihola.

introduced a suite of digital tools that can be accessed by individuals and communities alike; and opened five offices in Switzerland, Finland, Sweden and, most recently, the UK. The techniques of long-distance runners that were first applied to Formula 1 drivers are now applied to CEOs, teams and entire organisations too.

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To help a client achieve their full potential, Hintsa Performance – to give the company its full title – uses a concept called the ‘Circle of Better Life’ (see graphic).

A combination of general health, physical activity, nutrition, recovery, biomechanics and mental energy, it teaches that care and attention must be given to each one of these six components to maintain the ‘Core’ at the centre of it all.

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Hintsa’s ‘Circle of Better Life’ shows the components that need to work in harmony to achieve a stronger ‘Core’.

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Speaking to Victor last year, Dr Hintsa explained how he was able to scale his method to suit businesspeople: “The challenges faced by drivers are special but not unique. In one sense, you could see the relentless and multifaceted world of Formula 1, where stamina and optimal performance are required at all times, as the ultimate expression of the ‘busy life’ which characterises our culture,” he said.

These days, combining scientific rigour with a holistic approach to wellbeing is growing in popularity, making it easy to forget how groundbreaking such methods were when he started out. Applying scientific standards more commonly found in a research lab is what has helped to separate causation from correlation, avoiding the mythmaking that used to surround tales of superhuman performance.

Before this, anecdotes about top executives and politicians only sleeping for three hours a night, or athletes training through injury to reach their goals, were presented as a causal relationship – ie, winning the race is the direct result of training through the pain. But as scientific evidence has grown, it’s become clear that wellbeing is a vital foundation for outstanding levels of performance, and that these top athletes and executives are more likely to have achieved their goals despite not because of their habits.

It’s with this in mind that a Hintsa team member will often ask a client: “What if your performance now is only 80 percent of what you are capable of?”

Accomplishing this is easier when you’re able to stick to a schedule but with many executives travelling 200 days a year, aligning body and mind can be a difficult balancing act.

One of the tricks you learn at Hintsa is how to regulate your body’s 24-hour clock so that mealtimes and bedtimes happen when it’s best for performance.

From restricting what you eat late at night to where you sit on a plane in relation to the sun, nothing is left to chance – cutting out light exposure to

purpose, how their actions and words are having an impact on other people, and whether they are making a difference beyond themselves,” Hewitt reveals.

Getting started is often the hardest part of any activity, and taking things one step at a time is often the best way to begin. “‘I’m too busy, I’m too stressed, I don’t have time right now,’ – I hear this from almost all of our clients,” Hewitt says, “and sometimes it’s true.

“You are capable of much more than you think” avoid upsetting his body clock is often why you’ll see an F1 driver wearing sunglasses, for example (see overleaf).

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Of course, high achievers come in all shapes and sizes, and these days Hintsa’s client list is a varied bunch.

According to James Hewitt, Head of Science & Innovation, what they all share is the ability to keep going in the face of defeat, and to learn from their experiences: “It appears that the best performers are often the most resilient. They don’t simply bounce back from setbacks – often they seem to get even stronger,” he says. For many of us, there can be a discrepancy between what we value and what we actually spend our time doing. Openplan offices, endless meetings, and the constant drip of digital notifications create an environment of continuous interruption that forces us to take a reactive rather than a pro-active approach. Consequently, it’s difficult to find stretches of time to reflect and consider deeper questions about who we are and what we’re truly living for.

And if we do find this time, our eroded attention spans can make it hard to explore these questions at any length.

Perhaps surprisingly, those who are truly at the top of their game consider their spiritual welfare as important as outward signs of success. “They spend time considering their identity: what they are really thinking, feeling, hoping for, and whether they are living in line with that. They reflect on their sense of

A demanding professional life means that we will frequently be pushed close to our limit.” So what’s the secret?

“I always encourage our clients to take a step back and consider how much of the pressure they feel is ‘real’, and how much is self-imposed.” One example is email: research suggests that simply limiting the number of times you check it each day can result in significant reductions in psychological and physiological stress.

Fundamentally, what it all comes down to is mindset: at Hintsa, they talk of the brain as an “expectation generator” in which adopting a positive mental attitude is critical for new habit formation. Or, as Hewitt puts it: “Do you believe that change is possible?

You are capable of much more than you think.” Despite the serious science that underpins the Hintsa programme, it makes for a very human approach in an arena that sometimes favours metrics to the detriment of meaning.

Back in the centre of Geneva an hour later, the sun is shining over Lac Léman and the stream of water propelled into the air by the Jet d’Eau has created a rainbow as it disperses into the atmosphere. The Hintsa programme takes commitment, there’s no doubt about it – but the increase in quality of life for the participant is in no doubt either. Now seems a good moment to remember that. hintsa.com

Clockwise from top: Coaching Director Stuart Smith in conversation with Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Riccardio; a final check with Smith; Vihola is all ears.

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Fly from London (Luton) to Geneva in a Cessna Citation Mustang PICK

The ultimate air-taxi for up to 4 passengers on short flights

LTN 1h30m

GVA

HOW TO BEAT JETLAG: THE EXPERT WAY Hintsa’s top five tips on how to give jetlag the heave-ho Sleep well before your trip Sleep quality on planes is generally low, so try to be as well rested as you can before you fly to minimise the negative impact of poor sleep while travelling.

Start shifting your personal clock slightly towards the destination time zone a few days in advance.

Pack helpful travel accessories Improve sleep quality in the air with comfortable clothing, an eye mask, ear plugs or noise-cancelling headphones, and compression socks.

VICTO R M AGA ZIN E HINTSA

Stay hydrated and avoid alcohol Drink plenty of water when you’re on board, and avoid alcohol – it affects your sleep and recovery negatively.

Sleep according to the destination time zone Aim to sleep as per the destination time zone – when you’re not sleeping, remember to walk around and stretch during the flight.

Pay attention to light exposure and meal timing Correctly-timed light exposure speeds up the resynchronisation of your body clock in the new time zone (some high-performance individuals like F1 drivers try to avoid seeing light in their destination when it’s still nighttime at the place of departure).

Meal timing is also important: your internal body clock shifts slowly, and eating heavy meals when your body still thinks it’s nighttime can lead to digestive problems.

Aircraft are increasingly being manufactured to mitigate the effects of jetlag. Larger cabins and windows, and LED lights designed to mimic the sun’s natural glow, all help to maintain the body’s natural rhythms in an otherwise artificial environment.

The Bombardier Global 5000, the Dassault Falcon 7X, and the Gulfstream G-550 and G-650 are all equipped to help, while the Dassault Falcon 8X – starting to become available on the charter marketplace – has been eagerly awaited in part for the same reasons.

Image: © Dassault Aviation

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RONALDPHILLIPSANTIQUES.COM

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VICTO R M AGA ZIN E BA D R U T T ’ S PA L AC E

Palace intrigue Welcome to Checking In, a new series that tours the world’s classic accommodations and tells the stories behind them. First stop: Badrutt’s Palace in St Moritz

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CHECKING IN

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Previous spread: Badrutt’s Palace overlooking Lake St Moritz.

Clockwise from top: Badrutt’s has been at the centre of Swiss society for generations; room with a view; glamour comes as standard; the Grand Hall as it used to look; snowcapped splendour.

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hen it opened for business in 1896, Badrutt’s started like it meant to go on. The first hotel in Europe if not the world with the word “palace” in its title, this was always going to be a place that took service seriously. If you already live in a castle, then the architecture is likely to make you feel right at home – which goes some way to explaining why it was a winter retreat for a healthy proportion of European royalty for the better part of the 20th century.

Checking-in to Badrutt’s is a must on the international social calendar, and today’s patrons come from farther and wider than ever before.

With a staff-to-guest ratio of almost 1.5:1, attention to detail still conforms to the regal standards of yesteryear: from the chauffeured Rolls-Royce between the hotel and Samedan Airport (a five-minute drive) to the butler service in suites, the everyday experience remains tiptop.

Like 80 percent of businesses in Switzerland, it’s been privately run ever since Johannes Badrutt started his hospitality empire with the 12-bed Pension Faller in 1856 (a seven-minute walk away on Via Veglia, and today a grand hotel in its own right). Decades later, while building a curling rink and the world’s first toboggan run in a bid to entertain English tourists, the hotelier who put St Moritz on the map also inadvertently became the inventor of alpine sports.

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Clockwise from top left: The Chesa Veglia restaurant, also owned by Badrutt’s, boasts a heated pathway linking it to the hotel; the village offers a good vantage point from which to view the world below; a friendly local; the view from the Chesa.

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Fly from Berlin to St Moritz in a Nextant 400 PICK

This is a ground-breaking light jet boasting super light jet performance

SXF 1h20m

SMV

There are worse places to be locked in overnight.

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Popular with American visitors ever since weary GIs were looking for some R&R before returning to the US at the end of WWII, St Moritz is a town that has changed little since then – perhaps because it got so much right in the first place. Typical Swiss caution, top-quality engineering, and sympathetically administered renovations have resulted in a resort where everything works but nothing is out of place.

Accustomed to inclement weather, what the Swiss don’t know about plumbing isn’t worth discussing – check out the under-path heating from

the hotel’s main building to its Chesa Veglia restaurant opposite for proof.

A patchwork of Engadiner timber collected from all over the eponymous valley, the restaurant and the view of the lake from the terrace make it a must-visit for Sound of Music fans – and the food, mostly local and expertly prepared, isn’t bad either.

The fashion-conscious are also well catered for: St Moritz has the highest concentration of luxury shopping in the world, making it a one-stop premium shop from A (Armani) to Z (Zegna).

When you’re three hours by car from Zürich’s Bahnhofstraße and you’ve nothing to wear to the ball (the King’s Club at Badrutt’s is where it’s at), it becomes clear why this supercharged little stretch of Swiss real estate commands such attention. Combining glamour and glitz with snow sports and sunshine, it’s not only in winter that this place appeals. As its residents will tell you, their mountaintop town is a delight to discover whatever the season – and today’s hotel guests feel that way too. badruttspalace.com

F LYVICTO R.C O M BA D R U T T ’ S PA L AC E

Benefiting from a winter climate for nine months of the year, it’s no wonder St Moritz has become Europe’s ultimate ski destination; it’s played host to the Winter Olympics twice and the Alpine World Ski Championships four times (most recently this year). Its lake is a well known sailing spot, and when it freezes over yearlings replace yachts as polo players descend on the ice. But despite all this frozen fun, it’s also the sunniest place in the Alps with 322 days of rays a year.

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Pretty as a picture Counting the 1870 purchase of the Charles Dickens library as just one of the highlights in its rich history, Sotheran’s in London’s Mayfair has been delighting lovers of antique books and prints for over 250 years.

As part of our Switzerland Special, we showcase six of the dealer’s best Swiss artworks, and ask its print specialist Richard Shepherd why the 20th-century travel poster has become such a hot ticket

Title: Gstaad. Alt. 1200m. Oberland Bernois Artist: GOS, Francois (1880-1975) Description: Original framed lithograph with colour, linen-backed, printed by Fiedler SA, Chaux-de-Fonds Date: 1924 Size: 985 x 650mm

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POSTER ART

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Title: Wallis. Schweiz Artist: Hermes, Erich (1881-1971) Description: Original lithograph with colour, printed by Sauberlin & Pfeiffer SA, Vevey Date: 1939 Size: 1000 x 620mm

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Title: Der Simplon Artist: Anon Description: Original lithograph with colour as published by Schweizerische Bundesbahnen (SBB), printed by Ateliers artistiques A Denéréaz-Spengler & Co, Lausanne Date: 1918 Size: 1030 x 640mm

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Title: Oberland Bernois Artist: Reckziegel, Anton (1865-1936) Description: Original lithograph with colour, printed by Hubacher & Co SA, Berne Date: 1904 Size: 1170 x 730mm

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Title: Davos Artist: Trapp, Willy (1905-1985) Description: Original lithograph with colour, printed by Wolfsbergdruck, Zürich Date: 1942 Size: 1025 x 645mm

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Title: Valais. Suisse. Alt 1500m Artist: Anon Description: Original lithograph with colour, printed by Lithos R Marsens, Lausanne Date: c1939 Size: 1000 x 650mm

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What puts a high price on a poster?

For a poster to command a high price, it needs to be both desirable and scarce.

If I wanted to start a collection, how should I go about it?

You should buy posters that have a particular meaning to you. This may be somewhere you used to go on

“We look for posters that best capture the essence of the place they are advertising” How has poster design changed over the years?

Early cruise-liner posters put emphasis on levels of comfort, whereas more recent airline posters tend to advertise speed as the most important factor.

What makes a good poster – what do you look for?

Something that triggers a memory and is very personal to the individual purchasing it. We look for posters that best capture the essence of the place they are advertising.

holiday as a child or where you spent your honeymoon. There are a lot of reproductions available on the internet but if you are looking for the real thing then I would recommend either one of the major auction houses or a reputable dealer who specialises in poster sales.

Richard Shepherd is Head of the Print Department at Henry Sotheran’s. sotherans.co.uk

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Why do you think collecting posters has become so popular?

Posters have a very wide appeal and look great when framed on the wall. They can be hung alongside old and new works of art, and they offer a reminder of the golden age of travel before the advent of speedy boarding.

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Business class Welcome to Zürich, a city of surprising contradictions

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ürich is more than a pleasant place to do business. A consistent high performer in the Mercer Quality of Living Survey, which bases its findings on a set of metrics including the economy, education, the environment, health and transport, it offers a refreshing alternative to the cut and thrust of a megacity without compromising on cosmopolitan values.

As the birthplace of workers’ guilds in the 14th century, Zürich already had the foresight to promote and protect its artisans.

Today, it looks like the country’s watchmaking industry has been a direct beneficiary of this respect for craftsmanship, as the qualities we covet from a product – authenticity, exclusivity and expertise – are borne out of that respect for the individual.

Its famous fountains, those handy sources of drinking water that are dotted all over the city, are another indication of sometimes surprisingly Zürich’s egalitarian nature, and it’s common to see people filling their own canisters at the mouth of a gargoyle (400 of which provide spring water) rather than relying on the ubiquitous plastic bottle.

What it all comes down to is quality of living: whether it’s a finely tuned timepiece from Blancpain, a handfinished chocolate from Lindt & Sprüngli, or an FX structured product from UBS, the Swiss model works for its workers as well as its buyers. And if a day in the city also comes with a swim in the lake, so much the better.

SEASONAL CITIES

Home to some of the world’s most famous names in international finance, it’s had a finger in global trade ever since the Romans recognised the strategic importance of the Limmat river and used it as a customs port. These days, you’re more likely to find a friendly Zürcher splashing about on one of its river beaches – read on to find out the favourite of Victor’s very own Davide Paladino.

Global trade aside, Zürich is also a city that likes to keep things local: 80 percent of businesses are privately run, with many of them remaining in the same family for decades. One such example is the Baur au Lac hotel, whose GM we talk to here. He thinks it’s the combination of big ideas on a small scale that make his adopted city stand out.

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ictor Senior Customer Account V Executive and Zürich local Davide Paladino takes us on a walking tour of his home city Start by paying a visit to The Dolder Grand hotel (1) for the most amazing views of the Alps and Lake Zürich. The rack railway from Römerhof station takes you right up to the top of the hill.

I love walking through the Old Town, starting from Central station (3) and on into the tiny alleys filled with little stores. Don’t forget to pass by the 12th-century Grossmünster (4), an iconic twin-towered cathedral, and follow the bridge over to the Fraumünster church (5), which has the largest clock in Europe.

badi-info.ch/Unterer_letten.html

snb.ch

grossmuenster.ch, fraumuenster.ch

thedoldergrand.com

There are a couple of amazing river beaches – provided the sun is shining!

Badi Letten (2), which is a short hop from the city centre, is my favourite, and it’s also the point where one river splits in two (the Limmat and the Sihl).

On your right, you’ll see the Swiss National Bank building (8). Keep going until you reach Paradeplatz (9): the heart of the Swiss banking industry, it’s where Credit Suisse and UBS have their headquarters – and where the Sprüngli chocolatier, who makes Lindt, is based too.

When you reach the Opera House (6), take a detour along the bay of Lake Zürich to admire the Alps from a different angle before heading back into town along (7), the city’s famous shopping street. opernhaus.ch

With regards to proper food, I would recommend Restaurant zum Kropf (10), which serves traditional Swiss dishes in a grand setting just off Bahnhofstrasse. En Guete! zumkropf.ch

43 Photographs: © Zürich Tourism / Elisabeth Real (3), Martin Rütsch (1), Rubiano Soto (previous spread)

F LYVICTO R.C O M ZÜRICH

Previous spread: The Fraumünster keeps time over the Limmat river.

Clockwise from top left: Window-shopping on Bahnhofstrasse; the twin-towered Grossmünster, Old Town; dipping into Flussbad Oberer Letten.

Fly from London (Luton) to Zürich in a Cessna Citation CJ3 PICK

This class-leading light jet will comfortably seat up to 7 passengers

LTN 1h20m

ZRH

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Over cocktails on the Baur au Lac’s Rive Gauche Terrasse, GM Wilhelm Luxem tells VICTOR why Zürich means more than business

What makes Zürich so special?

It’s a cosmopolitan city, with all the excitements, entertainment and culture, as well as shopping and business opportunities, the affluent traveller is looking for. But at the same time, it has this human size that creates a pleasant feeling of proportion and proximity that one normally only finds in a rather small town. This duality of genuine traditions and vibrant modernity makes Zürich a charming destination.

What makes the Baur au Lac so special?

The genuine, personalised service of a dedicated team. Plus the perfect location: on the lake yet right in the middle of the city, within walking distance of all the major places of

interest. And, last but not least, a long history of 173 years and six generations of the same family owning it. Thanks to consistent renovation, it remains ever young and still provides comfort and style to sophisticated travellers.

How has Zürich changed since you moved here?

Sometimes you feel that time comes to a standstill – which in today’s world is a great luxury. But you can also see a real vibrancy here, with new restaurants and shops popping up wherever you look.

Do you think Switzerland’s reputation for being… a bit stuck in its ways is a fair one?

It depends what you look for. I would

say it’s a place with great authenticity, and the curious traveller will be amazed to discover this specific Swissness combined with a cosmopolitan atmosphere.

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

The reunification of Italy was signed in Zürich. Richard Wagner was exiled in Zürich, and created The Valkyrie here.

The beautiful windows created by Mark Chagall at the Fraumünster are a must to see while here. Swimming in Lake Zürich is something very typical for Swiss people; you will see them early in the morning, during the day, and in the evening flocking to the Badi to enjoy the pristine waters. bauraulac.ch

Legacy project Victor’s Commercial and Operations Executive Lewis Montlake takes a tour of the all-new Legacy 500

46 VICTO R M AGA ZIN E E M B R A E R L E GAC Y 500

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he latest offering from Brazilian manufacturer Embraer, the Legacy 500 is a clean-sheet design developed in conjunction with the 450, its slightly smaller sister.

A super-midsize jet with space for up to 12 passengers and a standard configuration of nine, the 500 will be competing with the well-established Bombardier Challenger 300/350.

Fully fly-by-wire with the latest avionics, the game-changing 500 is the fastest aircraft in its class with a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.82.

A range of just over 3,000 nautical miles allows it to fly US coast-to-coast, London-Moscow and Dubai-Berlin.

Its flat-floor cabin and large crosssection make it an incredibly spacious aircraft, comprising a fully enclosed washroom, wet galley, four fully flat beds in a sleeping configuration, and 110 cubic feet of luggage space.

PLANE SPEAKING #1

Photographs by Arron Leppard for Victor

TECH SPEC Range (nm) 3,125 Seating 8-12 Total baggage capacity (cu ft) 155 Take-off field length (ft) 4,084 Engine thrust (lbf) 7,036 MMO (Mach) 0.83 Maximum operation altitude (ft) 45,000 Avionics suite Rockwell Collins

Pro Line Fusion

48 VICTO R M AGA ZIN E E M B R A E R L E GAC Y 500

“I believe it will become a prominent player in the charter market”

FAST FACTS Fastest jet in midsize segment Full digital flight controls, unique in its segment Largest-in-class cabin: 6ft tall with flat floor Best cabin pressurisation in class 4 fully reclining seats Remarkably low noise levels

For me, what sets this aircraft apart from its competitors is the interior: as you step inside you are immediately struck by the quality of the materials.

The main cabin feels very spacious, with lots of light from the big windows, and even in the larger-capacity configurations it never feels cramped or busy. There are numerous high-def screens, a Blu-ray player, wifi, and plentiful storage space. The cabin is pressurised at 6,000 feet (the lowest in its class), which greatly reduces fatigue and makes the flight an altogether more pleasant experience.

“As you step inside you are immediately struck by the quality of the materials” 49 F LYVICTO R.C O M E M B R A E R L E GAC Y 500

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VICTOR VERDICT

The Legacy 500 is a fantastic aircraft, and I believe it will become a prominent player in the charter market over the coming months and years. And with a price tag that’s almost £5 million less than the Challenger 350, I know who my money is on.

”

embraerexecutivejets.com

The Embraer Legacy 500 is available to fly with Victor today. To watch a video, go to flyvictor.com/blog/Legacy500

Venice Property Portfolio

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Photograph: Gßleç

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Photographed exclusively for Victor, this is part of the ceiling fresco of a secret restoration project on the Grand Canal. Full details will be released by Venice Prestige in May.

Behind closed doors Venice has been capturing imaginations ever since the dedication of its first church in 421. From Lord Byron to Jan Morris, artists and writers have been intrigued by its idiosyncratic blend of beauty, glamour and mystery for centuries.

Benvenuti a Venezia.

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Today, Venice has become a tourist destination of such magnitude that it can sometimes appear off-putting.

But, as the inaugural Victor Property Portfolio shows, it is also a fully functioning city with a wide variety of places to call home – all you need to know is where to look.

Contents 54

In the know 56 Venice Prestige’s Ann-Marie Doyle Property no 2: The turnkey Garzoni Moro

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Atlas Venice from above

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Property no 3: The purchase Campo Santo Stefano

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The property market How it works, Italian-style

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PROPERTY PORTFOLIO

Property no 1: The rental Serafina

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Property no 1: The rental Serafina A stunning four-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment set within the classical elegance of a piano nobile, Serafina boasts breathtaking views of the Grand Canal with a large balcony that opens directly onto the water opposite a landmark Venice church Resplendent with antiques, Fortuny fabrics and exquisite tapestries, the apartment’s doubleheight Gothic windows flood it with light and offer a unique perspective of Venice’s most important waterway; in the heart of the action yet at once removed, the Santa Maria della Salute church feels like it’s almost within touching distance.

There is an elegant formal dining room and well equipped kitchen for entertaining, while four beautifully furnished bedrooms (three double and one double/twin) and four bathrooms complete the upstairs level alongside a gallery sitting area.

At a glance – Breathtaking views with the Salute opposite – Watergate with direct access to the Grand Canal for easy airport transfers – Moments from the Accademia and Piazza San Marco – Classic accommodation with integral air conditioning – Part of a famous palazzo signorile complete with concierge veniceprestige.com

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In the know The owner and managing director of Venice Prestige, Ann-Marie Doyle has worked with property in Venice for almost 30 years. As befits an entirely unique place, it is an entirely unique market where personal connections and local knowledge can make or break a deal

In addition to the rental and management of luxury rental properties, Venice Prestige advises on the purchase and furnishing of properties through sister company Venice Sotheby’s Realty, and offers a comprehensive array of services ranging from dinner parties with a local chef to

after-hours museum visits.

Today, rental owners are increasingly responding to the demands of an international market by upgrading their properties – some of which have been in the same family for centuries. While historic apartments on the Grand Canal and in the best locations remain the quintessential dream, top-level contemporary bathrooms and kitchens that retain the historic Venetian look and feel are important too: “The trend now is very much towards individual and special properties combining Italian style with great facilities,” Doyle states.

For her, Venice has always been special, and it’s this she aims to share with her clients: finding beautiful and luxurious alternatives to hotels, to experience the city in a more authentic way, is what it’s all about. Walking with Doyle along its canals and through its squares is like a private guided tour as she points out a building’s architectural quirk, the world-class painting

hidden behind a nondescript front door, or the resting place of a long-dead doge.

Designated a World Heritage Site in 1987, Venice is truly like no other place on earth – a tiny geographic area that combines historic palaces, a diverse array of neighbourhoods, art and design, and the pleasures of outdoor island living. A victim of its own success, it can become crowded in summer – so it makes sense to invest in expertise if you want to avoid the throng. For places to eat that are slightly off the beaten track, she recommends “the Locanda Cipriani on the island of Torcello or Il Certosino on Isola della Certosa” as just two examples of what a difference expert local knowledge can make. Of course, whether it’s restaurant reservations or property rentals, almost anything can be at your disposal when you’re working with the best in the business. Well, almost anything. “Tea is impossible in Venice,” Doyle says. veniceprestige.com

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ith offices in Venice and London, Doyle deals exclusively with high-end properties for private clients. Since she started, there have been many changes in the market, which has developed from a small cluster of properties to the exclusive collection available today. Why does she think Venice has become such a sought-after destination?

“It’s a totally different pace of life, an antidote to busy city living – it’s grounded, yet everything is special,” she says. Fluent in English, Italian, French, German and Spanish between them, Doyle and her team have become the agent of choice for many local and international clients.

Property no 2: The turnkey Garzoni Moro Offering a choice of eight one -or two-bedroom apartments in a historic palazzo with a late-Gothic façade on the Grand Canal, Garzoni Moro is a living monument to the story of Venice and an ideal turnkey property development In the 18th century it was selected by Canaletto, the most famous painter of Venetian cityscapes, for a singular panorama that looks out from the palazzo toward Rialto, and has most recently been used by the Universita Ca’ Fascari.

Now converted back to its original use as a residential property, leading design houses Arc Linea, Rubelli and Venini have been all involved in the styling and finish of the apartments; buyers also have the option of working with Rubelli to realise their own style.

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At a glance – From €480,000 to €2.2 million – Completely refurbished, including air conditioning, and ready to occupy – Excellent location, including watergate – Luxury interiors by Arc Linea, Rubelli and Venini – Perfect for private use and occasional rental venicesothebysrealty.com

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Airport Rialto Bridge

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Gallerie dell’Accademia

Fly from Paris to Venice in a Piaggio Avanti II PICK

Turn up in style with this forward-thinking turbo prop

PICK

3.

Campo 2.

Santo Garzoni Stefano Moro

LBG 1h10m

VCE

1.

Serafina

DETAILS 45.440924, 12.314249

Dialling code +39 Airport code VCE (Venice Marco Polo) Currency EUR (Euro)

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Bridge of Sighs Doge’s Palace St Mark’s Basilica

San Giorgio Maggiore

ATLAS

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Property no 3: The purchase Campo Santo Stefano A former French consulate and an art connoisseur’s dream, Campo Santo Stefano boasts 18th-century murals and an unbeatable location in one of Venice’s most prestigious residential districts Dating from the 15th century, the palazzo apartment’s grand reception rooms include murals painted by the Italian artist Pietro Antonio Perotti, whose works can also be found in the Louvre.

With a discreet exterior concealing a richly decorated interior, the property is accessed via a private entrance (porto sola) from one of the city’s largest and most important squares.

At a glance – €8.9 million – Six bedrooms, five bathrooms – Galleried terrace and second rooftop altana terrace – Private canal access – Private street entrance venicesothebysrealty.com

It has a second entrance leading directly to the Rio del Duca canal for easy boat access, a galleried terrace hidden from external view, and a rooftop altana with stunning views of the Venetian skyline.

The property market

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World Heritage site, much of Venice remains unchanged and the vast majority of housing stock consists of historical buildings – there are a great many restrictions on changes and building work.

Heritage, history and the natural environment continue to sustain Venice’s appeal as an international destination for retreat property over the longer term, protecting it from many of the issues that have adversely and severely impacted the broader domestic property market.

Property consists in the main of apartments, with some palaces still retained as single dwellings, though many have been converted to apartments.

The most desirable properties are apartments with a direct water view and a balcony or altana (roof terrace): at the very top end of the market, a palazzo apartment on the Grand Canal

commands the highest price: Average price per sq m – Veneto region – Venice entry-level – Venice average – Venice premium (Grand Canal)

€ 2,000 € 4,000 €10,000 €14,000

Buyers in Venice are often familiar with the city and invest in a property to occupy for part of the year, choosing to rent it out, particularly during the peak summer tourist season and at Carnival when the rents are at their highest.

It is a popular second-home destination for Italians, who make up approximately a quarter of the market, with other major groups including the Dutch, French, British, German and Americans (65 percent of luxury properties are purchased by international buyers).

“Venice is a cheek-by-jowl, back-of-the-hand, under-the-counter, higgledy-piggledy, anecdotal city, and she is rich in piquant wrinkled things, like an assortment of bric-a-brac in the house of a wayward connoisseur, or parasites on an oyster-shell�

Jan Morris

Vacuum Hyperloop will be able to transport people at 700mph.

TOTAL FUNDING $164.5M SELECT INVESTORS FORMATION 8, GE VENTURES, SHERPA CAPITAL

68 VICTO R M AGA ZIN E H Y P E R LO O P O N E

pact W

So how does it work?

Much like the internet, in fact, which Earle describes as a way for digital packets of information to be sent direct to their destination, transforming the speed with which things can be shared – and plenty of business models in the process.

“Imagine a superfast internet but for physical things,” says Earle. Put simply, it’s broadband for transportation, and the prospects for a revolution are equally if not more far-reaching.

A product of the next generation of transit by vacuum tubes, H1’s first

commercial project will be a 99-mile system between Abu Dhabi and Dubai that, travelling at 700mph, promises to slash a two-hour trip right down to 12 minutes.

Investment from the port operator DP World Group is an indication that highspeed cargo distribution is a major part of the development plan, alongside passenger transit.

But it’s the passengertransit arm of the business that’s attracting most attention. The reason is down to one thing, according to Earle: awful travel experiences the world over. “I’ve

done more than 350 transatlantic flights in a 35-year career, and I know what a hassle transport is,” he says.

He points out that there haven’t been any big transport innovations since maglev 50 years ago, so a fresh approach is sorely needed.

Responsible for H1’s customer-facing activities worldwide, Earle joined the project as SVP Global Field Operations in November 2016. Appropriately enough, he describes the speed of development at the company as “like being strapped to the front of the rocket”.

CASE STUDY

hen Nick Earle was asked to join the team behind Elon Musk’s new mobility concept Hyperloop One, it was too good an opportunity to miss. A veteran of Cisco, where he ran the cloud programme, Earle was contemplating retirement until he got the call that would shape the next stage of his life – and, if all goes to plan, the future of transportation.

“When I saw what it was doing and how real it is” – Earle pauses before summarising the project’s game-changing potential – “this is a solution that will change the world and the lives of a billion people.”

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Victor board member Nick Earle is also SVP Global Field Operations for Hyperloop One, which aims to harness groundbreaking Hyperloop technology and change the way the world moves forever.

He explains the thinking behind the idea, the scale of the task ahead – and how the future of travel is closer than we think

How travelling on Hyperloop One might look.

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But when you’re inventing a way to travel that’s a blend of car, train and spaceship, perhaps that’s to be expected. Unsurprisingly for a project he calls the fifth mode of transport in the history of the world (after boats, trains, cars and planes), it’s a huge engineering project requiring an entirely new infrastructure: “It’s not an incremental improvement, it’s a new mode of transportation,” he says simply.

Many of the components required to get the project from pipedream into actual pipes have never existed before. “It’s very much like NASA in the ‘60s,” Earle says. “We have to create the technology from scratch.” So it stands to reason that

the team designing and building H1 has been recruited from the space technology outfit SpaceX. Another venture set up by Musk, company literature states that the goal is nothing less than “enabling people to live on other planets”, making Hyperloop One seem almost (but not quite) pedestrian in comparison.

Back down to earth, there are several steps that need to be taken when you’re effectively designing a brand-new mode of transport. First up is public perception and the worry that shooting through a tube at high speed means “my face will peel off”, as Earle robustly puts it. In reality, there’s no difference in g-force between travelling by

H1 and taking off in a private jet – but huge leaps in mankind have always been this way, and it can take time for everyone else to catch up. “When cars took off, they said women couldn’t travel on them because they’d faint,” Earle grins.

determined to be part of humanity’s future travel solutions, and he’s confident that the technology needed to realise the H1 dream will be possible: “Once we get the safety certificate you’ll see it being built all around the world,” he believes.

The next step is to work with regulators and governments to evaluate the technology, which poses its own challenges when you’re proposing something that’s never been done before. “We’re working with regulators all around the world because regulations don’t exist,” says Earle, sounding excited rather than perturbed by the prospect of forging a path into the unknown.

Still, that’s only to be expected of a company

That confidence will soon be put to the test in the desert outside Las Vegas, where H1 is inviting the world’s press to witness its “Kitty Hawk moment”.

Referring to the North Carolina town where the Wright brothers made their first controlled powered flight, Earle believes the event will be of similar magnitude: “It’ll unblock the biggest bottleneck in business, which is transportation,” he says.

A

s the 45th president of the United States takes office, H1 is hoping to benefit from his stated commitment to restoring America’s crumbling bridges, roads and railways. “US infrastructure is one of the worst in the world,” Earle says, so there’s plenty to be getting on with. Three times faster, three times cheaper, and three times cleaner than alternatives like highspeed rail networks, H1 aims to be part of the urban fabric in 10 years’

time. By studding the landscape with a network of Hyperloop portals, it wants to capitalise on the trend for autonomous mobility – at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, computer companies had essentially been replaced by car companies – by combining self-driving cars with vacuum transit.

Travellers would access their local portal via a service like Uber, which then slots into a pod that propels them to their destination portal,

from where the Uber completes the journey.

It’s what H1 is calling “door to door like never before”.

To some, it might sound far-fetched but, as Earle says, “the interest is phenomenal and the competition is extremely expensive”. In other words, something’s got to give. Congestion is only going to get worse, and projects like this will do away with the delivery vans (ironically a result of the on-demand economy)

that make the roads of world cities like London such a frustrating way to get around.

From feats of engineering to reams of regulation, the scale of the task ahead is unprecedented: that’s the lot of a startup harbouring worldchanging ambitions.

But if vacuum transit is to become a part of everyday life by 2027, this is the team that will make it happen. hyperloop-one.com

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Tubes waiting to be prepped for installation at the DevLoop outside Las Vegas, where the world’s first full-scale Hyperloop test track is being assembled.

Golden opportunity Following a turbulent past, Montenegrรณ is keen to show the world an entrepreneurial spirit and a lust for life.

Welcome to the must-see for the seriously curious

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NATION REPORT

Photographs by Güleç for Victor

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S Previous spread: Liquid gold at Porto Montenegró Yacht Club.

Clockwise from top left: The jetty is the sleekest way to transfer from the Aman Sveti Stefan’s private island to one of its three beaches on the mainland, reserved exclusively for guests.

The Blue Cave.

Enjoy a poolside Negroni or two at the Porto Montenegró Yacht Club.

The Bay of Kotor was a staging post for Venetian traders.

The Aman Sveti Stefan’s rooftop restaurant offers unrivalled views of Budva and the Adriatic.

tepping out of the car into a blast of midday heat, we’re greeted with friendly pats on the back by Damir Moskov. From a handclap to a high five, it later becomes apparent that the informal gesture is an integral part of Montenegrin culture, and the easygoing charm that accompanies it goes some way to explaining why this tiny country is enjoying an ever-increasing presence on the international stage.

Along with his colleague Slavica Milic, Moskov forms the welcoming party to Luštica Bay, a new €1.1bn resort on the Adriatic coast and a short drive from Tivat Airport.

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We’re looking out over Trašte Bay and a sea shimmering with promise. The first of seven upscale hospitality brands confirmed, he points out the plot for the 110-room Chedi hotel due to open in summer 2018, and explains how this mammoth project (the biggest of its kind in the region) has been designed to slot seamlessly into the natural environment. “I really think that’s what people are looking for now – that is luxury,” he says.

When builders first broke ground in 2012, the site was better known as an old barracks for the Yugoslav military.

Today, the project is ahead of schedule and residents have already started to move in to the seven million sq m marina village. With homeowners enjoying weekly barbecues and classical music concerts in the open air, it has the beginnings of a real community.

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Luštica Bay is the latest resort from Orascom, the Egyptian developer behind the rejuvenation of the Red Sea over the past few decades, and, more recently, Andermatt in Switzerland.

Like the private jets lined up at Tivat Airport, the company’s commitment to investing in Montenegró is another sign that this is a country keen to do business with the world. Thanks to a forward-thinking government that understands the importance of tourism for the economy, it’s “very much open to foreign investment”, according to Milic, having already joined the World Trade Organization after declaring independence from Serbia in 2006.

Unsurprisingly, Orascom isn’t the only one with designs on one of Europe’s youngest countries. Four Seasons and One&Only are developing resorts further down the coast, and Hilton opened in Podgorica, the capital, in late 2016. A veritable grandfather

by Montenegrin standards, the Porto Montenegró marina began life in 2009 with 85 berths – it now accommodates 450, including 127 superyachts.

Like Luštica Bay, it works as a selfcontained community as much as a place to park your boat, combining yacht club and luxury shopping village with hotels, restaurants, and even a school. It’s also been done with respect for the environment, using local materials to construct highquality buildings that still exude the glamour required of an international destination worthy of dropping (very big) anchors.

Named after the Austrian admiral Lazar Mamula, who built it at the end of the 19th century, the fortress previously served as a prison – but these doors will welcome guests of a different kind when the island is redeveloped into the new luxury Mamula Island Resort.

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The Bay of Kotor has been inhabited since antiquity

Porto Montenegró is an award-winning superyacht marina

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The Durmitor National Park is listed by UNESCO

The €1.1bn Luštica Bay is being built on the site of an old military barracks

DETAILS Dialling code +382 Airport code TIV (Tivat Airport) Currency EUR (Euro)

42.434853, 18.706552

Fly from London (Luton) to Tivat in an Embraer Legacy 500 PICK

The latest offering from Embraer, this super mid jet is great for groups of up to 8

LTN 2h30m

TIV

Luxury hotel and resort developments are breaking ground all along the coast

From sea to ski, Montenegró is blessed by nature

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record of identifying promising locations before anyone else, and its Montenegrin property is one of the best.

Like the Big Mac Index, The Economist’s infamous measurement tool for determining purchasing power parity (PPP), perhaps the presence of an Aman Resorts property could also be used to indicate the health of a nation. The Singapore-based Aman has a track

The island was at its peak in the 1800s, when an all-time high of 300 inhabitants busied themselves fishing and making olive oil. These days, the cleverly secluded pathways – all of which are designed to lead to the food and fun of the public spaces – mean you’re

A fortress, a fishing village, and then a communist hangout where government bigwigs came to hit the casinos (go figure), the island of Sveti Stefan has seen it all.

Following a mega makeover in 2011, the result is 50 rooms and eight suites split over 37 original houses, and a wistful hope from anyone who visits that, someday, all islands will be made this way. In 2014, three-time Wimbledon Champion Novak Djokovic commandeered the entire place for his wedding.

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A

way from its urban centres, Montenegró is breathtakingly beautiful in its natural state.

From sea to ski, it caters for all, with mountains for snow sports; the Tara River for whitewater rafting; Lake Skadar for kitesurfing; and the UNESCO Durmitor National Park for general marvelling. Kotor’s Old Town also gets the thumbs-up from UNESCO, and visitors reminded of a certain Italian city won’t be surprised to learn it was once part of the Venetian republic thanks to its strategic importance on a trade route. Illyrians, Ottomans and Austro-Hungarians have all left their mark too, making this a truly cosmopolitan destination long before anyone had ever thought of the drink.

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Sveti Stefan was a fishing village and then a gambling destination before becoming a luxury resort.

unlikely to see anyone at all, unless you want to. Like the chauffeur-driven Audis the resort deploys for ground transfers, the Aman is the understated definition of stealth wealth.

Looking out from its restaurant terrace as the sun sinks into an inky sea, the lights of Budva twinkle in the distance.

Having been here for 2,500 years, it’s one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic – yet it’s also the regional capital when it comes to nightlife, with plenty of bars, clubs and restaurants keeping the Balkans buzzing into the early hours.

This blend of the old and the new is something Montenegró does well – after all, it’s had a lot of practice.

Perhaps its success lies in the fact that for every foot it puts forward,

it takes one step back in a way that celebrates the relationship between the past and the future. It was at Luštica Bay, as we drank in the limpid views of Trašte Bay on one side and the Bay of Kotor on the other, that Slavica Milic talked about being at the beginning of a 25-year project that would see the area transform into a hub for living, working and holidaymaking. Like much else in the country, the development is about being part of the culture, the environment, and the society around it. On a practical level, this means choosing materials with care, taking sustainability seriously, and contributing to local life. On another level, it means respecting history while actively positioning yourself as open for business.

“After all,” Milic said, “cities don’t get built overnight.”

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Challenge

accepted 83 F LYVICTO R.C O M B O M BA R D I E R C H A L L E N G E R 6 04

The designer Martin Kemp explains how he refitted a Bombardier Challenger 604 from the inside out

PLANE SPEAKING #2

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T

he Challenger is the third jet I have designed although the second we have done at my company MKD. We were asked to undertake the project by an existing client who had seen an earlier plane we had executed; they wanted something similar but with their own influence.

Working on a jet interior is quite different to conventional design, principally owing to weight and combustibility. We are often restricted to using a limited range of materials that require specific safety standards, most notably a 12-second vertical burn test. We also have to consider the motion of the plane and avoid sharp edges and corners.

Another client once asked us to instal an on-board bath but this at the time wasn’t possible – the risk of a large volume of water spilling over into avionic electronics wasn’t something we could consider.

The challenge of working with restriction often brings out the best in us and in this instance our work became simplified, focusing on luxury detail.

The client was clear with their brief from colour to layout, although we of course massaged this into the scheme we built and imbued it with our usual touches.

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From livery to glassware, every aspect of the jet was included in the design.

The client had seen another aircraft we built and requested a similar approach, so that was a great start. From there we allowed our creativity to take over and reinterpreted ideas, bringing a freshness to what our client had seen.

Style develops with time and we continually find inspiration from researching on the web to travelling the world, from dreaming up our own concepts to developing materials with consultants. Additionally of course we check in with our clients to see if they’ve been inspired by their own travels – it all helps to keep our ideas evolving.

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I don’t think it would be a surprise to say Art Deco is a timeless style we regularly find inspiration from. But it’s important to us that the vernacular we choose suits our clients and the architecture of their home. Perhaps one day a new vernacular will emerge – our own unique style.

We are a cautious business, careful to grow and emerge into the public eye without shouting too loudly. There’s no question we enjoy the projects we have been requested to undertake – from planes to yachts, houses to developments – though we like to think that there is room for more. Perhaps a restaurant, a boutique, a retail collection, our own fragrance, keep watching...

Martin Kemp Design produces some of the world’s finest solutions for interiors, developments, architecture, yachts, private jets, cars, furniture and product. martinkempdesign.com

Luxury detailing is included everything from glassware to silverware.

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Photographs: © Fotogenik/Matthew Evans

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Victor Champions is the philanthropic arm of Victor. With a mission to move and empower the influential people shaping our world today, it aims to support a variety of signature projects developed in partnership with its members and non-profit organisations around the globe. Here, we recap last year’s inaugural event with the annual Reggie Bush Charity Weekend in California, and talk to the eponymous American football star about moms, motivation – and making the most of what you’ve got

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The making of a Champion

VICTOR CHAMPIONS

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n a scorching hot weekend last July, Victor provided the wings to transport Reggie and his sports star friends between key events in our signature seamless style – all alongside Victor donors and fans. Starting with the Association of Volleyball Professionals’ (AVP) premier tournament, the Manhattan Beach Open, Reggie hosted a brilliantly fun celebrity contest on the Friday featuring fellow football talents Joique Bell, Golden Tate III, Lance Moore and Kendall Gaskins. Victor donors watched from the VIP Skybox over Stadium Court, embracing beach life with music, food and colourful entertainment.

Next up, Reggie’s all-star group took off for San Diego and the official launch party at Parq nightclub. With only a few hours to rally and prep, they were swiftly on to the Del Mar Country Club in nearby Rancho Sante Fe the following Saturday morning for an epic charity golf tournament fronted by a who’s who of NFL and NBA sporting heroes. Bush, Johnson Jr, Tate III and Moore joined fellow stadium and arena giants including Nate Burleson, Pierre Reggie Bush (second from right) and team ready for take-off.

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Bush in conversation with David Young, Victor’s Senior Vice President, North America.

Thomas, Ronnie Lott and Marcus Allen for 18 truly exceptional holes of swing and putt.

Perhaps you’re already a charity trustee or philanthropist, or even a Victor Champion-in-the-making – either way, we’d love to hear your thoughts. If you’d like to support or suggest future Victor Champions initiatives, drop us a note at champions@flyvictor.com.

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The real winner, of course, was Bush’s 619 Charitable Fund. All in all, an impressive £80,000 ($100,000) was raised by the weekend’s activities, which also included a live fundraising auction of unique lots ranging from diamond-drop earrings to luxury holidays on secret Fijian islands.

Bush founded the organisation in 2010 to support causes directly benefitting today’s youth, and has already done much to nurture potential by encouraging positive social change in families and local communities.

This year, the Fund split its Charity Weekend earnings between St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, dedicated to finding cures for deadly diseases and the treatment of sick children; and The Birthday Party Project, which brings joy to homeless children through the magic of birthday celebrations. Victor is proud to have played its part in helping these two fantastic causes to continue their excellent work.

Why do you think it’s so important to support kids in particular?

When I was growing up, I had big dreams to be a football player and I was lucky to get a lot of support to get me there – so I love helping out and giving out in any way, shape or form. So we’ve been working with St Jude Children’s Research Hospital again. We have a great relationship with them, and it’s amazing to be able to put a smile on a kid’s face who’s going through some tough times. We’re also working with The Birthday Party Project, which helps homeless kids to celebrate their birthdays. I thought that was amazing, such a cool idea.

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Your mum played a big role in shaping who you are – what are the lessons she taught you?

My mom was raised in foster homes.

She’s very ambitious, she’s a hard worker, she’s very driven – and I get that from her. Two years ago she went back to college to get a degree, and now she’s taking acting classes – she’s also a police officer. She’s just a great person.

Do you think you would have got to where you are without the support of your elders?

No, I don’t think so – they were always there for me.

How did becoming a father change you?

It gives you a better perspective on life but it’s a fulltime job – I’m still on the clock when I get home from football practice. Obviously I’m just really enjoying raising them but I’m more tired with my kids than after training!

What are the transferable skills you bring from the pitch to your charity work?

There are transferable skills I can apply not just to charity work but to life, like being dedicated, disciplined, working extremely hard, and willing to work with others as part of a team – that’s a huge part of it. You have to be resilient because there’ll be a lot of obstacles.

Sometimes people see a company that seems as if it has exploded onto the scene overnight but that company has been built up for 10, 15, 20 years.

What would you have done if you hadn’t become a footballer?

That used to be a tough question because I didn’t think of anything else.

I always had football in my sights and there was nothing else I was going to settle for – there was plan A and I was going to achieve plan A no matter what. But now I’m looking forward to someday starting my own company.

And finally, you’re known as the “Dancing Man” because you’re so quick on your feet. Will we see you on Dancing with the Stars anytime soon?

My wife is actually the dancer – she’s a professional – so I’ll leave that to her!

Reggie Bush is a running back for the Buffalo Bills.

What’s the best piece of advice you were given growing up?

Work hard at it and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t achieve it – there are a lot of different examples of success from unexpected corners of the world now. A lot of people see something and want something, but the difference is that few are willing to go the extra mile and endure the struggles to get it. You have to work extremely hard to get what you want but you can do it.

Bush on board the Gulfstream.

Q & A

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Treasure island A private paradise boasting first-class conservation credentials, Thanda Island is the most exclusive marine reserve in the Indian Ocean. VICTOR’s intrepid reporter-at-large Timmy Coles-Liddle explores

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n an age of travel in which even the most far-flung of destinations have become easily accessible, luxuryseekers occasionally require a helping hand to find something unique. Thanda Island, located in the Shungimbili Marine Reserve 80 miles southwest of Zanzibar, is that place.

The resort’s main quarters, a sleek, sophisticated colonial-style villa, nestles comfortably in amongst eight hectares of towering banana and coconut trees, mangroves and lush vegetation. A pair of lovebirds have declared it their home and flutter dreamily about; a parrot occasionally

squawks – in fact, all the inhabitants of Thanda exude a relaxed bonhomie.

Beautifully upholstered wooden sun loungers surround an insanely tasteful, glass-walled swimming pool, which sits magnificently half above and half below ground.

Five individual suites, located adjacent to the main villa, are stylishly furnished with chunky wooden fourposter beds, creamy pastel shades, and come complete with both air con and ceiling fans. An external shower offers a welcome accoutrement – the

ADVENTURE

First spotted from above 10 years ago

by Swedish entrepreneurs Christin and Dan Olofsson, Thanda is far enough away from reality yet still superaccessible (the island sports its own helipad). It officially opened at the end

of last year as an exclusive-use retreat, an arrangement that allows a fortunate few to enjoy jet-skiing and swimming with sharks by day, and fabulously fresh haute cuisine and Swahili decadence by night.

LBG

Fly from Paris to Zanzibar in a Dassault Falcon 7X PICK

8h30m

One of only a few tri-jets in production, this ultra long range aircraft will take you around the world in style

ZNZ

DETAILS Dialling code +255 Airport code ZNZ (Zanzibar International Airport) Currency Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

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thermometer hovered over the 30°C mark for the duration of our visit. The island’s generous hosts, Oscar and Antigone, are hands-on: they get in touch ahead of each group’s visit to discuss culinary preferences, and

-7.703502, 39.681551

scuba-diving and even jet-skiing – but it’s conservation and sustainability that Thanda is all about. A project to safeguard the future of the coral reef is already in full swing, in part to mitigate the effects on the sea-creature colonies

It’s ecological tourism with a heart – 100 percent luxury with minimal human impact

tucked away in a coconut grove, and various initiatives are being put in place to support education and health on the neighbouring Mafia Island.

In short, it’s ecological tourism with a heart – 100 percent luxury with minimal human impact. Just have your snorkel ready when Tim tells you to dive in beside those whale sharks. thandaisland.com

to tailor your stay so that everything is thoughtfully taken care of and delightfully easy. During dinner on our first evening, we chomped away on meaty sea bass fillets and velvety tuna sashimi, caught that day of course, whilst sipping perfectly chilled South African chardonnay.

Resident surf-boy Tim, who is also an ecology buff, is available at a moment’s notice to take you paddle-boarding,

that have been diminishing for years.

Dugongs, sea turtles and whale sharks are all listed as either critically endangered or vulnerable to extinction here. But thanks to Thanda’s smart thinking, together with the guidance of the Tanzanian Marine Parks and Sea Sense, an NGO set up in 2001 to research and preserve threatened species, green and hawksbill marine turtles have recently returned to nest.

A desalination plant has been carefully

Timmy Coles-Liddle is CEO of the private concierge club Nine, which provides tailored travel and lifestyle solutions to families and individuals. nineconcierge.com

Sea turtle Scientific name: Chelonioidea Higher classification: Cryptodira Rank: Superfamily Mass: 160kg

Dugong Scientific name: Dugong dugon Conservation status: Vulnerable Length: 2.6m (adult) Trophic level: Omnivorous Mass: 300kg (adult)

Whale shark Scientific name: Rhincodon typus Higher classification: Rhincodon Rank: Species Mass: 19,000kg (adult)

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Previous spread: Thanda Island as seen from above.

Clockwise from top left: Relaxing on the edge; Thanda aims to preserve local traditions; authentically styled accommodation; fresh food.

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Combined 20.0mpg (14.1l/100km). CO2 emissions 330g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions. Š Copyright Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited 2015. The Rolls-Royce name and logo are registered trademarks.

Data: centre

Dr Todd Crawford is Chief Meteorologist at The Weather Company.

He talks Victor through the stages that go in to making an accurate forecast, and reveals how the aviation industry benefits from big data

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Typically, forecasts of high and low temperature are accurate up to eight to 10 days. We can also predict weekly average temperatures out to four to five weeks in advance, and monthly average temperatures out to four months or so. Precipitation is more difficult, and the ranges described above are lower (eg – six to eight days, three to four weeks, three months).

How has the business of weather forecasting changed over the past decade?

Today there is more reliance on automated weather forecasts, and less reliance on the

expert human forecaster.

However, there will always be a place for the skilled human, but the reliance on the forecasting “machine” will likely continue to increase.

How does big data inform what you do at The Weather Company?

To create a single forecast, 162 individual forecasts are generated within The Weather Company’s analytical system combining a wide variety of government and private forecast models — including the Deep Thunder model.

Machine-learning algorithms weigh factors like temperature or precipitation from each forecast based on geography, time, weather type and recent forecast accuracy.

Turbulence costs the aviation industry

$

100

Million

annually in crew and passenger injuries and maintenance inspections.

Did you know…

70%

of all flight delays are attributed to weather.

In-flight turbulence is the leading cause of non-fatal injuries.

Airlines worldwide trust The Weather Company

to improve aviation safety, efficiency and performance, helping operations, pilots and ground crew teams make critical business decisions in real time – keeping flights safe and costs controlled.

ibm.com/weathermeansbiz ©2016 IBM Corporation

Airport delays due to runway and surface congestion cost airlines millions annually and negatively impact customer

Surface movement monitoring and global flight tracking solutions provided

by The Weather Company help airlines avoid bottlenecks in the air and on the ground.

Infographic © IBM

VICTO R M AGA ZIN E IBM

Flying safely and with confidence

How far in advance is it possible to accurately forecast the weather?

The system then blends those weighted contributions to arrive at a single synthesized forecast that provides the best possible accuracy available.

Weather is the single biggest disruptor to aviation: what services do you provide to the industry?

There will always be hurricanes, tornadoes, heat waves, blizzards, floods, and windstorms to keep the meteorological community busy. There is less agreement regarding how climate change will increase/ decrease the frequency of these events, but most agree that heat waves will continue to increase in frequency.

Many industries rely on your data: how do you ensure accuracy?

Accuracy is key in this business. In fact, The Weather Company was recently named the most

To create an accurate forecast, our sophisticated models analyse an enormous volume and variety of data worldwide and combine it with advances in atmospheric and computational sciences. Backed by IBM, Weather’s accuracy in forecasting is the result of the team’s focused effort on data, analytics, and infrastructure.

Most forecast providers turn to reliable yet sparsely placed governmentprovided data sources.

Alternatively, we feed our forecasting engine with additional sources of the richest, highest resolution, finest granularity data available. We not only rely on skilful numerical weather prediction models from agencies — notably the National Weather Service in the US, the UK Met Office and the ECMWF in Europe, and more — but also from IBM’s own proprietary Deep Thunder model.

The engine also includes data from surface observations,

precipitation, radar, satellite, personal weather stations, lightning sources, data collected from planes every day, as well as one of the largest troves of location data available anywhere.

Finally, once the best forecasts are extracted from the various weather forecasting models, an experienced human forecaster is needed to improve the forecasts further. While weather forecasting models are quite good, there are still flaws that the expert forecaster can exploit, especially in extreme weather.

What are the growth areas in your business?

The Weather Company, an IBM Business, provides weather-driven business solutions that enable enterprises to make better decisions using the most accurate and precise weather data available. Today we offer solutions for a wide range of verticals including energy and utilities, aviation, and media. As we look ahead, we look forward to developing solutions for industries such as insurance, retail and ground transportation among others.

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The Weather Company offers products that streamline aeronautical decision-making with accurate and highly reliable aviation and inflight weather data, and decision-support tools. From corporate flight departments to

What are the weather phenomena most likely to disrupt us in the future?

accurate forecaster by Forecast Watch, the premier authority in meteorological accuracy validation.

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Running these analytical models is computationally intensive; The Weather Company created a cloud-based platform purpose-built for all types of big data. The platform increased data-handling capacity tenfold and handles 400 terabytes of data every day, generating tens of millions of forecasts around the globe within microseconds at 15-minute intervals every day. Today it handles much more than weather data and forms an integral piece of IBM’s Watson Data Platform.

fixed-based operators, airports to air carriers, The Weather Company serves aviation interests worldwide by providing the critical weather information that helps customers control costs, enhance flight safety and improve efficiency.

Our commitment to innovation combined with unparalleled meteorological expertise drives us in our neverending mission to serve the ever-changing needs of our customers.

Head mistress meets Dr Tara Swart, the Corinthia Hotel’s neuroscientist-in-residence, for a lesson in lifelong learning VICTOR

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ondon’s Corinthia Hotel likes to do things differently. Guests at Whitehall’s most glamorous address won’t find the latest etchings from an artist-in-residence gracing the walls but something altogether more practical: from beds to spa treatments, it has engaged the services of an official neuroscientist to oversee a top-to-toe offering designed to promote a positive mental attitude.

A world-first hire in the hospitality industry, Dr Tara Swart’s remit is not restricted to nipping and tucking the details of your stay – though measures like blackout blinds, sleep-inducing

Exposing your brain to new things, like learning a language or travelling, is what keeps it flexible – so it could be argued that a CEO’s lifestyle can help rather than hinder their wellbeing when approached in the right frame of mind.

According to Swart and her MIT colleague Carol Dweck, author of the bestselling Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, the key is understanding the difference between a fixed mindset and a learning mindset. People with fixed mindsets are successful up to a point, after which they usually plateau. Those with learning mindsets, however, tend to

“In terms of evolution, sometimes I think we haven’t got that far”

With a career spanning continents, Swart is well qualified to advise the globetrotting CEOs and UHNWI entrepreneurs that come to her for help on how to manage their jam-packed schedules. Specialising in sectors facing unusual levels of stress, hers is a big-picture approach that considers how we might make a meaningful impact on our environment at the same time as adapting to it: “What’s going on in the world now that we need to change for?” she asks.

If the prospect of a mental MOT sounds daunting, Swart is keen to stress that adopting a fixed mindset is more about improving 10 small things by one percent than one big thing by 10 percent. Up to the age of 25, brains are particularly receptive to change

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THINK PIECE

When under stress, she advocates a combination of simple measures like choice reduction – the reason why Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is only ever seen in a hoodie, for example – with adopting a mindset that sees change as a positive influence.

be more receptive to new endeavours because they are unconcerned by the risk of failure. For the fixed mindset, such a situation is to be avoided; for the learning mindset, it’s part of the process.

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lavender sprays and mindfulness massages all have their place in the programme. As might be expected from a medical doctor who combines her role as a senior lecturer at MIT with a leadership-coaching consultancy, her role also includes an academic element and she will be publishing a report on the mental states of 40 members of hotel staff at the end of her tenure.

“I make myself do things that are hard for my brain,” she says.

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but what about those aged 25 to 65, and beyond? After all, the average CEO tends to come from (how to put this?) more mature stock. There is hope: “You can change pathways in your brain,” she says. A good starting point is to remember what it’s like to be that open-minded kid you once were, and to play around with your brain to see what you can do with it.

It also pays to be aware of what’s known as generational diversity stereotypes. “Interact with people who think differently to you,” Swart says, and suggests hanging out with someone 20 years younger than you and someone 20 years older as an easy way to achieve this. Another piece of advice, and one that might also be applied metaphorically as well as physically, is to start a “vision board” on which to pin pictures that create a way forward in your head: “To change

your luck, you need to change what your brain sees,” she asserts.

Taking a break from our alwayson culture helps too. A classic high achiever, Swart admits that she

miracles do happen,” she says, and it’s perhaps this combination of intellectual rigour and wide-eyed wonder only a curious mind can bring that has led to her own success. The brain’s ability to change means there’s plenty more

“Interact with people who think differently to you” was a slave to the demands of her smartphone until she took a digital detox. “That first time I did it, I couldn’t believe how much time and space I had,” she says, and now regularly reaches for the off button. “I almost became addicted to that instead.”

For Swart, the brain fascinates because so much of it remains uncharted – not knowing everything is exciting. “One thing you learn as a doctor is that

to discover, which means plenty more work to be done. Despite this ability to change, of course, humans have in other ways remained unchanged for millennia. “In terms of evolution, sometimes I think we haven’t got that far,” she says with a smile.

corinthia.com/london taraswart.com

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Clockwise from top: Even the cocktails come with health benefits; the perfect place to develop a learning mindset. the best address in SW1; super food.

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Fast forward For VICTOR’s Clive Jackson, technological advancement needn’t come at the expense of customer service

A

sk yourself: by how much will technology change our lives over the next 10, 20, 30 years?

The current pace of innovation is breathtaking. Most of us are already living in a semi-smart home in which we can control our entertainment, heating and lighting, and pay for our utilities, with an app. Paper-thin

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The question, then, of how tech innovation will impact us all in both the short- and long-term is more relevant than ever. It is especially important for the business community to consider.

Historically, many companies have focused on growth through innovation to maximise profits at the expense of all else. And where, today, an

VICTO R M AGA ZIN E OPINION

Ensuring the customer’s expectations are fully met is not to stand in the way of progress.

It is often the key to success “wallpaper” TVs are likely to go on sale later this year, and the testing of driverless cars is well underway.

Soon, we may all be travelling by levitating pods in vacuum tubes at speeds of around 700mph (see p68).

Hyperloop One, as this radical idea for ground transportation is otherwise known, was originally proposed by Elon Musk and has Victor non-exec director Nick Earle onboard to oversee global field operations.

Full-scale testing of the idea is due to start this summer in Nevada.

exhilarating global start-up culture has arisen, the focus on financial targets over customer satisfaction has led to some questionable business decisions.

A significant amount of the output from start-ups is disrupting, to the extent that it is usually ahead of regulation.

Working at light speed, at the cuttingedge of business and innovation, is undoubtedly exciting. However, where start-ups race to claim “first mover” advantage (and the financial benefits this entails), necessary checks and balances that often also come in the

form of regulation can trail massively behind. While it is understandable for new start-ups to align innovation with a need to beat the competition and “win” the market, such an approach might well squeeze out others in the value chain – a necessary and inevitable consequence. The question is: have those businesses really thought about the needs of their partners, suppliers and, of course, customers?

Ultimately, no matter how fantastic the tech and forward thinking, a business cannot afford to forget its customers.

And they shouldn’t fear empowering them either. Ensuring the customer’s expectations are fully met is not to stand in the way of progress. It is often the key to success. If businesses can let their customers control some of the “levers”,

one thing but how much further can it extend to assist customers, partners and the overall brand experience?

Knowing what’s important to you, to help you make informed and timely decisions, and knowing when to alert you, without appearing to interrupt, is a combination of smart machine learning, behavioural analysis, and good old-fashioned personal service.

Delivering transparency and fairness to the end user is easier said than done of course. Victor’s own use of technology has helped deliver the first-class travel experience that many private fliers have long demanded.

And yet there are others still willing to accept opaque charter, where the details of the aircraft are not always clear, nor perhaps the promotion and

then those customers are more likely to add value. The businesses in question stand to reap significant long-term benefits through greater share of wallet and repeat custom.

By creating a peerless level of service and experience underpinned by booking transparency, we at Victor are building a far stronger relationship with our customers over time. Our free to use and free to choose value proposition allows them to shop around – but the fact they keep coming back is telling.

Ultimately, when you book with Victor you are controlling the experience.

And by creating a meaningful two-way dialogue with our customers we find they are more likely to trust and support our service, and so that service grows.

Our mission to reinvent jet charter never stops. As we look ahead to the rest of 2017, the Victor team and I are relentlessly focused on further expansion in Europe and North America. So long as we keep asking ourselves how technology can further enhance our product offering, our growth and our customer experience, we’re on the right path.

Clive Jackson is the founder and CEO of Victor. flyvictor.com

KEY NOTE

A truly dynamic business not only gives equal attention to innovation and customer but identifies how the former can help the latter. Getting out in front of competitors with the latest, smartest self-learning algorithm is

jet card or membership scheme behind it. Sushi may be half-price at the end of a long summer’s day – but there’s a reason for it.

113 F LYVICTO R.C O M OPINION

By creating a meaningful two-way dialogue with our customers we find they are more likely to trust and support our service, and so that service grows

Air ways

With over 7,000 aircraft ready for charter around the globe, we can fly your entire boardroom non-stop from New York to Moscow or your family as close to the door of your Tuscan villa as it’s possible to get. Wherever you are in the world, flying with Victor keeps your options open.

Head of State

Ultra Long Range

Long Range

AIRBUS CORPORATE JET, BOEING BUSINESS JET, BOEING 757, BOEING 767

FALCON 7X, GLOBAL EXPRESS, GULFSTREAM G550, GULFSTREAM 650, GLOBAL 5000, GLOBAL 6000, GULFSTREAM V

CHALLENGER 604, CHALLENGER 605, CHALLENGER 850, FALCON 900, FALCON 2000, GULFSTREAM 300, GULFSTREAM G450, GULFSTREAM III, GULFSTREAM IV, LEGACY 600, LEGACY 650

Super Mid Size

Mid Size

Super Light

CHALLENGER 300, CHALLENGER 350, CITATION SOVEREIGN, CITATION X, FALCON 50, GULFSTREAM 280, GULFSTREAM G200, HAWKER 1000, HAWKER 4000, LEGACY 500

LEARJET 55, LEARJET 60, HAWKER 750, HAWKER 850, HAWKER 900

CITATION EXCEL, CITATION XLS, CITATION III, CITATION VII, LEARJET 45, PHENOM 300

Light

Very Light

Turbo Prop

BEECHJET 400A, CITATION BRAVO, CITATION ENCORE, CITATION CJ2, CITATION CJ3, CITATION CJ4, CITATION II, CITATION V, HAWKER 400XP, LEARJET 35A, NEXTANT 400, PIAGGIO AVANTI, PREMIER I

CITATION CJ1, CITATION MUSTANG, CITATION M2, PHENOM 100

ATR 42, ATR 72-500, DIAMOND DA42, EMBRAER 120, KING AIR 90, KING AIR 200, KING AIR 350, PILATUS PC-12,** SENECA V

114 VICTO R M AGA ZIN E TECH SPEC

Operators who have qualified for third party due diligence safety check provided by AR/GUS are highlighted at flyvictor.com/aircraft-operators ** St Barts commuter flights CERTIFICATION NOTE Victor is licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority for ATOL Licence 10378 and is a member of BACA (Baltic Air Charter Association) and EBAA (European Business Aviation Association).

A Dassault Falcon could be the answer.

Turn to p98 to find out more.

“To succeed at the top of the sport, drivers can’t just think they have a chance of victory.

They have to believe it.”

Hintsa