Lux and Friends Carlo Pignataro

In the new episode of Lux & Friends (#54), I had the pleasure of interviewing Andrea Fornari, General Manager GCC and Export of Essilor Luxottica, the undisputed leader of the global optical sector. I have always been fascinated by this industry, which encompasses lifestyle, health, and technology. 

For someone like me, equally passionate about luxury and innovation, this was a great opportunity to learn more about the company that, due to its size, dominant market position in both frames and lenses, and innovative prowess in changing the sector, impacts the lives of billions of people worldwide. 

With Andrea, we discussed:
The size of the global optical market and its potential The increasing importance of the GCC market spearheaded by Dubai and Saudi Arabia The latest technological innovations to improve people's lives, new markets and frontiers The challenges of operating at high levels from Dubai How a giant company can lead the innovation game.....and much more. 

As always, I made an effort to get to know the person behind the professional facade, and in this case, I found a young, passionate leader with a thirst for knowledge.

I am Carlo Pignataro, and this is a new episode of Lux and Friends. Luxury, as an industry, has many faces. When thinking of luxury, some people portray in their mind fashion, others jewelry. For some, it's all about exclusive experiences; others are into art, or the finest wines and spirits. Many products, services, and categories belong to luxury, and yet only a few professionals have managed to navigate this vast and fascinating territory in its various dimensions. My guest today did just that. Previously at the helm of the high-end jewelry division of legendary brands like Cartier and Dior, Eliott Collin, a man of superb taste and vast experience, has shared with me in this interview a behind-the-scenes worth listening to. And he's brought me to one of the most secret, inaccessible, and exclusive luxury frontiers: private equity.

I couldn't be happier to kick off a new season, this time live from Dubai, of Lux & Friends podcast, with an exceptional guest whose story is nothing short of a fairytale in the Luxury Industry. Like all fairytales, Amedeo Scognamiglio's life and journey are filled with surprises, miracles, unexpected twists, extreme joy, and profound sadness. Amedeo and his childhood friend, partner, and later business partner Roberto Faraone Mennella left Italy in the late 90's to pursue their dream of living together in NY and creating something remarkable. Amedeo began expanding his family's 150-year-old Cameos business in the US, while Roberto opted to study at the prestigious Parsons School of Design. After Roberto graduated, he faced a crucial decision: either join a company with years of apprenticeship ahead before having creative freedom or establish their own venture with Amedeo. They chose the latter, and soon after, the fine jewelry brand Faraone Mennella was born. Despite the grand dream, they had only $10,000, just enough to craft their first "mesmerizing" (to say it with those who saw it)  collection. "What could possibly go wrong?" they wondered. The jewelry was breathtaking, the plan was set (to be featured at Bergdorf Goodman), and they were driven to succeed. However, the 9/11 struck, shattering their hopes along with the towers. Yet, one fateful night, Amedeo received a call that achanged their lives forever. Sarah Jessica Parker, the star of Sex and the City, requested a Cameo for the show. The rest is history. Within months, Faraone Mennella emerged as the most sought-after designer jewelry brand in the US. The media couldn't get enough of them, and the roster of celebrities and UHNWI adorned in their jewels is too lengthy to enumerate. An American dream was realized. "The Italian boys" succeeded in NY, but tragedy loomed ahead. Roberto passed away in 2020, yet his dream lives on, carried forward by Amedeo in his memory. Grab yourself a cup of coffee or tea, settle in comfortably, and tune in to this episode of the podcast. It will evoke laughter, tears, dreams, and renewed hope.

The focus of this episode of Lux and Friends is Permanent Reinvention, the one thing we (individuals and organizations)all need. That we all somehow do, and that we all fear.

In nature, change is inevitable. Organisms either change or die.
And yet, the human brain is resistant to change despite all evidence would suggest it is vital to one’s survival.

My guest of today is Aidan McCullen, author of the best-selling book Undistruptable, A Mindset of Permanent Reinvention for Individuals, Organisations and Life.

Aidan’s career is a manifesto for change and reinvention.

A former professional rugby player the Irish National team, he is the host of the Innovation Show, a world class podcast featuring some of the world’s leading thought leaders, and a corporate consultant and change maker/ Aidan McCullen’s speciality is to help people and organization see the blind spots that prevent their growth, and their transformation.

Aidan says “you cannot innovate unless you develop a mindset of permanent reinvention. A mindset that fosters psychological safety, that celebrates mistakes and looks at change as the most natural, inevitable thing in life”. 

This episode is dense with wisdom, best practices, and methodologies that will help you transform yourself and your business to meet the challenges of an increasingly VUCA world.

You will enjoy listening to this interview with Aidan McCullen because he’s a superb storyteller and stories, as you certainly know, speak to the brain and the heart of people.

Enjoy!

The title of this episode is Art and Business, Music and Luxury and to discuss such a variety of topics, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing a true artist and a businessman, Vincent Corver.
Vincent is an acclaimed concert pianist and music composer, as well as an ambassador for Steinway & Sons, the most prestigious manufacturer of the finest musical instrument, the piano.
With Vincent, I have discussed the intersection between art and luxury, what creativity can do in business, and the present state of art of both the music and the luxury industries.
Listening to this podcast, you’ll get to know an inspiring musician, and a fine thinker. You’ll learn that virtuosity, alone, whatever your field of specialization is, won’t take you as far as you wish, for you have to gain a wider perspective.
You’ll also learn that creativity and business can and should go hand in hand, except you may need to reframe both concepts in order to fully grasp the idea.
Enjoy this episode of Lux and Friends, and once you’ve finished listening to it, go check Vincent Corver’s music. You’ll love it!

This episode of the podcast is about Emotional Intelligence, a term popularized in the 90’s by the psychologist Daniel Goleman and, ever since, the corporate world has embraced it. Or so they say.
In fact, that type of intelligence that makes individuals and groups of people aware of their emotions, and the emotions of others, is as rare as desirable.
In a time when efficiency, productivity and market domination have become the standard definition of success, we need to go beyond Emotional Intelligence, as per the current state of adoption.
My guest today is Michele Nevarez, a corporate advisor to Fortune 500 companies and the author of the book Beyond Emotional Intelligence, A Guide to Accessing Your Full Potential.
Michele’s body of work is remarkable, and extremely comprehensive. From psychology to neuroscience, from biology to spirituality, it takes a 360 degrees approach to understand how emotions play into our lives. And once we understand them, we can finally set strategies to leverage emotions to become better human beings, and ultimately, better societies.