Bentley Motors Chairman & CEO: Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser – Heritage, Industrialised Craftsmanship, & the Most Complex Consumer Good in the World

Bentley Motors Chairman & CEO: Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser – Heritage, Industrialised Craftsmanship, & the Most Complex Consumer Good in the World

The Gstaad Guy sits down with Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, Chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors, to explore what it means to lead one of the world's most iconic luxury brands at a moment when heritage and innovation are being asked to coexist more urgently than ever. The conversation opens with something genuinely rare: The Chalet Edition Bentley Bentayga by The Gstaad Guy, a collaboration that captures what happens when two distinct visions of mountain living and automotive excellence find common ground. From a childhood obsession with cars to a career forged in the high-pressure world of motorsports, Dr. Walliser reflects on the journey to the top of Bentley, the extraordinary team required to build something that transcends transport, and why a car remains the most complex consumer good a person will ever own. The conversation covers the balance between substance and status, the meaning of timelessness in an industry racing towards the future, and what British ingenuity continues to offer a world increasingly drawn to speed over soul. A compelling and wide-ranging conversation about excellence, legacy, and what it takes to keep an icon moving forward. Filmed at Bentley Mulliner in Crewe, England. Explore The Chalet Edition Bentley Bentayga by The Gstaad Guy: https://www.bentleymotors.com/uk/en/models/mulliner/ewb-the-chalet-edition.html (00:00) Intro ✨🎙️ (00:49) The Chalet Edition 🏔️🛋️ (01:45) Bentley Motors 🚗👑 (03:29) "What Does Bentley Mean To You?" 💭✨ (06:38) Bentley Work Culture 🤝🏻💼 (07:17) Developing A Brand 🌱📈 (07:54) Balance of Substance Over Status ⚖️💎 (19:40) Entering The Car World 🚗🔑 (23:40) Motorsports 🏁🏎️ (24:59) The Volkswagen Group 🚗🌍 (27:16) Network 🤝🏻🌐 (31:14) Becoming CEO 👔🏆 (38:16) Nostalgia & Curiosity 📷🔍 (40:08) The Future Of The Automotive Industry 🔮⚡ (44:08) Car Manufacturing ⚙️🏭 (48:47) Generalist vs. Specialist In The Automotive Industry 🔧🎯 (54:25) Timelessness ⏳✨ (58:57) À La Poubelle vs. Fantastique 🗑️✨ (1:05:18) Industrialised Craftsmanship 🏭🧑‍🔧 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The Business of Fashion Founder & CEO: Imran Amed – Following a Feeling, Being a Pioneer, & Building the Voice of an Industry

The Gstaad Guy sits down with Imran Amed, founder and CEO of The Business of Fashion, the platform that fundamentally changed how the fashion industry understands and talks about itself, to explore what it truly takes to bet on a calling when everything rational tells you otherwise. From journaling as a child to consulting at McKinsey, Imran traces the long and winding road that led him to build one of the most influential media businesses of his generation. The conversation covers the early days of stretching himself thin across multiple jobs just to keep the dream alive, the insecurity and need for validation that shadowed his ambition, and the moment the universe seemed to stop offering alternatives. Imran opens up about the internal struggle between security and purpose, how meditation and silent retreats helped him find stillness amid relentless pressure, and why genuine optimism, not the performative kind, has been his most durable asset. An unusually candid and deeply personal conversation about identity, courage, and what becomes possible when you finally stop ignoring what you were meant to do. Filmed at The Twenty Two (London), Gingko Suite. (00:00) Intro ✨🎙️ (00:54) BoF VOICES 🎤🌍 (03:34) How It Started 💡🌱 (05:15) Failure ❌📉 (07:06) Rise Of The Internet 🌐💻 (08:07) Following A Feeling 🧭❤️ (12:20) Prosumers 🔄💡 (13:34) Perspective 👁️🌍 (15:47) Creation Of The Logo ✏️🎨 (21:05) Turning Into A Business 💡💼 (25:37) "Why London?" 🇬🇧🌆 (28:35) Consumer To Prosumer 🔄✨ (30:00) Adapting To The Times ⏳🔄 (33:04) Being A Pioneer 🚀🌟 (35:13) "State Of Fashion" 👔📊 (41:05) BoF & McKinsey 📰💼 (44:12) The Impact Of Knowledge 📚💡 (47:57) Banned From A Fashion Show 🚫👗 (49:56) Breaking The Fashion Communication System ⚡🔓 (53:56) Industry & Business Relationships 🤝🏻💼 (56:45) Good vs. Bad Campaigns For Creators ✅❌ (58:18) Brands Keeping Up With Culture 🌍👔 (1:00:42) Imran Amed 📰✨ (1:04:11) Applying To McKinsey 📝💼 (1:09:36) Mechanics Of A Consulting Firm ⚙️📊 (1:11:06) Internal Struggle 💭⚡ (1:15:26) Meditation 🧘✨ (1:20:20) Silent Retreats 🌿🔇 (1:24:43) Optimism ☀️🌟 (1:26:35) À La Poubelle vs. Fantastique 🗑️✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Classic Car Dealer, Collector & Writer: Simon Kidston – Classic Cars, Earned Authenticity, & Doing What You Love

The Gstaad Guy sits down with Simon Kidston, one of the most respected figures in the classic car world, a dealer, collector, and writer whose life has been shaped by an unwavering obsession with the machines that defined an era, to explore what it truly means to turn a passion into a life's work. Raised across cultures and educated in the Swiss Alps, Simon reflects on the upbringing that sharpened his eye, deepened his taste, and drew him inevitably towards the world of rare and extraordinary automobiles. The conversation moves through the philosophy of collecting, the singular allure of cars like the Mercedes 300 SLR, and why authenticity in this world cannot be manufactured, it can only be earned over time. Simon shares what classic cars reveal about the people who seek them, why obsession and discernment so often go hand in hand, and what it means to keep old machines alive and relevant in a modern era. At the heart of it all sits a quietly compelling conviction: that doing something you truly love is not indulgent, it is essential. A rich and unhurried conversation about passion, provenance, and the art of knowing exactly what you are looking for. Filmed at The Twenty Two (London), Gingko Suite. (00:00) Intro ✨🎙️ (05:17) From Passion To Job ❤️💼 (07:05) First Car 🚗🔑 (08:52) Upbringing 🏡👶 (12:30) Gstaad 🏔️❄️ (15:04) Relationship Building 🤝❤️ (21:27) Mercedes 300 SLR 🏎️💨 (28:28) Archetypes Of The Car World 🚗🎭 (33:26) The I.C.E. 🔥⚙️ (35:27) "The Gstaad Collector" 🏔️🏆 (37:29) Andermatt 🇨🇭⛰️ (38:59) Dream 5-Car Garage 🚗✨ (48:19) Bugatti Royale 👑🏎️ (54:22) Rallies 🏁🚗 (54:57) À La Poubelle vs. Fantastique 🗑️✨ (1:00:50) "Do Something That You Love" ❤️🌟 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Hyle Consulting Founder: Riccardo Pozzoli – Building Brands, the Italian Dream, & Tradeoffs That Define a Life

The Gstaad Guy sits down with Riccardo Pozzoli, founder of Hyle Consulting and one of Italy's most respected voices at the intersection of brand building, creativity, and entrepreneurship, to explore what it truly means to build a meaningful life without losing yourself in the process. From his years at Luxottica to his role as creative director of Persol, Riccardo reflects on a career shaped by constant challenge, creative ambition, and the quiet discipline of knowing when to pivot. The conversation moves through the realities of raising a family while running a business, the tradeoffs that every ambitious life demands, and why failure, far from being something to avoid, is the most reliable engine of growth. Riccardo shares his philosophy on aligning with a partner, finding balance without pretending it is easy, and what it really means to create desirability in a world saturated with noise. Threaded throughout is a distinctly Italian perspective on life, luxury, and what it means to pursue the dream on your own terms. A warm, honest, and wide-ranging conversation about ambition, identity, and the art of living well. Filmed at Mandarin Oriental, Milan. (00:00) Intro ✨🎙️ (04:22) Life Decisions 🤔🛤️ (08:42) Working With Brands 🤝🏻💼 (10:10) Career Path 🛤️📈 (15:35) Growing & Innovating 🌱💡 (20:13) Being A Father 👨‍👧❤️ (25:03) Game Of Life 🎲🌍 (26:40) Finding The Right Life Balance ⚖️🧘 (32:11) Aligning With Your Partner 🤝🏻❤️ (34:35) Voicing Intentions 🗣️💭 (35:57) Transparency 🪟💡 (37:21) Importance of "Dating" With Jobs 💼❤️ (41:52) 21-22 Year-Old Version Of Oneself 🪞⏳ (49:10) Status vs. Experience 👑📖 (56:59) "Is The Status Worth It?" 🤔💎 (1:00:27) No Social Media 📵🌿 (1:03:03) Creating Desirability ✨🔮 (1:03:52) The Meaning Of "Italianity" 🇮🇹❤️ (1:06:53) Joining The Luxury World 💎👔 (1:12:25) The Italian Dream 🇮🇹🌟 (1:19:14) À La Poubelle vs. Fantastique 🗑️✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Comedian, Actor, & Impressionist: Matt Friend – Finding Your Voice, Reading the Room, & Why Laughter Is the Last Honest Thing

The Gstaad Guy sits down with Matt Friend, the comedian, actor, and impressionist who has built a devoted following by turning razor-sharp observation into some of the most entertaining content online and on stage, to explore what it truly means to make people laugh in a world that takes itself far too seriously. From discovering comedy to performing in front of live crowds, Matt reflects on the craft, the nerve, and the instinct required to land a joke in any room, for any audience. The conversation moves through the journey from online skits to major stages, the difference between performing for a camera and commanding a room, and why great comedy has always been rooted in great observation. Matt shares how he approaches his impressions, what it means to adapt your voice without losing it, and why humour remains one of the most powerful and underrated tools a person can have. A genuinely funny and surprisingly thoughtful conversation about passion, performance, and the art of noticing what everyone else is too polite to say. Filmed at Casa Cipriani New York's Premier River View Suite. (00:00) Intro ✨🎙️ (02:20) Accents 🗣️🌍 (06:20) Impressions 🎭😄 (08:18) Trump Impression 🇺🇸🎤 (08:39) Roger Federer 🎾🏆 (09:13) Rafael Nadal 🎾💪🏼 (09:26) Novak Djokovic 🎾🌟 (09:53) RFK Jr. 🇺🇸🎙️ (10:13) Bill Gates 💻💰 (13:05) Discovering Comedy 😂💡 (14:18) Performing In Front Of A Crowd 🎤👥 (17:36) Social Media vs. IRL 📱🌍 (19:11) Mitch McConnell 🏛️🐢 (20:12) Ted Cruz 🇺🇸🤠 (20:30) Bernie Sanders 🌹✊🏻 (21:34) Austin Butler 🎬😎 (22:25) Language vs. Final Product 🗣️🎯 (27:49) An Unserious Generation 😜📱 (31:24) Embracing Comedy 😂❤️ (33:16) Observing The Rich 👀💎 (35:36) Tapping Into Luxury Brands 👔✨ (37:50) Inspiration For The Comedy 💡😂 (41:54) Comedy As A Tool In Dating 😂❤️ (45:29) À La Poubelle vs. Fantastique 🗑️✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]