

The Entrepreneurs
Monocle
Monocle Radio’s weekly tour of the most inspiring people, companies and ideas in global business, from startups to heritage brands, covering the best in hospitality, design, fashion and retail.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 24, 2025 • 28min
Laurent Kleitman on Mandarin Oriental's Vienna opening
We check in with friend of the show Laurent Kleitman, CEO of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, to discuss its Austrian debut. Plus: Retail veteran Rania Masri El Khatib on her sustainable fashion label, The Giving Movement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 17, 2025 • 30min
Can a stacking game pull families away from their screens this Christmas?
Designer Alexander Neumann talks about the creation of Misfits, a tactile wooden blocks stacking game that started as a student project and is now stocked by more than 35 retailers worldwide. Plus: we catch up with the co-founders of Suri about launching new products ahead of a busy season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 10, 2025 • 30min
Meet the man behind Nomad, the travelling showcase of collectable design
Nomad founder Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte tells us why he brought his remarkable, roaming design showcase to Abu Dhabi airport’s decommissioned Terminal 1 – a modernist marvel designed by Paul Andreu. Plus: the duo betting Indian food could be the new healthy morning staple.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 3, 2025 • 30min
Winter warmth with Sheep Inc & Klättermusen
Klättermusen CEO, Gonz Ferrero, talks about balancing heritage and innovation at the Swedish technical apparel brand. And: Edzard van der Wyck joins us to discuss Sheep Inc’s success at the intersection of sustainability and style.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 26, 2025 • 30min
Wheels up! Boeing sets a new course for the Middle East
Inzman Rashid, Monocle's correspondent, shares exciting highlights from the Dubai Airshow, including major orders from Emirates and flydubai. Dr. Brendan Nelson, president of Boeing Global, discusses the company’s strategic pivot in the booming Middle East market, with a focus on production recovery and innovation. Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, talks about the implications of these record orders on airport development and investment, while also highlighting new technological trends that are shaping the future of aviation.

Nov 19, 2025 • 29min
Is solar jet fuel ready for takeoff? Why Swiss and Zürich Airport are turning to sun power
Synhelion co-founder Dr Gianluca Ambrosetti joins us in Zürich to explain how his team is turning sunlight into usable liquid fuel. He talks about the big name partners backing the technology and why scaling solar-made fuels could transform the aviation and mobility industries without overhauling existing infrastructure.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 12, 2025 • 30min
Why ‘fake it till you make it’ is terrible for business
Entrepreneur and Childs Farm founder Joanna Jensen shares how a know-it-all attitude can stall growth and why confidence alone can’t save a struggling enterprise. She discusses lessons from her new book, ‘Making Business Child’s Play: How to Build a Winning Brand’, a practical guide to creating companies that last. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 5, 2025 • 30min
Nicolas Budzynski on scaling La Petite Maison and why consistency beats awards in luxury dining
Nicolas Budzynski, the CEO of globally acclaimed French Mediterranean restaurant La Petite Maison, shares his expansion plans and why he keeps his team focused on long-term vision. Plus: A dispatch from Aalto Founder School.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 29, 2025 • 30min
Elad Yifrach on L’Objet’s expansion into fragrances. And: why ghost hunting is big business in Japan
L’Objet founder Elad Yifrach talks about the value of materiality in design, smart collaborations and growing a luxury decor brand celebrated for its commitment to craftsmanship. Plus: we meet the boss of Kachimode, a Japanese firm that investigates whether real estate properties are haunted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 24, 2025 • 10min
Eureka: Why winemakers and Nasa engineers rely on cork
António Amorim, the CEO of the world's leading producer of cork, talks about the surprising versatility of the material and its many uses in industries from wine to aerospace and construction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


