On June 17, 2025, the second Luxury Summit by Forbes Switzerland and FACES took place in Zurich, bringing together around 400 guests.
Twelve experts discussed the evolution of luxury across various sectors – including digital trends, private island ownership, Philip Morris’s shift toward smoke-free products, watch industry innovations, and high-end automotive developments.
Health, longevity, and financial diversification emerged as key elements of modern luxury. St. Moritz unveiled its refreshed brand identity, and designer Philipp Plein shared insights into his entrepreneurial path.

Full Recap hereTOP CREATORS LISTThe Top Creators List event returns in 2025 — taking place on September 21 at the Stanglwirt.
For the second time, we bring together leading figures from the digital space — individuals whose content sets standards, drives impact, and reaches wide audiences.
New this year: Community Voting. For the first time, the public will have a say in who makes the list.
Further details on the program, speakers, and partners will follow soon.

Save the Date: September 21, 2025

Recap 2024FORBES 30 UNDER 30, 2025Applications for the Forbes 30 Under 30 2025 are now open! We’re looking for young changemakers who are revolutionizing their industries with bold ideas and real impact.
To make it onto this list, you need more than just vision — you need to show results.
Whether you want to apply yourself or nominate someone else, now’s your chance to become part of a network that’s shaping the future.
The list drops on November 28 – don’t miss it!
All details on how to apply can be found on website.

Chanel is reinforcing its commitment to the responsible transformation of the fashion and luxury industry with the launch of NEVOLD, an independent and open entity designed to develop concrete solutions for circularity.

For several years now, Chanel has been prioritising the reduction of its carbon footprint and amplifying its societal impact. Today, this ambition is accelerating in the face of a shared observation: the scarcity of high-quality, traceable virgin raw materials calls for a collective response from all industry players.
NEVOLD – a contraction of Never Old – was conceived as a B2B hub bringing together an ecosystem of companies, start-ups and academic partners around a common goal: to invent, produce and structure the materials of tomorrow, incorporating recycled fibres all while meeting the criteria of excellence in luxury.
Created on the initiative of Chanel but fully independent in its operations, NEVOLD already includes L'Atelier des Matières, Filatures du Parc and Authentic Material, three players committed to re-establishing the value of textiles and leathers. NEVOLD intends to open up to new acquisitions and develop partnerships with alternative sectors, particularly sports and hospitality, to guarantee a second life for those noble materials – leather, wool, silk, cotton and cashmere – that no longer meet the requirements of the luxury market.
NEVOLD is part of a profound transformation process that is rethinking the entire product life cycle, developing new savoir-faire and professions - such as that of ‘recycling agent’ - and contributing to a more circular economy.
The general management of NEVOLD has been entrusted to Sophie Brocart, a trained engineer and a leading figure in the revival of the House of Patou, renowned for her expertise and pioneering approach to sustainable innovation. She took up her position in January 2025.
Chanel is committed to a more sustainable approach to fashion without compromising on the excellence of its products and savoir-faire. The creation of NEVOLD marks a new step in this forward-looking vision for the industry.

UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF His Excellency Tariq Suleiman Al-Roumi, the Minister of Oil and His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Nimr Fahad Al Malik Al Sabah, the Undersecretary of Ministry of Oil, Kuwait is set to host two strategic landmark conferences this September, advancing Kuwait’s vision of becoming a global benchmark for energy innovation and industrial excellence.

The 2nd Digital Transformation Kuwait Oil & Gas Conference will be held from 8–9 September 2025, followed by the inaugural Asset Integrity and Process Safety Kuwait Conference, taking place from 10–11 September 2025, both at the Jumeirah Messilah Hotel, Kuwait.

Official Statement from the Ministry of Oil – Kuwait:
“At the Ministry of Oil, we recognize that advancing digital transformation, asset
integrity, and process safety is not only vital to the resilience of Kuwait’s energy
infrastructure but also to the realization of our long-term national development goals.
These priorities underpin our efforts to build a future-ready oil and gas sector—one that
is safe, efficient, and globally competitive.”

Advancing Kuwait’s Strategic Energy Vision

In parallel, the launch of the Asset Integrity and Process Safety Kuwait Conference
marks a significant milestone in the country’s industrial strategy—providing a dedicated
platform for addressing integrity management, process safety practices, and operational
reliability across critical energy infrastructure.

Hosted by the Ministry of Oil – Kuwait

The Ministry of Oil – Kuwait, leads national energy policy in alignment with Vision
2035. Through strategic platforms such as the Digital Transformation Kuwait Oil &
Gas Conference and the Asset Integrity and Process Safety Kuwait Conference,
the Ministry facilitates cross-sector dialogue, innovation, and regional collaboration to
shape a secure, sustainable, and future-ready energy landscape.

Organised by The Great Minds Events Management

The Great Minds Group is a trusted organiser of strategic government and industry
forums across the Middle East. Specialising in high-level B2B platforms, Great Minds
Group brings together decision-makers, innovators, and institutional leaders to
accelerate progress and enable transformative partnerships.
Learn more at: www.kuwaitoilandgasdigitaltransformation.com |
www.aipsmkuwait.com

​Festival de Cannes is a key cultural event where the worlds of cinema meets the world of luxury - and influence. Lefty Insights conducted a comprehensive analysis of the 2025 edition, uncovering the major trends, players and narratives shaping this year's festival.

 The 78th Cannes Film Festival showcased the intersection of brand storytelling, cultural influence, and creative collaboration on a global stage. In this report you will find:
The evolving role of leading fashion and beauty brands as storytellers.
Memorable brand activations from industry icons like L’Oréal, Lacoste, BMW, Chanel, and others.
Talent insights, spotlighting top media drivers and emerging influencer in EMEA, APAC and Datamine LATAM
Strategic recommendations for brand marketers navigating the entertainment culture landscape.
Discover how brands broke through the noise at Cannes and unlock actionable strategies to enhance your next campaign.
EMV YoY 2025 vs 2024
— 2024 EMV, $  — 2025 EMV, $  —— YoY EMV Evol.

Gucci topped the charts with $12.6M in EMV — a +761% jump from last year — driven by star appearances from Viola Davis, Zhang Linghe, Dakota Johnson, and standout global ambassador Alia Bhatt.

Emerging brand JADE also made waves. Co-founded by Monica Shah and Karishma Swali, the label dressed actress Nitanshi Goel (in the picture), generating $3.7M in EMV and securing a spot among the top six fashion brands at the festival.
As the festival’s official makeup partner, L’Oréal firmly cemented its leadership in the beauty space, generating a massive $53.6M in EMV — an impressive 76% share of the entire beauty category. Over 1,700 makeup looks were created across the 10-day event, many featured in red carpet moments.
Beyond the Red Carpet: Brand Make Waves Off-Screen

Cannes buzz isn’t limited to the red carpet — beach takeovers and late-night parties are proving just as powerful. Consumer brands are tapping into the festival’s prestige and star power to elevate their image.
Ray-Ban, for instance, teamed up with A$AP Rocky (in the picture) to host an after-party for Highest 2 Lowest, celebrating his latest film role in style.
Becky Armstrong Leads as Top Media Driver

Thai-British actress Rebecca Patricia Armstrong emerged as the top media driver across all categories at Cannes 2025. Representing both the actors category — which dominated social media Share of Voice at 62.9% — and the APAC region, the leading territory at 41.5%, Armstrong generated nearly $11.1M in EMV.

Venture Debt Finds a New Home in the Middle East: Stride Ventures Doubles Down on Saudi Arabia 
In a striking signal of the Middle East’s rapid financial maturation, Stride Ventures, a leading player in the global venture debt market, has announced significant expansion of its presence across the Gulf Cooperation Council- with Saudi Arabia at the epicentre of its ambitions. The move, which includes doubling its local team and opening a second regional office, is emblematic of a broader shift: the Kingdom is not just attracting capital, but fundamentally redefining the region’s approach to startup financing.
 
Stride Ventures’ announcement coincides with the publication of the inaugural Global Venture Debt Report 2025, produced by team Stride in partnership with global consultancy Kearney. The report paints a compelling picture: while the global venture debt market has grown at a robust 14% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the past five years, the GCC—led by Saudi Arabia—has outpaced this by a factor of nearly four, clocking an extraordinary 54% CAGR. The regional venture debt market reached $500 million in 2024, up from a mere $60 million in 2020, underscoring both the scale and speed of change.
 
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a sweeping reform agenda aimed at diversifying the economy away from hydrocarbons, is at the heart of this transformation. The government’s proactive stance is evident in initiatives such as the Jada Fund of Funds (with $1.07 billion in assets under management), and strategic partnerships with global asset managers including Goldman Sachs and Franklin Templeton. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi’s ADGM and Abu Dhabi’s Hub71 are providing the regulatory and infrastructural backbone for private credit and venture activity across the region.
 
Traditional banks in the GCC have long been risk-averse, often shying away from lending to early-stage, asset-light startups. Venture debt- a non-dilutive, flexible, and tailored to the needs of high-growth companies- has stepped into this void. The region’s fintech and e-commerce champions, such as Tabby and Tamara, have already closed venture debt deals exceeding $100 million each, providing a template for other sectors including logistics, healthtech, and climate tech.
 
Stride’s expansion is timed to capture this momentum. The firm has increased its GCC team by over 60% in the past year, with a stated goal of tripling its regional assets under management by 2026. Stride is targeting a half a billion dollar commitment in the region over the next three to five years, while its latest fund has already attracted strong investor interest- on track to be oversubscribed within just a few months.
 
Stride Ventures now boasts an active investment pipeline of up to $110 million across the region, with an average cheque size of $10 million per transaction. This robust pipeline signals both the scale of opportunity and the growing appetite among Middle Eastern founders for strategic, founder-friendly debt capital. Stride’s approach- offering sizable and flexible financing to ambitious startups- positions it as a critical enabler of the region’s next wave of unicorns.
 
Perhaps most telling is the influx of global talent. Senior executives from Silicon Valley, London, and Singapore are relocating to Riyadh, lured by the region’s capital abundance and policy stability. “Saudi Arabia is shaping the future of venture capital and private credit with intention and scale,” says Fariha Ansari Javed, Partner at Stride Ventures. “We are seeing a new generation of founders who understand the value of non-dilutive capital to scale responsibly and an equally ambitious set of investors in the region ready to fuel their growth”
 
The implications are profound. The Middle East, long seen as a passive capital provider, is repositioning itself as an active hub for innovation finance. As Fariha puts it: “Saudi Arabia is moving from being a capital source to becoming a capital magnet. Stride is proud to be part of this next chapter.”
 
The question now is not whether venture debt will take root in the GCC, but rather how quickly it will scale- and how the region’s regulatory and institutional frameworks can keep pace with the ambitions of its entrepreneurs and financiers.