execujet - issue 01

18
LOUIS CHANU SCULPTURES DESERT PALM, DUBAI DASSAULT FALCON 2000S HUGH HEFNER’S HARE FORCE ONE EXECUJET MIDDLE EAST SIR RICHARD BRANSON’S PRIVATE ISLAND PATEK PHILIPPE’S THIERRY STERN | AUBERCY CLARIDEN LEU’S JIMMY LEE TOP VEGAS SUITES September - December 2011 01 POWERED BY JETGALA

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Inflight Magazine of the ExecuJet Aviation Group

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Page 1: ExecuJet - Issue 01

EXECUJET MIDDLE EAST | DASSAULT FALCON 2000S | LIST JET INTERIORS | ONLY WATCH AUCTIONLOUIS CHANU SCULPTURES

DESERT PALM, DUBAIDASSAULT FALCON 2000S

HUGH HEFNER’S HARE FORCE ONE

EXECUJET MIDDLE EAST

SIR RICHARD BRANSON’S PRIVATE ISLAND PATEK PHILIPPE’S THIERRY STERN | AUBERCY

CLARIDEN LEU’S JIMMY LEE

TOP VEGAS SUITES

Setpember - December 2011

September - December 2011

0101

POWER ED BY JETGALA

Page 2: ExecuJet - Issue 01

www.blancpain.com

BLANCPAIN BOUTIQUES ABU DHABI · BEIJING · CANNES · DUBAI · EKATERINBURG · GENEVA · HONG KONG · MACAU · MADRID · MANAMAMOSCOW · MUMBAI · MUNICH · NEW YORK · PARIS · SHANGHAI · SINGAPORE · TAIPEI · TOKYO · ZURICH

Page 3: ExecuJet - Issue 01

Villeret Collection Complete Calendar Half-HunterPatented under-lugs correctorsSecured calendar and moon-phases mechanism

Ref. 6664-3642-55B

Page 4: ExecuJet - Issue 01

EXECUJETINTRO

EXECUJET2

I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU to the very first issue of the ExecuJet Aviation Group’s Inflight Magazine. We are very proud to have found a partner like Jetgala to be able to realise this long envisioned dream, and are pleased that we are able to provide you, our client, with an additional experience as you travel with us.

This magazine will be our way of offering you a publication that covers a diversity of interests, whilst also keeping you informed on the developments within the ExecuJet Aviation Group. The magazine contains insightful articles on aviation, lifestyle and travel; it will keep you abreast of latest lifestyle developments and will include interviews with business leaders, celebrities and international trendsetters. ExecuJet powered by Jetgala will be produced three times annually, and will be showcased in our FBOs and onboard every ExecuJet managed aircraft.

‘Life Beyond First Class’ is our magazine’s by-line and it embodies what we at ExecuJet strive for — Service Beyond First Class. This year ExecuJet Switzerland celebrates its 10th anniversary, and on a global scale we are approaching 20 years under our wings. The company has come a long way from a small aircraft sales and service company to a globally renowned player in corporate aviation; and we are proud of our track record, remaining cognisant that constant improvement needs to be our own travel companion.

The issue you are holding features two of our worldwide locations, namely, Cape Town and Dubai. We also introduce you to the South African sculptor Louis Chanu, who is displaying his art in ExecuJet’s Cape Town FBO. I trust that you will enjoy the article on his work, including his account of hand building his own aircraft. In our second article Mike Berry, our Managing Director, Middle East, talks about the unique attributes of operating in that exciting region of the world. He will also share with you ExecuJet’s anticipation of supporting the Qatar Soccer World Cup’s participants and fans as they travel to the Middle East in 2022.

In one of Jetgala’s last issues its publisher described the magazine as being reputed as “the one most stolen” from FBOs by clients. I surely hope that you will enjoy taking our Inflight magazine with you and wish you a happy reading, wherever you go — or wherever we take you!

Niall Olver CEO ExecuJet Aviation Group

BEYOND FIRST CLASS“ THIS YEAR

EXECUJET SWITZERLAND

CELEBRATES ITS 10 TH

ANNIVERSARY, AND ON A

GLOBAL SCALE WE ARE APPROACHING

20 YEARS ”

Page 5: ExecuJet - Issue 01

Download the iPhone appwww.slh.com

In partnership with ExecuJet, we are pleased to offer you a special partner rate*. Benefits include:

Continental breakfast for two• Room upgrade (subject to availability at check-in)• Late check-out at 4pm (subject to availability at check-in)•

Simply log on to www.slh.com/execujet or scan the code below to take advantage of this exclusive rate.*Terms and Conditions apply

Experience another Worldwww.slh.com

Enjoy exclusive rates with Small Luxury Hotels of the World™

Page 6: ExecuJet - Issue 01

38

EXECUJET

2 INTRODUCTION Beyond First Class8 EXECUJET LOCATIONS

9 LOUIS CHANU Aviation-Inspired Sculptures12 EXECUJET DESTINATIONS Destination Dubai14 DESERT PALM A Small Luxury Hotel In The UAE15 NEWS SNIPPETS New & Exclusive20 WINGS

22 EVER ELEGANT Dassault’s Falcon 2000S28 NATURAL PROGRESSION List Jet Interiors 32 HOT & HIGH The Nextant 400XT38 SIMPLEXITY ON BOARD Aero System Goes Beyond The Box42 SKY SEDAN Eurocopter Mercedes-Benz46 HARE FORCE ONE Hugh Hefner’s Big Bunny Jet50 UP UP & AWAY Blast Off Into Outer Space54 AN APPETITE FOR DANGER Aerial Dogfights For Road Warriors56 CIRCULAR ROUTE 60 Days, Round The World In A PC-1260 CAPTAIN SPEAKING The Best Place On Earth

EXECUJET CONTENT

46

12

01ontents32

4

Page 7: ExecuJet - Issue 01
Page 8: ExecuJet - Issue 01

75EXECUJET CONTENT

ontents

76

106

62 LUXE

64 CREATIVE TENACITY

Bulgari Spans Time And Generations

68 FOURTH GENERATION

Patek Philippe’s CEO Thierry Stern72 CHIME ON TIME

Repeaters & Striking Watches75 HOT METAL

Franck Muller’s Conquistador Grand Prix76 THE EXTRA OF ECSTASY

Rolls-Royce Bespoke Services80 BALANCE OF BEAUTY

Gray Design — From Roads to Oceans84 HYBRID PLEASURES

Frauscher 717 GT86 SOLE CHOICE

Aubercy Bespoke Men’s Shoes90 SENSUAL SOUVENIR

Francis Kurkdjian Scents92 INSPIRED ASSETS

The House of Borgezie94 GERMAN CHINA

Precious Meissen Porcelain

96 LIFE 98 SUITE LAS VEGAS

High rolling in Vegas104 A TASTE FOR OPULENCE

Sriwijaya Fine Dining, Jakarta106 MAKEPEACE ISLAND

Sir Richard Branson’s Island 110 PURE PLAY

Clariden Leu Private Banking112 ONE & ONLY

Only Watch 2011 Charity 114 ROAD DREAMS

Kristian Schuller’s 90 Days One Dream122 FADING GLORY

Werner Bartsch’s Desert Birds

129 AIRBORNE

130 BRIEFING

Business Aviation In Brief136 BUYER BEWARE

Buying A Private Jet 138 PLANE SPEAK Aviation Glossary 142 AIR SHOW DIARY 144 TAILHOOK Voyage À Trois

EXECUJET6

Page 9: ExecuJet - Issue 01
Page 10: ExecuJet - Issue 01

CONTENTEDITOR-AT-LARGE Kim Lee

ONLINE EDITOR Rainer SigelART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Sylvia Weimer (Spacelab Design, Sydney)

EDITOR Cadence LohASSISTANT EDITOR Katrina Balmaceda

EDITORIAL & MARKETING ASSISTANT Lynette Siew

CONTRIBUTORSAlex Unruh, Audrey Lee, Alvin Wong, Allen Roche, Carol Lee, Christine de Felice, Christie Leo, Jim Gregory, Jinesh Lalwani,

Liz Moscrop, Paul Ng, Rebecca Skinner

COMPANYPUBLISHER Rainer Sigel

MANAGING DIRECTOR Michelle TayASSISTANT DIRECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Susan Ng

OFFICE MANAGER Winnie LimCIRCULATION & PRODUCTION MANAGER Caroline Rayney

EVENTS MANAGER Lee May Ling

CONTACT 12 Prince Edward Road, #04-10B

Bestway Building, Podium B, Singapore 079212T: +65 6222 1415 F: +65 6222 1465

EMAILSADVERTISING [email protected] [email protected]

EVENTS [email protected]

MARKETING [email protected]

CIRCULATION [email protected]

ADMINISTRATION [email protected]

WEBSITES MAGAZINE www.jetgala.com

GROUP www.orientalmediagroup.comSINGAPORE www.oriental-publishing.com

VIETNAM www.oriental-ltd.comEVENTS www.oriental-exhibitions.com

DIGITAL EDITIONS & DOWNLOADS www.digital.jetgala.comFACEBOOK www.facebook.jetgala.com (Luxury News)LINKEDIN www.linkedin.jetgala.com (Aviation News)

TWITTER www.twitter.jetgala.com (Aviation News)RSS www.rss.jetgala.com (Aviation News)

EXECUJET JETGALA is a special edition of JETGALA and is published in cooperation with JETGALA and distributed globally, including on aircraft operated by

the companies of the ExecuJet Aviation Group. Opinions expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily endorsed by the Publisher.

COPYRIGHT AND OTHER INTE LLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS NOTICE: All rights, including copyright and all other intellectual property rights, in, out of and to the content of this publication are owned or controlled by ExecuJet Aviation Group AG, Switzerland,

respectively by Oriental Publishing Pte Ltd, Singapore, as applicable. You are not permitted to, by any means or technology including without limitation any electronic means, copy,

broadcast, upload, download, store in any medium, transmit, show or play in public, adapt or change in any way the content of this publication or any part thereof for any

purpose whatsoever without the prior written permission of ExecuJet Aviation Group AG, Switzerland, respectively of Oriental Publishing Pte Ltd, Singapore, as applicable.

TRADEMARKS NOTICE: The masthead logo ‘JETGALA’ is a Registered Trademark of Oriental Publishing Pte Ltd, Singapore. The logo ‘EXECUJET AVIATION’ and ‘EXECUJET AVIATION GROUP’ and the words ‘ExecuJet’, ‘ExecuJet Aviation’ and ‘ExecuJet Aviation

Group’, in whatever form are Registered Trademarks of ExecuJet Aviation Group AG, Switzerland, and/or of its subsidiaries. The rights and title to other logos and trademarks

contained in this publication are the rights and title of the respective title holders. All rights to their respective Registered Trademarks are cumulatively reserved by Oriental Publishing Pte Ltd, Singapore, respectively by ExecuJet Aviation Group AG, Switzerland, as applicable.

The protection of all rights will be pursued to the full extent of the law.

Printed by KHL Printing Co, Singapore

MICA(P)230/04/2011

PHOTO CREDITSCOVER Photographer: Kristian Schuller www.kristianschuller.com

Stylist: Peggy Schuller, Models (L-R): Victoria, Miriam, NeeleSECTION OPENER WINGS Image courtesy of Playboy Enterprises

SECTION OPENER LIFE Image courtesy of BlancpainSECTION OPENER LUXE Image courtesy of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd

SECTION OPENER AIRBORNE Image courtesy of Gulfstream Aerospace Corp

EXECUJET8

For all our regional contacts please go to our website:

EXECUJET LOCATIONS FEATURED IN THIS EDITION

ExecuJet Aviation GroupHead Office ZurichExecuJet Europe AGExecuJet Aviation CentrePO Box 18058 Zurich-AirportSwitzerlandTel: +41 44 804 1616Fax: +41 44 804 [email protected]

ExecuJet Middle EastDubaiExecuJet Middle East LLCDubai Airport Free ZonePO Box 32072DubaiUnited Arab EmiratesTel: +971 4 601 6300Fax: +971 4 299 [email protected]

ExecuJet AfricaCape TownExecuJet South Africa Pty LtdTower RoadCape Town International AirportCape Town, 7525South AfricaTel: +27 21 934 5764Fax: +27 21 934 [email protected]

ExecuJet AfricaJohannesburgExecuJet South Africa Pty LtdEntrance 1Lanseria International AirportJohannesburg, 1748South AfricaTel: +27 11 516 2300Fax: +27 11 659 [email protected]

www.orientalmediagroup.com

EXECUJET LOCATIONS

www.execujet.eu

Page 11: ExecuJet - Issue 01

CAPE TOWN SCULPTOR INSPIRED BY AVIATION

Aviation and art are two fields in life that one would not think have a lot in common. But for those among us who

have admired the works of the great Impressionists with the same sense of awe they feel watching a sleek jet aircraft majestically ease up from the runway, the connection is not so strange. And when you look at the wondrous creations of South African sculptor and aviation fanatic Louis Chanu, the idea of an aeroplane as an expression of mankind’s creativity makes perfect sense.

Chanu’s bronze recreation of a

Gulfstream 550 was a painstaking project. However, it has also brought the perfectionist sculptor an immense sense of personal satisfaction, as well as a number of queries from aircraft manufacturers and owners interested in the idea of artistically replicating their aircraft. His meticulous attention to detail — right down to having jet engines, leading edges, numbers, windows and stripes nickel-plated onto the bronze aircraft sculpture — was part of a six-month process in which he had to develop his own method of precision nickel-plating on bronze. This has given the work, he says, “this

beautiful metallic effect of the two metals working together. This is one of those pieces that have come out better than I had imagined.”

Such patience and precision come easily to the sculptor, born of his long experience of actually building his own aircraft, and a lifelong fascination with aviation. “From my earlier memories, I never wanted to be a fireman or policeman,” Chanu says. “I wanted to be up in the sky among the clouds. I started out building model airplanes, and as I got older, I started paragliding, and then started building my own powered paragliders.” >>

JETGALA 33EXECUJET 9

Attention to detail — Chanu’s Gulfstream sculpture is intricate enough to show the aircraft’s engines and markings

Page 12: ExecuJet - Issue 01

CHANU’S WORK EXPLORES OTHER THEMES BESIDES AVIATION IN THE FORM OF ORDINARY PEOPLE, WILDLIFE, OR A NOSTALGIA FOR CHILDHOOD AND A PRE-DIGITAL AGE

>> In 2001 Chanu built his first aircraft, a Bushbaby “very similar to the popular Kitfox in the USA”. This allowed him to indulge in what he calls “freedom flying”, taking trips from Cape Town up along the northern border of Namibia and down the skeleton coast. “We fly simply with our sleeping bags and some basic food, and have to find somewhere to land in the desert and camp for the night. No air traffic to talk to, no runways, no people, just the wild desert” — the kind of experience “not easy to come by in these modern days where everything has already been explored.”

Chanu has since sold the Bushbaby and built a Challenger ll sport special. His aviation experience even includes walking away from a crash last December in the Eikenhof dam close to his studio in Grabouw, east of Cape Town. He admits that he can “spend days and days walking around airshows, just looking at the different beautiful shapes of some of the aircraft.”

The sculptor sees numerous similarities in building and sculpting an aircraft, and reckons that “completing the bronze Gulfstream virtually took as long to get right as did building my new Challenger! Building my own aircraft is meticulous work in terms of safety, your life being at risk with each bolt you put together. Whereas completing the bronze sculpture of the Gulfstream was also meticulous work, but in a different way: in terms of perfecting the finish that I had envisioned and have achieved.”

Chanu’s work explores other themes besides aviation in the form of ordinary people, wildlife, or a nostalgia for childhood and a pre-digital age. He is also very focused on the classic forms of female beauty. His sculpture Intimate Moment, which depicts a dancing couple intimately entwined, evokes

Louis Chanu’s superb bronze reproduction of a Gulfstream 550, with stand, plinth, and apple wood presentation box

EXECUJET

ABOUT LOUIS CHANU

Louis lives next to a river in the

town of Grabouw, just east of

Cape Town, with his wife and

three children. You can find his

work at www.chanuart.co.za,

at his studio, or at the following

South African galleries: Cherie de

Villiers Gallery in Johannesburg;

Red the Gallery in Cape Town

and Walker Bay Gallery in

Hermanus. His Gulfstream550

sculpture is on display at

ExecuJet’s Cape Town facility.

JETGALA78 EXECUJET10

Page 13: ExecuJet - Issue 01

JETGALA 33

“WE FLY SIMPLY WITH OUR SLEEPING BAGS AND SOME BASIC FOOD...NO AIR TRAFFIC TO TALK TO, NO RUNWAYS, NO PEOPLE, JUST THE WILD DESERT”

Intimate Moment: Chanu is inspired by strong, confident women

ABOUT EXECUJET AFRICA

ExecuJet operates two facilities

in South Africa, one near

Johannesburg at Lanseria

International Airport and one at

Cape Town International. When

the airline began operating

out of Cape Town in 2004, it

quickly realised the necessity of

expanding to cope with demand.

In early 2009 it completed

a new facility, parallel to the

main runway, boasting 5,000

square metres of hangarage and

7,000 square metres of ramp

parking, as well as VIP lounges,

conference rooms, showers,

crew lounges and briefing rooms.

Both the Lanseria and Cape

Town bases offer aircraft sales,

maintenance, management,

charter services and FBO

facilities.

In April of this year, ExecuJet

reached a deal on a Black

Economic Empowerment

transaction with the investment

company Simang Group, which

bought a 30 per cent stake in

ExecuJet Africa. The Simang

Group, established in 2008,

acts as the holding company

for companies in various

market sectors, including IT,

consumer electronics, property

development, property rental,

manufacturing, engineering,

mining and resources.

The entrance to the ExecuJet FBO in Cape Town, South Africa

JETGALA 33EXECUJET 11

a strong yearning to be in the position of the male dancer. Chanu admits, “I do love the female form, and for me it is a beautiful, classic shape to sculpt. I enjoy being around and seeing confident women operate. I find it very inspiring.”

Chanu says that bronze is “the ultimate medium” because it allows a sculptor to aim for an intricacy not always possible with other material (“such as a ballerina’s fingers the size of matchsticks”), or to create “huge, bold sculptures the size of the Statue of Liberty.” Bronze, he says, is soft and malleable, and casts very well. It can also be patinated with acids of many colours, while boasting durability for millennia to come.

“I get great pleasure knowing that the works I create will be around virtually forever,” Chanu says. “Even the bronzes in the World Trade Centre survived, although they were damaged.

So I’m leaving something behind with my name on it. The downside is that working in bronze is not only expensive but time-consuming. The original sculpture is made out of either modelling wax or clay, then a mould is made of the piece, and finally that is cast into bronze.”

All that hard physical work emanates from the spark of an idea in the artist’s head, just as years of engineering and experimentation followed man’s first notion to see the earth he walked upon from an eagle’s viewpoint. Chanu chooses the subjects he sculpts by relying on “an emotional feeling that I get about something in particular — I will just feel the need to create or sculpt a particular scene.”

He maintains that this inspiration “can come from anything that I see, but the emotional response must be strong for me, otherwise I just can’t envision it.” Beauty, emotion, great visions and creative precision — so many things that art and aviation have in common after all.

Page 14: ExecuJet - Issue 01

DESTINATION DUBAIFLOURISHING DUBAI — AN OASIS

OF MIDDLE EAST STABILITY

JETGALA78 EXECUJET12

EXECUJETDESTINATIONS

It has been a fascinating and turbulent year in the Middle East, with wholesale political change in Tunisia and Egypt, civil war in

Libya, and widespread demonstrations against ruling autocratic regimes in countries such as Bahrain, Yemen and Syria. Coupled with the global economic downturn that kicked in three years ago, this has meant an uncertain time for business and business aviation.

Given this background of widespread uncertainty, was it unfortunate timing for ExecuJet to open its first Middle East Fixed Based Operation (FBO) at Dubai International Airport in 2005? It might seem that way on the surface, but a less superficial look at the region’s geo-political landscape reveals that the timing and location of the FBO could hardly have worked better. Of all the countries in the region, the United Arab Emirates is one of the most politically and economically secure. By the time the dust settles, governments stabilise and the economy recovers, ExecuJet will already

have gathered years of experience in the market, and should be well positioned to press home its advantage.

On top of that, the region is beginning to emerge in its own right not just as a major tourist destination, but also as the host venue for high-profile international sporting events. The Dubai Desert Classic, won this past February by Spaniard Alvaro Quiros, has become one of the biggest dates on the golfing calendar. This November, Abu Dhabi will stage its third Formula One Grand Prix. And last January, Qatar hosted the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup, the region’s quadrennial international football tournament. This followed the previous month’s announcement that Qatar is to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup (more on that below).

Bearing all this in mind, ExecuJet’s Middle East Managing Director Mike Berry believes the company has already placed itself perfectly to tap into the region’s status as an emerging market for the private jet industry. “We’ve been

an established operator in the region for over eleven years now, and the fact that we do everything — from aircraft sales, management, charter and crew — across a number of aircraft types positions us pretty well to take advantage of the upturn in the market.” Although there are other operators running Air Operator’s Certificates for charter jets and managing aircraft in the region, he says, none of them provide the full suite, from aircraft sales right through to maintenance capability.

When ExecuJet entered this market in 1999, Berry says it was coming into a region “very fresh to business aviation, but I think we’ve grown through the ups and downs of an emerging market.” He concedes that the current political uncertainty does impact business, “but the fact that we have our base operation within a very stable UAE certainly makes it easier for us to plan for the future, and be able to manage on a daily basis, compared to being based in one of those countries where there’s unrest. From

Page 15: ExecuJet - Issue 01

a planning point of view, it’s a case of understanding those regions, and how it’s going to affect our charter business and aircraft owners used to flying into those regions.”

Unfortunately, he adds, any business that runs a charter operation “is going to gain business in such troubled times, so we certainly saw an increase in some charter flights going to some of these countries to evacuate people out.” But generally the political situation “hasn’t impacted the business too much.”

Berry goes on to point out that there are always more challenges in a

new aviation market compared with an established one. “You get some new owners who cannot fully imagine what it takes to operate and manage an aircraft,” he says. “The challenge is making sure there are sufficient and properly trained engineers on our shop floor to fully support the different aircraft types in the region, as well as finding suitable crew that are willing to re-locate.”

Those who are coming to Dubai will discover a city that has emerged over the past two decades as a significant

tourism, as well as business, destination. Its myriad shopping malls have seen it dubbed the retail centre of the Middle East, while its captivating souk (market) districts close to the port area play off the city’s longstanding status as a regional trade hub. Wide-scale hotel construction and a growing reputation as a beach resort have also attracted visitor numbers that are projected to continue rising. And the UAE’s population, spurred by incoming foreign workers, has also risen dramatically over the past half decade, according to government statistics.

The region received a huge boost in

December 2010 when, to the surprise of the football world, Qatar was awarded the hosting rights to the 2022 World Cup. At last year’s tournament in South Africa, private jets were the travel means of choice for many of those attending games. And as the competition becomes increasingly placed beyond the price range of the traditional football fan, this is a trend that augurs well for the 2022 tournament, and even a possible Dubai Olympic bid for the 2020 games.

“We had tremendous success and

were the provider of choice for business movement during the World Cup in South Africa,” Berry says, “so we have a lot of experience moving forward.” Although it’s very early to start thinking about the tournament, the company did coincidentally announce last December the signing of a formal agreement to establish an operation in Qatar, provisionally towards the back end of 2012. “So by the time of the World Cup we’ll have an established operation running in-country, hopefully with a fully fledged FBO.”

In many ways, a World Cup is a

perfect proving ground for a private jet company, especially during the latter stages when only certain teams progress in the tournament, and demand suddenly comes from that market. Coping with that reflects the basic challenges facing any private jet operator. “We don’t have a fixed schedule,” says Berry, “so our daily business is very much about chop-and-changes to schedules. It’s a business where you know you have to be flexible.”

JETGALA 33EXECUJET 13

“THE FACT THAT WE HAVE OUR BASE OPERATION WITHIN A VERY STABLE UAE CERTAINLY MAKES IT EASIER FOR US TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE”

Aviation images copyright ExecuJet

Dubai scenery images courtesy of the

Government of Dubai,

Department of Tourism

and Commerce Marketing

ABOVE

Mike Berry, Managing Director ExecuJet Middle East

Page 16: ExecuJet - Issue 01

Lights play on a sculpture that welcomes guests upon arrival

The Desert Palm offers several ways to enjoy its cuisine, including outdoor lounges and private dining rooms

EXECUJET14

EXECUJET

SMALL LUXURY HOTELS OF THE WORLDTM

FOR THE ACTIVE GUEST, THERE ARE FOUR POLO FIELDS, RIDING STABLES, A FITNESS CENTRE, TENNIS, SQUASH AND JOGGING FACILITIES

DESERT PALM, DUBAI Major five star hotels can provide all the amenities in the world, but with such a high turnover of guests it’s hard not to feel they’re missing the personal touch. Dubai’s Desert Palm Hotel not only meets all the luxury desires of the discerning traveller, it also provides an intimacy that can only come in a hotel with just 28 rooms and villas in a spacious, natural setting.

A 20-minute chauffeured ride from Dubai International Airport, the Desert Palm allows you to work out, relax and enjoy its verdant surrounds. There are four polo fields, riding stables, a fitness centre, tennis, squash and jogging facilities, as well as an infinity swimming pool with its own all-day café, gelateria, gourmet market and delicatessen. If you’d rather not share the water with other guests, rent a villa with a private pool. If you take the two-room presidential Villa Layali, you will even be served by your own dedicated butler.

If riding, tennis and swimming have worn you out, retreat to the Lime spa, which offers a variety of therapies, a hair boutique, and organic cuisine. Move on to the hotel’s wood-fired steak and game restaurant and wash down choice meats with something fine from the hotel’s international wine cellar.

Beyond the hotel’s green fields and palm trees lie endless recreational options. Play golf on a world class course, go bird watching, take a buggy on the sand dunes, fly a micro lite over the desert, take a helicopter or dhow tour of Dubai, or visit any of the city’s malls, galleries and souks. When you return to the Desert Palm, check in with the office at the Business Centre or using your in-room wi-fi. After all, if you’re going to retreat into luxury, you might as well do the job properly.

ExecuJet customers can enjoy a special partner rate at

participating Small Luxury Hotels of the World properties.

Please go to www.slh.com/execujet for full details.

Alternatively quote N2RW ExecuJet when you call any

of the toll free numbers, featured in the above website.

Page 17: ExecuJet - Issue 01

A. Lange & Söhne chose Hong Kong’s elite shores for their fifth and latest mono-brand boutique which opened in June. The walls’ signature Lange shade of grey, which echoes the theme of Lange Zeitwerk watches, contrasts with warm acacia furniture used throughout the store. Nearly the entire collection of Lange timepieces are on display at the boutique. www.alange-soehne.com

SHADES OF GREYTHREE ROCKETSDanish sports car company Zenvo has unveiled their latest limited edition exotic super car, the ST-1 50S. Exclusivity is the key, with only three units manufactured — one each in Intense Red, Crystal White and Mediterranean Blue. Tagged at a whopping USD1.8 million, the car is studded with avant-garde features including a 1,250 hp engine and a seven-speed transmission. Monogrammed seats and a dedication plaque come as part of the prized coupé. www.zenvoautomotive.com

EXECUJET 15

EXECUJET

The Zurich facility commenced operation in the early 90s before ExecuJet’s official inception in 2001, making it one of the longest standing business aviation companies in Switzerland. The company started off as “ExecuJet Switzerland” with a team of just 20 employees offering business aviation services. Today the total number of employees worldwide is more than 150.

10TH ANNIVERSARY EXECUJET SWITZERLAND

ExecuJet South Africa co-hosted the Continental Wings event in Johannesburg. More than 600 VIPs, celebrities and special guests were captivated by the lavish event. The ExecuJet hangar was accompanied by the elegance of business jets which set the glamorous tone of the evening. The star of the show was Bentley’s new Continental GT, which was grandly unveiled on the night. Guests enjoyed an evening of fine wine and food and one lucky guest was awarded with the ultimate prize of the evening — a diamond from Olga Jewellers.

Continental WingsC

Page 18: ExecuJet - Issue 01

EXECUJET 16

REASURETSAREXECUJET

Chanel head designer Karl Lagerfeld lends pen company S.T. Dupont his fashion sense with Prestige & Chic, a new limited edition line of S.T. Dupont pens. It is available in two colours — Prestige in red lacquer with gold trim, and Chic in black with a palladium finish. The collection ranges from

fountain to rollerball and ballpoint pens. The pens take on an asymmetrical triangular shape with rounded bevelled edges, providing a good, comfortable grip. www.st-dupont.com

ExecuJet’s Ibiza FBO officially opened in April 2011 in the airport’s General Aviation Terminal. The VIP lounge has been refurbished in ExecuJet’s corporate style to provide the highest standard and privacy to passengers. The Palma VIP lounge was added in May 2011, raising the total number of European ExecuJet FBOs to seven adding to the existing bases in Gerona, Barcelona, Valencia, Zurich, Berlin Schönefeld and Paris Le Bourget (in partnership with Advanced Air Support).

The House of Fabergé has revived an old pendant that will excite collectors, historians and lovers of haute couture — the bejewelled egg, last created by Fabergé in 1917 for the Russian Romanovs. The Les Fameux de Fabergé is an exclusive set of 12 one-off egg pendants, each one an artistic interpretation of a Russian proverb. Clients can also commission their own high jewellery egg pendant with a unique design through Fabergé’s bespoke services. www.faberge.com

PEN FASHION

NEW VIP LOUNGES ON IBIZA AND MALLORCA ISLANDS

Padlocks are a thing of the past — at least for Anders Hagardzon, whose high tech savvy laptop and briefcases can be unlocked in only three ways: by using an electronic key, an electronic code or your fingerprint. Made out of carbon fibre over a Kevlar® framework, a Hagardzon case shields items from hard knocks. The exterior can be customised with your family crest or company logo.. www.hagardzon.se

KEY SECRET