及时行乐

Our world is one of general insecurity, climatic turmoil, economic uncertainty, technological revolution and political change. We are dominated by numbers, code numbers, identity numbers, pin numbers and endless statistical numbers inciting us to conform to a model, in a category, in a socio economic environment, within a structure dictating what must be our obligations, our rights and even our needs [...]

France enters a new era with the election of President Sarkozy. The French would deny regretting their elimination of nobility but their fixation with the royalty of others belies this. Perhaps that is why they imbue their presidents with an imperial allure so easily inhabited by the presidents themselves. I believe Nicholas Sarkozy will leave the trappings of King aside. [...]

On the cover of “Carpe Diem” is a subtle note inscribed: Luxury Real Estate by Carlton International, just in case the reader hadn’t noticed the contents of the magazine. It occurred to me that the term Luxury has been done to death to describe any thing that is of a quality superior tothe norm.
Therein lies the problem. What is the norm? [...]

It has been a challenge and an adventure; a journey into an unaccustomed sphere. As director of Carlton and commissioner of Carpe Diem I was uncertain as to how to integrate a corporate philosophy and a selection of products and services into a medium which would be attractive, interesting, even inspiring to a sophisticated, multicultural and international audience [...]

Carpe Diem has become our window to the world. It reflects the diversity and colour of our organisation. We have attempted to appeal to a sophisticated international audience with an interest in the arts, architecture, the environment as well as fashion, design, culture, healthy living, and the people who are part of it. Strangely I omitted the essential ingredient: Real Estate [...]

We are living in turbulent times, perhaps more so than ever before. In the past, other than the political and military conflicts of the First and Second World Wars, fluctuations in currency, economic barometers, employment and interest rates were either national or regional. The rapidity of modern communications and the interlinking of vast common interest economies shows us that borders, frontiers and political ideologies no longer restrain the tendencies of economic shift, both positive and negative [...]

Forty years or so ago, early on in my professional life, in Bermuda, I had a lesson in communications from a “wizard” in Public Relations. A promotion later, in New York, I had lessons from a “demon” salesman and finally, wisdom and guidance from a “knight”, our Vice President, Marketing. Armed with my new found knowledge and limited experience, I felt the confidence which goes with youthful unawareness and the presence of mind to offer my services to take over the Marketing Direction of what was at the time [...]