In this episode of Independent Minds, we speak with David Meylan, founder of Olivier Meylan, a watch brand blending Swiss heritage with British design and craftsmanship.

David shares how he launched the brand during the pandemic, why British watchmaking is seeing renewed momentum, and what it takes to build an independent watch business in a category shaped by heritage, scarcity, and storytelling.

We explore what makes a watch feel luxurious, how Swiss movements and UK-based design shape Olivier Meylan’s positioning, and why limited editions, artist collaborations, and local identity matter in a competitive market.

David also reflects on pricing, brand-building, influence, and legacy, and explains why his long-term ambition is not just to sell watches, but to build something lasting for the next generation.

This episode is for founders, brand builders, watch enthusiasts, and anyone interested in craftsmanship, entrepreneurship, and the future of British watchmaking.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Introducing David Meylan and Olivier Meylan
00:10 - Launching a watch brand during the pandemic
01:04 - Swiss watches made in the UK
01:46 - What “Swiss made” really means
02:22 - Why British watchmaking is booming
04:41 - Storytelling, hype, and scarcity in watch marketing
06:39 - Customisation, artist collaborations, and limited editions
07:30 - Is Olivier Meylan luxury or entry-level luxury?
08:24 - What makes a watch truly high-end?
10:24 - Price positioning and building an accessible luxury brand
12:11 - Brand values, celebrity access, and marketing strategy
15:24 - Organic endorsements and watch enthusiasts
17:07 - What has changed in the watch industry
19:07 - Scaling Olivier Meylan as an independent brand
20:04 - Building with a small team
20:38 - Creative inspiration and the Titan Moon collection
21:09 - Legacy, family, and passing something on
22:33 - Closing thoughts

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT MINDS
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@IndependentMinds

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/independent-minds-podcast

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/independentmindspodcast

FOLLOW OLIVIER MEYLAN
Website
https://oliviermeylan.com/?srsltid=AfmBOor6JPG-Y0giI4uNC4bsWXbwE-tdCQV9FWv-psWK1mPOaTAjqvit

Instagram
Olivier Meylan Official

LinkedIn
David Meylan

In this episode of Independent Minds, we speak with Pete, co-founder of HealthTech One, a UK startup improving access to primary care through automation, digital workflows, and AI-enabled systems. Working with 24% of NHS GP surgeries in England, HealthTech One is tackling some of the operational bottlenecks that affect both patients and practice teams.

Pete takes us inside the reality of GP practices, from the pressure on front-desk staff to the outdated administrative systems that still shape much of the patient experience. He explains why innovation in the NHS is difficult, what it takes to build technology in a highly regulated environment, and how better systems can help patients get the right care more quickly.

The conversation also traces Pete’s path into entrepreneurship, from growing up in a family takeaway to leaving a finance career at 21, learning to code, and building a healthtech company from inside a GP practice during Covid. It is a thoughtful discussion about purpose, resilience, trust, and the challenge of building technology that genuinely improves people’s lives.

This episode will resonate with founders, operators, policymakers, investors, and anyone interested in the future of healthcare, AI, and public-service innovation.

00:00 - Introducing Pete and HealthTech One
01:10 - What really happens behind the GP reception desk
03:00 - Why NHS systems still feel stuck in the 1990s
05:10 - How GP practices actually work as businesses
07:00 - Why innovation inside the NHS is so difficult
08:45 - Automation, trust, and restoring patient confidence
10:25 - Getting patients the right appointment first time
12:55 - Building a startup inside a GP practice during Covid
14:40 - Growing up in a family business and early responsibility
16:00 - Leaving finance at 21 to build a company
17:40 - Learning to code and preparing to jump
19:50 - Why waiting to feel ready can become procrastination
22:00 - Founding with a childhood friend met through gaming
24:00 - Purpose, pressure, and the weight of opportunity
26:00 - Startup life versus corporate life
28:40 - Ego, identity, and founder psychology
31:00 - Why healthcare is hard and deeply meaningful
32:20 - Final reflections on building with purpose

🔗 FOLLOW INDEPENDENT MINDS
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@IndependentMinds

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/independent-minds-podcast

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/independentmindspodcast

🔗 FOLLOW HEALTHTECH ONE
Website
https://www.healthtech1.uk

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/healthtech-1/

In this episode of Independent Minds, we sit down with João Calvete, CEO of Vendo, a former Sotheby's insider who is "recoding" the traditional real estate model. João explains why the industry is trapped in a 1990s mindset, relying on high commissions and unnecessary bureaucracy and how his startup is scaling to 1,000 listings by cutting costs by 80%.

João takes us from the high-prestige world of Sotheby’s to a sweltering warehouse in Portugal, where he and his co-founders began making sales calls at 35°C with nothing but a fan and a vision. We discuss the "fear mindset" that big agencies use to protect their fees and why the future of property belongs to those who prioritize the client over the commission.

This conversation explores:

• The 5% Efficiency Gap: Why technology like Idealista has made traditional agency fees obsolete.

• The Portuguese Riviera: An inside look at the supply shortage and the influx of foreign capital.

• Corporate Fear vs. Startup Pragmatism: How big firms create "attrition" to justify their presence.

• The Pilot Mindset: Why João’s unconventional background allowed him to see the market differently.

Essential watching for property investors, tech founders, and anyone interested in how "outsider" logic can disrupt a stagnant multi-billion dollar industry.

⏱ TIMESTAMPS 0

0:00 • Introducing João Calvete and Vendo 01:30 • The Warehouse Grind: Sales calls at 35°C

04:00 • The Real Estate Explosion: Geopolitics and the Riviera Bubble

06:00 • Sotheby’s vs. Vendo: Breaking the "Fear Mindset"

07:45 • How the Land Registry works: The truth about Portuguese law

10:15 • Why the best talent is "disillusioned" with 90s agency tactics

12:00 • Rent-to-Income: The highest disparity in the developed world

15:00 • Maximizing the Algorithm: How to sell a house in 2026

17:30 • Scaling to 1,000 properties: Porto vs. Lisbon

19:40 • International Expansion: Dubai, Spain, and Brazil

🔗 FOLLOW INDEPENDENT MINDS

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IndependentMinds

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/independent-minds-podcast

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentmindspodcast

🔗 FOLLOW VENDO & JOÃO CALVETE

• Website: https://www.vendo.pt

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joaocalvete

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendo.pt

After 12 months of conversations with founders, a few patterns kept repeating.

In this special anniversary episode of Independent Minds by Pictet, we reflect on a year of unscripted conversations and distil the most important lessons into a single Founder’s Review.

From early-stage entrepreneurs to seasoned leaders, this episode brings together the ideas that defined our first year. We revisit defining moments across the series, from the rise of AI literacy to the psychological realities of leadership, and explore what actually matters when building, scaling, and eventually stepping away from a business.

This is a synthesis of the patterns, tensions, and decisions that shape founders over time.

What you will learn

• Why the real risk of AI is not replacement, but falling behind
• How AI literacy is becoming the new competitive advantage
• Why loyalty is becoming the most powerful and measurable marketing tool
• The difference between solving a need and trying to create one
• Why changing consumer behaviour is one of the hardest challenges in business
• The Solomon Parable and how founder ego can limit a company’s potential
• Why great founders eventually learn to step aside
• How confidence is built through risk, failure, and repetition
• Why strong teams and culture outperform individual brilliance
• What it really means to build a business that can survive without you

Timestamps

00:00 One Year of Independent Minds: The Anniversary Format
01:10 Ideja on AI: Literacy, tools, and the calculator moment
03:00 Matthew (Squid): Why loyalty is the most powerful data tool
05:40 Ed McDermott: Why solving a real need matters
08:10 Dame Anne Glover: The Solomon Parable and founder ego
09:50 Confidence as a muscle: Learning without a manual
13:10 Dominic: Why a real business must run without you
16:40 Key Takeaway 1: The power of figuring it out
18:20 Key Takeaway 2: Letting go and trusting others
19:50 Key Takeaway 3: Building culture and strong teams
21:40 Key Takeaway 4: Growth through experience and adaptation
22:10 Key Takeaway 5: Redefining success and long-term impact

Follow Independent Minds by Pictet

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IndependentMinds
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/independent-minds-podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentmindspodcast

Subscribe for new episodes every two weeks.

Private jet brokers can quietly add 30 to 40 percent to a flight before the client ever sees the invoice.

At 17, Charles Robinson was inside that system.

By 24, he decided to rebuild it.

In this episode of Independent Minds by Pictet, we sit down with Charles, founder of Interjet, a technology platform connecting private flyers directly with vetted aircraft operators.

Charles began brokering flights from the back of a classroom using Instagram and publicly available “empty leg” flight data. What started as a teenage side hustle exposed him to a largely unregulated industry built on opaque pricing, floating commissions, and information asymmetry between brokers and clients.

Rather than simply benefit from it, he chose to engineer something different.

In this conversation, Charles explains how traditional private aviation brokerage works, why commission structures can distort pricing by up to 40 percent, and how Enterjet's fixed-fee model aims to introduce transparency into a market that has historically avoided it.

We explore the operational realities of scaling a high-ticket service business, the hidden complexity of payment processing in travel, and why aircraft operators are the true “product” behind the platform.

We also discuss the generational shift reshaping private aviation. The era of champagne and white linen is fading. A new customer, average age 33, values speed, efficiency, and clarity over spectacle. Interjet’s rapid growth among female members and younger flyers reflects a broader wealth transfer already underway.

This conversation is not just about jets.

It is about what happens when a young founder sees inside a broken system early, understands its incentives, and decides to redesign it around trust instead of margin.

This episode is essential listening for founders, operators, and anyone interested in how technology can modernise legacy industries from the inside.

• How Charles brokered his first private jet deal at 17
• Why private aviation brokerage remains largely unregulated
• How hidden commissions distort pricing in luxury travel
• Why a fixed transaction fee changes customer behaviour
• The operational risks of processing high-ticket travel payments
• Why aircraft operators, not brokers, are the true backbone of the industry
• How Enterjet grew a younger, more female customer base
• Why Gen Z views private aviation as efficiency, not status
• The strategic importance of specialisation in luxury markets
• How to build trust in industries historically built on opacity

00:00 Introduction to Charles Robinson and Enterjet
00:14 What Enterjet is and how it removes traditional brokers
00:34 Brokering private jets from a classroom at 17
01:27 The unregulated reality of early aviation brokerage
02:41 How brokers structure deals and where margins hide
03:56 Why Enterjet refuses to become a luxury generalist
05:18 The shift toward specialisation in premium markets
06:22 Launching Enterjet post-Covid and timing the market
08:23 Why operators are the real product
09:51 Building a lean team from solo founder to structured company
11:10 Marketing as the primary growth engine
12:41 B2B strategy in a small, relationship-driven market
15:18 Why Instagram remains critical for premium positioning
16:27 Expanding female membership in a male-led industry
18:16 Why the average flyer age has dropped to 33
19:38 The end of champagne-era aviation
21:30 Beyond luxury: medical and insurance-driven private flights
22:45 Entering new markets including the US and Brazil
23:45 The origins of brokerage commissions
25:21 How 30 to 40 percent markups happen
26:53 What “self-regulation” means in practice
28:04 Aircraft inspections and enforcing aesthetic standards
29:38 Why younger customers demand full transparency
31:15 Final reflections on the future of Enterjet

Follow Independent Minds by Pictet
Instagram: @independentminds.pod
LinkedIn: The Pictet Group

Follow Enterjet
LinkedIn: Enterjet
Website: https://www.enterjet.co

In this episode of Independent Minds by Pictet, we sit down with Dame Anne Glover, co-founder and CEO of Amadeus Capital, one of Europe’s most influential technology-focused venture capital firms.

Anne’s path into venture capital did not begin in finance. It began on factory floors, in engineering roles, and through a deep curiosity. After a decade working in manufacturing and consulting in the United States, Anne returned to the UK at a time when European venture capital was still in its infancy.

In this conversation, Anne explains how venture capital evolved in Europe and why backing technology requires patience measured in decades rather than quarters.

We explore why most failed investments are not caused by bad technology, but by human factors such as ego, leadership rigidity, and misaligned incentives.

This episode is essential listening for founders, investors, operators, and anyone interested in how innovation is built over the long term.

In this episode, you will learn

Why Anne Glover left engineering to enter venture capital
How Europe’s venture ecosystem developed differently from Silicon Valley
Why raising capital is easy but building great companies is hard
What venture capitalists really look for in founders
Why founders must learn when to step aside
How deep tech companies are built over 20-year timelines
The human mistakes that destroy otherwise great businesses
Why complementary teams outperform individual brilliance
How venture capital balances risk, patience, and long-term vision

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Dame Anne Glover and Amadeus Capital
00:16 Factory floors to venture capital
00:35 Discovering entrepreneurship through Junior Achievement
01:08 Why Anne chose startups over big business careers
01:36 Returning to the UK when venture capital was still small
01:58 What “development capital” meant in post-war Europe
02:18 When Europe began to recognise the power of technology
02:59 Early internet, DARPANET, and spotting tech inflection points
03:28 Ten years in manufacturing and consulting in the US
03:48 Why Anne rejected traditional corporate hierarchies
04:16 Self-discovery, risk-taking, and pushing personal boundaries
04:56 The US entrepreneurial mindset
05:33 Why the UK eventually caught up culturally
06:40 Early venture deals and learning by doing
07:06 Investing in early virtual reality and backing Nvidia
08:49 Choosing technology investing
09:17 Realising Europe lacked tech-focused VCs
10:10 Writing the Amadeus thesis
10:43 Why Europe’s universities were an untapped advantage
11:01 Pitching the vision to investors and finding a partner
11:39 Meeting Hermann Hauser and forming a complementary partnership
12:42 Why differences in founders and partners matter
13:12 Raising the first fund and securing anchor investors
13:43 Raising £50 million in six months
14:13 The moment the capital arrived and responsibility began
14:52 Doing deals is easy, doing good deals is hard
15:18 What venture capitalists really look for in founders
15:44 Listening, adaptability, and long-term execution
16:27 Why no founder can succeed alone
17:01 The risks of forcing partnerships
17:28 Why complementary teams outperform individual brilliance
17:54 Successful investments in Bluetooth, genomics, and diagnostics
18:23 Backing Cambridge Silicon Radio and Bluetooth’s rise
18:52 DNA sequencing, healthcare breakthroughs, and Illumina
20:15 Optos and transforming retinal disease detection
21:35 Why deep tech success takes decades
22:12 AI, regulation, and the future of innovation
23:25 Conversational AI
24:49 Mistakes that kill startups
25:18 Why founder ego can destroy companies
26:03 Learning when to step aside
27:05 Misaligned investors and dysfunctional syndicates
27:52 Final reflections

Follow Independent Minds by PictetInstagram: @independentminds.podLinkedIn: The Pictet GroupWebsite: https://www.pictet.com

Follow Amadeus Capital partnersLinkedIn: Amadeus Capital PartnersWebsite: https://www.amadeuscapital.com

In this episode of Independent Minds by Pictet, we sit down with Eve Laurier, Global Head of Marketing and Communications at Bombardier, one of the world’s most iconic private aviation companies.

Bombardier designs, manufactures and services some of the most advanced business jets in the world, flying in over 100 countries and serving ultra high net worth individuals, global CEOs, governments and leading corporations.

Eve shares what it really takes to market and sell in one of the most exclusive industries in the world, and how Bombardier successfully rebuilt its reputation after a major transformation.

We explore what luxury truly means at the highest level, how billionaires make purchasing decisions, and why service, trust and long term relationships matter more than the product itself.

From leadership and confidence to brand storytelling, career risk and building world class teams, this conversation offers rare insight into both private aviation and the mindset required to operate at the top.

This episode is about leadership, confidence, resilience, reputation and learning to figure things out without trying to do it alone.

In this episode you will learn:

• What Bombardier does and how private aviation really works
• How billionaires and ultra high net worth individuals buy private jets
• What luxury actually means beyond products and price
• How Bombardier rebuilt its reputation after years of transformation
• Why service and customer experience matter more than aircraft specs
• How complex private jet manufacturing and supply chains really are
• Eve’s career journey from advertising to global leadership
• Why “figure it out” is a critical leadership mindset
• How to build confidence through risk taking and responsibility
• Why the best leaders learn to get out of their own way

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Intro Who is Eve Laurier and what Bombardier does

01:10 What Bombardier builds and why business jets matter

02:20 Eve’s role as Global Head of Marketing and Communications

03:40 The challenge of marketing to ultra high net worth individuals

05:00 What luxury really means at the highest level

06:30 How billionaires actually buy private jets

08:10 Inside the private jet customer experience

09:50 How private jets are manufactured and why it is so complex

12:00 Craftsmanship interiors and aircraft customisation

13:40 Eve’s career journey and the “figure it out” mindset

16:00 Rebuilding Bombardier’s brand and reputation

18:10 Leadership lessons and building world class teams

20:00 Confidence risk taking and career growth

22:40 Why successful leaders do not do it alone

24:50 The explosion of demand in private aviation

27:30 Why private jets are growing faster than ever

Follow Independent Minds by Pictet

Instagram: @independentminds.pod

LinkedIn: The Pictet Group

Website: https://www.pictet.com

Follow Bombardier

Instagram: @bombardier_jets

Website: https://bombardier.com/

In this episode of Independent Minds by Pictet, Rushil, co founder of Urban Greens, shares how three friends left successful corporate careers to build one of London’s most recognisable healthy fast food brands.

Urban Greens was created to change how people think about fast food by proving that healthy, fast and great tasting food can coexist on the high street. What started as an idea during their corporate years became a carefully built brand focused on quality, experience and long term sustainability.

We explore how Rushil balanced a demanding finance career while building Urban Greens, why the founders waited years before going all in, and what it really takes mentally to become an entrepreneur in the food and beverage industry.

From branding and customer experience to pricing strategy, digital growth and social media awareness, this conversation goes deep into what it means to build a food brand designed to last rather than chase hype or exits.

This episode is about patience, calculated risk, resilience and creating something meaningful in a highly competitive market.

In this episode you will learn

What Urban Greens is and how it redefined healthy fast food in London

Why fast food in the UK has traditionally been associated with unhealthy choices

How the founders built the brand while working full time corporate jobs

When and why Rushil decided to leave finance and go all in

The mental pressure and resilience required to be an entrepreneur

Why grit often matters more than having a perfect product

How Urban Greens approached branding store design and customer experience

Why UK consumers respond differently to food brands than US consumers

How social media builds awareness rather than instant revenue

Why Urban Greens prioritised steady growth over fast expansion or exits

TIMESTAMPS AND CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro Who is Rushil and what is Urban Greens

00:35 What Urban Greens is and why healthy fast food was missing in London

01:40 Why fast food in the UK had a negative reputation

02:55 Finding inspiration from Europe the US and Scandinavia

04:10 Building Urban Greens while working corporate jobs

05:20 Using networks instead of consultants to build the business

06:45 Balancing finance careers with startup calls and negotiations

07:40 When the idea shifted from side project to full commitment

09:05 Deciding to leave stable careers to build a salad brand

10:30 The mental toll of entrepreneurship and uncertainty

12:05 Why grit and resilience matter more than perfection

13:40 Educating the market and pricing healthy food confidently

15:20 Branding psychology differences between the UK and the US

17:05 Designing Urban Greens as an experience not just a product

19:00 Influences from Scandinavia Japan South Africa and California

21:15 Social media awareness versus direct sales

23:00 Why Urban Greens prioritised steady sustainable growth

24:30 The problem with exit driven entrepreneurship culture

26:10 Fulfilment money and redefining success as a founder

28:00 Risk taking calm decision making and long term thinking

30:00 Final reflections on building something that lasts

Follow Urban Greens

LinkedIn: Urban Greens

Website: https://www.urbangreens.co.uk

Follow Independent Minds by Pictet

Instagram: @independentminds.pod

LinkedIn: The Pictet Group

Website: https://www.pictet.com