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| Ashley Hughes wandering about the desert in the middle east.
In case you haven't heard Mohammed
al-Fayed (you may be familiar with his son Dodi), has sold the
Harrods store to Qatar Holdings for a reported 1.5 billion
pounds ($2.3 billion). I enjoy grabbing Harrods
loose leaf tea whenever at the London airport. I had some this
morning and it reminded me of another holding company I try to follow... the exotic al-Thani family's Qatar Holdings. The Qatar Investment
Authority (QIA), has a 20% stake in the London Stock Exchange and
Harrods; as well as substantial holdings in Barclays Bank; slightly over 9% in
Hochtief; Credit Suisse, 17% in Volkswagen and 10% in Porsche. Looks like the al-Thani
family has a profitable future.
The CEO of the Board
of Directors of the Qatari state fund, Qatar Holdings, is Ahmad
Mohamed Al-Sayed. This 35 year old international student has studied law and
business acumen in Doha, Boston, New York and Paris.
Another thing I found interesting was
much of the natural gas now used to power the UK, is from Qatar. It is shipped as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), into Milford Haven, Pembrokeshir, Whales, before
being piped to Gloucestershire for further distribution.
A little bird told me about tile and cement. hint hint wink wink
I love to travel. It is a key
information medium for the business elite and ensures development of personal rapport.
Ashley Hughes Vancouver, Upper Echelon, Bing, Yahoo, Facebook, twitter, dirty, clean, business, consulting, lady ashley hughes vancouver, ashley hughes, |
Sunday, 15 April 2012
Not all those who wander are lost.
You don't buy a yacht, you build one.
Citadel. A place of refuge, safety.
I don't know about you, but the first thing I
inquire about before I spend any lengthy time on a vessel is where my citadel
is.
It is safe to say that if you are going to be on a
luxury mega yacht, its best to assume the worlds wealthy are spending millions
on specialized trained personnel, some even British SAS (SIS) / MI5 or 6.... and
military-style James Bond technology.
A citadel is basically a hidden chamber on a vessel
with food and water; telephones and radios; some even have toilets... basically the necessities for survival.
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With no welding and minimal
need for specialist equipment or training, the room offers ballistic and blast
protection, smoke screen technology, and can keep a crew of 2-24 people safe
for up to 5 days with ship to shore communication.
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Even more extravagant is
the "escape pod" - a submarine that
is ready at all times to ferry those on board away to safety. The submarines
are mostly used as a leisure addition on super yachts, but there are no denying
the benefits of these dual purposed luxury items.
The Nautilus VAS Luxury Submersible is perfect for
exploring and is a great escape if pirates are after you. The best part is you
can listen to music on its stereo and use the minibar to fix yourself a dirty
martini - shaken, not stirred. A steal for only $2.7 million, especially next to Paul Allen's 40 foot submersible.
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| Ashley Hughes rests briefly after walking all around a megayacht. |
Ashley Hughes Vancouver, Upper Echelon, Bing, Yahoo, Facebook, twitter, dirty, clean, business, consulting, lady ashley hughes vancouver, ashley hughes,
Saturday, 14 April 2012
Off The Record (part 2)
For some reason I keep having people message me about the real housewives and one common thing that is disclosed is that the housewives don't live at the addresses shown. Please be advised that due to the safety of the show and their participants, during the casting the producers made disclaimers about shooting different houses and or apartments buildings than the actual ones where they live for everyone's safety. Besides, does it really matter where they live?
There are some people that have multiple homes, cottages, condos and vacation properties. There are also some people whom prefer privacy and would do a short term rental or lease for the duration of the filming.
But thanks for the tips! I hope this post helps clarify.
maybe we will get a glimpse of David Mez and his antics this week. Patty Stranger did call him a douchebag on millionaire matchmaker, but at least he is entertaining.
Stealthy stake building of Bernard Arnault.
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| Ashley Hughes stands before the gardens of Newton Vineyards in Napa Valley. A lady always brings a scarf to wrap around her shoulders as temperatures can dip in the valley. |
I have always had a special place in my heart for
luxury goods. Ever since I spent the afternoon at Moet Hennessy Louis
Vuitton's (LVMH) vineyard Newton
in California, I kept a close eye on their business and acquisitions. I was
saddened when they engulfed one of my favourite brands Bvlgari,
for 3.7 billion euros ($5.2 billion) in March of
2011, but I know Bvlgari is in good hands. After all, 2 members of the Bvlgari
family now get seats on the board of LVMH.
I am a cautious investor in luxury stocks overall, but I am keeping an
eye out on the Hermes / LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton saga. LVMH's
22% stake in Hermes International could be priceless over the long
haul. The brand sets itself apart from the other leather luxury goods, there is
a genuine demand for their products and the luxury industry is basically in the
infancy of growth in places like China. Hermes and LVMH headlines have garnered
a lot of attention as a recruitment story, but Hermes's holding company capital
structure can assist the family and future generations and allow them to remain
independent, at least over the 15-20 year view.
Friday, 13 April 2012
Informed. International. Inspired.
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| From left to right: Greg Fabbro, Ashley Hughes and Chris Bamford at the Illuminismo Conversation Series in Vancouver for a presentation by Dr. Zbignew Brzezinski, Former US National Security Advisor. |
People are always asking me about my travels and
conversations with interesting people around the world. I actively seek out
mentors and teachers to learn from along my journey. I also like to keep myself
educated with current events.
A perfect example of an informative evening was the
time I was fortunate enough to attend a presentation by Dr.
Zbigniew Brzezinski, former US National Security Advisor and
National Security Advisor to Barack Obama, to address us at a $500 dollar
per person event. Dr. Brzezinski was speaking for the Illuminismo
Series from the Fraser Institute on the evening of Monday
September 29th.
The Illuminismo Series invitation reveals the idea
has its roots in the Age of Reason and reflects the radical intellectual
upheaval of the 17th and 18th centuries when individuals, amidst newly emerging
freedoms, used reason and scientific approach to inquire into the nature of
knowledge.
The guests were invited by the Illuminismo
Co-Chairs Hassan and Nezhat Khosrowshahi. The series
has brought such speakers as Karl Rove, Richard Dawkins and Mark Steyn and
brought Afghanistan's Fawzia Koofi to Vancouver in 2011.
en sof aur
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| Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski |
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Upper Echelon, strategic and international studies
Thursday, 12 April 2012
Off the record.
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| Jody Claman - Round 4 - RHOV |
Here is a real housewife in the flesh talking to some hunky guy outside the Keefer bar in July 2011, right about the time they were filming... Where is Ronnie Seterdahl Negus?... to be continued and make sure you read between the lines.
Who wins round 4?
Next week, a word from Ronnie's "neighbour".
Fascinating.
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| Lady-like! Ashley Hughes poses briefly at a horserace donning a fascinator. Regal and royal combined. |
Please note, as of 2012 hats only for ladies for the Royal Ascot.
Dubai World cup still allows fascinators.
Ladies, looks like a perfect excuse to go shopping.
Oh and by the way, I handmade this fascinator under the amazing tutelage of a saucy milliner. Bespoke, couture and one of a kind.
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Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Overcoming fear of judgement
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| Ashley Hughes is never afraid of getting a little dirty, as long as it involves constant change and internal growth. Sowing seeds for my future. |
Have you heard of ‘tall poppy syndrome’?
It’s that social tendency which sees high achievers – ‘tall poppies’ – as standing ‘above the crowd’ somehow; and it cuts them down to size. And if it’s taken root in your patch, it can make it tricky for you to strive. To grow. To dare to put yourself out there in the world and try your best at what you’re passionate about. For it can be a pretty potent motivator to stay small…safe…(silent, even).
Tall poppy syndrome (TPS) is a pejorative term primarily used to describe a social phenomenon in which people of genuine merit are resented, attacked, cut down, or criticised because their talents or achievements elevate them above or distinguish them from their peers. Basically, a tall poppy is a successful person or achiever who, as a result, is the target of jealousy and grudging remarks.
The goal is to make everyone the same, but the result is no one strives to be great or believes that change is possible.
I wouldn't want to be a part of a world where no one strives to be great...
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Liquid gold
"Even an emperor, denied water, would swiftly turn to dust. Water is the real monarch and we are all its slaves."
- The Enchantress of Florence
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