Out of Office

Belmond's Jonathan Openshaw shares his Out of Office essentials

In our Out of Office interview series, we speak to Walpole member and partner executives at the top of their game about how they live their lives away from their desks – the habits that help them decompress, the activities that re-centre their minds, and the little luxuries that they can't live without. This week, we talk cycling, ceramics and the magic of Venice's Hotel Cipriani with the new Global Editor-in-Chief of Belmond, Jonathan Openshaw
26th May 2023
Out of Office Belmond's Jonathan Openshaw shares his Out of Office essentials

Walpole: In a world where we’re always available, how do you separate your personal time from your work time?

Jonathan Openshaw: I’m lucky that my work life isn’t radically different from my personal life – I don’t really feel a dramatic separation between the two. It’s all about being inquisitive and learning new things. Having said that, I’m pretty good at unplugging from the more commercial side when I need a break. A lot of this is connected to tech for me, so if I need to switch into a different mode then I’ll just close my laptop, put my work phone in another room and step away from Instagram. 

What’s one thing you do after the work day to help you unwind?

A working day is often 90% sitting behind a screen or in meetings, so getting out of my brain and back into my body is the key. Doing something physical as soon as I leave the office helps draw that line. It’s not possible to get to the gym or go for a run every day after work, of course, but simply walking to meet friends for dinner rather than jumping on the tube does the job. Cycling in the summer is also the best – it turns the commute from pain to pleasure. 

What activity do you do in your time away from the office that helps you relax and recentre after a stressful week?

I’m a keen ceramicist and had a shared studio for years, although I’ve put that on hold while I focus on a house renovation and a new job. Ceramics is the perfect counterbalance to screen-based work for me; it’s elemental – earth, water, fire. The skill is also in your hands rather than your head so it’s a very different way of operating. 

What’s something you’ve read, listened to or seen in your spare time that’s helped you at work?

I’m reading Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act at the moment and finding it fascinating. I’m not sure how much it’s going to impact my work yet, but it’s packed with insights on the nature of originality and creativity. A Buddhist guide written by a music mogul.

After home and the office, where’s your favourite third space?

Walking along the Thames. I’m a born and bred Londoner, but only really discovered the Thames during Covid when we all had to get a bit more creative with our free time. If you go at low tide you can walk along the foreshore and it becomes a huge stretch of nature in the heart of the city. You find some pretty eclectic things washed up too, from iPhones to Hindu figurines. Very London.

Best reason you've had to turn your Out of Office on recently?

A long weekend skiing in the Valle d’Aosta. My partner is based in Milan and I split my time between there and London, so we’re lucky that we can head to the mountains at short notice when there’s a snow dump. I’m a total convert to Italian skiing having been a diehard France/Switzerland fan before. Everything is better once you add polenta.

The OUT OF OFFICE hotlist:

Your go-to Out of Office outfit: When out out, a Bode shirt and Commes Hommes Deux black trousers.

Your happy place anywhere in the world: Island hopping in Greece. It’s the Cycaldes for me – I’ve got a couple of favourite spots off the beaten track and there’s something about the light there that instantly recharges the internal battery.

Your favourite bar or restaurant (and what do you order?): It has to be the iconic pool-side Gabbiano Bar at Hotel Cipriani in Venice, sipping on a peach Bellini made to the original recipe created by the hotel's founder, Giuseppe Cipriani, in 1948. Although only a skip across the water from St Marks, it always feels like you’re in another world from the hustle and bustle.

Something cultural or sporting you booked recently that you'd recommend: The Isaac Julien retrospective at the Tate Britain. I went last weekend and need about five more visits to take it all in.

Something you've listened to or read recently that you'd recommend: I’m not sure I’d ‘recommend’ it as it’s a gruelling read, but I recently finished Young Mungo and couldn’t put it down. Douglas Stewart's characters step right off the page (althought you sometimes wish they didn’t).

A hobby you'd like to cultivate: I’m determined to crack Italian.

A luxury that’s actually a necessity: White T-shirts. There’s nothing better than a crisp white T-shirt and nothing worse than a slightly knackered grey one. It feels like a small luxury to replace them regularly. Sunspel's are still the best.

Best luxury under £25: Aesop vetiver deodorant. I splash it on more like an eau de toilet.

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