Walpole: In a world where we’re always available, how do you separate your personal time from your work time?
Jesper With-Fogstrup: I try hard through dinner with friends, theatre, brunch, movies, and golf – but often fail. Running a company like Moneypenny means I’m never too far from the action, but I try to be strict about protecting personal time. It’s important to model that for the team too.
What’s one thing you do after the workday to help you unwind?
I have a calendar entry every day at 5.20pm asking the question, Good Day or Bad Day? This question helps me reflect and set priorities for the next day. That aside, my de-stresser is working out, which I do every morning. And I read. If at home, I always have a sit-down dinner, which is a good opportunity to rewind. I meditate every morning. I value routines that create headspace.
What activity do you do in your time away from the office that helps you relax and recentre after a stressful week?
I try to have busy, not stressful weeks. I’m lucky that our leadership culture at Moneypenny encourages that balance – people can switch off and know things won’t fall apart. That said, Friday nights are normally time for me to sit down with a negroni and a fun movie, board game or something that I don’t normally have time for on a weekday.
What’s something you’ve read, listened to, or seen in your spare time that’s helped you at work?
I like to listen to podcasts when traveling and reading when not driving. I consume way too much news! I also get energy from seeing how our team handles conversations and relationships – it’s a masterclass in tone and trust every day.
After home and the office, where’s your favourite ‘third space’?
The outdoors: hikes, golf, runs. There’s something about being outside that helps you reset – it clears the noise. It’s a useful reminder that the small things, done well, often matter most.
On Sunday night, how do you prepare yourself for the week ahead?
I draft the first version of my Happy Monday note. I have written a Happy Monday note to the entire team in many different companies since probably 2006. At Moneypenny, culture isn’t just important – it underpins everything we do. The Monday note is one of the hundreds of ways we try to keep that alive: grounded, human, and focused on what really matters.
Best reason you've had to turn your Out of Office on recently?
Easter – it felt like Christmas with everyone out of the office. Before that was in February 2024 when I stood down from running Smoove after a successful exit to PEXA. After that I went travelling for three months, which was wonderful – it was a genuine break. I’ve come to believe proper leadership includes showing people you trust the team enough to fully switch off.
