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.
Your go-to out of office outfit: Jeans and a T-shirt. No socks.
Your happy place anywhere in the world: My beach house in Denmark, which is wonderfully summery in the warmer months and wonderfully rough in the winter. The kind of place where you can think big or not think at all.
Your favourite bar or restaurant: On the cliffs near the water at Cap Rocat in Majorca. I'll order Iberico ham and salt baked cod with steamed spinach, and a bottle of rosé. Ideally shared, like most great things.
Something cultural or sporting you booked recently: I went to a Wrexham AFC match and continue to love the almost fairy tale-like story and can-do attitude the team has, and how that positivity is spilling over into the entire city. It’s a reminder of what belief and good storytelling can do – something we think about a lot at Moneypenny.
Something you've listened to or read recently: I like to listen to Monocle’s The Foreign Desk – it’s calm, smart, and global – a useful reminder to lift your gaze.
A hobby you'd like to cultivate: Sculpting. It’s a slow, hands-on process that forces you to focus – a good contrast to the pace and scale of work life.
A luxury that’s actually a necessity: Sleep, seriously great coffee, and time to think uninterrupted.
Best luxury under £25: Truly amazing ice cream – preferably enjoyed somewhere you can linger unbothered with your phone firmly left in your pocket.
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