After graduating from university with a Master’s degree in Marketing, I spent several years building my career in international FMCG companies.
During that time, I worked across a variety of product categories, including sauces, snacks, beer, and spirits. I was involved in marketing and brand management, studying consumer behavior and learning how to build products and brands for the mass market.
My last corporate role was with Anheuser-Busch InBev, one of the world’s largest brewing companies, where I was responsible for developing one of the leading local beer brands, holding approximately 30% market share.
At that stage of my career, I was thinking in terms of millions of consumers:
- How do you increase market share?
- How do you reach millions of people?
- How do you build a nationally recognized brand?
Then, one day, everything changed.
I attended Millionaire Fair, an exhibition showcasing some of the world’s finest luxury products and services — real estate, watches, jewelry, yachts, automobiles, concierge services, and more. It was there that I truly discovered the world of luxury for the first time. What fascinated me most was how different this world was from the FMCG industry I knew so well. The world I discovered was the complete opposite of everything I had experienced before.
Here, success was not measured by sales volume, but by quality. Not by mass appeal, but by uniqueness. Not by discounts and promotions, but by emotions, experiences, and exceptional attention to detail. Behind every brand was a story. Behind every product was craftsmanship. Behind every project was a desire to create something extraordinary and exclusive.
At that moment, I realized that this was the industry I wanted to be part of. An industry where people don’t simply create brands — they create stories, heritage, and legends. I made the decision to leave the corporate world and start my own business.
That decision led to the creation of Luxury Lifestyle Awards.
Today, more than 18 years later, it has grown into one of the largest international awards organizations in the luxury industry, recognizing and promoting outstanding luxury brands in more than 100 countries around the world.
Looking back, I realize that one exhibition and one decision completely changed the course of my professional life.
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