A series of insightful conversations, spotlighting women who are shaping their respective fields.
Choose a talk-only ticket, or enhance your experience with our talk and dinner ticket which includes Champagne, canapés, tea or coffee, and a two-course meal at Charlie’s.
Rocco Forte Friends enjoy priority booking and exclusive pricing.
Sarah Driver is half of the power couple behind the popular British vineyard Rathfinny Wine Estate. The estate opened in 2010 on a working arable farm with the express intention of producing some of the world’s finest quality English sparkling wines. Sarah’s vision was to contribute something special to the unique spirit of the beautiful Sussex countryside and she has certainly done so. Rathfinny is the first grower-producer of sparkling wine in the world to achieve the B Corp accolade, the gold standard for ethical and sustainable business practices.
Skye McAlpine is the author of three Italian inspired cookbooks, writes a regular recipe column for The Sunday Times and contributes to a number of publications around the world, including Vogue and Vanity Fair. Along with designing collections for Anthropologie and Papier, in 2021 Skye launched her own tableware line, Skye McAlpine Tavola, featuring a collection of ceramics and glassware handcrafted by artisans in Italy.
Carolina Irving was formerly an editor at Elle Decor, House and Garden, and Vogue Living. In 2006 Carolina founded her eponymous textile atelier, creating vibrant fabrics that reinterpret colours and patterns from across the globe, and from throughout history. Today she runs the business with her daughters Olympia and Ariadne, designing beautiful, purposeful objects, handmade by artisanal craftspeople.
Dr Sally Penni MBE is a high profile award-winning barrister, diversity champion and radio broadcaster. She works with young offenders and vulnerable witnesses, specialising in criminal and employment law. Sally is the founder and CEO of Women In The Law UK, a professional development organisation empowering the next generation of female lawyers. She is also the host of the highly acclaimed Talking Law podcast with 5 million listeners.
Dinah Rose KC is the president of Magdalen College, Oxford, and the first woman to hold this position since its foundation in 1458. She has practised as a barrister for 35 years at Blackstone Chambers, specialising in appellate advocacy, human rights, public law and competition law. She has appeared in the UK Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights. Her clients have included governments, suspected terrorists, the publishers of the News of the World and The Sun, and Julian Assange.
Founder of The Deck, Daisy Knatchbull, sits down with Sophie Goodwin, Creative Editorial Director of Cabana Magazine, for an inspiring conversation. Daisy made history as the first women’s tailoring house to establish a shopfront on Savile Row, redefining a traditionally male-dominated craft. Her designs empower women from all backgrounds, offering them a platform to express their passions and ambitions through the transformative power of the suit.
Sophie, a leading figure in luxury fashion, recently co-founded Tiger's Eye, a creative strategy consultancy, alongside her editorial role at Cabana. With a career spanning esteemed institutions such as The Evening Standard, Condé Nast, and The Times LUXX, where she served as Fashion Director, Sophie has left an indelible mark on the fashion and publishing industries. Together, they discuss their journeys, creative visions, and the evolving world of style.
Olga Polizzi, Director of Design at Rocco Forte Hotels, is celebrated for her elegant interiors tailored to each location. A graduate of Art School in Rome, she began her career at her father’s Forte Hotels and joined her brother, Sir Rocco Forte, in 1996. She also founded three acclaimed independent hotels: Tresanton, Endsleigh, and The Star. Her daughter, Alex Polizzi, carries on the family’s hospitality legacy. Known for turning around struggling hotels on television, Alex studied at Oxford, trained at the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong, and worked at Forte properties worldwide. She was instrumental in opening Endsleigh and Tresanton in Cornwall.
Batia Ofer, Chair of the Royal Academy Trust, and Rebecca Salter, President of the Royal Academy of Arts, are leading voices in the arts and philanthropy. Batia is a passionate patron and founder of initiatives that unite the art world with meaningful causes, while Rebecca, an acclaimed artist, has redefined creative practice and leadership in cultural institutions. Together, they exemplify the intersection of art, education, and social impact.
A series of insightful conversations, spotlighting women who are shaping their respective fields. Choose a talk-only ticket, or enhance your experience with our talk and dinner ticket which includes Champagne, canapés, tea or coffee, and a two-course meal at Charlie’s.
Rocco Forte Friends enjoy priority booking and exclusive pricing.
Sarah Driver is half of the power couple behind the popular British vineyard Rathfinny Wine Estate. The estate opened in 2010 on a working arable farm with the express intention of producing some of the world’s finest quality English sparkling wines. Sarah’s vision was to contribute something special to the unique spirit of the beautiful Sussex countryside and she has certainly done so. Rathfinny is the first grower-producer of sparkling wine in the world to achieve the B Corp accolade, the gold standard for ethical and sustainable business practices.
Skye McAlpine is the author of three Italian inspired cookbooks, writes a regular recipe column for The Sunday Times and contributes to a number of publications around the world, including Vogue and Vanity Fair. Along with designing collections for Anthropologie and Papier, in 2021 Skye launched her own tableware line, Skye McAlpine Tavola, featuring a collection of ceramics and glassware handcrafted by artisans in Italy.
Carolina Irving was formerly an editor at Elle Decor, House and Garden, and Vogue Living. In 2006 Carolina founded her eponymous textile atelier, creating vibrant fabrics that reinterpret colours and patterns from across the globe, and from throughout history. Today she runs the business with her daughters Olympia and Ariadne, designing beautiful, purposeful objects, handmade by artisanal craftspeople.
Dr Sally Penni MBE is a high profile award-winning barrister, diversity champion and radio broadcaster. She works with young offenders and vulnerable witnesses, specialising in criminal and employment law. Sally is the founder and CEO of Women In The Law UK, a professional development organisation empowering the next generation of female lawyers. She is also the host of the highly acclaimed Talking Law podcast with 5 million listeners.
Dinah Rose KC is the president of Magdalen College, Oxford, and the first woman to hold this position since its foundation in 1458. She has practised as a barrister for 35 years at Blackstone Chambers, specialising in appellate advocacy, human rights, public law and competition law. She has appeared in the UK Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights. Her clients have included governments, suspected terrorists, the publishers of the News of the World and The Sun, and Julian Assange.
Olga Polizzi, Director of Design at Rocco Forte Hotels, is celebrated for her elegant interiors tailored to each location. A graduate of Art School in Rome, she began her career at her father’s Forte Hotels and joined her brother, Sir Rocco Forte, in 1996. She also founded three acclaimed independent hotels: Tresanton, Endsleigh, and The Star.
Her daughter, Alex Polizzi, carries on the family’s hospitality legacy. Known for turning around struggling hotels on television, Alex studied at Oxford, trained at the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong, and worked at Forte properties worldwide. She was instrumental in opening Endsleigh and Tresanton in Cornwall.
Founder of The Deck, Daisy Knatchbull, sits down with Sophie Goodwin, Creative Editorial Director of Cabana Magazine, for an inspiring conversation. Daisy made history as the first women’s tailoring house to establish a shopfront on Savile Row, redefining a traditionally male-dominated craft. Her designs empower women from all backgrounds, offering them a platform to express their passions and ambitions through the transformative power of the suit.
Sophie, a leading figure in luxury fashion, recently co-founded Tiger's Eye, a creative strategy consultancy, alongside her editorial role at Cabana. With a career spanning esteemed institutions such as The Evening Standard, Condé Nast, and The Times LUXX, where she served as Fashion Director, Sophie has left an indelible mark on the fashion and publishing industries. Together, they discuss their journeys, creative visions, and the evolving world of style.
Batia Ofer, Chair of the Royal Academy Trust, and Rebecca Salter, President of the Royal Academy of Arts, are leading voices in the arts and philanthropy. Batia is a passionate patron and founder of initiatives that unite the art world with meaningful causes, while Rebecca, an acclaimed artist, has redefined creative practice and leadership in cultural institutions. Together, they exemplify the intersection of art, education, and social impact.
Located in the heart of London's fashionable Mayfair district, Browns Hotel is an iconic luxury hotel where history meets 21st-century sophistication. Read Less
Located in the heart of London's fashionable Mayfair district, Browns Hotel is an iconic luxury hotel where history meets 21st-century sophistication. Read Less
Located in the heart of London's fashionable Mayfair district, Browns Hotel is an iconic luxury hotel where history meets 21st-century sophistication. Read Less