Alain de Botton is one of my favourite writers. I have taught his The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work in my MBA classes for years. He is always insightful and in this video makes the point that companies need to hire thinkers; to have people on hand who think “big picture” and strategically about business, world, and desire. He is excellent in this video and for proof that he is right…
Most companies do not have anyone playing this role, but some are lucky enough to have thinkers in leadership. Brunello Cucinelli is one such and Hermes has Pierre-Alexis Dumas. It is surely no coincidence that two companies that meet Max Scheler’s criteria of the estate (V&R Chapter 5) are run by people journalists routinely describe as “philosophical” (https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/intelligence/humanity-hermes?utm_source=Subscribers&utm_campaign=1e9aa62563-why-demna-gosha-and-lotta-are-a-pseudo-cultural-fa&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d2191372b3-1e9aa62563-417297929).
Hermes is certainly a contender for top spot in my Best Dressed Award.
