Jazz Shapers

Melissa Odabash MBE is the Founder & Creative Director of the eponymous luxury swimwear brand, Melissa Odabash. She shares with Elliot the stories behind her successful, global modelling career and how she grew a business creating - as Vogue describes them -  ‘The Ferraris of the bikini world'. 

Elliot welcomes back a past business shaper - Richard Hilton - who first joined him in 2013. Richard is the Founder of Gymbox, the fitness brand, and now the Co-Founder and CEO of Fairgame, a first-of-its-kind immersive, fairground experience.   He shares with Elliot why his retirement plans didn't quite work out - thanks in part to the waltzers and whack’a’moles at Hampstead Fair.

Sean Dixon is the co-founder and Managing Director of Richard James, the Savile Row tailors. Sean joins Elliot to chat celebrities and burglaries, and what happened when they brought bold, disruptive design to London's most famous tailoring street. 

Andrei Papancea is the Co-Founder and CEO of AI platform NLX. Andrei joins Elliot to share his journey from running his own business in Romania - while still at primary school - to operating on the edges of technology in New York.  

Jazz Shapers is back!  To kick off the new season,  Elliot is joined by James Brown, journalist, Founder of Loaded (the men's lifestyle magazine) and author (most recently of his autobiography ‘Animal House'). James shares his tales of passion and addiction and how a single-minded focus on writing for music magazines took him from fanzine-creator, to features editor for the NME, to launching an  award-winning, hedonistic magazine that broke the rules.

Joining Elliot for the last Jazz Shapers of 2023 is Luke Boase, Founder of Lucky Saint, the alcohol-free beer brand. Luke tells his story of how, against the advice of many (and despite having no experience in the industry) he chased a dream to overcome the pre-conceptions of alcohol free lager, and build a better tasting, aspirational brand.

Connie Nam is the Founder of Astrid & Miyu, the contemporary jewellery brand. Connie joins Elliot to talk about disrupting the stale jewellery market with personality,  innovation and storytelling, and she shares the benefit of having felt like an outsider as a child.

Rupert Younger is the co-founder of PR firm The Finsbury Group and founder of the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation. Rupert joins Elliot to share what he feels is the secret to success, and why you've got to believe you're doing the right thing.

Chris Parnell is the co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Kairos Group, the global gaming media group, connecting businesses to gamers. Chris joins Elliot to talk about how a professional gamer and a Youtube content creator (on a business degree) became shapers of influencer marketing.

Deirdre O’ Neill is the Co-Founder of Hertility, the at-home hormone and fertility test, and clinical service provider. Deirdre joins Elliot to chat about her and her twin sister's journey to revolutionise reproductive healthcare