How does a luxury brand stay true to its heritage while constantly reinventing itself for a new generation?

This week on Compelling, host Katy Wellesley Wesley explores the dynamic intersection of art, culture, and commerce with Clément Boisseau, CEO of Maison BETC and Global Chief Strategy Officer of the BETC Group. A humanities scholar who transitioned from École Normale Supérieure to the world of advertising, and spent time at Chanel, Clément offers a unique perspective on luxury strategy.

He discusses his proprietary 'prosumer' research methodology—which uncovers predictive consumer mindsets 12 to 18 months in advance—and explains why a strategy focused purely on brand DNA is no longer enough. The conversation dissects the rising challenge of the luxury brand trust issue, where brands must show the reality of their production to justify their premium. Clément shares his insights on balancing brand scarcity with generosity, the necessity of consistency for new luxury brands like The Row, and how Maison BETC navigates the cultural specificities of Paris, New York, and Shanghai.

• (00:00) - Welcome to Compelling
• (02:12) - Cléments Journey into Advertising
• (04:54) - The Intersection of Arts and Advertising
• (07:04) - Strategic Evolution in Luxury Branding
• (12:32) - The Concept of Prosumers
• (14:36) - The Role of AI and Human Interaction
• (16:27) - Luxury Brands Diversifying
• (19:31) - Challenges in Launching New Luxury Brands
• (20:23) - Consistency and Time in Brand Building
• (22:01) - Trust Issues in Luxury Supply Chains
• (23:57) - Trust and Transparency in Luxury Brands
• (26:05) - Global Campaign Strategies
• (28:25) - Balancing Scarcity and Accessibility
• (31:00) - Luxury Beauty and Accessibility
• (35:21) - The Role of Collaborations in Luxury
• (37:40) - Strategising and Empowering Teams
• (39:21) - Advice for New Strategists
• (41:02) - Challenges in Transitioning Roles

Clément Boisseau: Clément Boisseau is the CEO of Maison BETC, a luxury micro-network operating in Paris, New York, and Shanghai, and Global Chief Strategy Officer for the BETC Group. With a dual background in Humanities and Strategic Marketing, he has worked on landmark campaigns for brands including Lacoste, Chanel, and Dom Pérignon. He is a recognised expert in translating luxury heritage into authentic brand stories that resonate globally, serving as a Luxury Jury member at Cannes Lions.

Visit Maison BETC

Katy Wellesley Wesley: With over 18 years of leadership across galleries, foundations, and startups, Katy has built a career shaped by curiosity and a drive to explore new ideas. She spent a decade at leading commercial galleries—first at Gagosian, then at Pace, where she was Director of Exhibitions in London. She went on to lead the Villa Lena Foundation in Italy as Director, before joining the founding team of ROKBOX, a pioneering environmentally focused art logistics startup, as Sales Director. After relocating to Paris six years ago, Katy developed a strong interest in the intersection of art and luxury. To deepen this focus, she recently completed an Executive Master’s in Luxury Management and Design Innovation, a joint program between ESSEC Business School and Parsons School of Design. She now works as a consultant to brands, artists, foundations, and collectors. Among her clients is the legendary art publisher Cahiers d’Art, where she heads Commercial Partnerships.

Compelling is proudly in partnership with Cahiers d’Art.

Compelling is produced in collaboration with Cahiers d’Art, the iconic Paris-based art publisher founded in 1926, home of the Catalogue Raisonné of Picasso and most recently the Frank Gehry Drawings Catalogue Raisonné. At the heart of it's publishing program is the Cahiers d'Art Revue, one of the most significant and longest-standing annual art publications of the last century. In 2026, Cahiers d’Art will celebrate its 100th anniversary with a series of major publications, projects and exhibitions in collaboration with leading global institutions, including the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, the MoMA in New York City and the Musée Picasso in Paris.

Visit Cahiers d’Art

Art direction by Eddie Harrop Studio
Website and Production by Story Ninety-Four

What does a box of forgotten vintage slides reveal about our shared identity, and how do you transform a passion project into a viable global cultural phenomenon?

Host Katy Wellesley Wesley sits down with visual artist, filmmaker, and founder of The Anonymous Project, Lee Shulman, to delve into his journey from buying a random box of Kodachrome images to curating an archive of over a million slides.

Lee discusses the emotional content and universality of these private moments, exploring the delicate balance between the "sacred" family snapshot and public art. They explore the creative strategy behind large-scale installations like The House at Arles and commercial partnerships. In a market where high-end art sales are contracting while the mid-market is gaining momentum, Lee shares his pragmatic philosophy on "art as a business," collaboration, and why curatorial vision is the true genius behind anonymous images.

• (00:00) - Introduction to Compelling
• (02:08) - The Origins of The Anonymous Project
• (05:10) - Emotional Depth and Universality
• (07:54) - Challenges and Criticisms
• (13:41) - Collaborations and Future Projects
• (21:49) - The Democratization of Photography
• (23:02) - Art as a Business
• (24:38) - Inspirations and Influences
• (25:52) - Commercial Collaborations
• (29:51) - Site-Specific Art Projects
• (34:54) - The Value of Obsession
• (36:56) - French Obsessions and Mastery of Craft
• (37:53) - The Importance of Time in Art

Lee Shulman: Lee Shulman is the Founder and Creative Director of The Anonymous Project, containing nearly a million Kodachrome slides. A London-born, Paris-based visual artist and award-winning filmmaker, his expertise lies in curating and recontextualising amateur photography through immersive installations, books, and collaborative art projects. His recent work includes the collaboration Being There with Omar Victor Diop and directing the documentary film I Am Martin Parr.

Visit the Anonymous Project

Katy Wellesley Wesley: With over 18 years of leadership across galleries, foundations, and startups, Katy has built a career shaped by curiosity and a drive to explore new ideas. She spent a decade at leading commercial galleries—first at Gagosian, then at Pace, where she was Director of Exhibitions in London. She went on to lead the Villa Lena Foundation in Italy as Director, before joining the founding team of ROKBOX, a pioneering environmentally focused art logistics startup, as Sales Director. After relocating to Paris six years ago, Katy developed a strong interest in the intersection of art and luxury. To deepen this focus, she recently completed an Executive Master’s in Luxury Management and Design Innovation, a joint program between ESSEC Business School and Parsons School of Design. She now works as a consultant to brands, artists, foundations, and collectors. Among her clients is the legendary art publisher Cahiers d’Art, where she heads Commercial Partnerships.

Compelling is proudly in partnership with Cahiers d’Art.

Compelling is produced in collaboration with Cahiers d’Art, the iconic Paris-based art publisher founded in 1926, home of the Catalogue Raisonné of Picasso and most recently the Frank Gehry Drawings Catalogue Raisonné. At the heart of it's publishing program is the Cahiers d'Art Revue, one of the most significant and longest-standing annual art publications of the last century. In 2026, Cahiers d’Art will celebrate its 100th anniversary with a series of major publications, projects and exhibitions in collaboration with leading global institutions, including the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, the MoMA in New York City and the Musée Picasso in Paris.

Visit Cahiers d’Art

Art direction by Eddie Harrop Studio
Website and Production by Story Ninety-Four

What does it take to transform a wild dream into a thriving slow luxury hospitality business? In this episode, host Katy Wellesley Wesley speaks with her friend and former colleague, Lena Evstafieva, founder of the extraordinary Villa Lena.

Lena, a former director at Pace Gallery, shares how she leveraged her creative background to build a hospitality brand unlike any other. They discuss the ambitious decision to combine a hotel with a multidisciplinary artist residency, the challenges of fostering organic collaboration, and the importance of hiring the right team. Lena reveals how Villa Lena's growth was driven by a community of creative "pollinators" who spread the word organically.

This conversation is a compelling look at how art, nature, and community can come together to create a powerful, enduring legacy, especially at a time when the hospitality industry is projected to reach $7.5 trillion by 2029, with a strong trend towards experience-based travel.

• (00:00) - Welcome to Compelling
• (02:42) - The Unique Artist Residency
• (04:13) - Challenges and Successes
• (06:50) - Expanding the Residency
• (08:07) - Balancing Hospitality and Creativity
• (11:36) - Community and Collaboration
• (15:42) - Nature and Sustainability
• (18:05) - Selecting Collaborators
• (20:35) - The Future of Villa Lena
• (23:46) - Balancing Renovation and Tradition
• (25:07) - Navigating the Hospitality Industry
• (30:39) - The Importance of a Strong Team
• (32:36) - Lessons in Decision Making
• (39:05) - The Value of Friendships

Lena Evstafieva: A former curator at the Garage Museum and a director at Pace Gallery in London, Lena Evstafieva is the visionary founder of Villa Lena Hotel and Foundation. Leveraging her extensive network and creative background, she transformed a family-owned Tuscan estate into a unique hotel and a not-for-profit artist residency. She is also an art collector with a focus on supporting emerging and female artists.

Visit Villa Lena

Katy Wellesley Wesley: With over 18 years of leadership across galleries, foundations, and startups, Katy has built a career shaped by curiosity and a drive to explore new ideas. She spent a decade at leading commercial galleries—first at Gagosian, then at Pace, where she was Director of Exhibitions in London. She went on to lead the Villa Lena Foundation in Italy as Director, before joining the founding team of ROKBOX, a pioneering environmentally focused art logistics startup, as Sales Director. After relocating to Paris six years ago, Katy developed a strong interest in the intersection of art and luxury. To deepen this focus, she recently completed an Executive Master’s in Luxury Management and Design Innovation, a joint program between ESSEC Business School and Parsons School of Design. She now works as a consultant to brands, artists, foundations, and collectors. Among her clients is the legendary art publisher Cahiers d’Art, where she heads Commercial Partnerships.

Compelling is proudly in partnership with Cahiers d’Art.

Compelling is produced in collaboration with Cahiers d’Art, the iconic Paris-based art publisher founded in 1926, home of the Catalogue Raisonné of Picasso and most recently the Frank Gehry Drawings Catalogue Raisonné. At the heart of it's publishing program is the Cahiers d'Art Revue, one of the most significant and longest-standing annual art publications of the last century. In 2026, Cahiers d’Art will celebrate its 100th anniversary with a series of major publications, projects and exhibitions in collaboration with leading global institutions, including the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, the MoMA in New York City and the Musée Picasso in Paris.

Visit Cahiers d’Art

Art direction by Eddie Harrop Studio
Website and Production by Story Ninety-Four