f.nuovo
curriculum vitae
Founder and CEO, Design Studio Nuovo: 2006 – present
Nuovo and DSN Associates are currently developing new products and brands in the consumer electronics market including wireless mobile accessories, audio and a unique phone for the visually impaired. Also in development are wireless applications and services for connectivity and entertainment. Nuovo is also serving as an advisor to a leading technology company, and is in development of a design research program based in southern California.
Founder, Creative Director and Designer, Vertu: 1997- 2012
Frank Nuovo remained the visionary force behind Vertu during its defining years. Its products are the most finely crafted, precision communications instruments in the world. As Vertu’s originator and founding Creative Director and Designer, Nuovo led the team in making his Vertu dream - its style, its products and its brand image of excellence - a reality.
Inspired by other examples of technology merged with precision craft and design (think certain watches and cars), Nuovo had a mission to apply the time-honored traditions of master artistry and skillful workmanship to proven mobile technology. In so doing, Nuovo brought personal significance to mobile communication devices, aiming to equal or surpass the level of the finest timepiece.
Applying his design expertise to the company’s conceptualization and identity, products and accessories, sales environments, and final product presentations, Nuovo remained the core creative force at Vertu. Finally, in 2012, during Nokia’s sale of Vertu, Nuovo chose to forgo his Vertu contract renewal. Nuovo decided the moment had arrived for him to focus his full attention on growing his company, Design Studio Nuovo. This would allow him to create, develop, and build new ventures and partnerships in other market areas.
Chief of Design, Nokia Corporation: 1995 – 2006
As founding head of the Nokia Design organization since 1995, Nuovo spearheaded the company’s styling and global industrial design innovations. Nuovo created Nokia's first international design group which spanned over 30 nationalities. He formed and orchestrated a global design team that continues to flourish in multiple localities in Finland, England, Denmark, Japan, China and the USA.
During his time at Nokia, Nuovo lead design strategy for the corporation whose story of growth, innovation, and company culture many consider to be one of the most successful in modern history. Nokia’s innovations combined technology, usability and style with user-centered design. Many went on to become industry standards for all mobile devices. Nuovo and his team helped Nokia achieve and maintain global leadership, capturing a market share at levels more than twice that of the nearest competitor's. While at Nokia, Nuovo’s team – extremely active in brand development and renewal – helped establish Nokia’s position as the world’s 5th most valuable brand. (Source: Interbrand).
Due to his personal involvement in Nokia Corporation’s success, Nuovo was then asked to be an advisor to the Business Board of the Finnish National Museum of Modern Art. He accepted and appreciated the experience immensely.
By Nuovo’s last year as Nokia’s Chief of Design, the company reported a 21% rise in first-quarter net profit due to strong performances in its mobile phone and multimedia divisions. The world's largest cell phone manufacturer stated sales rose 29% and its market share rose by three percentage points - from a year earlier - to 35%. At that point, the products designed by Nuovo’s team were manufactured at a rate of over four hundred million units per year.
In 2006, Nuovo moved from Nokia’s global design team to focus solely on its luxury segment, Vertu. Nuovo had been working to shape the Vertu brand since 1997 but, in order for the brand to build more momentum, he knew he needed to concentrate his efforts there. It was through his newly formed company, Design Studio Nuovo, that Frank contracted with Nokia to serve as their Creative Director and Principal Designer for Vertu. Even after leaving Nokia Design, Nuovo's portfolio legacy contributed positively to what was a continuing upward trend, with Nokia rising to a 38% market share and net sales rising 28% through to the second quarter of 2007.
BMW/ Designworks: 1986-1995
From Designer to Design Director of BMW/Designworks, Nuovo fine-tuned his skills while designing consumer electronics, medical instruments, general consumer products and automotive products for Fortune 500 companies. BMW/Designworks maintained a diverse portfolio of design programs, including office and outdoor furnishings/seating, exercise and rehabilitation equipment, architectural interiors, office accessory products, and car interior and seating design. Nuovo’s early work even included ergonomic testing and control console and interface design for air traffic, air defense and automated manufacturing systems.
Additionally, Nuovo led much of the creation of BMW/Designworks’ own marketing materials, including multi-media and award-winning video productions. Early in the CAD (Computer Aided Design) era, Nuovo and his team developed hybrid design methods. These methods combined traditional hand modeling, CAD and early rapid prototyping, using Alias and CDRS computer systems.
In 1989, when a relatively unknown Finnish company called Nokia approached BMW/Designworks for new inspiration in mobile phone design, Nuovo was the first on the case. In addition, Nuovo’s extensive work in lifestyle, colors/materials, and consumer categories research was utilized by Nokia, as well as other clients. It was during this period that Nuovo’s long-time relationship with Nokia was deeply established. After several years of working with Nokia in a client/consultant capacity, Nokia asked Nuovo to join their company to establish and lead their own internal design group. And the rest is history.
Art Center College of Design
In 1986, Frank Nuovo earned his B.S. in Industrial Design from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Nuovo chose Art Center due to its reputation for rigorous professional studies, with programs in product, automotive, communications and industrial design. After graduating, Nuovo served as Art Center’s Alumni Vice President and President. As noted earlier, Art Center later bestowed on Nuovo their 2008 Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award, their Doctorate of Science degree, and was named an Art Center College Honorable Trustee.
Nuovo has always been an active supporter of design academics globally. Through Nokia, he was able to champion design research programs at many of the world’s leading design colleges, including the Art Center College (Pasadena, California, USA), The Royal College (London, UK), St. Martins College (London, UK), Helsinki School of Art and Design, (Helsinki, Finland), Domus Academie (Milan, Italy) and others in China, Japan, South America and the USA. In 1999, Nuovo envisioned and proposed the Color, Material, and Trend Lab (CMTL) at the Art Center College of Design. By 2005, Nuovo had championed and established millions in funding - by Nokia - for Art Center’s CMTL.
Creative Foundation
Growing up in the creative and artistically diverse community of Monterey, California, Nuovo has maintained a variety of ways to explore creative expression. After briefly studying classical guitar as a child, he accelerated toward professional music performance at the young age of 11 years. He has studied and performed drums and percussion for virtually all musical styles. Nuovo performed live and on recordings and performed his way through The Art Center Design College with evening and weekend performances with well known studio artists. Early studies in Art included private instructions in art Galleries of Carmel California and at the Monterey Peninsula College.
design accolades
features: print and television
Nuovo’s achievements earned him all types of recognition over the years, among those are; selected as one of Architectural Digest’s “Art of Living” Protagonists of style in the evolution of good taste (Architectural Digest, Italy, 2000); Listed as one of Richard Saul Wurman’s “Who’s Really Who”’ Most Creative Individuals in the USA 2002; selected as one of Spoon’s most interesting, cutting-edge practitioners of key art forms in (“Spoon: 100 Designers” 2002); featured article in Fast Company Magazine’s Masters of Design issue (Fast Company, June 2004); credited him as “the designer who made Cell phones a fashion statement” (Vogue 2000); and the New Yorker labeled Nuovo “The Henry Ford or at least the Calvin Klein of Cell Phones (New Yorker 2001).
His life’s work and story has been featured in publications including The New Yorker, Wired, Business Week, Fortune, Fast Company, Newsweek, Architectural Digest The Robb Report, GQ, Vogue, Elle, Harpers Bazaar, The New York Times and the New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, The Singapore Straights Times, Dagens Industri, The Financial Times, among others.
Frank Nuovo has been featured and interviewed in various television and radio news programs and special features including: National Public Radio, CNN Live, CNN International, CNN Asia, CNN 360, CNBC, The Charlie Rose Show, CNET, The Fashion Channel, The Entertainment Channel, BBC News and Many others in Asia, Africa, the Middle east and throughout Europe.
honors and exhibitions
In December 2008, The Art Center College of Design (USA) honored Nuovo with the prestigious Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award. Additionally, The Art Center presented Nuovo with a Doctorate of Science degree in recognition of his life's work in the field of Industrial Design and was subsequently named as an Art Center College Honorable Trustee. In 2012, Monterey Peninsula College inducted Nuovo into its “Hall of Fame”.
Nuovo’s work has been featured in museums around the world including the Museum of Modern Art “Workspheres” (New York), and the Neus Museum Nurnberg Sammlung Design, The Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum permanent collection and as part of its design triennial, and a special exhibit at the Essen Design Museum, Essen Germany.
Frank Nuovo has served on international jury panels for leading design awards such as IF (Industrie Forum Design Hanover), IDEA Award (Industrial Design Association of America), the IIDA Competition (International Interior Design Association) and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Museum, National design Award.
book features
Nuovo’s work has also been noted or featured in several books and studies on design and business, his work with Nokia and Vertu is the subject of a Harvard Business School Case Study. And, most recently, Nuovo was recognized as one of today’s rare Modern Renaissance Men, featured in the book entitled “Beyond Genius: The Twelve Essential Traits of Today’s Renaissance Men”
Additonal Mentions
Beyond Genius by Scott Griffiths
A whole new mind by Daniel H. Pink
Nokia, The inside story by Haikio
The art of what works by Duggan
The tale of the Scale by Solly Angel
The Nokia Revelution by Steinbock
The Mobile Revolution by Dan Steinbock
Cold calling, Business the Nokia way by Trevor Merriden
Business leaders and Success by Inventors buisness daily
Electric Dreams by David Redhead
20thCentury Design by Catherine McDermott
The look of the century by Michael Tambini
Phonebook by Henrietta Thompson
Corporate Catalysts by coughlin
Cell phone culture by Gerard Goggin
Workspheres: Design and contemporary work styles by MOMA
Inside Design Now by Lupton, Albrect, Yolavich, Ownes.
Who's who of design by Red Dot
design awards
Nuovo’s design and innovation leadership has resulted in dozens of major national and international awards for him and his associates at DesignWorks USA, Nokia and Vertu and DSN. Such accolades include several of the highly coveted Red Dot awards, most notably the 2003 Red Dot International Award for Design Chief and Design Team of the Year. In addition, there are numerous Industrie Forum (IF) Awards, American IDEA Awards and others from around the globe. The following link provides an abbreviated list of honors (awards prior to 1995 were presented while Nuovo was their lead consulting designer/design director via his Design Director position at DesignWorks/USA, awards after 1995 are presented while Nuovo was Chief of Design for Nokia and Awards received after 2006 are presented while Nuovo remained Vertu’s Creative Director and Principal Designer.
keynote
For booking information, contact tony@dsnuovo.com
keynote reference
For over two decades, Frank Nuovo served as a key spokesperson for Nokia and Vertu Corporations. He has represented those brands at countless new-product launches and in on-air and print interviews. As Chief of Design for those companies, he had a practical knowledge of the dynamic interplay between their design and business concerns. This knowledge made his presentations, speeches, and interviews particularly enlightening and informative, whether he was speaking about an individual product or their overall approach to design/business strategies.
As a keynote speaker, Nuovo often relates his experiences in building design teams and design strategies as well as shares his own evolutionary insight into the world of creativity and international business. He has been fortunate to undergo a dramatic transformation; from a young, unknown design consultant to a highly accomplished, corporate design chief, (and, some say, a rare international design “rock-star”!) Forgoing much rest during the last quarter century, Nuovo has always seized opportune moments and jumped at the chance to break new ground and push boundaries. He is forever grateful for those many opportunities that arose along the way and is honored to have worked with the creative and business collaborators who made it all possible.
Communicating his unique and extraordinary experiences with a spirited and confident style is Nuovo’s forte. He draws from his fascinating, creative background to share stories and anecdotes gathered from his millions (literally) of worldwide travel miles, made in pursuit of creative excellence and to further understand cultural influences on design and innovation.
Nuovo’s presentations can be customized to emphasize their relevance to your event. Topics typically relate personal experiences that range from the parallel of musical interaction to cross discipline interaction (design/engineering/marketing). The importance of creative chaos and the challenges of creative conflict are reflected in many case studies and through design process and design strategy development. Presentations can even convey theories regarding the key skills required to create and sell a new venture’s idea or a large corporation’s new product introduction.
keynote history
Nuovo is an active lecturer and has been invited to speak at international venues including The World Economic Forum, TTI Vanguard, Korean International Design Conference and has accepted keynote and corporate lectures for Intel Corporation, Liz Claiborne, The APAC Leadership Forum in Singapore and Hong Kong, The International Conference on Ergonomics and User Interface in Rome, Italy, and institutions such as British Design Museum, D&AD Presidents Lecture Series at the Royal Geographical Society (UK), Domus Academie and ULM in Milan, Italy University of Industrial Art and Design, Helsinki Finland, The Fashion Institute in Rome, the University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication, The Art Center college of Design, Stanford University, The University of California Los Angeles Anderson School Of Business Management, Pepperdine University, and Les Echoes Conference on creativity “Embracing Complexity” in Paris, France, The TED Conference 2002 (Technology, Entertainment and Design), Monterey California, The Industrial Designers Association National Design Conference In New York and Los Angeles, and other conferences on design and technology in France, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, Canada, Germany and the USA..
keynote topic samples
Building a Corporate Design Team (from a small company to a giant global corporation)
Design and User Experience Strategy - Living and Breathing Brand Design
Making a Rock Star (Design)
Innovation Leadership - Small Company to Global Giant
Luxury Time and Technology
Fashion Tech and your Digital Pocket
Colors, Materials and Global Trends
Lifestyle Design, Consumer Segmentation and Style Influences
Design DNA: The Study and Evolution of Brand Products
A Retrospective of Nokia Design: The Rise and Promise of a Global Brand
A Retrospective of Vertu’s Creation: The Merging of Technology, Design and Precision Craft
Luxury and Technology - Vertu Design Case Study
Mobile Communications – Future Vision
Music and Design – Orchestration of Innovation and Creative Improvisation
Business and the Culture of Creativity
Global Business – International Experience and the 24 Hour Development Cycle
Design Quality and Performance Metrics
Understanding and Sharing Your Brand
Industrial Design. From Form equals Function to Form equals Experience
Luxury –yesterday and today
spotlight
Music played a significant role in my understanding and handling of the creative process. In particular, creative collaboration and individual interaction must be respectful and complimentary to the role and contribution of each of the players. Setting and maintaining a motivating pace or “groove”. Knowing when to increase the energy or when to hold back and let others fill in. These are just a few lessons I learned from musicianship dynamics that I later applied to the design team dynamic.
Designworks USA was my true professional starting point. There were many talented people from my days at Designworks USA who inspired me and became part of the foundation for my future work. Chuck Pelly, Designwork USA’s founder, created a very diverse team with a broad portfolio in a center for design excellence. I was privileged to be a part of it while he was there.
Creating Nokia Design was a precious moment in time. It was when traditional industrial design was shifting quickly to modern high technology design methodologies of the digital age. I was able to form a global team from scratch to tackle the many challenges and lead the mobile industry. Nokia Design was our dream come true: to bring forward the age of wireless communications and orchestrate creative solutions with the most amazing “big band” one could hope for!
I was able to attend and often host numerous events for Nokia around the globe. These events always presented an opportunity to interact with interesting people, learn about different cultures and find insight into what it takes to represent a brand globally.
So many stellar individuals who embraced the Vertu vision and made it their own through the 16 years I led it’s creative team. Here are a few very special people who were critical in establishing the foundation of the Vertu brand.
Behind the scenes at Vertu, we were experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime creative adventure. We were merging “high craft” with high technology. We created our own opportunity to be industry pioneers: to push the boundaries of material sciences by developing ways to use precious stones and metals, ceramics, leather and even traditional artisan methods in the design and manufacture of an instrument of communication.
Vertu events have always been world class. From our 2002 global brand launch in Paris, our experience standard was always held at the very highest possible. I simply must share some highlights from these events where, mostly its about the people. I remain forever grateful for the support of a world of Vertu friends and family. For me, when first dreaming of the Vertu concept, I could hardly have imagined so many incredible memories in places like LA, New York, Moscow, Shanghai, Beijing, Paris, London, Hamburg, Tokyo, Dubai, Istanbul, Milan, just to name a few.
Early Years
Here at 17 years Carmel Valley Fox Hills Jazz sessions with Buddy Jones, Jackie Coon and Bob Phillips. This group also frequented the famous River Inn at Big Sur and other jazz venues for popular local sessions.
Playing traditional jazz in Carmel Valley with Buddy Jones at 17. Bob Phillips on piano and Jackie Coon on flugelhorn are not pictured. We worked together weekly at various venues around town.
On the road at age 19 - from the left is Nuovo with Dan D’acquisto, Roger Eddy, Mark Ross and soon to be pop artist Robby Nevil. In this promo shot, I believe we were discussing what we should name the band and Roger (Middle) was brilliantly looking at the camera and had an epiphany….
A performance in Monterey California late 70's with the Mark – Almond Band.
Dave Marotta on bass, Mark Ross on keyboards and Carlos Rios on guitar Nuovo on drums.
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Designworks/BMW
While at Designworks USA /BMW, great talents like Andy Vong, Steve Kaminski and EVP Ray Carter (not shown) provided critical contributions to early Nokia Projects.
A very special note regarding close friend Sheldon Phillips, who was a core part of the Nokia design team at DW/USA . Sheldon would tirelessly work “all nighters” with me to create highly detailed models under critical client time constraints.
Two very important people. At left is designer Sheldon Phillips - a close friend and creative associate from the early days studying together at the Art Center. In the middle is the forever young and often celebrated design guru Chuck Pelly. Chuck was my original design mentor at my first job at his Designworks/USA In Calabasas, California. My Nokia history started at DW/USA working with Chuck. Sheldon also joined me at DW/USA to support Nokia projects as a key contributor. Sheldon took over as lead for Nokia projects at DW/USA when I moved to my position as Design Chief at Nokia. Sheldon thankfully joined my effort to build and share the Vertu dream around 2000 as head of the Vertu studio in Southern California.
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Nokia Design
Building Nokia Design from scratch was a welcome challenge and experience. We were able to
design and grow and build as one global team. I was always delighted with our work environment and we all proudly wore a logo which represented a compass and globe –symbolizing Nokia Design as a global team. These are a few familiar faces from work and events around the globe.
Nokia Design grew from scratch to over 350 strong globally during the period from 1995
To my departure from Nokia in 2006. Pictured above was our blue umbrella shot from the first global design conference in London.
By the early 2000’s at our global design conference on the East Coast of the US, we filled a large field with a massive circle of creative people. 25 different nationalities linked together in this great circle.
I seriously believe that the Nokia Design “years of glory” would not have been possible without this amazing and diverse talent- Babette Strousse. She is one of the most brilliant and unstoppable people on this planet, and a dear friend. We are here together in Hong Kong on a ferry.
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Nokia Events
One of the memorable moments in my role promoting Nokia. My parents, Frank and Cesca Joined my wife Trina at a product launch where we enjoyed meeting the bright and friendly Marie Osmond and other celebrities.
Working with the other Judges evaluating (and playing with) products in Hannover Germany for the IF Design competition.
In 2003, I was honored to have then BMW Design Chief, Chris Bangle (left) introduce and present me with the Red Dot, Design team of the year award. Chris is standing here with me and Dr. Peter Zeck, the founder of the museum and the award.
Pictured with Kenzo, launching the Nokia 8200 series in Paris 1999 as part of a marketing collaboration.
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Vertu
Here with Peter Ashall at our 2002 Vertu launch. Together we go back to the beginnings of Nokia Design. Peter initially headed up the administration of Nokia Design via the Concepts and Design group, while I led the build-out and recruitment of the design team. Later he moved on to other areas when I took sole management of Nokia Design as global Vice President. In 2007 Peter agreed to join me again in the creation of what would become Vertu. Today we continue to collaborate on new ventures.
Alberto Torres joined Vertu circa 2005. He brought passion, flare and great success to the business. He genuinely worked with me as a collaborator to build Vertu with both creative vision and an aggressive business strategy. We also had a marvelous time building and celebrating the brand together.
Suguna Madhavan was the third person I asked to join the Vertu venture. Suguna was then leading Nokia’s corporate communications for all of Asia Pacific. Her talent in brand and communications, tremendous sense of fashion and understanding of the luxury market is complimented by her brilliant understanding of business strategy. Suguna was a critical founding player in the forming of the Vertu business . Here we are on the Forbes yacht ”The Highlander” in NYC harbor during a famous Forbes sponsored event.
With my good friend and associate Hutch Hutchinson in Maranello, Italy at Enzo Ferrari’s original home and workshop during the launch of our Vertu Ferrari special edition. Note the Vertu sponsored Ferrari’s in the background. A dream come true for both of these boys.
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Behind the Scenes
These guys are the best. Jon Dry (left) and Eduardo Salazar (middle) have been with me forever. We work together seamlessly. Eduardo was the first person recruited to help me build the Vertu designs – as we were making the proposal for Vertu and before we even had funding. I had been working with Jonathan since Designworks/USA days and I was thrilled when he joined Vertu
A rare peak into the original Vertu studio in Calabasas California. Hutch Hutchison, Sheldon Phillips, Jon Dry and Eduardo Salazar all discussing the original Signature design detailing. This was likely circa 2001 well before our brand launch.
Working with Sheldon Phillips and Hutch Hutchison on the detailing of our second line, the Vertu Ascent. Note the prototype Signature products on the left and the early Ascent grey “wax” rapid prototype models front right. Sketch explorations are on the back wall.
I was convinced that my phone colors were better than Hutch’s.
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Vertu Events
The Vertu dream was first shared with the public here in Paris on January 22, 2002.
We converted a huge space in the Palais d’ Tokyo Museum Of Modern Art in Paris with our own exhibits and floor pedestals stands.
We meticulously designed and built these cut glass frames to present each of our new
“Instruments of communication”- a phrase I coined for the launch of the brand.
The artist Christopher Bucklow was my selection for an artist that best represented the spiritual inspiration for the creation of the Vertu brand. His silhouetted light impression pieces showed the essence of human expression with no words or detail. These are all curated pieces for Vertu.
I originally met Ms. Paltrow at an event in Los Angeles honoring women in Hollywood. She was warm and friendly then and I will forever be grateful that she shared her time with us at the launch of Vertu at the Palais De Tokyo in Paris.
New York's finest keeping us secure at the Vertu Ferrari event
Great fun toasting the launch of Vertu in London with a Los Angeles native – the beautiful model and actress Julienne Davis. I will never forget her bright spirit and support, she was also thrilled to know I designed the Vertu Signature in our hometown LA.
I was almost speechless here, I was so honored to visit with the “Worlds most elegant woman”. Catherine Deneuve was very kind to join me for a chat at our Paris boutique for the launch of our new Signature. I will always appreciate her support and compliments.
It was a thrill to meet the lovely Marisa Tomei at the NYC launch of our Vertu Signature.
Looking like a religious sermon, I am actually addressing the guests during the Vertu 10 year anniversary celebration at the fabulous “Great Hall” at Hampton Court Palace.
With the fabulous and most beautiful Michelle Yeoh at the Vertu constellation launch in Milan. I will forever be enchanted having worked with her to create the exclusive Vertu Michelle Yeoh line.
Surrounded by Ferrari’s with my good friend Maria Tiu at the Vertu Ferrari event in NYC at the famous Tavern On The Green.
Vertu Shanghai launch in 2011
What can be said here, a lovely moment to remember in Milan with Uma Thurman and Rosie Huntington-Whitely.
Good friends Tom and Helen Thomas at the Vertu store opening in Beverley Hills.
A moment with Uma Thurman at the Vertu constellation launch in Milan
Enjoying the festivities in Milan with Michelle Yeoh and Tilda Swindon
With Clive Owen at the Vertu Milan launch.
Press conference launching our first Ferrari special edition at Ferrari headquarters in Maranello, Italy, with the Ferrari CEO Jon Todt, Alberto Torres and Hutch Hutchison.
At the Hong Kong Launch of Ayxta fold with actor Daniel Wu.
My good friend and legendary music industry expert Joel Sill at our Vertu Store opening in Beverley Hills.
Thanks to the charming and beautiful Blake Lively for supporting our launch event of the Vertu Constellation Quest in New York City.
Cutting the ribbon at the Vertu Beverly Hills store.
Another champagne toast for the launch of the Vertu shop at the Wynn in Las Vegas. With Alberto Torres, Maria Tiu and Arnaud De Schuytter and other friends.
Honored to share a laugh with two legends, Mr. Quincy Jones and Mr. Morgan Freeman at our Beverley Hills store opening.
The launch of the Vertu boutique in Beverley Hills was extraordinary. As a musician I grew up admiring Quincy Jones and his life’s work. I first met him at a dinner in my home town of Monterey, California. It was a speakers dinner for the TED conference in 2002 where I introduced Vertu. I remained honored to meet and spend some time with such an inspiring talent and remain grateful for his support.
Seal inspires the soul with his music – I have been a great follower since his start. When I found out he purchased my Vertu phone designs I was ecstatic. It has been a thrill to spend time with him and share thoughts on innovation and creativity.
A wonderful moment with Quincy Jones – my mother Francesca and my father Frank will never forget.
During a evening in London launching the Vertu Quest, I was honored to share a few stories with Kevin Spacey. It was quite an impressive experience to hear him tell a tale or two – jumping quickly into intense character and then back out again. I will never forget it. It was like watching an intense scene from a movie –but highly concentrated and focused…
I grew up knowing my Uncle Dee Dee Lucido used to play the bass in the big venues of Las Vegas in the 50’s and 60’s with stars like Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughn, Tommy Dorsey and many others. I used to think I might one day follow those footsteps as a musician, but I have to say it was a very special moment to see the Vertu brand and product I had created up in lights on the strip – at the fabulous Wynn!
Another one specifically for my lady friends, DG model David Gandy enjoyed the evening with us at our Milan Launch.
Ms. China, towering over me here as I attempt to stand as tall as possible while touring our Vertu Constellation Touch venue in Shanghai. She was lovely.
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