Boardroom Briefing: New Luxury Travel, Sarcastic Sabrina, Company Takeovers
and something to say thank you... 💌
This week we cover the the biggest breakup in entertainment history, the sunscreen showdown, Sabrina’s latest cover controversy, a new luxury travel business for the elite, and why the old boys club should be worried. Plus, we have organised something to say thank you.
We are blown away by how many new readers have joined us over the past few weeks. Welcome to Mode Office! As a small thank you for the support, we’ve partnered with Saint Valentine to offer you an exclusive reader-only discount. So if you’ve had your eye on something special, now’s the time to treat yourself. You deserve it.
Visit Saint Valentine’s website and use MODEOFFICE 20 at checkout.
Read our interview with Founder and Director, Georgia Wyrill, and deep dive on the business below👇
🎙️ ICYMI
Boardroom Briefing
AI is entering the insurance chat: now, your vitals can be scanned in seconds to fast-track policies and tailor pricing convenient, yes, but privacy is the fine print. (- via AFR)
Industrial salt is having a moment BCI Minerals, backed by Kerry Stokes, is betting big on WA’s Mardie project as global demand surges. It’s a niche commodity play with major export potential across Asia. (- via AFR)
Australia faces a strategic decision over Abu Dhabi’s $36 billion AUD all-cash bid for Santos, with Treasurer Jim Chalmers and FIRB weighing national energy security and foreign ownership concerns. If approved, the deal would mark one of the largest takeovers in Australian history signalling significant stakes in domestic gas control and geopolitical leverage. (- via AFR)
Simon Birmingham, former Finance Minister and veteran Liberal senator, has been appointed CEO of the Australian Banking Association, starting August 18. His political experience is expected to drive stronger industry collaboration on regulation, innovation, and rebuilding customer trust. (- via Nine News)
Trump’s “Situation Room” photos went viral this week as the U.S. launched strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, marking a dramatic shift from his past anti-war stance. The highly staged images signal a calculated move into global conflict and a bold flex of leadership optics. (- via ABC)
Click here to watch the live updates of the Iran-Israel conflict and Trump’s major foreign policy gamble.
A massive breach has exposed 16 billion login credentials across major platforms like Apple and Google, putting users at serious risk of account takeovers. Experts urge everyone to update passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and use password managers to stay protected. (- via ZDNET)
Entertainment behemoth Warner Bros. Discovery will split into two separate public companies by 2026. Current CEO, David Zaslav, will helm the Streaming and Studios company (like HBO Max), while CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels will oversee the Global Networks side of things (think, CNN, TBS and Warner's other cable channels). The breakup essentially reverses the 2022 merger of Warner Media and Discovery Communications, The Wall Street Journal notes. Rival Comcast is undergoing a similar split.
What’sApp is launching ads. Not even your private chats are safe anymore as Meta announced that WhatsApp will begin displaying advertisements in the Updates tab which is accessed by ~1.5 billion users daily. (- via Smart Business)
The law courts want you to give your pets more belly rubs. The laws around pet ownership during family separation are changing. Pet custody will now be determined by the person who cared the most for the animal, and who has the strongest bond. (- via TDA)
TAB has been fined $4M for spamming their VIP customers. Under the Spam Act 2003, businesses are not allowed to send texts without consent, proper sender information and an option to unsubscribe. ( - via TDA)
Canva just got smarter. The design platform has just acquired MagicBrief, an AI-powered creative intelligence platform that helps teams understand what makes content convert - and create accordingly. With MagicBrief’s data-backed insights, Canva users won’t just make things look good- they’ll know why they work. Creativity, but make it calculated. (- via Canva Newsroom)
Culture & influence
Reese Witherspoon has done it again. Everyone’s favourite media mogul has announced the launch of Sunnie, a Gen Z focussed media and lifestyle brand. The company offers a range of content and resources, like finance education and tips on how to start writing stories, all designed specifically with and for Gen Z girls to help them “take up space”. Is there anything Elle Woods can’t do? (- via Instagram)
The future of luxury travel is all about exclusivity, and Storonsky’s ahead of the game. Revolut’s billionaire cofounder Nik Storonsky has been quietly building Utopia Design - a collection of ultra-luxe, secret vacation homes in Spain, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic for the elite who want to travel with privacy and in style. (- via Forbes)
Sarcastic Sabrina (?) Sabrina Carpenter’s latest cover for Man’s Best Friend has split the internet. Critics are calling it regressive and pandering to the male gaze, a sharp turn from the girl’s girl energy that’s defined her rise to fame. In this case, we’re not sure all PR is good PR but we’re holding out hope it’s part of a bigger, cheekier marketing play. Sarcasm, maybe? We’re patiently waiting.
Labubu’s making bank. Pop Mart founder and CEO Wang Ning, 38, just became China’s youngest top 10 billionaire - thanks to the cult-like obsession with collectible toys. (- via Fortune)
Smart girls know that rest can also be productive. This is what we have been watching & listening to during our downtime, this week:
Alex Cooper’s Documentary, Call Her Alex
Sarah Jessica Parker on Alex Cooper’s podcast, Call Her Daddy
Meghan Markle on Emma Grede’s podcast, Aspire
Julia Wainwright on founding The RealReal on Liv Perez’s podcast, Let’s Get Dressed
Beauty & fashion
TikTok girls are still searching for minimalist beauty and solves for relatable issues. TikTok hashtags are real-time signals on what’s trending. The top trending beauty hashtags include #SPFMakeupProducts, #FoundationFreeMakeup and #OilyHairProblems, revealing a clear demand for personalised, practical routines that solve everyday problems. (- via Vogue Business Tracker)
SPF Showdown: Aussie consumer group CHOICE has called out 16 sunscreens for flopping on their SPF50 claims - including cult-favourite Ultra Violette’s Lean Screen, testing at SPF4. Both companies are standing firm against their own test procedures - so it is hard for consumer to know what to do. The TGA is now investigating. (- via news.com.au)
💌 ANONYMOUS TIP
Watch out old boys club, this is where deals are being made.
The CEOs of Starbucks and Chipotle hit the gym together each morning, bouncing ideas off each other at 5am. Cute. But we’ve found something better.
Last week, we went to an HSR meetup (shoutout to Maggie Sellers 💌) and met an incredible group of female entrepreneurs and corporate intrapreneurs from fashion, investment banking, and consulting. Think collabs, deal flow, and product testing - all happening over wine, not weights. We left buzzing with ideas and can’t wait to show you what we’ve been cooking up with some of the girls 👀
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If you want to come along to the next one, join our group chat here:
📝 DEEP DIVE
Inside Saint Valentine: How Georgia Wyrill built a jewellery brand defined by intention, elegance, and customer insight.
Built on a love for travel, creativity, and considered design, Saint Valentine is the jewellery brand making quiet luxury feel personal. Founded by Georgia Wyrill in 2016, the brand was born from a desire to create high-quality jewellery that doesn’t compromise on comfort, longevity, or price point. With a large portion of their collections handmade in Sydney, there is a strong a focus on quality materials and timeless style, Saint Valentine’s pieces are designed to layer, live in, and love for seasons to come.
Ahead, founder Georgia Wyrill shares her reflections on building the business, the strategies that helped her scale, and the mindset that keeps her grounded. Expect brand-building insight, founder wisdom, and a few gems (pun intended) you’ll want to jot down.
An overview of Georgia’s career path
“I studied Fashion Design at RMIT in Melbourne before moving to Sydney, where I worked in retail while interning in the fashion industry. I worked my way up to managing production and designing accessories for a luxury Australian womenswear brand, while studying jewellery making on the weekend.
Then I took the plunge to start my own business. I worked part-time and casual jobs as well as living off what I’d saved while the brand grew, selling my products at Bondi Markets. Saint Valentine slowly grew to open our first Bondi retail store. We secured wholesale partners like The Iconic and David Jones and the online business then really started growing during Covid.
We now have a team of about 16 and are continuing to grow year on year with myself in the position of Creative Director. My dad has always been entrepreneurial, so I knew I wanted my own business and started Saint Valentine when I was 25, so it will be our 10 year anniversary next year!”
Georgia’s DIML
“Life looks a little different these days - I have a four-month-old baby, so my mornings now start later at 7am (after a few night wakings!), getting my son and myself ready then a coffee walk with the pram, our dog and a podcast if I'm lucky.
I’m back at work four days a week, spending two and a half days in the office and the rest working from home. When I’m in the studio my time is filled with meetings, working with the team on creative, production and design. At home I catch up on emails and focus on design development, marketing calendar, creative approvals, and the day-to-day business operations and strategy.
I feel incredibly grateful for the flexibility running my own business allows while raising my son, Monte. I love being able to pause during the day for feeds and cuddles. I usually wrap up around 5pm to spend time with baby boy before bed, then log back on to do an hour or two more work once he’s asleep and we’ve had dinner, then unwinding for bed (preferably watching a series in the bath!).”
Favourite moment in business to-date
“One of the standout moments was recently, with the launch of our Mum Bracelet for Mother’s Day - a piece created to mark my first year celebrating as a mother, subtly spelling mum in its curvy design. It sold out four times and we’re still on back-order! The feedback from our community was overwhelming and it has really invigorated me and the team, reminding us of what we do it all for, and giving us further direction as a brand. It is really rewarding to see a piece resonate so deeply and take off instantly, especially with a very unique and carefully considered design that has a lot of sentimentality for me personally.”
👉 Checkout the best seller - Mum bracelet here!
Georgia’s top tips!
“Get as much hands-on experience as you can before launching your own business (if that’s your goal). In hindsight, I could have benefited more from further experience before diving in headfirst, especially on the business, management and operations side. Make sure you have a good mentor, bookkeeper and accountant if you’re stronger on the creative side.
Also work really hard and don’t settle for ‘good enough.’ When you set high standards for yourself and your team, stay persistent, and prioritise creativity, the results will follow.”
Something she’s looking forward to (with the brand or personal)
“I’m always looking forward to traveling so we’re going to visit Vietnam, Hong Kong, China and Japan for work later in the year which will be great (and interesting with a baby!) We’re then planning on attending Salone de Mobile design week in Milan next April with my sister and her partner who are about to have their first child, so that should be a beautiful and inspiring trip - creatively and personally.”
The Mode Office PoV
Insights from the Editors, Adrianna and Maddi - customer and business strategists with experience across the ASX100 and industries including consumer, government, and financial services.
Saint Valentine knows their customer deeply. This enables them to scale with focus, create strong loyalty and create a strong identity and unique position in the market.
What we find striking about Saint Valentine’s journey is the discipline and clarity Georgia has shown in focusing on her primary market. From the beginning, she has built a loyal customer base grounded in Sydney, which has steadily expanded to a global following. The brand drives engagement and resonance through a strong omni-channel presence, clear language, beautiful imagery and seamless digital touch points.
In addition, Georgia and her team take a thoughtful approach to product design. Rather than chasing trends, Saint Valentine remains anchored in a clear proposition, delivered with consistency, quality, and care. As a result, this builds trust with their customers, helps them to understand what the brand stands for, what to expect and makes it easy for them to say ‘yes’ time and time again.
A considered and clever pricing strategy has helped shape Saint Valentine’s strong brand perception, attract the right customers and support sustainable growth.
Saint Valentine is a brand that understands it’s economic position in market and that is part of it’s power. While the jewellery market is saturated, we believe the brand competes by being sharper rather than louder. Think timeless designs, consistent branding, and a smart price architecture.
With entry-level prices starting under $100, Stain Valentine lowers the barrier to discovery as it invites new customers in through more affordable core pieces. In addition, it encourages repeat purchases through a thoughtfully tiered collection, and drives loyalty through limited drops and seasonal collections. From everyday staples to elevated silhouettes, and even a bridal offering, the brand strikes a rare balance: accessible without feeling mass, and aspirational without being out of reach.
It’s a textbook example of how to scale without diluting your brand making Saint Valentine a compelling case study in sustainable, customer-centric growth.
👜 STYLE SESSION
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📖 How to make more money without working harder: a piece on how to negotiate your salary. (- via The Cut)
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See you next week,
Adrianna & Maddi x