The Luxury Education Foundation (LEF) marked a historic milestone on May 29th, 2025, with an anniversary tribute hosted at Christie’s Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. The half-day celebration event explored the future of luxury through a dynamic program of presentations, panels, a luncheon, and networking, bringing together over 150 industry leaders to celebrate 20 years of innovation, mentorship, and excellence in luxury education.
Founded in 2005 with a single program at Columbia Business School, LEF has grown into a global community that bridges academia and the luxury industry, with immersive programs that span from one-on-one mentorship to dynamic brand collaborations. The celebration honored this evolution and spotlighted the Foundation’s enduring mission: to shape the future of the luxury industry by nurturing in the next generation of talent.
The day began with opening remarks by Joyce Green, Managing Director of CHANEL France and Chair of the LEF Board, and Ketty Maisonrouge, followed by a presentation by Boston Consulting Group. A high-level panel on connecting authentically with a global clientele ensued, including Nicolas Beckers (Rémy Cointreau), Sabyasachi Mukherjee (Sabyasachi), and Carolyn Dawkins (David Yurman), moderated by Matteo Torre (Ferrari North America). A keynote discussion on the future of luxury followed, featuring Robert B. Chavez, LEF Chairman Emeritus and former President & CEO of Hermès Americas, in conversation with James Fallon, Editorial Director of Fairchild Media Group.
Upon conclusion of the presentations and panel discussions, a networking champagne reception kicked-off the Celebration Luncheon, which featured remarks from Costis Maglaras, Dean of Columbia Business School, and the presentation of LEF’s 20th Anniversary honoree. Robert B. Chavez was honored for his remarkable 20 years of service to the Luxury Education Foundation, and the first LEF Alumni Award was presented to Priyanka (Piya) Newkirk, Senior Vice President of Category Management & Strategy at L’Oréal Luxe, recognizing her outstanding leadership, dedication, and contributions to advancing excellence in the luxury industry.
