Rosemont Art Advisory is pleased to sit down this month with the Grand Dame of private aviation, sophisticated art collector and art patron, Monica Agusta, the Executive VP of Netjets, the world wide leader in private aviation.
This interview is part of series of artist interview, released every month in our newsletter.
As way of introduction please tell us when was NetJets founded and what is your mission?
NetJets hasn’t become the world’s leading business aviation company overnight. NetJets was founded back in 1964 and we built our reputation for excellence over the course of every day and every flight for half a century. Backed by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, NetJets has been the global leader in private aviation for more than 50 years. Today, we own and control the world’s largest fleet of private jets with a total of 750 aircraft worldwide.
The company was founded as Executive Jet Aviation, the world’s first private jet charter and aircraft management company. In 1986 then CEO Richard Santulli launched the revolutionary concept of shared jet ownership, with Owners buying a share of an aircraft equivalent to their required number of annual flying hours. In 1996 NetJets expanded to Europe and introduced shared ownership to the European private aviation market. In 1998 Berkshire Hathaway Inc, acquired NetJets. In 2012 NetJets announced the largest aircraft order in private aviation history for over 400 aircraft at a total value of more than $17 billion.
Please share with us what experience can clients expect when flying Netjets? What programs do you offer?
There are two main ways in which you can join the NetJets programme. Our core business is shared ownership. Buying a share of a NetJets aircraft provides you with access to our entire fleet, starting from just 50 hours per year. No wasted investment. No administration fees. No headaches. We take care of every aspect of aircraft ownership from hiring and training pilots to flight planning, scheduling and logistics. And access to an aircraft is guaranteed with as little as 10 hours’ notice.
We also offer a private jet card for those that are looking to try the benefits of NetJets but fly less. Requiring a single upfront payment and no capital investment, a Jet Card provides guaranteed access to the NetJets fleet with as little as 24 hours’ notice. Our Private Jet Cards are available from 25 hours per year, the equivalent to just four or five return trips.
Your implication in arts & culture is exemplary, you have a passion for the arts—visual, performing, and beyond. Why do You support and sponsor the arts and which artists do you promote?
As you can imagines, art is a major passion point for our clients. We work with a number of galleries and fairs around the globe but our biggest collaboration is with Art Basel. Art Basel is the world’s leading contemporary art fair and is one of the most important annual events in the UHNW calendar. This year’s show back in June was no exception with almost 100 NetJets flight across the course of the week.
NetJets has been a sponsor of the fair for 18 years. Every year, NetJets creates a six-day event at the events in Basel and Miami Beach with a VIP lounge, within the Collector’s Area, providing owners with hospitality throughout the week. This invitation-only escape is an on-site reprieve from the busy exhibition, where guests can relax while enjoying a unique culinary experience.
Increasingly we have been highlighting our commitment to art through our artist collaborations during Art Basel. This year, we collaborated with renowned painter, sculptor, and photographer Matthew Day Jackson. Matthew transformed the NetJets VIP Lounge with a selection of paintings and a furniture collection in collaboration with Finnish design house Made by Choice, inspired by images of the moon.
Matthew’s ‘Solipsist’ paintings depict aerial views of colourful, silkscreened Formica landscapes, with satellites cast in poured lead that give the appearance of hovering above. Visitors to the lounge were also able to enjoy the artwork while using the tables and chairs from Jackson’s furniture collection, ‘Kolho’. The furniture was created with a Formica surface that Jackson designed himself, which subtly replicates to scale the surface of the moon.
Who is your favourite artist and which museum have you visited recently?
I love art on all its declinations.
One if my favourite artist is Alberto Giacometti. My last visit to a Museum was in May to see his retrospective at the “Musee’ d’Art Moderne de Lille. “
Credit Pictures: NewJets
1-2: Monica Agusta
3-5: Art Basel & NewJets
7-9: NewJets