Beyond the black letter law

00:00 - Intro 01:28 - The inspiration behind Nou Tou Mantal 04:30 - Not being alone 07:18 - What is mental health 08:12 - Launching the first episode 13:16 - Receiving feedback 15:50 - Growing a platform organically 17:55 - Preconceptions about mental health 21:38 - The reality of a breakdown 24:36 - Commonalities and differences around mental health 29:26 - Podcasting as a barrister 32:36 - The i...

What goes on in the mind of a serial killer? Were they born this way or made so? Are they capable of change? What does a criminal profiler do? Why do people fall in love with criminals? These are but a few questions we explored in this week’s podcast during this fascinating conversation with Micki Pistorius , South Africa’s first criminal profiler and the first woman in the profession. Micki is re...

Carrying the legacy of a name is often seen as a privilege, but it is in fact, more often than not, a heavy responsibility.  It is no small feat to carry that burden with grace, without false humility and no sense of entitlement. This is one of the many reasons why I enjoyed my refreshing – and at times, very philosophical - conversation with this week’s guest.  As Nikhil Boolell so eloquently put...

00:00 - Intro  01:03 - Why tax? 02:29 - Having and being a mentor 04:49 - Lifelong learning 07:02 - Nurturing client relationships 09:48 - Tax challenges Mauritius faces 13:45 - The future of Mauritius IFC 16:24 - Mauritius IFA 17:40 - Why attend the 16th Mauritius Africa-Asia conference 18:48 - Advice for the young professional 20:38 - Would our jobs still exist in 10 years? 21:52 - Alternative c...

What do Indian classical dance, molecular genetics, and neuroscience have in common? More than you’d think. A few weeks ago, I had the joy of meeting someone whose inner beauty shone throughout our conversation.  Nirupama Anand 🌀 is not just a dance teacher. Her energy, philosophy, and life story are infused with a contagious joie de vivre that stays with you long after you’ve met her. Born on a...

“Une roupie pour 10,000, je n’aurais jamais mis mon argent sur Gavin » Those were the teasing words of a very proud grandfather when his grandson bagged the coveted laureate scholarship in February 1980. A “late bloomer”, as he candidly describes himself, the bright teenager went on to read law at Oxford University before embarking on a formidable 40-year career at the Mauritian bar, earning the w...

I am sometimes – perhaps more often than I should – quite critical of the education system that shaped me.  The rote learning, the pressure to excel academically, the intense competition to be laureate, the relentless private tuition. However, I can only be grateful for the opportunities that the system gave me. And when I look at my circle of friends from school, I realise that they share the sam...

The UK, in many ways, is a second home to me. It is a country which welcomed me with open arms when I had barely reached adulthood and which enabled me to thrive in a wholly meritocratic environment. Mauritius has always had a special relationship with the UK. In spite of the complex layers of our colonial past, the relationship remains an enduring one, from an economic, financial, social and cult...

Having a curious mind and the humility to continuously learn is a common theme I find amongst many of my guests. What I also take from those conversations is that there are no shortcuts to "success" and that circumventing hard work is only a recipe for short term gratification or glory. This week's guest is no exception. On the occasion of Music Day celebrated last Saturday, I was t...

00:00 - Intro  01:36 - What it means to be a visionary leader 05:57 - Is one born a leader? 07:54 - Being an architect of opportunity 09:57 - Finding inspiration in nature 12:24 - The challenge of creating an amazing company culture 16:14 - Leadership style 19:45 - Leading in tough times 21:38 - Failing well, failing fast 24:05 - Your say to do ratio 27:43 - Embedding a meritocratic environment 29...

00:00 - Intro 01:47 - Yuv’s mission in life 02:55 - Why activism? 05:09 - Being heard 06:55 - Youth and climate change 09:07 - The plight of SIDS 12:12 - Why is COP always disappointing 14:21 - The Paris Agreement 15:11 - The Generation Gap 17:31 - Working with international organisations 20:41 - How climate change interconnects with other issues 23:40 - We forget what we don’t see 24:27 - How awa...

00:00 - Intro 01:23 - Shamima’s journey 02:49 - Making the move into private sector 05:39 - The value of continuity 07:04 - Bridging the public/private gap 10:06 - Being a woman in the financial services sector 13:28 - Balancing home and work 15:14 - Cultivating good habits 17:55 - The future of the IFC 22:50 - Unification of the global business industry 24:28 - Role of Mauritius Finance 25:29 - I...

🎨 What happens when Angelina Jolie, Victoria Beckham, Liam Gallagher and George Clooney all own your art? According to this week’s guest, it’s just as rewarding as seeing anyone connect with his work. Because for him, art is about impact, not ego. I'm thrilled to be joined this week by Dom Pattinson, an extremely talented British painter whose vibrant, provocative and often darkly humorous p...

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the very definition of madness (*a quote widely attributed to Einstein, although not actually evidenced).   Anyone working in the global business sector might agree that we’ve spent the last decade (and more) repeating the same abstract conversations—strategy, innovation, value-add, transformation—without anchoring them i...

When I think of PR and crisis management, my mind instantly goes to Shonda Rhimes’ Scandal — full of intrigue, drama, and plot twists. The real world of PR may be less theatrical, but it still demands careful strategy, smart communication, and masterful diplomacy. This week’s podcast guest, Samantha Seewoosurrun FCIPR , founder of Platform Africa , is a seasoned expert in this space and needs no i...

As barristers — both young and less young — there’s always something to learn from those who came before us. Our seniors carry with them stories, wisdom, and lived experience that no textbook could ever teach. I’ve admired this week’s guest from afar for many years. After a fair bit of gentle pestering (mostly directed at his junior!), he graciously accepted my invitation to join the podcast and s...

00:00 - Intro 01:08 - Why our guest? 02:37 - Sherry’s definition of leadership 05:28 - An exceptional leader 07:36 - Why do we lack guts? 08:10 - Exceptional leaders are born, not made 11:26 - People follow leaders 12:34 - Speed versus impulse 15:45 - Building a team 16:41 - Inspiring leaders throughout history 18:31 - Leaning into setbacks 25:45 - Why we should learn to fail well 28:45 - The art...

00:00 - Intro  01:58 - Why environmental law? 03:34 - Challenges of practising environmental law 06:54 - What is an Environmental Impact Assessment? 10:58 - Why Ecosud is a landmark judgment 15:15 - Proceeding with the works pending a claim 16:16 - Impact of Ecosud on real estate projects 18:18 - Accountability of authorities 20:38 - Environment Act 2024 24:58 - Value of practising environmental l...

Imagine deciding to climb a 4,500m mountain at just 10 years old. I tried picturing my own son doing it… and honestly, I couldn’t. The sheer courage, determination, and resilience it must have taken for that young boy to set the goal of climbing Mount Meru —and then achieve it, despite challenges like getting lost in the middle of the night (!)—is nothing short of extraordinary. That defining mome...

“Life is politics” These words made me pause for thought when I told this week’s guest that I do not discuss politics on the podcast. In popular culture, "politics" has been reduced to bipartisan debates (and dare I add, drama), when in reality, politics is woven into every aspect of our lives—our rights and responsibilities, our food security, our economy, our future. For Dr. The Honour...

00:00 - Intro 01:26 - Who is Ingrid? 02:31 - Be the best you can be 04:01 - Having a curious mind 04:58 - Story telling 06:21 - What is virtual reality 07:26 - What is freedom? 10:37 - Telling authentic stories about people 14:00 - Losing uniqueness 17:20 - Reclaim our freedom of choice 19:57 - Ingrid’s best story 25:43 - Embracing our Kreolness 28:14 - The foundation of education 29:30 - Mot de l...

I find myself changing my views on AI nearly every week. One week, I’m a staunch critic, lamenting how it stifles creativity, dulls our minds, and makes us lazier and quite frankly - dumber.  The next week, I'm captivated by its potential to revolutionise fields like medicine and physics and to enhance our productivity and efficiency. The truth likely lies somewhere in the middle. Like many a...

00:00 - Intro 02:20 - L’envie d’ekrir 08:43 - Le monde de la pub 11:18 - De l’abstrait au concret 13:20 - Processus de création 17:05 - Maitriser son sujet 19:19 - C’est quoi la verite?   23:19 - Fact versus truth 25:23 - Vibes and vibrations 27:35 - Storytelling dans publicité 31:26 - Pena shortcut 35:29 - Information v/s connaissance 36:56 - Seki fer ene bon écrivain 41:01 - Insecurités et negat...

00:00 - Intro 01:36 - An alternative career 02:47 - Was law a choice 03:57 - The essence of a barrister 05:26 - Exercise duty without fear or favour 06:15 - Duty to the court 07:37 - Most memorable case 14:14 - Case of the 8 year old 16:11 - Criminal law and detachment 17:55 - My methodology 20:15 - Ambush defences 21:51 - Justice delayed 25:32 - Enacting legislation v/s structural reform 27:43 -...

Respect, humilité et l’amour de sa mère…   Certaines valeurs (parmi tant d’autres) qui ont forgé le caractère de notre invité de cette semaine et qui continuent de le guider alors qu’il tente de naviguer les défis d’être un artiste à Maurice.   Il est si facile de juger ou de se faire une opinion de quelqu’un à partir d’une seule chanson – surtout lorsque cette chanson devient virale dans un conte...