We caught up with Simon Newton, founder of private security company Askari Secure Ltd, health and fitness ambassador and former bodyguard to Michael Jackson.
My car of choice
I have always had a huge interest in cars and have always seen it as an extension of my outfit. A Lamborghini Aventador LP 770-4 SVJ has to be top of my exotic car list as Lamborghini have been a brand I have loved since I was a child. That being said lately, although a totally different car, I have had a lot of love for the Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge Series.
My favourite holiday destination
I don’t really have a favourite destination as I like to go somewhere different every time. That being said Cuba has been top of my list for a while. I have been to most countries in the world, but Cuba I haven’t. I have a great love for cigars so what better place to go.
My gadget I can’t live without
I’m not a big gadget guy so in terms of something I couldn’t live without I would have to say my Apple iPhone. I do have another piece of tech that I do think is smart and that is Apple Car Play in my Range Rover. In their latest models, Range Rover have implemented Apple Car Play as standard and I think it’s a great addition.
My go to fashion brand
When it comes to casual wear, Gucci and Louis Vuitton are two brands I go to and I love Giuseppe Zanotti for casual footwear. When it comes to more formal wear, Tom Ford has always been top of my list for certain occasions and most recently, I have taken an interest in Ozwald Boateng.
My airline of choice
I have always used Emirates when possible, in the early part of my career I used to fly in and out of Dubai regularly and we always flew with Emirates. More recently the airline was the first to offer a fully enclosed suite for First Class passengers on their new Boeing 777 with a free chauffer service at the other end of your flight. In terms of luxury on a commercial airline it doesn’t get much better than that.
My favourite watch brand
Watches are my second passion after cars, however, more often than not they aren’t any cheaper. For a number of years and currently I wear a Hublot Big Bang 44mm with a Rose Gold case. But today and by far my favourite brand is Richard Mille, particularly the Richard Mille RM 50-30 produced in collaboration with the Formula 1 team McLaren.
My guilty pleasure
That’s a simple question for me, ice cream. I have a bit of a sweet tooth and love all types of ice cream. I do control my consumption though and generally limit myself to eating it only on a Sunday evening so I’m only having it once a week. I only buy what I eat, if I buy extra it’s unlikely it will stay in the freezer until the following Sunday.
My favourite restaurant
Living in central London there are a lot of classy restaurants that serve amazing food. The Ivy Asia St Paul’s is at the top of the list for me at the moment with Park Chinos not far behind. I also find Beast amazing if I want a nice steak. Fitness is a big part of my life so when I am dieting and training unfortunately eating out often isn’t an option for me.
My favourite way to give back
Outside of charities, one of my favourite ways is to help people in day to day life. Maybe helping with bags, giving directions, cheering someone up, showing a person how to do something they are unsure how to do. I particularly like to do this with people I don’t know, people in the street that at that particular time appear to be struggling with something. I always think it doesn’t cost anything but can make a big impact on someone’s day. On occasions people don’t thank you for your help but that doesn’t really matter. Deep down you know they wish they were as confident as you to help a stranger.
