Monocle is in Jakarta this week for The Chiefs, our annual business-and-leadership conference. Our editors, correspondents, photographers and radio producers have fanned out across the Indonesian capital to visit art fairs, furniture showrooms, busy restaurants and bustling cocktail bars. On Wednesday, Monocle’s editor in chief, Andrew Tuck, and I had a breakfast meeting at City Hall with Pramono “Pram” Anung, who has been the governor of the country’s biggest city since February. The former mining executive-turned-politician had one word for foreign investors and international businesses looking to invest in Jakarta: transparency. The 61-year-old is determined to slash bureaucracy, tackle corruption and make it easier to get projects off the ground. It’s well-worn territory and there’s certainly a lot to do. But Pramono’s reputation and no-nonsense demeanour are reasons for optimism.

A business-friendly provincial government will be welcome news for the executives and entrepreneurs joining us today for the fourth edition of The Chiefs, which is our first in Southeast Asia. Two-thirds of our speakers are from the rapidly growing region. Indonesia’s domestic market will be a big talking point onstage, just as it is in many boardrooms across the continent. Vietnam’s largest private conglomerate, Vingroup, recently introduced its turquoise electric taxis to Jakarta. Meanwhile, Singapore-based ride-hailing and delivery app Grab is poised to acquire its Indonesian equivalent, GoJek. Residents might not be happy at the sight of their national technology champion being gobbled up by a neighbour but the multibillion-dollar merger will make it easier to move around and allow it to take on global giants from the US and China.

The next step for Jakarta is to put itself on the tourist map. As our editors have discovered, culture, design and hospitality are booming – and people here know how to party. Jakarta might be one of the world’s most underrated capitals. Pramono wants his city to be a “verandah”, a hub for all of southeast Asia. I would argue that it already is. Some of the shadier corners just need a good sweep – and the governor could be the man to do it.

Chambers is Monocle’s Asia editor. To hear our interview with governor Pramono Anung, as well as highlights from the conference so far, tune in to ‘The Globalist’ on Monocle Radio from 07.00 London time.

You will rarely spot a Tesla on the streets of São Paulo (writes Bryan Harris). While much of the world has bought into electric vehicles, Brazil has been remarkably slow on the uptake. But the rising popularity of China’s top-selling car brand is shifting things up a gear: in the past three years, the number of BYD vehicles registered in the Latin American country has exploded from just a few hundred in 2022 to 76,000 in 2024. The Shenzhen-headquartered company is now the leading EV maker in Brazil, accounting for seven out of 10 sold. BYD has priced its cars strategically for the country’s market and its spacious, technologically advanced models have proved a hit with drivers.

Record late snowfall has resulted in perfect conditions on pistes across the Alps and a triumphant end to ski season in Europe (writes Simon Bouvier). French resort towns in particular have enjoyed a good run. When the season resumes in December, seasonal sleeper train Travelski Night Express will make its debut, connecting Paris to Aime-La Plagne, Moutiers and Bourg-Saint-Maurice. It will also provide access to resorts such as Les Arcs, Val Thorens and Courchevel.

Bucharest has been in the throes of a building boom over the past few years (writes Laura Kramer). But much of the infrastructure has been constructed haphazardly and urbanists say that fresh thinking is needed. This weekend, Bucharest will play host to the New Urban Habits festival, a first-of-its-kind event in Romania focusing on the future of cities. Over the course of two days, architects, planners and sustainability experts will discuss ways to improve metropolises through practical solutions to urban problems. The event is organised by UrbanizeHub, a Bucharest-based collective working to make cities across Eastern Europe smarter and more liveable. “We want to find ways to turn abstract ideas about sustainable living into real actions,” Oana Onciu, the festival’s project manager, tells The Monocle Minute. With the support of international partners such as the Dutch Cycling Embassy, the programme will spotlight best-in-class ideas by city leaders and cover topics from micro-mobility to the governance of public space. This being Romania, expect some merriment in the evening too. Tuica, anyone?
newurbanhabits.com

Menswear title Fantastic Man is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month with a special edition featuring 10 different front covers, one of which features its first cover star, actor Rupert Everett. The issue also looks ahead to where the magazine is heading. Fantastic Man was co-founded in the Netherlands by Gert Jonkers and Jop van Bennekom. Here, Monocle’s Fernando Augusto Pacheco speaks to Jonkers to find out more.

We discuss the crowning achievements of two leaders behind brands with royal seals of approval: the president of a 500-year-old Japanese confectionery company and the CEO of a Swedish haircare brand beloved by the country’s royal family.