At the helm of Clinique La Prairie for almost a decade, Simone has transformed the brand into more than just a luxury health clinic. He’s built a thoughtful, personalized ecosystem where longevity is a lifelong journey, not a quick fix. From advanced genetic testing to holistic care and ongoing support, every step is designed around the individual, with science and compassion working hand in hand. His leadership style reflects his personal values: curiosity, learning, and leading by example.
In this inspiring conversation, he opens up about what longevity really means to him, how he builds connection and trust across cultures, and why the journey to better health is something we recommit to every day.
Your journey began far from the world of longevity. Looking back, what personal belief or early conviction first set you on the path toward shaping lives through health and innovation and how has that compass guided your evolution across such diverse industries?
My journey began far from the world of longevity, yet one core belief has always guided me: true fulfilment comes from continuous self-improvement and achieving goals that have real meaning. From a young age, I understood that the greatest satisfactions require hard work and purpose – anything too easy or aimless brings only shallow rewards. This conviction became my compass through diverse industries, pushing me to constantly learn, grow, and strive for meaningful impact. I’ve also always believed in sharing knowledge and helping others along the way. In fact, I even authored a book on self-improvement early in my career, because passing on what I’ve learned and seeing others benefit from it is one of the most beautiful rewards. That passion for personal growth and contribution set me on the path that ultimately led to transforming lives through health and innovation.
Since taking the helm of Clinique La Prairie, you've led a bold transformation, combining scientific innovation with global expansion. Among all these achievements, which milestone resonates most with your personal vision and values and why?
Since taking the helm at Clinique La Prairie, my proudest achievement is building what I call our longevity ecosystem – a comprehensive journey that extends far beyond a one-week stay. We have crafted a holistic philosophy grounded in four key pillars (medical care, nutrition, well-being, and movement) and implemented it across an entire ecosystem of services. This meant creating a seamless path for clients to improve their health in the long term, rather than offering quick fixes. For example, we developed a global network of intimate Health Resorts and urban Longevity Hubs so that our clients can access Clinique La Prairie’s expertise wherever they are. We also brought our science into daily life with a line of longevity supplements that encapsulate our research – enabling clients to carry “a piece of Clinique La Prairie” with them every day. Most recently, we even launched a Longevity Fund to invest in cutting-edge longevity technologies, which I see as “a new milestone for the Clinique La Prairie ecosystem” and a testament to our commitment to advancing longevity science. Each of these moves resonates deeply with my personal vision: they combine innovation with a genuine human-centric purpose. We are not just expanding a business; we are creating pathways for people to live healthier, longer, and more fulfilling lives, which has always been my ultimate goal.
Longevity is now part of a global conversation but at Clinique La Prairie, it's deeply personalized. What does "longevity" mean to you on a human level, and how does that meaning shape the ecosystem you're building?
To me, longevity is not a one-time treatment but a continuous, deeply personalized journey. In practice, this journey unfolds in three fundamental steps.
Step 1 is advanced diagnostics: we begin by understanding each individual as precisely as possible. At Clinique La Prairie we pioneered comprehensive testing – from genetic profiles to epigenetic analyses – for every client, because knowing your personal “blueprint” is crucial. In fact, our approach to hyper-customization literally involves looking at a client’s DNA to tailor the highest level of care. People are now recognizing that longevity must be precisely tailored to who they are, down to their genetic and epigenetic markers.
Step 2 is holistic intervention: armed with data, we design long-term interventions that address the whole person. This means combining medicine, nutrition, movement, and well-being therapies in an integrated way, rather than isolated fixes. Consistency is more important than any single therapy – sustainable results come from maintaining healthy habits and treatments over time. We apply the latest science and medical expertise to guide this phase, but always in a way that fits the person’s lifestyle and needs. It’s a truly multidisciplinary effort, from doctors and nutritionists to mindfulness coaches, all working in concert to improve healthspan.
Step 3 is continuous follow-up: longevity is a lifelong commitment, so our job is not done when a client leaves our clinic. We close the loop by monitoring progress and adjusting recommendations in a meaningful way. Through our evolving ecosystem, we stay connected with clients after their initial program – whether via regular check-ups, coaching, or technology like digital health platforms and wearables. This feedback loop is essential: we learn what works for an individual and fine-tune their regimen accordingly. In essence, the journey becomes a cycle of ongoing improvement. We’ve found that this long-term, iterative engagement is the only serious approach to longevity. As I often say to our guests, a week at the clinic can be a wonderful kick-start, but the real key is what comes after – the habits and follow-ups that keep them on course. In fact, many people used to approach longevity as a “one and done” vacation, but now they understand the importance of a continuous program and staying in contact for the long term. By committing to this cycle – understand, intervene, evaluate, and repeat – and by grounding it in strong medical science, we truly help people add not just years to life, but life to their years.
One of your greatest challenges has been expanding an iconic institution without diluting its soul. How do you reconcile growth with exclusivity and what principles help you replicate excellence across cultures while preserving the identity of a heritage brand?
Expanding a heritage institution like Clinique La Prairie globally has been a careful balancing act between growth and exclusivity. We have a nearly century-old DNA of excellence to preserve, so we deliberately choose quality over quantity in our expansion. Our vision is to establish about 10 ultra-exclusive Health Resorts worldwide (each with no more than 30–50 rooms), complemented by around 40 smaller Longevity Hubs in key cities – and no more than that. In an era when many luxury hospitality brands boast dozens of new openings, our numbers are intentionally limited. As I’ve explained, we could try to serve 200,000 clients instead of 2,000, but could we do it well? Probably not, because delivering this level of personalized care doesn’t scale easily. We stick to what we do best: “delivering certain services in a human centric way, to a limited number of individual clients who have the resources to invest in those services,” as I’ve noted in the past.
This philosophy means we sometimes say no to opportunities that don’t 110% align with our standards. We partner only with those who embrace our philosophy completely. Indeed, we have closed projects where our partners couldn’t uphold our brand’s ethos. We also grow slowly on purpose. Maybe we launch one new center a year, if that, ensuring we train each team to replicate our Swiss standards and holistic approach. The result is that even as we grow, we’re essentially crafting boutique experiences. For example, our original Swiss clinic in Montreux has just 38 guest rooms, cared for by a team of 50 doctors and a total staff of 300. Those ratios are unheard of elsewhere, and we maintain similar intimate scales in new locations. This small scale and “cautious attitude” toward expansion – even amid high demand – is what protects the soul of our brand. Ultimately, I believe exclusivity is not about shutting people out; it’s about keeping the experience extraordinary for those who are truly committed. And in the emerging field of longevity, the truth is that the number of individuals ready to fully commit to a longevity journey is still limited. Despite all the buzz around longevity today, the pool of truly dedicated participants is smaller than many think. We’re okay with that. By growing gradually and selectively, we ensure that Clinique La Prairie’s identity – its unparalleled quality, care, and heritage – is never diluted, no matter what culture or country we’re in.
Your career has taken you across continents and industries, each with distinct ways of thinking and leading. Which cultural influence has most deeply shaped your leadership and how has it enriched the way you connect with teams and drive transformation?
Having worked across different continents and industries, I’ve found that the most powerful cultural influence on my leadership isn’t from any single country – it’s the culture of continuous learning. In every new environment, I approach it first as a student. I make it a habit to dedicate time each day to learning and self-improvement. In fact, I carve out about an hour each morning for activities that center me – whether it’s reading up on new research, meditating, journaling, or exercising – a routine that keeps my mind sharp and open. By investing that hour in myself every day, I’ve been able to rapidly gain expertise in each field I’ve entered. I truly believe that if you devote just one focused hour per day to understanding your industry, you’ll quickly become one of the best in that field.
Moreover, I’ve been deeply shaped by the entrepreneurial spirit I encountered working with visionary people around the world. Even when operating as a CEO or manager, I think like an entrepreneur at heart. To me, “doing enterprise” means creating something new, taking calculated risks, and relentlessly seeking better ways to serve people. I’ve always admired how entrepreneurs across cultures dare to innovate and persevere, and I strive to bring that energy into my leadership. For example, I tend to be hands-on and lead by example – I wouldn’t ask my team to do something that I’m not willing to do myself. I also constantly encourage a mindset of improvement within my teams; even small continuous improvements matter. At the same time, my early career in consulting taught me the value of data-driven decision making and structured thinking, which balances my entrepreneurial side. Blending these influences has enriched how I connect with my teams: I encourage them to keep learning, to think creatively, and to never lose sight of our mission. This is one reason I started my weekly newsletter Unlock Longevity – to share insights and new ideas about living longer, healthier, more fulfilled lives . By fostering an openness to knowledge and innovation, I aim to inspire my teams and colleagues to join me in pushing boundaries and making a positive impact.
You often speak of health as a meaningful ecosystem rather than a product. Beyond business success, what legacy would you hope to leave through Clinique La Prairie and your broader work in wellness and longevity?
When I think about legacy, I look beyond business metrics – I focus on the people whose lives I’ve touched. Throughout my career, I’ve made it a priority to build genuine, strong relationships with those who work alongside me. I’m proud that many of my collaborators and teammates over the years remain close, and I hope I’ve been a positive influence in each of their lives. There’s a social responsibility in any enterprise, and I feel that profoundly. As a leader, I believe my role isn’t just to run a successful company, but to help individuals – whether employees or clients – to grow, thrive, and feel enriched by our interaction.
At Clinique La Prairie, this ethos is encapsulated in our core mission to help people “live better and longer”. I want that to be my personal legacy as well. If a colleague can say that working with me made them more passionate or successful, or if a client feels their health and outlook improved because of something I championed, that to me is the highest reward. Indeed, our ultimate mission as a company is to help people live longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives, and I’m devoted to advancing that mission in every way I can. Whether it’s through pioneering new longevity sciences or simply taking the time to mentor a team member, my hope is to leave behind a legacy of improved lives. In the end, helping others live better – clients, employees, anyone I encounter – is the most meaningful contribution I can think of. If years from now people remember that I inspired them to invest in their well-being, to embrace innovation, or to strive for their best selves, I will consider that the greatest success of all.
To finish on a personal note, if you were to be:
- A beauty product
If I were a beauty product: I would be a renewing serum – one that blends cutting-edge science and natural ingredients to regenerate cells from within. Rejuvenating serum represents the idea of continuous improvement and vitality, which resonates with my own approach to beauty and health. - A longevity program
If I were a longevity program: I would be a comprehensive, personalized health journey. Think of a program that combines all four pillars of longevity – medical insight, tailored nutrition, physical activity, and mental well-being – into one transformative experience. It wouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all bootcamp, but rather something akin to our signature Revitalisation program: highly customized to each person’s profile and focused on kick-starting lasting change. - A destination
If I were a destination: I would choose to be a place where serenity meets innovation. The image that comes to mind is our home in Montreux, Switzerland – nestled between the calm Lake Geneva and the majestic Alps. It’s a location that inspires wellbeing: pure air, stunning nature, a sense of heritage and peace. - A quote
If I were a quote: I would coin a simple motto that encapsulates my philosophy. It would likely be: “Never stop improving yourself, and share what you learn to improve the lives of others.” This line merges two beliefs I hold dearly – the importance of continuous personal growth, and the duty to help others with the knowledge or skills you’ve gained.
