Jean-Baptiste Quesnay delivers keynotes and executive briefings for leadership teams, brands, hospitality groups and developers on how organisations build meaning, distinctiveness and long-term desirability.
From brand positioning and performance marketing to art, hospitality and cultural capital, each talk translates strategic ideas into frameworks leaders can apply to their own organisation.
Brands, artworks and places often derive value from the same forces: narrative, rarity, reputation, status, belonging and cultural validation.
Moon Above examines how these forces shape desire and how leadership teams can translate them into clearer positioning, stronger experiences and more distinctive strategic choices.
Why Most Branding Processes Begin Too Late
Most branding processes begin with identity, communication or creative execution before the organisation has decided what the brand should mean.
This talk explains how leaders can begin earlier: by understanding the cultural environment, identifying the territory the brand can credibly occupy, choosing a clear position and translating that choice into expression.
“The most desirable things in the world — a Basquiat, a Birkin, an Aman suite — have one thing in common. Nobody needed them. Everybody wanted them.”
Moon Above Advisory
What Brands Can Learn From the Art Market
Why can an object become desirable far beyond its utility? Why do some brands generate waiting lists, communities and exceptional pricing power while comparable products remain interchangeable?
Through examples from the art market, luxury, hospitality and design, this talk examines how rarity, authorship, provenance, cultural validation and narrative shape perceived value.
Why Short-Term Efficiency Can Weaken Long-Term Brand Value
Performance marketing has made communication more measurable, but not necessarily more memorable.
When every decision is optimised for immediate response, brands can gradually lose distinctiveness, emotional meaning and cultural relevance. This talk examines how organisations can pursue performance without reducing the brand to a conversion system.
“Every iconic brand has a point of view on culture. The ones that do not are just products with a logo.”
Moon Above Advisory
Why Iconic Places Are Built With Culture, Not Promotion
The most distinctive places are not remembered only for their architecture or service. They express a coherent cultural point of view through design, art, programming, language, community and behaviour.
This talk presents a practical framework for turning a property or destination into a place with meaning, recognition and long-term cultural relevance.
How brands build value beyond transactions through meaning, reputation, cultural validation and accumulated relevance.
Designed for leadership teams examining how cultural investment, reputation and long-term meaning contribute to brand value.
45–60 minutes, followed by moderated questions.
60–90 minutes, adapted to a leadership team and its strategic context.
A facilitated working session applying the framework to the organisation.
Participation in conferences, private events and leadership programmes.
English and French
Each engagement includes an initial preparation call and adaptation of the material to the audience, sector and objective.
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay is an entrepreneur and strategic advisor with more than fifteen years of experience across branding, communications, luxury and international market development. He previously co-founded and led TRENDS across Paris, Dubai and Tokyo, advising more than 500 brands. His work and perspective have been featured in Forbes and WWD.
Available for corporate events, leadership meetings, hospitality conferences, private briefings and executive programmes.
Share your audience, objective, preferred format and location. We will recommend the most relevant keynote or executive briefing.
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