Secrets to success From academia to property development, fashion, hospitality and sport, we’ve tapped some savvy leaders from Hong Kong to Tanzania for their tips on how to do business better, whether you’re starting out, looking to collaborate or changing direction. Joël Mesot President, ETH Zürich How can universities modernise, show the relevance of their research and forge connections with businesses? Joël Mesot of ETH Zürich has many of the entrepreneurial answers. eth Zürich, also known as the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, might not be an international household name compared with other institutions of its calibre, such as Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or mit, but it consistently ranks as one of the top 10 universities in the world. Tyler Brûlé asks Joël Mesot, eth’s president, about the future of education, why 2020 was a record year for eth’s start-ups, and why he’s not losing any sleep over the university’s low public profile. The lesson for educators and budding entrepreneurs? Be proud of your achievements and focus on what matters; don’t try to be famous everywhere.