“If a product functions poorly, people will remember that far longer than if it was attractive,” he explains. This focus on utility ensures that his designs don’t just look modern today; they remain functional for decades.The architecture of trustBy trusting his instinct and honouring the rigorous logic of industry, Caon creates objects and spaces that endure. A hallmark of Caon’s career was the ground-up design of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Premium Economy seat. Unlike most airline seats, which are modified versions of existing platforms, Caon’s was built from scratch. It was a project defined by high stakes and immense technical risk.“They placed a lot of trust in us to execute that,” Caon reflects. The success of that seat, now flying globally for nearly a decade, proves his theory of sound decisions. In both design and business, making sound decisions early in the manufacturing process creates a frictionless path to the final result.The craft of balanced wealthThere is a profound parallel between Caon’s “utility vs aesthetic” pillar and the craftsmanship of wealth management.A successful financial strategy must mirror this dual requirement. In other words, a portfolio must “work” in that it needs the structural integrity to weather volatility and provide the mechanical reliability of income and growth.On the other hand, wealth is not just a set of numbers; it is the enabler of a life well-lived. It must harmonise with a client’s personal values, legacy and the “understated simplicity” of a secure future.Just as Caon anticipates potential “pitfalls and roadblocks” in the manufacturing process long before they occur, wealth management is a proactive discipline. It is about plotting a path that is seamless, frictionless and built on the trust that comes from rigorous, long-term thinking.The enduring result“My craft is about bringing ideas into the world through a process that balances aesthetics, function and industry.” For Caon, the ultimate goal is to achieve “timeless status” – a feat that is increasingly difficult in a fast-paced world. By trusting his instinct and honouring the rigorous logic of industry, he creates objects and spaces that endure.In the end, whether crafting a chair or a wealth strategy, the objective remains the same: to create something so well-balanced that it feels as though it was always meant to be there. It is the art of the enduring, where the precision of today meets the legacy of tomorrow.UBS is a truly global wealth manager, also providing asset management solutions and investment banking capabilities with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. To discover our wealth strategies for the long run, visit www.ubs.com/au or call +61-2-9324 2000.