Simon is a filmmaker and environmental activist. He was born in Löffingen, a small town in southern Germany not far from the Swiss border, where he also grew up. As a 14-year-old schoolboy, Simon won a place on adventurer Mike Horn’s ‘Young Explorers Programme’ and was able to accompany him on an expedition to New Zealand.

Combined with his love of photography and filming, Simon had the desire to become a nature and documentary filmmaker. After leaving school, he founded several production companies and within a few years had established himself as one of the most successful young filmmakers in Germany.

The path to becoming a conservationist and activist seemed a necessary consequence of his experiences on film expeditions around the globe. Simon Straetker co-founded the Black Forest Collective and Pangaea Germany.

Awards and acknowledgements for his engagement as a filmmaker and environmentalist followed. In 2013, he was awarded the German Nature Conservation Prize, and in 2017, Forbes Magazine listed him in the artist category of ‘Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe’. In 2024, Simon Straetker received the Rotary Youth Leadership Award.

For this episode, our founder and host travelled to Switzerland to speak to Simon.

69 Inspiring People" was created by Vera Bohren, who also produces the series. Vera spearheads the project with her passion and optimism. She selects the featured individuals, captures their essence through photography, and conducts engaging interviews. The project is brought to life on screen by filmmaker and director lonut Trandafir.

Together, we've set out to find voices that matter - and perspectives that last.

You can find more info on https://69inspiringpeople.ch/en/.

Hjörleifur is a collector of emotional chaos. His inspirations stem from encounters with Buddhism, science, music and boxing. All of these destinations are lessons of mindful presence and insight.


Constraints and prejudices intrigue his interest. He thrives to bridge the gap between social classifications and true emotions; in so representing a mirror of truism, and hopefully awakening questions of existentialism.


An observational jester, this is who he is. His canvas is social individuality; his brushes are made of dualism, contradictions and wit, while colors are identified by classifications and projections.

69 Inspiring People" was created by Vera Bohren, who also produces the series. Vera spearheads the project with her passion and optimism. She selects the featured individuals, captures their essence through photography, and conducts engaging interviews. The project is brought to life on screen by filmmaker and director lonut Trandafir. Together, we've set out to find voices that matter - and perspectives that last.

You can find more info on https://69inspiringpeople.ch/en/.

Choden (also known as Sean McGovern) was born and educated in South Africa. He initially trained as a lawyer and subsequently undertook the study of meditation under the guidance of Rob Nairn, a globally respected Buddhist teacher.
 Choden later made the decision to enter monastic life and to devote himself to the teaching of Buddhism.
He holds the title of Honorary Fellow at the University of Aberdeen and is the author of several publications.
He is also a co-founder of the Mindfulness Association.
In addition, he lectures at the University of the West of Scotland, where he contributes to the development of secular programmes in mindfulness, compassion, and insight.

For this episode, our founder and host Vera Bohren travelled to Scotland to speak to Choden.

"69 Inspiring People" was created by Vera Bohren, who also produces the series. Vera spearheads the project with her passion and optimism. She selects the featured individuals, captures their essence through photography, and conducts engaging interviews. The project is brought to life on screen by filmmaker and director lonut Trandafir.

Together, we've set out to find voices that matter - and perspectives that last.

You can find more info on https://69inspiringpeople.ch/en/.

Simone Vago was born and raised in Italy in Barlassina. He is the owner of "Vago" established by his grandfather in the late 1920s as a craft workshop in the heart of Brianza. His father a founder, populariser and forerunner for "Made in Italy" transformed the company into a melting pot of art design and craft.

Over 90 years of history and three generations later, the company under the guidance of Simone Vago is now recognized as a global design advisor and interior design consultant all over the world.

For this episode, our founder and host Vera Bohren travelled to Italy to speak to Simone Vago.

"69 Inspiring People" was created by Vera Bohren, who also produces the series. Vera spearheads the project with her passion and optimism. She selects the featured individuals, captures their essence through photography, and conducts engaging interviews. The project is brought to life on screen by filmmaker and director lonut Trandafir.

Together, we've set out to find voices that matter - and perspectives that last.

You can find more info on https://69inspiringpeople.ch/en/.

Born in 1989 in Travnik (Bosnia), Bruno Jelovic fled to Switzerland with his parents during the Balkan War. There, he lived and worked, building a livelihood as a fitness trainer before founding the project “Save The Dogs bih” in 2018 to provide help for stray dogs and to give them affection.

For this episode, our founder and host Vera Bohren travelled to Bosnia to speak to Bruno Jelovic.

"69 Inspiring People" was created by Vera Bohren, who also produces the series. Vera spearheads the project with her passion and optimism. She selects the featured individuals, captures their essence through photography, and conducts engaging interviews. The project is brought to life on screen by filmmaker and director lonut Trandafir. Together, we've set out to find voices that matter - and perspectives that last.

You can find more info on https://69inspiringpeople.ch/en/.

Ever since he was a kid Dr. Philipp Eller dreamed of becoming an inventor. Somewhere along the way, though, he veered slightly off course—and ended up as a physicist instead. After studying at ETH Zurich and earning a PhD,working on the CERN experiment, he headed to the US to join the Ice Cube collaboration—a team of scientists chasing neutrinos using a gigantic telescope built into the Antarctic ice at the South Pole.

Eventually, Philipp almost made it back to his motherland and landed at the Technical University of Munich, where he now holds a permanent research position. He continues his work with Ice Cube, delving deep into the mysteries of the universe (and ice).

These days, he leads a research group, teaches as a university lecturer, and serves as a principal investigator. Outside the lab, he’s also a husband and father—still inventing things, just not always in the way he imagined as a kid.

For this episode, our founder and host travelled to Iceland to speak to Dr. Philipp Eller.

"69 Inspiring People" was created by Vera Bohren, who also produces the series. Vera spearheads the project with her passion and optimism. She selects the featured individuals, captures their essence through photography, and conducts engaging interviews. The project is brought to life on screen by filmmaker and director lonut Trandafir (@trandafilm). Together, we've set out to find voices that matter - and perspectives that last.

You can find more info on https://69inspiringpeople.ch/en/.

What happens when a former investment banker with a top-tier career in London chooses to build something entirely new – rooted in heritage, nature, and values?

In our second episode, we speak with Countess Sarah Edgington. She manages her Private Office, Edgington-Capital, and has built the Wine and Hospitality business under the CDSB Group. Sarah shares with us what it means to combine ambition with humility, and how she empowers women across her teams to thrive – not only in business, but in life.

69 Inspiring People” was created by Vera Bohren, who also produces the series. Vera spearheads the project with her passion and optimism. She selects the featured individuals, captures their essence through photography, and conducts engaging interviews. The project is brought to life on screen by filmmaker and director Ionut Trandafir. Together, we’ve set out to find voices that matter – and perspectives that last.

You can find more info on https://69inspiringpeople.ch/en/.

We’re kicking things off with Marcel Aberle – a thinker and doer whose work explores the intersections of technology, innovation, and strategy. In his episode, he reflects on curiosity, failure, and the mindset that helps him navigate complexity.

"69 Inspiring People” was created by Vera Bohren, who also produces the series. Vera spearheads the project with her passion and optimism. She selects the featured individuals, captures their essence through photography, and conducts engaging interviews. The project is brought to life on screen by filmmaker and director Ionut Trandafir (@trandafilm). Together, we’ve set out to find voices that matter – and perspectives that last.

You can find more info on https://69inspiringpeople.ch/en/.