Cover Felix Brooks-church, Sylvia Earle, Grégoire Courtine, Miranda Wang and Steve Boyes are championed by the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative
Felix Brooks-church, Sylvia Earle, Grégoire Courtine, Miranda Wang and Steve Boyes are championed by the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative
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In Partnership With
Through science, perseverance and long‑term vision, the individuals supported by the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative are addressing some of the most urgent challenges of our time, shaping a future that will endure for generations to come
Over the past few months, Under the Same Sky, a Tatler campaign in partnership with Rolex, has explored the work of individuals whose perseverance and ingenuity are shaping a better world. From the ocean and river basins to staple foods and the human nervous system, their efforts span disciplines and continents but share a singular purpose: to create solutions with lasting impact for future generations.
These individuals and their efforts are championed by the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Rolex has been supporting explorers, organisations, scientists and entrepreneurs working to safeguard the planet by providing resources, global visibility and collaboration that help them scale their ideas and extend their reach.
In case you missed it: Under the Same Sky: Spotlighting the Rolex Awards Laureates and Perpetual Planet Initiative partners working to preserve the health of our planet
Above Sanku co‑founder Felix Brooks‑church in the Addis Flour Mill Factory in Burayu, Ethiopia
Above Novoloop co‑founder Miranda Wang with a bag of thermoplastic polyurethane in a partner factory in Wenzhou, China
Sanku co‑founder Felix Brooks‑church in the Addis Flour Mill Factory in Burayu, Ethiopia
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One of these individuals is Felix Brooks‑church, a 2021 Rolex Awards Laureate who has managed to address malnutrition on a scale few imagined possible. Through Sanku, the non‑profit social enterprise he co‑founded, Brooks‑church has developed a way to fortify staple flour with essential micronutrients at village mills across East Africa. With operations now spanning Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia, and new regional premix factories reducing the reliance on imports, the impact is measured in millions of people reached each day. What might appear modest in execution is transformative in effect, strengthening communities, improving long-term health outcomes and reinforcing local economies.
Meanwhile, Miranda Wang, co‑founder of Novoloop, is transforming the materials that shape our world. Together with her co‑founder Jeanny Yao, the 2019 Rolex Awards Laureate developed an industrially viable, first‑of‑its‑kind chemical recycling process that turns hard‑to‑recycle plastics into high‑quality raw materials that are commercially competitive. With a demonstration plant in India proving the technology at scale, Wang’s work is redefining what is possible in a circular economy. Beyond reducing reliance on fossil fuels, her approach integrates seamlessly with existing supply chains, showing that sustainable innovation need not compromise quality or efficiency.
Above Explorer Steve Boyes and his team have proven that the Angolan Highlands is the true source of the great Zambezi River
Explorer Steve Boyes and his team have proven that the Angolan Highlands is the true source of the great Zambezi River
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Then there is conservationist and explorer Steve Boyes, who has made it his mission to protect water, one of the planet’s most vital resources, at the source. Through the Great Spine of Africa expeditions supported by the Perpetual Planet Initiative, he and his team have spent years traversing remote river systems across Angola and Zambia, building the first scientific baselines for some of the continent’s most important waterways. Last year, he travelled to the 2025 Ramsar Convention in Zimbabwe, where he presented their findings on the Lisima Lya Mwono landscape in the Angolan Highlands. This January, the area was formally designated a Wetland of International Importance—known as a Ramsar Site—placing it under national and international conservation frameworks focused on sustainable use and long-term land management. Integral to this achievement was collaboration with local custodians—chiefs and communities whose knowledge and stewardship remain central to safeguarding these ecosystems.
And when it comes to long‑term environmental commitment, few embody it as fully as pioneering oceanographer Sylvia Earle. A Rolex Testimonee since 1982, she has spent decades advancing the scientific understanding of marine ecosystems while advocating for their protection. Through Mission Blue, the global marine non‑profit organisation and initiative she founded in 2009 and which Rolex has supported since 2014, she has helped establish a global network of Hope Spots: marine areas vital to ocean health. This network has grown from 50 sites to more than 160 worldwide, combining science, policy advocacy and local leadership. In a time when global targets for ocean protection are gaining momentum, Earle’s work underscores the importance of sustained effort, public engagement and a deep respect for the ocean as a living system.
Above Oceanographer Sylvia Earle on Muir Beach in California
Oceanographer Sylvia Earle on Muir Beach in California
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Bringing a different yet equally vital perspective is Grégoire Courtine, a pioneering neuroscientist and a 2019 Rolex Awards Laureate who has dedicated his career to restoring movement to people with spinal cord injuries. Together with neurosurgeon Jocelyne Bloch, he developed a digital bridge that reconnects the brain and spinal cord, allowing for regained control of the limbs. Most recently, the technology enabled a patient with a complete spinal fracture who was paralysed for 14 years to take her first steps again. With the support of the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Courtine’s team is now advancing the technology to address more complex injuries and neurodegenerative conditions. His work reframes innovation as an act of care, restoring not only mobility, but also dignity and independence.
These five individuals demonstrate that modern exploration can deliver solutions shaped with precision and intended for lasting impact. Across disciplines and continents, their work reflects a shared philosophy, one in which change is carefully measured, partnerships are cultivated and progress is sustained over time. Under the Same Sky shows that exploration today is not just about how far we go, but also how well we protect and strengthen the world we already share.
Above Neuroscientist Grégoire Courtine inspecting an anatomical model of a spine in a research laboratory at the Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne
Neuroscientist Grégoire Courtine inspecting an anatomical model of a spine in a research laboratory at the Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne
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Under the Same Sky
Tatler believes that true luxury lies in preservation—in safeguarding the beauty of our world for generations to come. Guided by culture, community and creativity, Under the Same Sky shares the stories of those working tirelessly to preserve the health of our planet. These intrepid explorers, organisations and scientists and entrepreneurs are supported by the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, and we are excited to share their innovations and ideas that will hopefully help sustain life on Earth. This is our shared commitment to ensure that the habitability of our planet endures—timeless, vital and everlasting.
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Annabel Tan is the Editor of Watches and Jewellery at Tatler Singapore, where she covers all things luxury timepieces and fine jewellery across both print and digital platforms. She is also the Editor of Tatler GMT Singapore, a role that deepens her fascination with the ever-evolving world of watchmaking. Outside of work, she’s usually on the hunt for her next favourite watch that she can’t afford, planning her next beach getaway, or catching up on the latest Formula 1 race.
