An entrepreneur and Formula 1 expert, he has guided legendary teams from Benetton to Renault and Alpine. Beyond motorsport, he has built a global empire in luxury hospitality. He founded Majestas, the group behind concepts from Billionaire to Crazy Pizza, as well as the licensed operations of Italian icons like Cipriani. With a presence across Dubai, Monte Carlo, Kenya, and other international destinations, Majestas has helped redefine contemporary luxury dining and entertainment.
From the paddocks of Formula 1 to the soaring heights of his many global venues, Briatore’s influence spans continents, industries, and disciplines. Built on a simple conviction: see potential, nurture it, and demand excellence.
Briatore lifts his espresso, tilts the cup slowly, and begins to scan for any imperfect detail at Lion in the Sun, his newly opened restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Downtown. It is the morning after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he serves as Executive Advisor to the Alpine F1 Team. Behind him, Dubai stretches upward – cranes cutting through the skyline, towers rising, streets expanding in real time. The city moves with an ambition Briatore instantly recognises.
“I first came to Dubai in the ’80s,” he says. “There was barely anything here. The way the city’s leaders saw possibility in a desert, building from the ground up, is incomparable to anywhere else. To have seen it then and to watch it continue to grow – there is nothing quite like it.”
Briatore moves through a city defined by growth with the ease of someone who has built empires and shaped champions. Dubai is in constant motion: people arrive, opportunities multiply, and ambition accelerates. Some are drawn by the speed of success alone, launching ventures that chase momentum rather than meaning. With Briatore, the intention is clearer. His connection to the city is rooted in long-term vision, evident across his past projects and his latest investments along the skyline.
At the Mandarin Oriental Downtown Dubai, two of his newest concepts – Lion in the Sun and the reimagined Billionaire – sit side by side beneath one roof, joined by an exclusive members-only club. From the 61st floor, Billionaire Dubai hosts Up in the Sky, an immersive dinner-show that dissolves the line between dining and performance. Below, Lion in the Sun centres on open-fire Mediterranean cuisine, framed by sweeping views of the city.
“Every day I want to achieve something better,” he tells MOJEH MEN. “Better isn’t an idea – it’s a rule. If you want to succeed, you need the right project, the right team, and the right operation. People are the main factor in anything successful.”
Briatore’s belief in opportunity and talent is evident across his hospitality ventures. “Today, when young people apply for jobs, the experience required is enormous,” he says. “How is anyone meant to get a chance if they are never given one? I completely disagree with that approach. I give people opportunities. Otherwise, how will they ever gain experience or find their purpose?”
That philosophy extends across his restaurants and teams worldwide. Asked how he recognises potential in someone with a thin CV, his answer is immediate. “The first thing I notice is how someone moves – the pace of their walk, the rhythm of their step. It tells me more about their energy, character, and confidence than any résumé ever could.”
From apprentices to floor managers and head chefs, Briatore develops talent through disciplined, hands-on training. “We see potential. We teach. We train – every day, everywhere.”
He balances dual arenas with ease: Formula 1 and luxury lifestyle. But the glamour often associated with those worlds is not his focus. “You need to be strong with your project and your team,” he says. The thrill comes not from handshakes or front-row tables, but from creating an environment where people can thrive and achieve more than they imagined.
This approach carries through naturally to his children. Briatore could have propelled his son straight into the glamour of the business – VIP tables, exclusive events – but that is not his way. “He started working alongside me,” Briatore says, pride clear in his voice. “Two weeks from the kitchen to 6:30‑a.m. deliveries. He has to learn the process; anything less would be far too easy.” For Briatore, family, mentorship, and the cultivation of potential are inseparable from the pursuit of excellence.
Dubai mirrors this approach: “Billionaire was at the Taj for 15 years, so we already have the experience,” he says. “Now, with the move to the Mandarin Oriental and its management, we’ve elevated everything. We operate at the highest level, and we know exactly what it takes to ensure the client is truly satisfied.”
Every detail matters – from the layout and the choreography of service to the artistry of the performance. “My most important focus is consistency – the consistency of the face and the food. When someone comes to one of our restaurants, they should feel like they’re coming home,” Briatore says.
Lion in the Sun feels unlike anywhere else in Dubai. Perched above Downtown, the skyline buzz surrounds you, yet inside, it is a sanctuary of calm: open-fire Mediterranean cooking and panoramic views let the city unfold beneath you. Billionaire, by contrast, is an escape into the extraordinary: immersive performances that astonish, culinary creations that ground you in the moment, and an atmosphere that excites and disorients in equal measure.
Together, they reveal how Briatore translates his vision of meticulous excellence and human potential into spaces that are at once theatrical and intimate.
Long before he was reshaping hospitality, Briatore was already rewriting the rules of Formula 1. At Benetton in 1989, he took on a role that combined commercial savvy with sporting ambition. Where others saw a racing team, he saw a stage – a platform to elevate brand, image, and presence all at once. Sponsorships became stories, experiences, and global statements, transforming the paddock into something entirely new.
Then there was talent. Briatore had an instinct for spotting potential where others saw risk. By signing a young Michael Schumacher, he set Benetton on the path to drivers’ and constructors’ titles, cementing his reputation for turning raw promise into championship glory. “The most important thing,” he has said, “is to see talent before anyone else does – then give it the room and the challenge to grow.”
Even amid empires of speed and cuisine, Briatore insists the foundation of it all is simple: happiness. “You need to be happy to do it all,” he says. “It’s the most important thing. Life is full. I’m lucky I can do what I want, what I enjoy. I’ve found what drives me, and if you find what drives you, you find happiness too.”
One of his newest ventures, a private members’ club discreetly tucked within the Mandarin Oriental, embodies this philosophy. Inspired by his favourite yacht, it offers a haven to enjoy a drink, host a meeting, throw a party, or dine on creations from Lion in the Sun or Billionaire – all in a private, intimate setting. When asked how membership is determined, Briatore’s grin says it all: “I pick each member myself. Sometimes it may even depends on my mood.”
In Briatore’s world, ambition and joy are inseparable. He shapes champions on the racetrack, designs immersive dining experiences, and curates exclusive spaces for those who share his vision. In all of it, he moves with a clarity and purpose that is unmistakable. Happiness, it seems, is both the engine and the reward.
