A new name,
a new chapter

To all our communities around the world,

It’s been more than a decade since we set out on this journey with you, when we took our first step with PURE Life Experiences back in 2009. Over the years, the industry has evolved, our family of delegates has grown enormously, and we came to the realisation that it was time to begin an exciting new chapter with all of you.

That’s why Beyond Luxury Media Ltd. has been officially rebranded and reborn as This is Beyond Ltd.

But this is much more than just an update to our name. This is a declaration of intent about all of the work we do: our ambition is to always aim for far more than is expected from us; to provide the best return on investment for our customers; and to bring a tremendous sense of value to the experiences we create. So this rebrand is a commitment to all of you that we will constantly strive to go above and beyond in everything we do, and that we will always be held accountable to this standard.

Luxury has changed, and brands must adapt

A name says a lot about who you are as a company. Beyond Luxury Media suited us 10 years ago when people first began rethinking notions of traditional luxury; but the industry has moved on a lot since then – and we wanted to evolve with it.

Nowadays, being ‘high-end’ is about promising a life that is optimised and amplified; it’s about self-discovery, self-fulfilment, and self-actualisation. We all want to be the best possible versions of ourselves, to have the best experiences we can while we’re on the planet, and to ensure each of those precious moments is truly remarkable, memorable, and leaves behind a positive legacy. That’s what our customers provide – and it’s also what our events strive to achieve.

Realising this, we went on our own journey of introspection to better understand our beliefs, our values, and what we stand for. It became clear that growth could only come through transformation, so we began the process of evolving our brand. After a year of soul-searching, we knew wanted to be a force for good; to make sure everything we do is always surprising, inspiring and positive; and to have the capacity to make real changes in the world.

Our purpose: Commerce should be a force for good

In the current global climate, the world is teetering on a cliff-edge – and unless radical action is taken, we’re going over the edge. Traditional politics is failing us, and the planet. As a result, sixty-three per cent of global consumers now prefer to buy from companies that stand for a purpose reflective of their own values and beliefs. So brands have to be the ones leading the way: combining profit and purpose to spread ideas, take action and inspire others to do the same. With its considerable reach and influence, the high-end travel industry in particular has a huge responsibility be a force for good in the world.

That’s why we want to aspire to do great things while making commerce a force for good. The two are not mutually exclusive. We’re extremely proud that this ethos is already embedded in each of our communities; you are all, in your own distinct ways, contributing to fuelling the greater good. By challenging the status quo, you are all disruptors and visionaries – and it’s never been more important for you to come together and continue inspiring each other to push boundaries and solve problems.

Our mission: Reshaping industries into inspired communities

We know there is great power in collective thinking; that more minds are better than one to overcome challenges and achieve the unexpected. There’s a phrase I love, “Alone we go fast, but together we go far”, which really embodies the whole ethos behind what we do. On our own, we would just be an industry of resourceful individuals, but together, we can do so much more.

That’s why This is Beyond creates immersive events, provides insightful content and curates only the most curious and influential people. We want every one of our communities to be a truly inspired space. This is our mission, the goal that will guide all of our endeavours as a brand. This is also a reminder that whichever of our communities you join, you are all part of something bigger: a united global movement dedicated to doing great while making commerce a force for good, driven by personal relationships.

Our vision: Showing the power of humanity in business

In an increasingly digitised age, too many companies are losing sight of the power of real, human connections. Humanity is an asset in the commercial world that should never be underrated – it has the potential to be an incredible driving force.

At This is Beyond, we believe that good business and great relationships go hand in hand, and feel privileged to have the mission of bringing together exceptional people through our events. But we always want that relationship to work both ways. We don’t have a board of advisors because you are all our stakeholders and consultants, and you all have the power to shape the future direction of our communities. Over the last 10 years we’ve listened constantly, and will continue to do so.

Put simply, you push us to be a better company.

With a new name, and a clear mission, we have never felt more inspired to move forward with all of you; to create unique, inspiring communities with humanity at their centre; and to push the boundaries of doing great while being good.

Yours sincerely,

Serge Dive
Founder & CEO, This is Beyond Ltd.

Our Story

Behind every
great business
lies an epiphany.

Our Story

An idea began to form in their minds...

In a time when social media platforms like MySpace dominated the internet and global pandemics were only a historic phenomenon, the world of business-to-business events in the mid-2000s lacked inspiration – to put it mildly. Fresh from a groundbreaking endeavour that defined a luxury travel marketplace, Serge Dive was seeking inspiration for his next big adventure. During a safari deep in the African bush in 2005, surrounded by wildlife and immersed in nature, he  had a profound realisation about the transformative power of experiential travel. Quickly, Serge envisioned a world where sparking curiosity fuelled  personal and professional growth, all while making a positive impact.

By 2008 – and now joined by business partner Sarah Ball – they founded ‘This is Beyond’ on a shoestring budget. Their first event, PURE Life Experiences, debuted in 2009, introducing the world of luxury travel to the genre of transformational, experiential travel.   

Rejecting traditional corporate norms, they pioneered immersive experiences that aimed to elevate individuals and businesses, all while promoting social good. 

From 2013 Sarah stepped back from an active role in the business while, over time, Serge and the This is Beyond team expanded into a house of brands hosting industry-defining events that reshape industries into inspired communities.

Our Journey

2008
July 2008

Serge and Sarah have their lightbulb moment on a trip to Africa

August 2008

The pair begins building the This is Beyond network, starting work around their kitchen table

2009
January 2009

We relocate from Serge and Sarah’s kitchen table to our first office

November 2009

Our first show, PURE Life Experiences, launches in Marrakech

2012
January 2012

As the company grows to 15 employees, we move to a new office in Chiswick

2013
June 2013

L.E/Miami & Ministry of Ideas launch together on South Beach

2014
January 2014

The Cape Town office opens to manage our new venture in South Africa

May 2014

Our third show, We Are Africa, launches in Cape Town Stadium

September 2014

MATTER, the un-conference for PURE, launches

January 2016

PURE Pursuits launches, with the first pursuit heading to Iceland

May 2016

Conservation Lab launches in Stellenbosch, South Africa

2016
September 2016

Our first company retreat, Assemble, takes the team glamping and rafting

2017
May 2017

FUSE, the We Are Africa un-conference, launches

September 2017

Our second Assemble sees over 30 Beyonders go on a team bonding adventure

2018
October 2018

The first edition of We Are Africa North America takes our tribe stateside

November 2018

Our fourth show, Further East, and its un-conference AWAKEN launch on the shores of Bali’s Seminyak Beach

2019
January 2019

The company retreat gets sophisticated in a rustic, rural Italian village

April 2019

We rebrand as This is Beyond – a new name that champions our ideals

2020
January 2020

We explore a luxurious slice of wilderness at the fourth edition of Assemble

Our People

Meet the people who help bring our vision to life.

Everyone here at This is Beyond has a role to play in our journey (while having plenty of fun at the same time). These are some of the people leading the way…

Serge Dive

Founder & CEO,
This is Beyond

Sarah Ball

Co-Founder 2008-2013,
This is Beyond

Krassi Amzov

CFO,
This Is Beyond

Cj Holden

CMO,
This Is Beyond

Ryan Wallace

MD & Co-Founder,
We Are Africa & Do Not Disturb

Zahava Abend

CO-Founder & Director, SET
Director, L.E/Miami | The House of Beyond

Chariklia Vasiliou

Associate Event Director,
L.E/Miami

Eve Browning

Event Director,
PURE

Sophia Asghar

Associate Event Director,
Further East

Sabrina Corelli

Executive Assistant to CEO,
This is Beyond

How We Do Business

We aspire to be the change
we want to see in the world. Our code
of conduct helps keep us on track.

We are committed to a sustainable future.

So we pledge to minimise our environmental impact across all our events.

We are committed to going beyond ethics.

So we pledge never to put human or animal rights in jeopardy.

We are committed to building diverse communities.

So we pledge to make inclusion a prized necessity – never a nice-to-have.

We are committed to cultural awareness.

So we pledge to protect – not disrupt – communities and cultures.

How We Give Back

We don’t just talk the talk; we walk the walk, too – and each of our events plays a part.

  • This is Beyond

    Giving Back Locally

    +

    This is Beyond volunteers 560 hours every year to local community action, including activities like support for the homeless and sustainability projects.

  • PURE Life Experiences

    Developing Rural Communities

    +

    PURE Life Experiences supports Morocco-based charity Education For All, who enable girls from rural communities to get an education by providing safe lodging near schools, and the Make it MATTER initiative takes volunteers from the show to work on community projects in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains.

  • L.E/Miami

    Donating to Local Organisations

    +

    L.E/Miami donates 1% of its profits to local non-profit organisations or charitable foundations who align with our brand values and beliefs.

  • We Are Africa

    Supporting Community Projects

    +

    We Are Africa works with a community development partner, Uthando, to donate a portion of its profits to worthy projects every year, as well as offering free exhibition stands for promising companies who might not otherwise afford one.

  • Further East

    Cleaning Beaches

    +

    Further East organises a beach clean-up at the event that helps tackle the ever-growing issue of plastic waste in our oceans.

  • Conservation Lab

    Reinvesting in Conservation

    +

    Conservation Lab is organised on a non-commercial, pro-bono basis and all income from attendees is reinvested into the event in order to help make the travel industry a stronger force for conservation in Africa.

Our Family

Meet the people who help bring our vision to life.

  • Management

  • PURE

  • L.E/MIAMI & SET

  • We Are Africa & DND

  • Further East

  • Buyers

  • Creative

  • CRM

  • House of Beyond

  • Accounts

  • Operations

  • Programming

Management

PURE

L.E/MIAMI & SET

We Are Africa & DND

Further East

Buyers

Creative

CRM

House of Beyond

Accounts

Operations

Programming

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