Futurist & Innovation Expert

Anant

Sharma

Overview

  • Founder & CEO of Matter Of Form, Luxury Design Consultancy

  • Host of the What The Luxe Podcast

  • Board member of the UK’s Crafts Council

  • Guest MBA Lecturer at EHL Hospitality School

  • DJ & Producer

Anant has spent the last 14 years leading Matter Of Form – a design consultancy specialising in brand strategy, CX, digital innovation for timeless brands. In everything he does, Anant places a ruthless focus on craft and creativity to bridge the gap between the minds of tomorrow with the C-suite of today.

A futurist, innovation enthusiast and keen advocate of developing meritocratic cultures that promote ideas and learning, Anant is also a dedicated teacher and student of behavioural design; exploring what drives us to do the things we do.

It’s a fascination he brings to all ventures; including co-ownership of design thinking school Experience Haus, lecturing as an adjunct professor in branding, CX and innovation at EHL and through his role as part-time host of What The Luxe – a podcast series designed to shun boring ideas of luxury and instead reframe timelessness as the relentless pursuit of craft. Since April 2023, Anant has sat on the Board of Trustees for Crafts Council – the UK’s national charity for craft enrichment.

Outside of Matter Of Form, Anant moonlights as a DJ and producer, having played sets at clubs and festivals all over the world, Glastonbury included. He is also a very proud father of two; three if you include Molly – the dachshund adored by the entire studio.

Key Themes & Takeaways

01

We favour the term timeless over luxury – the principle that the spirit of something can last well beyond any single shape it may take.

02

If you get your brand and customer experience really humming, you have the power to change people’s perspective.

03

In a world of too much noise, it’s the details that really matter. It’s far better to craft less in favour of crafting beautifully.

04

When you remove every ounce of friction in favour of conversion, you optimise things to death. 

05

Value comes from the tales we tell ourselves. It’s why Arnault (perceived value) is worth more than Zuckerberg (utility).

06

Before thinking about any form of innovation, we must revisit brand. Purpose, positioning and spirit. Otherwise innovation becomes gimmick.

  • Having seen Anant speak at a number of luxury events, I’m always impressed by his deep understanding and insight on high-net-worth consumers and the luxury sector. He has a natural talent for engaging his audience in a way that challenges their thinking and creativity, delivering his talks with eloquence and impact.

    Natasha Towey, MD at Carrier

  • Anant’s talk at the LCC Leaders Forum was the top ranked of our many speakers of the day. This is a testament to his impactful delivery and thought provoking content. We would absolutely recommend him as a speaker and have pursued him for one of our upcoming events as our members have asked for more!

    Rosie Shepherd, Founder & CEO at Luxury Communications Council

  • We collaborated with Anant to present a thought-provoking keynote to our global marketing and PR teams. His insightful presentation challenged conventional wisdom, urging us to critically examine AI trends and distinguish between fads and genuine innovations. The internal response has been overwhelmingly positive. Our Global Head of Comms expressed enthusiasm, noting that Anant's deliberate pace and well-chosen examples made the complex topic accessible and engaging.

    Global Communications Officer, Chanel UK

Curated Sessions

A selection of the talks Anant offers, tailored to you, your audience and sector.

Interested in booking Anant for your next event, panel or podcast? 

  • The Term: Lazy. Stale. Static.

    The Talk: Tongue-in-cheek.

    At first glance, Anant’s made a career out of working with luxury brands. On closer inspection, the work is always underpinned by long-term, timeless thinking. Kicking away the heritage crutch in favour of action and meaningful innovation. This talk covers how the luxury market is changing, and why it has a role in designing a better future.

  • Brands are made in the mind. The sum of every interaction they have with a person. People, in turn, crave ritual, story, effort. And in a world of too much noise, it’s the details that really matter – that carve out that place in the mind. Despite humans’ fundamental simplicity, luxury brands love to overcomplicate. This is a talk for the leaders who have every element needed to connect with the human behind the metric, but who are just as overwhelmed as the rest of us – in need of some re-simplification. solutions that are both functional and beautiful. 

  • We assume that innovation is technology, and that what’s new is what’s next. But even with the AI hype dominating headlines, we’re seeing a return to craft in every facet of luxury. In our era of automation, we’re unwavering advocates for that heightened focus on human-made and building healthy friction into the guest experience. Firm believers that every interaction matters, automated or analogue, if brands want to craft a journey worth remembering. Because when you remove every ounce of friction, you optimise things to death.

Anant Speaking

Luxury Brand Summit

Inhorgenta

Walpole Luxury Summit

What The Luxe

Hosted by Anant & Business-Partner-in-Crime Fred Moore, Matter Of Form’s What The Luxe podcast is a series dedicated to reframing ideas of luxury, debunking convention and debating what’s next with an enviable line-up of industry leaders.