Panerai’s new strategy: Jeremy Jauncey

The travel influencer brings his ideas, audience and sustainable initiatives to the Italian watch major, as their global ambassador

He has a dream job — travelling the globe with his Miss Universe girlfriend Pia Wurtzbach, and keeping his one million followers on Instagram (@jeremyjauncey) engaged with photos and videos. But it’s not all perma-tans and exotic destinations for Scotsman Jeremy Jauncey. As founder-CEO of Beautiful Destinations, the award-winning strategy and creative agency for travel businesses, the 36-year-old is one of the most influential voices in his industry today. And now, Panerai’s new global ambassador. The luxury watchmaker has long been associated with adventure, and the ocean. A partner of the Italian Navy, their watches have accompanied frogmen on underwater missions during World War II. More recently, their ties to the water were reflected in the five-watch series made from Swiss explorer Mike Horn’s boat Pangaea’s steel shaft, and their partnership with UNESCO to foster ocean literacy. So it is apt that they chose World Oceans Day (June 8) to announce their partnership with Jauncey. The entrepreneur, investor, and business advisor — who joins an illustrious line of ambassadors, from French free diving champion Guillaume Néry to American professional climber Jimmy Chin — will be collaborating with Panerai for the next year on projects that address a shared passion for adventure and environmentally-sustainable practices. Onboarding a travel influencer is a well thought out move. But if you are raising eyebrows over terms such as regenerative travel from an influencer — after all, he’s checked in at UAE, Maldives, Greece, Morocco, Scotland, and more in the last few months — Jauncey says his work is about improving the whole ecosystem. “The way I make a difference to sustainable travel is by showcasing simplicity. On all my expeditions, I make it a point to find local places to stay that are environment friendly and develop the wildlife/environment that they inhabit,” says New York-based Jauncey, whose Beautiful Destinations community — with a staggering 30 million followers on social media — was recognised by business magazine Fast Company as one of the world’s most innovatives.