What The Luxe
What The Luxe
What makes something worth more than the sum of its parts? Why do certain brands command belief whilst others struggle for attention? What does ‘luxury’ even mean? What qualifies? Investigating the minds, mechanics and mythologies of modern luxury, What The Luxe is a series of conversations with the founders, directors and creatives behind modern marques. Together, we unpack the psychology of value, the business of brand, and the spirit that drives today’s best-in-class. Expect founding stories, bold positioning calls, and the messy truths behind polished brands. Because whether it’s craft, commerce, psychology or lore—all roads lead to value. A weekly podcast from Matter Of Form. Hosted by Anant Sharma & Fred Moore.
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March 31, 2026

Chris Choa • Founder • OUTCOMIST.

81. “Life Moats” and The Psychology of Place with Chris Choa, Founder of OUTCOMIST.

What makes a city work? According to Chris Choa, it has very little to do with the buildings.

In this episode, Anant Sharma speaks with Chris Choa, Founder of OUTCOMIST, about the behavioural logic that shapes how cities attract people, evolve identity, and create lasting value. Drawing on decades of work advising mayors, sovereign wealth funds, and developers across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, Chris shares how he approaches urban systems, working backwards from outcomes and always asking why before what. The conversation moves from the accidental success of Silicon Roundabout to the limits of greenfield cities like Dubai, the rise of mega-city regions, and why the future of luxury might be less about products and more about what Chris calls the "life moat" — a deliberately constructed set of conditions that protects and consolidates the life you want.

This is a conversation about cities as systems, identity as infrastructure, and what it means to design for outcomes rather than objects.