Art defines his life—and his career: Martijn van Ooststroom is the Marketing and Communications Manager in the Stedeljik Museum in ’s-Hertogenbosch. Surrounded by contemporary artworks, it’s the perfect place for this art historian. Martijn loves Amsterdam, the “small big city,” with its cultural diversity and myriad of galleries for art and design, cafés, pop-up stores, and museums. And because the heart of a true biker beats in his chest, the 46 year old occasionally climbs atop his bike and rides into the countryside.

Jordi Canudas lives in the historic center of Barcelona. The designer is a member of the OKAY Studio collective and especially enjoys working with light. He sees the creation of his products—lamps, furniture, design objects—as an adventure with an unforeseeable outcome. The 41 year old follows the development of his ideas from the very beginning, a process that can result in a sofa that even superstars like Beyoncé love. In addition, Jordi teaches at the ELISAVA Escola Superior de Disseny in Barcelona and at the Bath Spa University in England.

Alessandro has lived and worked in Milan for over 20 years. The fashion capital has clearly got style, with its chic nightclubs, world famous opera houses, and impressive cathedral. The capital of Lombardy is the country’s stronghold for banks and media. Connoisseur and bank director Alessandro, who grew up in the nearby small city of Cremona, lives the dolce vita, swears by Italian cooking, and enjoys golfing. For the 46 year old, success means, above all, that his sons are happy when he comes home.

She came, she stayed. As Anika was looking for a place to study in Munich, it was the mountains that drew her in. Then, she fell so in love in the Bavarian capital that she simply stayed. The 30 year old works as a buying agent for the Space Applications Company at the German Aerospace Center. Although her job has to do weightlessness, in her free time, this ardent biker puts more worth on heavy machinery.

Cédric Munier comes from a family of doctors and passionate chefs. As a child, he peered over the shoulders of his grandmother and, later, his father as they cooked. This gave him his great love of cooking, which became a fixed part of his life and career. Today, the 39 year old is the owner of Le Dôme du Marais, a gem in the heart of Paris. His philosophy of life shows itself in his love of high-quality food, as well as showing a connection between his respect for nature and sustainability.