GC Editor-in Chief Raja Izz on men's thought leadership and the future of GC

GC has secured its "thought leadership" positioning in 2025. What drives that achievement?

Raja Izz: The foundation was always clear. We set out to create something for men who understand that style is not fashion, that culture is not entertainment, and that conduct matters beyond social media optics. That clarity has served us well. The market changes constantly, but the desire for substance, for a timeless code that doesn't shift with algorithms, that remains constant.

How would you describe GC's editorial DNA?

RI: We believe in lineage and the long view. That shows in everything we publish, from the length of our features to our choice of subjects. We're not documenting fleeting moments; we're recording pursuits and traditions that shape character. Our readers are building lives of significance, and our content should reflect that ambition. We value eloquent prose, thoughtful photography, and stories that reward careful reading. If it doesn't hold up on a second read months later, we haven't done our job.

The magazine organizes content around classical virtues rather than typical lifestyle categories. Was that intentional?

RI: Absolutely. Elegance, High Culture, Chivalry, Noblesse Oblige, Refined Living - these aren't marketing concepts. They're frameworks for living nobly. When you structure a magazine around enduring principles rather than seasonal trends, you create something with backbone. Our readers don't need another guide to what's trending this month. They need guidance on how to live with intention, taste, and responsibility.

In an era of short-form content, GC still publishes longer features. Why?

RI: Because some subjects demand space to breathe. You cannot capture the nuances of a master craftsman's work in 300 words. You cannot do justice to a cultural movement in bullet points. Our global readers understand this. They're willing to invest time in reading that rewards their attention. That's increasingly rare, which makes it increasingly valuable.

How do you view GC's role within Asian cultural landscape?

RI: We document the men who are building region's creative, business, and cultural infrastructure - but we do so with a particular lens. We're interested in excellence, in craft, in the pursuit of mastery. Asia has no shortage of remarkable individuals whose work deserves proper attention and proper telling. Our responsibility is to present their stories with the seriousness and artistry they merit.

What are the challenges of maintaining editorial standards while growing the platform?

RI: The pressure to optimize for engagement metrics is constant. Every platform wants faster, shorter, more immediately consumable content. We resist that. Our growth has been measured and deliberate because we refuse to compromise on voice or substance. That means making harder choices about partnerships, about the work we take on, about how we deploy our limited resources. But those constraints force clarity. They ensure everything we publish earns its place.

GC describes itself as offering "private letters on conduct, culture, and the long view." What does that mean in practice?

RI: It means we write for individuals, not audiences. Our articles, our features, our correspondences - they're all written as though we're addressing a single reader who shares our values. That intimacy of tone matters. It creates trust. And it ensures we never talk down to our readers or waste their time with content engineered for algorithm rather than insight.

You've built GC through private gatherings and careful community building. How does that inform the editorial work?

RI: The gatherings reveal what our readers actually value versus what they say they value. Face-to-face conversations with our community inform every editorial decision we make. They remind us that behind every click is a person building a life, navigating responsibilities, seeking meaning. That understanding keeps our work grounded in reality rather than metrics.

What defines success for GC?

RI: Legacy. If we publish something today and it holds relevance a century after we've turned to bone and dust, we've succeeded. If our readers return to our archives and find value in older content, we've succeeded. If our readers return to our archives and discover enduring value, we've succeeded. Homer's The Iliad endures. Justinian's Hagia Sophia stands. That is the standard. If the men we profile remember their experience with us as substantive and respectful, we've succeeded. Short-term metrics matter for operations, but they don't define our purpose.

What excites you most about GC's future direction?

RI: The opportunity to deepen rather than expand. We're not chasing scale for its own sake. We're interested in creating richer, more considered work. That might mean fewer but more substantial features. It might mean expanding into formats that allow for even deeper storytelling. The question isn't "How do we reach more people?" but "How do we serve our readers better?"

In your view, what is the future of media for the discerning reader?

RI: There will always be room for work that refuses to compromise. The algorithms will continue favoring the immediate, the reactive, the disposable. But that creates space for those of us committed to the opposite. Media that respects intelligence, that values craft, that builds for permanence, I think that won't disappear. It may become niche, but niche can be powerful and influential when it's done with conviction.

The readers who seek substance will find the platforms providing it. Our job is to ensure GC remains worthy of their attention, their time, and their trust.

Speaking of which, what's currently in the pipeline for GC? Any exciting developments our readers should anticipate?

RI: We're focusing on exclusive experiences for our community this year. The magazine has always been about more than content - it's about access, connection, and shared pursuits. Expect curated experiences across gentlemen's favorite such as luxury resorts, watches, premium motoring, and dining. These aren't events for the sake of events. They're opportunities for our community to experience excellence firsthand with some of the world's prominent brands, and to build relationships with like-minded individuals. We believe the best stories are often lived before they're written. Do check our content regularly for more details as these experiences take shape.

Looking back at your time at GC, what achievement makes you proudest?

RI: To assemble a passionate team that love to express their living, to see our readers who felt touched by our articles, to see our community grew to become a greater caliber that we thought they could never be. A gentleman can be anyone, even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat on a young boy's shoulders to let him know that modern masculinity hadn't ended.