First-Class Luxury Reinvention with Kelly Forbes Artwork

On The Go With Manav

'On The Go With Manav' focuses on career journeys and seeks to understand how people got to where they are today across a range of sectors.

Manav hopes that by sharing the inspiring stories of his guests, more people can set out to chase their dreams and build their own amazing careers.

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On The Go With Manav

First-Class Luxury Reinvention with Kelly Forbes

March 26, 2025 • Manav Hartono

Kelly Forbes is the founder of A’ARU Collective, a luxury hotel booking platform dedicated to redefining luxury travel through meaningful, responsible, and transformative experiences.

Kelly began her career at the age of 18, leaving college to join Carrier Luxury Holidays, where she spent eight years honing her expertise in high-end travel. She then embarked on two years of global exploration, deepening her understanding of diverse cultures and destinations. Following her travels, she built a distinguished career in sales and marketing, working with some of the world’s most prestigious hotel brands.

In 2020, Kelly returned to education as a mature student at Oxford Brookes University, graduating in 2023 with First Class Honours in Business and Marketing Management. That same year, she stepped away from her role as Director of Sales and Marketing at a leading B Corp-certified travel PR agency to focus fully on building A’ARU Collective.

Committed to shaping the future of sustainable luxury travel, Kelly now has her sights set on pursuing a Master’s degree in Sustainable Leadership.

In the podcast, we discussed:
- Putting others before yourself
- Resilience in the travel industry
- Navigating the challenges of 2020
- Going to university later in life as an adult
- Transitioning from a corporate job to entrepreneurship
- Take more opportunities and travel

How to get in touch with Kelly:
Company Website: https://www.aarucollective.com/
Blog: https://www.aarucollective.com/JOURNAL
Personal LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/travel-kelly-forbes
Company LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/company/aarucollective
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aarucollective/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/AARUCollective/

Do not forget to subscribe to @OnTheGoWithManav on YouTube & follow 'On The Go With Manav' on Spotify & Apple Podcast. You can also stay up-to-date with the latest podcast news and upcoming episodes by following @manavhartono on Instagram and Manav Hartono on LinkedIn.