Paul Gabie
Co-founder and CEO, The Proof Collective
It was during a summer internship at a law firm in New York when Paul Gabie met his two co‑founders, Spencer Forhart and Snehal Patel. In 2012, the trio set up craft spirits distributor and consultancy, The Proof Collective, which has since seen the first bar it worked on, 28 Hong Kong Street, score a spot on the Asia's 50 Best Bars list since 2016. Recognising that "hospitality is in a remarkable period of creative rebirth", the Canadian-born 39-year-old also pushed to reinvent the retail bottle shop experience. The result: The Proof Flat, a treasure trove of artisanal spirits. Most recently, Paul and his talented creative team designed the bar programme for private members' club, 1880, and are looking to expand their reach to Australia and China.