Going anywhere nice this summer?
I expect you are. Not only that, I’d venture your plan for the season is a tissue of carefully considered decisions, based on some combination of tradition, experience, research, innovation and curiosity.
I’m not the only one prepared to make that wager. The names at the top of the luxury travel tree have cottoned on to the fact that UHNWs are prepared to spend big – really big – on their vacations. Clearly, though, this kind of investment is not thoughtless. It tends to be motivated by the factors I mentioned above, as well as the apparently unquenchable desire to be ahead of the curve, to be in on what Liar’s Poker author Michael Lewis might refer to as ‘The New New Thing’.
As John Arlidge notes in our cover story: ‘Stand at the bar on the Qatar Airways or Emirates A380, or take a seat at the brunch table at the Surf Club in Miami, and the most common question you hear in the never-ending game of high-stakes one-upmanship is: “And where are you going next?”’
[See also: VistaJet founder Thomas Flohr: ‘Our subscription model hits the sweet spot’]
Invoking the sacred principles of journalism, John bounded up the airstairs of a Four Seasons private jet to investigate further. His report is on page 44.
John’s own summer holiday had to wait, however, because he was pressed into service for a second piece in this edition, and a meeting with another key player in the same game: Thomas Flohr, the controversial billionaire founder of VistaJet. Over coffee and possibly the best marmalade in the world at 5 Hertford Street, Mr Flohr explained that business has been booming for his Dubai-headquartered firm, which counts Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Claudia Schiffer and Barack Obama among its frequent fliers.
Content from our partners
There has been some turbulence, however, in the form of legal disputes, which Mr Flohr is understandably keen to put behind him. A fraud claim against him was struck out in the High Court in March, but there is the prospect of further bumpy air thanks to a claim VistaJet has itself brought in Malta. The responses to John’s questions about the various disputes with rivals and a former business partner are worth the price of admission alone (p24).
[See also: Spear’s Family Law Survey 2025: Experts identify core trends]
The unofficial title of this edition of the magazine is ‘The Jet Set Issue’, because there’s more on the theme of getaways – for both business and pleasure. Our main travel feature sees Rory Ross head off to the Pacific island nation of Palau for a pow-wow with the prime minister. On page 92, the premier, Surangel Whipps Jr, explains how his country hopes to create a small but perfectly formed luxury tourism boom, while playing the cards it holds as a strategic outpost at a time when geopolitical calculus looms large.
And there’s a family postcard, of sorts, from a trip around several south and east African countries taken by Boodles president Nicholas Wainwright and his niece, Honour Wainwright, the firm’s director of marketing. Honour tells Sarah Royce-Greensill how a stunning new collection was inspired by the continent’s natural wonders (p80).
Our main watches story in the issue focuses on that trusty sidekick of globetrotters everywhere, the worldtimer. Timothy Barber draws the eye to some particularly pleasing examples from the likes of Andersen Geneve, Patek Philippe and Jaeger-LeCoultre (p74).
Keeping with the theme is our story about a surge in the number of Americans who have upped sticks and moved to the UK following the latest US election. But, as Rupert Neate discovers on page 40, it’s difficult to find a wealthy American transplant who’s willing to break cover and discuss the reasons for their move. Why ever could that be?
Elsewhere, our Briefing section (from p29) focuses on family law, with stories on the rise (and limitations) of mediation; the spiralling fees that can rack up during HNW divorces; a new trend in prenups; and developments in the conventions that affect international child abduction cases.
[See also: Fixed fees split opinion in UHNW divorces]
And, to make absolutely sure that you, dear Spear’s reader, are kept entertained this summer, there’s even more.
We have a trio of columnists – Annamaria Koerling, Shruti Advani and Eleanor Doughty – on family office dealmaking, trends in HNW divorce and the resilience of the aristocracy (respectively). There are exclusive interviews with Anderson & Sheppard’s Anda Rowland, philanthropist Scott Harrison and jeweller Charlie Pragnell. Martin Vander Weyer reviews a new book about the enduring allure of gold, Nick Foulkes dons a lightweight jacket, and Mark Walton travels to LA to meet a young engineer who is beginning to draw comparisons with another polymathic entrepreneur you may have heard of.
As ever, I hope you enjoy the magazine.
This letter first appeared in Spear’s Magazine Issue 96. Click here to subscribe
