Dring is a one-firm man: he has been at Knight Frank for almost 30 years (and some of his clients have been with him just as long). The firm’s head of international has seen the rise and fall of international wealth, and the varying destinations it has flowed to — from the key markets of Europe to the Caribbean, Asia and the US. It’s here that he has focused on the most prolific properties, from £15 million upwards.

Soft services may be all the rage these days — not least among property firms looking to boost their bottom lines in a bruising market. But few offer Quintessentially’s list of can-dos. Best known for its concierge services, the firm branched into real estate in 2007, offering search and acquisition services and post-purchase care for private clients, corporations, funds and family offices — and ‘access to the inaccessible’. You don’t need to be a member to access these services.

The owner of one of the most enviable contacts book in global property, Thistlethwayte feels the pulse of the world’s wealth. (Having more than 700 offices with 30,000 people in 60-plus countries at your fingertips can’t hurt.)

Money can buy you everything these days — except your ideal country abode, says Macpherson. ‘If you’re in the market to buy a £30-£40 million estate you actually don’t get much of a choice — there is a very limited number of opportunities over [the past] five years to buy.’

‘We leave no stone unturned — that’s Quintessentially’s motto as a whole,’ says Parkinson. The concierge firm’s senior adviser recalls sending an intern to more than five Whole Foods stores across London in search of a special type of cereal for a health-conscious client.