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Features

Buy the book: the bibliophile's collectible

August 10, 2015

Bibliophiles are like no other type of collector; often uninterested in the monetary value of their collection, what sets them apart is a quiet dedication and often obsessive passion for a particular type of bookmaking, or subject.

For almost a century people had walked through the library of one New England family every day without ever really thinking about the books on the shelves. Over generations a large collection of antique books had been accumulated, but had mostly remained in the library of the main family home.

Peering up: opportunities for family offices in peer-to-peer lending

August 4, 2015

Peer-to-peer lending is coming of age, thanks in part to innovative new technology and healthy returns for lenders, but is the time right for family offices to introduce this fledgling asset class to their portfolios?

The Paper Prince: Abdullah Bin Mosaad Abdulaziz Al Saud

May 6, 2015

Gruelling hours and counting every penny. It’s a tough but conventional experience for many entrepreneurs. But the backstory of a Saudi prince? CampdenFB talks business with HRH Prince Abdullah Bin Mosaad Abdulaziz Al Saud, and how his tissue company is now helping to fund his biggest passion—sport

Brand camp: how to market a family business

April 10, 2015

Many family businesses intuitively believe that family can add to their brand, but are they correct? CampdenFB looks at how the world of branding is changing, and why slapping family in your tagline and thinking that’ll do is no longer enough

Hidden Treasure: A look into the world of freeports

January 23, 2015

The demand for state-of-the-art warehouses to park art and other valuable collectibles is growing – due in no small part to their tax-free advantages. So does it make sense for a family office to hide its art away?

On the shoulders of giants: Guy Spier on value investment and Warren Buffett

December 15, 2014

A chance discovery in a bookshop led Guy Spier to value investing – and a $650,100 lunch with Warren Buffett. CampdenFB found out how the investment philosophy led him down a different path – both as an investor and a person.

Forget about bonds, forget real estate, forget venture capital. If Guy Spier were the principal of a €5 billion family office he would invest virtually everything in a handful of substantial – but undervalued – listed companies.

Betting on a troubled world

December 1, 2014

Russian aggression in Ukraine, Ebola in West Africa, Middle Eastern conflict, US midterm elections and a continuing debt crisis in Europe. Even if global macro funds are poor performers, geopolitics and macroeconomic data needs to be central to your asset allocation decision-making.

In terms of performance, hedge funds have had it rough the past few years. And of all the alternative investment styles, global macro has arguably had it the worst. Global macro strategies try to forecast macroeconomic developments around the world, such as interest rates, geopolitics, government policies and so on.

Convincing overbearing parents you’re ready to shine

November 5, 2014

As the average life expectancy increases, the concept of an executive heading a family business well into their octogenarian years or even beyond is becoming more plausible and more common. So how does a young next-gen convince someone who has built up a family business empire that it is his or her chance to shine?

The world of family businesses is full of stories of the next generation struggling to deal with domineering parents and trying to find the courage to speak out. There’s the very public and long-running spat within Australia’s Rinehart family, which saw Gina Rinehart’s children trying to remove her as trustee of their multi-billion-dollar family trust.

On your high horse: behind the scenes of dressage

October 31, 2014

Racing? So passé. Eventing? So last season. Dressage is the equestrian sport getting the wealthy chomping at the bit, and more newcomers than ever are ready to spend big to get involved.

Those who followed Republican Mitt Romney’s run for the 2012 US presidential elections will remember the multi-millionaire’s bumbling attempts to connect with the working classes. So imagine the Democrats’ glee when it emerged his wife was the co-owner of a million-dollar dressage horse, Rafalca, which was preparing to compete at the London Olympic Games. The couple, it emerged during the campaign trail, spent $77,000 (€61,300) annually on the German-bred mare – $50,000 more than the average US salary.

On the road with Danielle Ryan

October 24, 2014

Her family’s business changed the world of travel, but while the rest of the clan have their sights set on the skies, Danielle Ryan is taking the road less travelled with her new luxury publishing, film and fragrance business.

A business focused on luxury and culture might seem at odds with the ethos of Irish budget airline Ryanair, but that is the path one of the former family business’s next gens has set out on. Ryanair, founded in 1985 by Tony Ryan with the support of his three sons, made regular holidays abroad achievable for middle and lower income households, while turning the Ryans into one of Ireland’s wealthiest families. It is notorious for its no-frills service.