Quintessentially Group

History

Quintessentially was established in 2000 by Aaron Simpson, Paul Drummond and Ben Elliot. Simpson met Drummond at Oxford University and later started the company with business partner Elliot as a small, London-based concierge service. Before founding Quintessentially, Elliot had co-founded K-Bar Plc, a group of nightclubs and bars, and Simpson had worked as a film producer.

From 2002 to 2005, Quintessentially expanded from two offices in the United Kingdom to ten around the world. In 2018 the company reports to over 60+ offices in cities such as Cairo, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles and New York. In 2010, the company was estimated to have about 86,000 subscribers, including 800 billionaires. Quintessentially moved its headquarters from Soho to Portland Place in early 2011. In 2017, it was announced that the company was building a "super yacht" for its members.

In 2015 Quintessentially created the website for an international escort agency called Le Besoin which was registered at its London headquarters. When revealed by the Financial Times in 2020, they denied any further involvement in the agency, stating they had “created a website for a client launching a dating service”.

Since 2019, Ben Elliot has been the Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party, with responsibility for fundraising. An accountant’s report described the group's structure as 'opaque and complex'. In January 2021 some of Quintessentially UK Limited's 14 sister companies were up a year late in filing their accounts. In 2021 professional services firm Deloitte was sought with finding a buyer for Quintessentially.

The company has boasted about how it serves wealthy Russian clients, which includes opening an office in Russia and creating a "dedicated Russian team." After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the company deleted its webpage that boasted about serving Russian elite clients.

Operations

Quintessentially Group is a network of 16 brand services that operate the personal services provided for its private members. These companies include Travel, Events and Estates, and Quintessentially Gifts.

Quintessentially UK Ltd — the holding company for a network of more than 30 businesses, including an art dealership, a florist, an estate agency and a chauffeur service, that cater to wealthy clients — recorded a £3.1m loss in the year to April 30, 2018, its latest available accounts. In 2019, published accounts showed revenues of £50 million and losses of £4.4 million.

Quintessentially Lifestyle

Quintessentially Lifestyle is a members-only luxury lifestyle management and concierge service. It offers corporate and private memberships that include discounted rates on hotels and other reservations, access to events, luxury gifts, and other services.

Globally, the firm employs more than 1500 Lifestyle Managers in over 60 offices speaking 35 languages.

Since 2016, the Department for International Trade has paid Quintessentially £1.4 million to introduce Whitehall officials to high-net worth individuals, so they can "network at the highest levels", according to a contract seen by the FT.

Quintessentially Foundation

Established in June 2008, the Quintessentially Foundation is the charitable arm of the Group.

References

References

1. Afsun Smith. (26 February 2003). "Beyond The Black Card?". Forbes.
2. Ashley Armstrong. (15 November 2014). "Quintessentially hopes its fixers can fetch £120m". The Daily Telegraph.
3. Robinson, James. (30 July 2007). "Guardian Media Group: Luxury magazines have designs on readers with the deepest pockets of all". The Guardian.
4. "Quintessentially Sees Hong Kong as a Natural Fit for its HQ".
5. Marrhew Schneier. (17 December 2014). "A Gift So Right, She'll Know You Got Help". The New York Times.
6. (8 December 2005). "When it's the gardener's day offand the topiary really needs a trim". The New York Times.
7. "21st Century Butlers". Financial Times.
8. Anna Tyzack. (20 October 2011). "My perfect weekend: Ben Elliot". The Daily Telegraph.
9. (5 February 2009). "Leaders in Luxury Ben Elliot". Elite Traveler.
10. Mark Potter. (3 June 2010). "Quintessentially goes upmarket to beat recession". Reuters.
11. (29 August 2011). "Business Diary: Ben Elliot, Quintessentially". Financial Times.
12. "PageSuite".
13. Smale, Will. (1 May 2017). "Mr Fixer: The man who can arrange anything for you". BBC News.
14. (27 November 2020). "Quintessentially concierge service set up escort agency's website".
15. (5 August 2021). "Ben Elliot: Conservative Party money man with A-list connections". BBC News.
16. (29 December 2020). "Inside the February issue starring Daisy Ridley".
17. "Quintessentially mulls life after Ben Elliot as concierge firm seeks buyers".
18. (2022-03-03). "Johnson under pressure to sack Tory fundraiser over Russia links". Financial Times.
19. (2022-03-03). "Tory party chairman's company deletes webpage about Russia 'elite' connections".
20. Matthew Kassel. (8 March 2012). "A Personal Concierge Service That Will Do Your Errands—And Book You A Yacht on the French Riviera". Business Insider.
21. Angus Watson. (4 July 2009). "The TV or Radio Is Always On". Financial Times.
22. (25 August 2020). "Quintessentially turns to US investor for loan amid pandemic". Financial Times.
23. (19 January 2022). "Nobody home: the story of Quintessentially's Amex bill". Financial Times.
24. (23 October 2009). "Hey, Big Spender, You Want Value?". The New York Times.
25. (17 October 2008). "Membership To Quintessentially – The Ultimate Christmas Gift". Elite Traveler.
26. (24 November 2010). "What's Hot on the Concierge List". The Wall Street Journal.
27. (October 2017). "Quintessentially's Most Extravagant Requests". Esquire.
28. (2020-03-03). "'Knowing the right people': the embattled concierge with elite connections".
29. "The Quintessentially Foundation Gives Guests The Chance to Play to Their Hand For a Great Cause".