The London-based travel management company attributes the growth to its private office model, which has drawn ultra-high-net-worth clients looking to “optimise” their spending. 

“We’ve noticed many family offices are increasingly analysing their cost of internal operations,” Laura Fursdon, founder of Calder & Co, told TTG. 

“We can support them really nicely because we have a varied advisory board that slots easily into what they’re doing.” 

The update comes shortly after Calder & Co, which was established in 2021, shifted its brand positioning from a boutique concierge to a private office. 

Every member is assigned a board of four advisors who specialise in travel, culture, dining, and wellness. Each of these experts has contacts within their field, ensuring clients get access to the most exclusive experiences on – and sometimes off – the market. 

As well as providing a lower-cost alternative to a traditional family office, Fursdon believes the Calder & Co model is especially valuable in an era of information overload. 

“I think advisory is certainly the way things are going, particularly with AI,” she said. “This is something ultra-high-net-worth clients need to weed out the noise.” 

The board also saves time for these clients, who are often managing a vast amount of financial and physical assets.  

“The key for them is having someone around them they can trust, someone who offers judgement, filters information and advises them,” said Fursdon. 

The board operates like a multidisciplinary treatment team, working together to curate a trip that meets the client’s every need. Rather than asking straightforward questions, they use intuition to identify the underlying reasons behind a request – and then shape the itinerary around these factors. 

Calder & Co

For example, if a client has hinted they want a weekend away because they’re burned out, the board will liaise on how to deliver a experience that’s both restful and restorative. 

“We provide solutions they hadn’t even thought of, because they didn’t know what was available to them,” Fursdon explained. 

Conversation is therefore fundamental to this process, with no detail spared in the pursuit of understanding a client’s requirements. “We learn about them on such a deep level,” Fursdon said. “We talk about their family, their goals, their passions, their challenges.” 

As these relationships have deepened, Calder & Co has evolved its services beyond travel management. 

“Initially a client would come to us looking for a travel advisor, but then there would be a new area they’d need advice on,” Fursdon said. 

With many of their clients based internationally, it isn’t unusual for the Calder & Co team to receive requests for support with relocation. Its advisory board will then assist members with nearly every aspect of the move, including finding schools and rental properties. They can also introduce the client to local groups and private clubs, helping them “integrate as smoothly as possible” into their new home. 

Though Calder & Co is open to new members, it has no intention of significantly increasing its numbers. The network is “deliberately small” to ensure its team delivers hyper-personal service for clients, all of whom are vetted beforehand. 

“We’re selective about our members – our brand is so important and we want to make sure their experience with us is amazing,” Fursdon said. “For us, it’s not just about travel – it’s about finding their definition of a life well lived.”