Industry Insiders: Aaron Simpson, Quintessential Concierge
November 06, 2008
Aaron Simpson, co-founder of lifestyle luxury brand Quintessentially Group, on his 24-hour global concierge service, plans for a private floating club at the 2012 Olympics, and painting an heiress’ plane pink.
Point of Origin: In the film business, I was looking after the folk coming into town ... these film stars that had no idea what to do in London. As a producer, I would end up taking them out and making them feel cozy and at home in various clubs and restaurants around town, and then the concept came to me. I said to a couple of my partners who were doing sensible things like being lawyers and restaurants owners, "Lets set this up." We thought it would be a very simple 100-person, 100-member club, but now it's in 52 countries.
What did you do before? I was a film producer once upon a time. I landed in a company called Scala, which was run by Stephen Woolley and Nik Powell, and they produced films like Backbeat, Interview With a Vampire, and Crying Game. I became the head of development, and I did films like Fever Pitch and Michael Collins. PurpleLounge.com, it’s now one of the biggest poker rooms in Europe, and I just set that up one day, I can’t remember why since I’m not particularly much of a gambler. And 3-D gaming on WorldofMyown.com, because I think it’s going to be the next big thing. It’s this concept for a 3-D world, you can go on there and download anything, any game, free of charge.
Favorite Hangs: Istanbul is one of the best cities in the world because it’s East meets West. The Bosporus is gorgeous, and the Turks are hospitable, lovely people. I love Hong Kong because it’s a city city. New York and London are great cities, but Hong Kong is unashamedly a city. It is the most overbuilt, densely populated place on earth, but is unbelievably functional as a city. It is dirty like a city should be, it is rude like a city should be, and it’s very sexy like a city should be. Cape Town is the crossroads between the beautiful worlds. You’ve got the Pacific meeting the Indian Ocean, the Table Mountain meeting the sea, and it is absolutely stunning.
Do you know everyone who’s anyone in every major city? We have about 38,000 contracted suppliers, but yes, you can boil a city down to around 300 or 400 people that you have to get to know, and we hopefully know them.
This allows your concierge service to fulfill every possible desire? Yes, within reason and within legal bounds in the United States of America.
What’s within reason? There must be some outlandish requests. Imaginative, I think is the word. For an heiresses’ 21st birthday, we painted a private jet pink, inside and outside, and toured the world with her. It wasn’t top-pick paint, it was a little unusual.
Other Businesses: We’re well known for our concierge, but we’re actually a group of 16 businesses. Quintessentially Group runs in 52 countries with thousands of employees. We have a publishing division, a wine division, a model agency, it’s endless. I’ve got investments in telecom companies like TreeFriend.com, and I’m doing a few conceptual things with other businesses. We work with a lot of the world’s leading luxury houses to come up with new ideas. We just launched Quintessentially Bespoke, which has up to 150 designers and luxury brands, and we’re producing products at a limited edition that are unique and unusual. It’s too much to delve into each individual business.
Anything else in the works? I’m all about conceptualizing and coming up with new ideas. We’re working on a hotel club chain at the moment, that we’re launching hopefully next year, and we’re also working on the world’s first floating private club, which is going to be launching 2012 at the Olympics. It will have some of the world’s best bars and clubs on it.
Do you think it’s important to give back? Yes, we have our own charity foundation which we set up about a year ago, and I’m a trustee on it. Obviously we throw a lot of big events; we do auctions, our members raise a lot of cash and our staff raises a lot of cash, so I think last year we raised a couple of million pounds. This year we’re hoping to do that at least, and raise it mainly for children’s charities that give hope or add to learning or medical research.
Any plans to take over the world? Without Mini-Me? Well, world domination ... I actually don’t care about this world, it’s the next one I think we have to worry about. This one is a fun one, but the next one’s really important.
What are you doing tomorrow? Going to Istanbul for five days.
Comments (8)
Posted by rich on Fri Nov 7, 2008 at 12.22 pm
Hilarious! Their Paris website lists the Buddha Bar as a cool hangout with whom they have “priviledged relationships”—that’s insane! The Buddha Bar hasn’t been cool for about 7 or 8 years, is filled with backpackers, fat Saudis, and tourists of every stripe! They even have a cheesy gift shop at the entrance now --- if that’s the “cutting edge” type of place they send their clients, then count me out....any crappy three star hotel concierge could tell you that....and to think that people PAY for this!? Boggles the mind!
Posted by 1st Concierge on Tue Nov 11, 2008 at 04.23 am
Ah the Moscow branch! I am sure they employ a bunch of good looking girls who have no clue what the work of Concierge means. The way they beg us (real Concierges in real hotels) to get things done… I think that paying to get their service is a rip off. For the same money they could stay in wonderful hotel with dedicated Concierge ready to fulfill their every wishes. And what’s best with that is that the guest will actually see a real Concierge in action!
In this time of crisis, I think people should be more careful of the way the spend their money.
Well spotted Rich, Buddha bar is probably THE uncoolest place in Paris to go. It’s like people who wants to go to Maxim’s (there, this is a free advice for Quintessentially : do NOT recommend this restaurant!)
Posted by HappyQMember on Tue Nov 11, 2008 at 03.42 pm
Quintessentially has played a crucial role in daily functions of my life for the last 2 years (nearly). Whenever I need a “hot” restaurant, they always send me to the most delectable spots, including the most desired as well. I have never had an issue with them and would recommend this service to everyone and their mother. They are brilliant!
Posted by Anonymous on Tue Nov 11, 2008 at 04.51 pm
Agree that the Buddha Bar thing is seriously lame and should be removed ASAP, but of all my deailings with concierge services whether it be Amex Centurion, Quintessentially etc. Quintessentailly have definitely been the best, especialyl in emergency situations. There are always going to be haters of any service, but for me they work and I am super happy with them.
Posted by Trevalle Rorake on Tue Nov 11, 2008 at 05.35 pm
I’ve been a Quintessentially member since 2005 and, honestly, I have yet to have a negative experience. I travel quite a bit due to my job, and everywhere I go they can help me with whatever I need, large or small. And no, they have never sent me to Bhudda Bar.
Posted by 1st Concierge on Wed Nov 26, 2008 at 06.42 am
The main idea shared with concierge_x and Rich is that people pays for a service which they do not have to. Quintessentially so-called concierges are just a bunch of students who have no idea what the work of a real concierge is. I am pretty sure that the guide lines they follow is “when a customer calls with a request, put him on hold and call a real concierge in a hotel to get the job done”
That said, if you still want to throw money out of the windows, it’s up to you.
Posted by Mark on Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 12.00 am
Aaron Simpson is my cousin, I find him to be one of the most arragant people I know he is nothing but a school yard bully and has been since 1978 when he filled my mouth with sand which I have never forgotten it does not supprise me though as my family are complete freaks of nature bar a few and my good-self.
I spoke with him a few months ago and being honest if I didnt have a family of my own the way he spoke to me I would have grabbed a plane to New York and swipped that smirk from his face, its groups and organisations like his and Bens that in my opinion hide behind charitable donations and faviours from royals etc that enables suppression and containment on a global scale.
My one line to Aaron is “The rich man who worries about his wealth will surely fade away”
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Posted by concierge_x on Fri Nov 7, 2008 at 05.22 am
You should’ve asked him how Quintessentially got banned by all the London hotel concierges because they dishonestly got them to do a lot of their work for free..... by calling up and requesting information and favours, because they themselves were apparently unable to come through with the research. It continues in other countries as well, most particularly the Moscow branch, who regularly contact hotel concierges to get them to order tickets, reserve restaurants, and other services for clients who have nothing to do with these hotels. It’s quite sad that people pay large sums to a company that actually doesn’t do a lot of the work.....