寄生的生意：如何用富豪的情报赚钱？

    对我们大多数人而言，对超级富豪的关注只是一种闲时消遣罢了。而对游艇、豪宅、珠宝卖家，以及资金募集人和投资组合经理来说，寻找、追踪和招揽超级富豪则是一项严肃的工作。

    致力于发现超级富豪的数字平台Wealth-X在两周前宣布，坐拥80亿美元的风投公司Insight Venture Partners为其提供了“数百万美元”的投资，这充分说明Wealth-X增长强劲。

    迄今为止，Wealth-X的数据库包含全球各地超过10万名富豪的档案资料，根据可获得的公开信息，其中每个人的资产净值据信都在3,000万美元以上。全球这类超级富豪中，有差不多半数被收录在这个数据库中，而这一数字还在持续增长。

    Wealth-X是由麦克拉斯•兰巴斯和大卫•弗里德曼共同创立的，其竞争对手包括金融服务提供商Wealth Insight、另一家数码企业Wealth Engine、以及商业决策公司Relationship Science。该公司的13个办事处雇有200多名员工，为超级富豪建立档案和资料。

    这项服务的年订阅费为1.8万美元，Wealth-X还会为客户勾勒超级富豪与其所在公司和慈善机构董事会的其他成员之间的关系网。目前已有超过300人订购了这项服务。

    这种所谓的“社交地图”可以让Wealth-X用户抓住机会，结识身处同一个交响乐团董事会的另一位超级富豪，比如说一位低调的石油大亨，将其发展成为自己的朋友、客户或是熟人。

    在巴黎的一场财富会议上，兰巴斯表示：“我们的客户包括全球十大银行中的八家，还有大部分常春藤学校，所有的游艇制造商和几十家高端零售商。我们还发现，越来越多的赌场也对我们的服务很感兴趣。”

    谈到Wealth-X自身的发展战略时，兰巴斯表示，公司战略的推动因素是“与Wealth-X直接相关的全球财富五大趋势——华尔街的再平衡、非营利事业的紧迫性、奢侈品牌的细分、财富的大规模转移和全球财富的创造。”

    兰巴斯是底特律人，毕业于麻省理工学院（Massachusetts Institute of Technology），获得管理学学位。五年前任职于福布斯（Forbes）杂志时，他试图说服《福布斯》扩充其全球400富豪榜(Forbes 400)，将其转型为数字化产品。

    兰巴斯说：“我们多次开会，进行了大量讨论，但没有做出什么决定或执行计划。”

    后来兰巴斯离开了《福布斯》，携手他在社交场合结识的弗里德曼一起推行自己的计划。

    与此同时，《福布斯》在2014年建立了一份全球身家10亿美元以上的富豪榜单，上榜人数达到1,645人，其中包含268名新入榜者。兰巴斯认为，在接下来的十年中，富豪榜人数将至少翻倍，这将为奢侈品公司、大学、基金会和其他机构提供巨大的机遇。

    兰巴斯表示：“对致力于为这个超级富豪群体服务的机构来说，机遇是巨大的。我们仍然处于大规模财富创造浪潮的初期。更广泛的高净值群体也会持续扩张。”

    毫无疑问，对律师和营销商能以这样前所未有的方式轻松地找到他们，某些喜欢隐藏在公众视线外的超级富豪并不乐意。而另一些已经联系Wealth-X，告诉他们数据库的内容无误——有几个超级富豪还提供了最新信息。（财富中文网）

    译者：严匡正

    For most of us, fascination with the ultra-wealthy is a pastime. To the sellers of yachts, mansions and jewelry, as well as to fundraisers and portfolio managers, the finding, tracking and pitching of the uber rich is serious business.

    Wealth-X, a digital platform for identifying UHNW (ultra high net worth) individuals, two weeks ago announced a “multimillion dollar” investment from the $8 billion Insight Venture Partners fund, a proof point of growth.

    The platform’s database so far includes more than 100,000 profiles spanning the globe, each representing a net worth believed to be more than $30 million, based on publicly available information. This collection represents a half or less of the world’s total of such individuals; and it’s a number that keeps growing.

    Co-founded by Mykolas Rambus and David Friedman, Wealth-X competes with Wealth Insight, Wealth Engine, another digital venture, as well as Relationship Science. Employing a staff of more than 200 in 13 offices, Wealth-X builds profiles and dossiers of individuals.

    A year’s subscription to the service costs $18,000 and includes the services of Wealth-X employees, who will sketch the interlocking relationships among the ultra wealthy and fellow members of corporate and philanthropic boards. The company’s subscriber list currently numbers more than 300.

    So-called “social mapping” could snag an introduction to, say, a reclusive oil wildcatter who serves on the same symphony board as a friend, client or acquaintance of a Wealth-X subscriber.

    “We’re used by eight of 10 of the largest global banks, most Ivy League schools, every yacht manufacturer and several dozen high-end retailers,” said Rambus, speaking from a conference on wealth in Paris. “We’re starting to see an increasing number of casinos become interested in us.”

    Speaking of Wealth-X’s own growth strategy Rambus said it is driven by “five global wealth related trends—Wall Street rebalancing, non-profit urgency, luxury brand segmentation, massive wealth transfer, and global wealth creation – that are playing directly into our hands.”

    Rambus, a native Detroiter, is a management alumnus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Five years ago, while employed at Forbes magazine, he was trying to persuade Forbes to expand, digitize and commercialize its Forbes 400 list of the world’s wealthiest people.

    “We had lots of meetings and discussions but never could quite come up with a decision and an execution plan,” he said.

    Rambus resigned from Forbes and came up with his own plan, in collaboration with Friedman, whom he met socially.

    Forbes, in the meantime, has created a global billionaires list, numbering 1,645, including 268 new members in the latest year. Rambus thinks the number is poised to double at least in the next decade or so, creating tremendous opportunities for organizations that sell luxury items, as well as colleges, foundations and other institutions.

    “For organizations in this ultra wealthy space, the opportunities are tremendous. We are still at the beginning of a massive wealth creation wave,” he said. “The broader base of UHNW individuals is set to expand as well.”

    Some UHNWs no doubt like to fly below the radar and aren’t pleased that it’s easier than ever to lead solicitors and marketers to them. Some have contacted Wealth-X to let them know the database’s info is spot on – and a few have furnished fresh information.