In a world of increasing uncertainty, resilience has become essential to wealth management. While traditional asset protection focuses on financial investments, many ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals are expanding their strategies to include physical resilience to ensure their businesses, family offices, and personal lives are fortified against unforeseen crises.

Recently, we advised a client who sought to enhance resilience for their assets and family. Initially, their concerns centred on business continuity, but this evolved into securing their family’s well-being. The client wanted certain properties to serve as true safe havens, incorporating secure rooms and long-term self-sufficiency features.

One of the most fascinating aspects of this project was our collaboration with a renowned marine architect. Drawing on their expertise in optimising confined spaces, we worked together to create a luxury subterranean space, hidden from the outside world. The project blended marine design principles with advanced security and bunker building knowledge, resulting in a sophisticated, self-sustaining retreat that offered both protection and comfort. Every inch of space was optimised, featuring innovative storage, high-end materials, and cutting-edge life-support systems, ensuring the family could live securely without sacrificing their lifestyle.

The concept of preparing, or ‘prepping’, for extreme scenarios is not new. Silicon Valley billionaires have long led the charge, purchasing remote properties in low population density locations such as New Zealand and Alaska. These investments often include state of the art ‘doomsday’ bunkers designed to sustain life in times of crisis. The Swiss, too, have a long-standing culture of preparedness, with nuclear bunkers mandated in large homes and residential buildings since the 1960s. Interest in secure, subterranean living has expanded significantly in recent years, particularly following the invasion of Ukraine.

The UK also has historical precedents for defensive architecture. During World War II, Anderson shelters and underground stations provided refuge during air raids. Today, private resilience has evolved beyond rudimentary shelters to sophisticated, fully equipped survival spaces designed for comfort and sustainability.

For our client, the goal was not just about enduring potential crises but maintaining normalcy in challenging situations. We advised on secure residential facilities with comprehensive provisions, including independent power supplies, water purification, food storage, medical facilities, and communication networks. Today’s elite bunkers offer luxury, privacy, and state-of-the-art technology, ensuring those who prepare are not merely surviving but thriving.

With growing geopolitical tensions, climate change concerns, and economic instability, more affluent families are considering measures to ensure they can weather potential disruptions. For those with the resources, creating a secure, self-sustaining environment is a logical extension of wealth preservation.

While some may view it as extreme, history has demonstrated the wisdom of preparing for worst-case scenarios. Whether through secure properties, self-sufficient family offices, or luxury safe havens, resilience is becoming a key part of future-proofing one’s legacy. The question is no longer why one should prepare, but how well one is prepared. Contact us to discuss further.