The Who’s Who of wealth, power, and influence gathered in the Hamptons as the 1640 Society hosted its exclusive, invite-only annual meeting. This high-profile event brought together a powerful mix of billionaire families, global leaders, and influential family offices from around the world, to ap private home in Southampton at the end of August offering the top 1% an exclusive opportunity to engage in intimate, closed-door discussions on the most pressing issues shaping the future. Key topics at this year’s Forum included impact investing, wealth preservation, philanthropy, asset allocation, cybersecurity, blockchain, and tech investing, alongside deeper conversations on family harmony, values, and legacy building. Attendees traveled from every corner of the globe—Asia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Latin America, and even left their yachts in Europe to be part of this unparalleled event. While the Hamptons gathering marks the pinnacle of the Society’s meetings, another exclusive session takes place earlier in the year in Palm Beach, making the 1640 Society’s events the epitome of high-net-worth networking and influence.
The audience consisted of some of the leading families from across the globe including Royal family members from Europe and the Middle East, owners & CEO’s of some of the largest companies in the world, self made tech billionaires, next-gen legacy family members, heirs as well as the Chief Investment Officers who make key financial decisions for the families. Security was tight throughout the conference, with checkpoints at every entrance to the residence and anonymous security guards protecting some of the families attending.
Private discussions at the Forum were fascinating ranging from conversations on purchasing private islands, getaway homes in New Zealand & Switzerland, family kidnappings, multimillion ransoms, security protocols, family governance, co-investing with other families in philanthropy that can change the world and make it better to families who compared notes on the latest professional football, hockey or soccer team they acquired. The official panel discussions were just as interesting as the unofficial chats. The 1640 Society is known for bringing influential families with synergies together to form unique bonds that can last a lifetime. The 48th Vice President of the United States Michael Pence had a fireside chat with business tycoon and philanthropist Ambassador Gordon Sondland, former Ambassador to the European Union that captivated guests, delving into pressing geopolitical issues with depth and insight. Following his presentation, Vice President Pence spent several hours in one-on-one discussions with some of the most influential families in attendance, offering personalized insights and fostering strategic conversations that left a lasting impact. During the Forum, a young entrepreneur, with multiple successful exits under his belt, shared his new mission to tackle society’s challenges. Now partnering with his father on a biotech company aimed at addressing the opioid crisis, he spoke passionately about their work. Later in the day, billionaire Jackie Siegel moved the audience with a deeply personal story of losing her daughter to an opioid overdose, revealing how this tragedy propelled her family into action to help others and make a difference. Anthony Scaramucci spoke alongside several billionaires from Europe and the Mid East with thought-provoking discussions on the future of international business and investment strategies. Attorney General of Florida, Ashley Moody, highlighted the critical need to combat human trafficking, while Tim Tebow’s CEO shared insights on the power of impactful capital and investment strategies designed to drive positive change and improve the world. Next-generation family leaders, including the Bronfmans, the Peich family, a European family who founded and own Porsche, and one of Argentina’s leading billionaires, shared their insights on carving out their own paths while leveraging their prestigious family legacies. The day ended the day with a conversation on transforming pain to purpose with inspirational Shaquem Griffin, former NFL linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks & Miami Dolphins who was the first one handed player drafted in the NFL, legendary sports agent David Falk and a billionaire family who transformed adversity to success.
Some of the most influential families in the Hamptons attended and many high net worth families who applied could not get admitted. Thousands applied to attend and the Committee runs the Forum like a country club with a rigorous approval process and takes applications with only 200 families approved to join the Forum annually. Families who got past the ultimate velvet rope include some of the leading names in America including the Pitcairns, Kennedy’s, Bush, Firestone’s, Ford’s, Rockefeller’s, Bronfman’s, Kettering, Getty’s, Kluge, Pritzker’s, Johnson’s, Heinz, Hunt’s, tech entrepreneurs such as Musk who co-founded Paypal, along with international magnates including the Mittal family form India & Pears families from Europe. Westhampton airport had over 40 private jets fly in just for the exclusive and highly anticipated Forum. The next Forum is in Palm Beach on Monday April 8th Details on www.1640society.com if you are fortunate enough to secure an invitation.
