LIFESTYLE
Highlights include a 2018 trip to Antarctica involving three vessels, two helicopters and a pair of submersibles for one family who watched humpback whales and had a private audience with climate change research scientists. It has also laid on helicopter trips to remote Icelandic regions, a partnership with marine archaeologists that discovered a Roman shipwreck and a species of coral thought to be extinct, and a complex conservation project in the Galápagos Islands where clients flew out dozens of critically endangered giant tortoises by helicopter.
Travelling, responsibly Conservation and conscious travel are core to Cookson’ s trips, all of which are carbon neutral. Through its work, the company and its clients have supported tribal communities and raised millions for global conservation efforts.“ Often researchers, scientists or NGOs just don’ t have access to highnet-worth individuals,” says Henry.“ They hold these delicate paradises together, yet no one knows how challenging their work is.“ It’ s easy to fly into a country, jump onto a helicopter and head straight to luxury. What you might not have seen is that you flew over a slum, or land suffering famine or drought because of climate change. We educate influential people about what makes the world really tick, what is fragile and what’ s important to protect.” In the case of the Galápagos Islands, Cookson and its clients left an indelible mark. The trip directed funding into conservation projects at the location, raised awareness of the plight of its animal population and helped build a research station to study rare Iguanas. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Henry still has bold ambitions for the firm and a seemingly relentless bucket list to tick off, including‘ frontier tourism’ to locations with historical instability like Angola, Yemen, the Republic of Congo and more.“ They’ re safe,” he says.“ Put the planning, logistics and backups in, and they’ re incredible places to go – you’ ve also got some pretty impressive bragging rights and kudos for going somewhere uncharted.” Whether bragging rights, frontier expeditions or five-year yacht sabbaticals( yes, really) are the priority, Cookson has few limits to what it can offer clients.“ If it’ s ethical and legal, we’ ll make it happen,” says Henry.“ We’ ve even had people asking for something as difficult as guaranteed Northern lights. But it’ s okay. If you know what you’ re doing, you can game that system.” businesschief. com
125