There are only a handful of great private partnerships left that pride themselves in transacting business in the old-fashioned way. Lazard and Cazenove spring instantly to mind. It isn't that these houses deliberately try to be superior, but when you meet their partners, you may have a feeling that they are quietly trying to assess whether or not you go on package holidays.

I have always liked Lazard, which is tiny compared to the US behemoths, yet manages to wield colossal influence on the world's centre-stage of mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. The great André Meyer was a hero of mine, although he was far more pleasant to clients than to his staff.