Family Office Jurisdictions

This series of pre-recorded webinars will showcase different Jurisdictions, hearing from lawmakers, Family Offices and Services Providers enabling GPFO Members to compare and contrast the appropriateness of different locations. Below are the Jurisdictions that we will cover. 

I. Dubai
'Dubai as a Destination'

1. Mohamed Sharaf, Chief Operating Officer, Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC),
Dubai Economy and Tourism

With the ultimate vision of making Dubai the world’s leading commercial centre, investment hub and tourism destination, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) is mandated to support the Government in positioning the emirate as a major hub for global economy and tourism, and in boosting the city’s economic and tourism competitiveness indicators, in line with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which aims to double the size of the emirate’s economy and consolidate its position among the top three global cities over the next decade. Mr Sharaf is COO at Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), subsidiary of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. He is responsible for attracting investment and world-class talent to Dubai to drive the city’s continued growth envisioned under the D33 Agenda. 

2. Philippe Amarante, Head of Middle East at Henley & Partners 
Henley & Partners Private Clients DMCC

Philippe Amarante is the Managing Partner at Henley & Partners Middle East. Philippe has been advising private and institutional clients across industries, countries, and cultures for over 15 years as a successful business, relationship, and brand builder. Henley & Partners is the global leader in residence and citizenship by investment. Each year, hundreds of wealthy individuals and their advisors rely on their expertise and experience in this area. Their highly qualified professionals work together as one team in over 60 offices worldwide. Henley & Partners also runs the world’s leading government advisory practice for investment migration, which has raised more than USD 15 billion in foreign direct investment.

3. Simon Tandy, CIO
Areef Investments

Simon Tandy has spent the past 35 years as a long only diversified portfolio manager. Currently running a family office in Dubai, but travels extensively mostly towards Europe, Africa & Asia. After starting in London he spent 5 years in Bahrain, before spending 15 years with Jardine Fleming in Hongkong and Singapore. Since 2006 he has been based in the Gulf, initially working as CIO for a significant family office in Bahrain where he remains on the Advisory Board before establishing a new family office in Dubai in 2014. He remains an active investor and enjoys finding new and unusual opportunities globally across all asset classes and especially in the private unquoted markets. Prior to his fund management career he served in the Irish Guards.

4. Chris Usher, 
Cavenwell Group

Chris is a director at Cavenwell Group, where he works with a diverse range of wealth management professionals, supporting clients ranging from multi-generational High Net Worth (HNW) and Ultra High Net worth (UHNW) families to digital entrepreneurs around the world. Chris works with private banks, lawyers, accountants, and other financial services professionals to support them and their clients in protecting their wealth through the efficient use of wealth structuring vehicles. Cavenwell Group is an owner-managed, independent and digitally enabled fiduciary business specialised in global wealth structuring and administration solutions. 

II. Gibraltar

1. Emma Zammitt, Senior Executive
HM Government of Gibraltar, Gibraltar Finance

Gibraltar Finance is the platform for the promotion of Gibraltar’s vibrant financial services sector to the world, ensuring that Gibraltar effectively communicates its position as an international finance centre of excellence. Gibraltar Finance acts as a conduit to attract investment and new business opportunities to Gibraltar. Gibraltar Finance brings together a team of highly skilled professionals who bring a wealth of in-depth knowledge and experience from a variety of sectors in financial services. Their dedication and commitment to ensuring that Gibraltar excels as a jurisdiction of choice for investment and financial services is exemplary. 

2. Marc X. Ellul, Managing Director
Ellul & Cruz

Ellul & Cruz is a full-service Gibraltar law firm established in 1973. We offer a full range of legal services to individuals and businesses. We have specialists in a diverse range of practice areas covering most sectors of the law. We assist high-net worth individuals in relocating to Gibraltar and can support them with tax advice. We also advise family offices. We also have one of Gibraltar’s strongest litigation teams, particularly, for high-level civil litigation, insolvency, employment and admiralty matters. We have specialists dealing with corporate, commercial, investment funds, private client work, probate and trusts. Website: https://www.ellulcruz.com. Marc is the Managing Director of Ellul & Cruz and of its associated trust and company management practice. 

III. Jersey
'Jersey for Family Offices' 

1. Robert Moore, Director - UK
Jersey Finance 

Jersey Finance is a not-for-profit organisation that works closely with key partners to represent and promote Jersey as a forward-thinking international finance centre (IFC). We have a presence in Jersey, London, Dubai, Johannesburg, Hong Kong SAR, New York, Shanghai and Singapore. As an award-winning IFC, we understand the key drivers that make Jersey a destination of choice for family offices. With key aspirations and insights, we are able to support them in achieving their future wealth ambitions. Jersey can support family offices to grow and protect their wealth, through the Island’s solid infrastructure, specialist advice and its wide range of products and services. Robert joined Jersey Finance as a Market Director in 2018.Robert has over 18 years’ financial service experience in Jersey.

2. Chris Usher, 
Cavenwell Group

Chris is a director at Cavenwell Group, where he works with a diverse range of wealth management professionals, supporting clients ranging from multi-generational High Net Worth (HNW) and Ultra High Net worth (UHNW) families to digital entrepreneurs around the world. Chris works with private banks, lawyers, accountants, and other financial services professionals to support them and their clients in protecting their wealth through the efficient use of wealth structuring vehicles. Cavenwell Group is an owner-managed, independent and digitally enabled fiduciary business specialised in global wealth structuring and administration solutions. 

IV.  Liechtenstein

1. Dirk Reynders, Head Wealth Planning LGT Bank AG, Vaduz 
LGT Bank AG 

LGT is a leading international private banking and asset management group headquartered in Vaduz, Principality of Liechtenstein. Its clients are high net worth individuals and their families, as well as their advisors. Its largest client, the Princely Family of Liechtenstein, is also the owner of LGT. LGT offers a broad range of investment solutions, particularly in the areas of asset management and wealth planning. Dirk Reynders is heading LGT’s Wealth Planning Team in Liechtenstein. He provides international legal, tax and regulatory consulting services to the Bank’s Ultra High Net Worth clients. His main areas of focus include succession planning matters; implementing holding and asset protection structures; setting up single family offices; structuring of philanthropic projects and international relocation services.

V. Switzerland

1. Oliver Kraft 
LGT Bank AG

LGT is a leading international private banking and asset management group headquartered in Vaduz, Principality of Liechtenstein. Its clients are high net worth individuals and their families, as well as their advisors. Its largest client, the Princely Family of Liechtenstein, is also the owner of LGT. LGT offers a broad range of investment solutions, particularly in the areas of asset management and wealth planning. It also has extensive expertise in family governance, philanthropic advisory services and wealth reporting, enabling it to meet the diverse challenges of complex wealth situations for its clients.

2. Dr. Ruth Bloch-Riemer, Partner
Bär & Karrer AG 

Bär & Karrer AG is one of Switzerland‘s largest full-service law firms, present in all language areas and, i.a., deeply rooted in Private Client work. Dr. Ruth has more than a decade of experience in cross-border taxation and wealth / succession planning for (U)HNWI families, entrepreneurs, family offices and artists & sportspersons. 

3. John Bender
Bender Brothers & Co.

In addition to his roles at Bender Brothers & Co., John Bender serves as director-general of the International Trust Arbitration Organisation. Amongst external responsibilities are membership of an SFO investment committee in Monaco and a board directorship of one of the largest private trust companies in the Channel Islands. Between 1988 and 2001, he specialised in Asian equity markets at Morgan Stanley, Barings and HSBC with the benefit of being closely connected to a Hong Kong banking family. Mr. Bender acts as chairman of CANZUK International, an organisation advocating closer ties amongst the Commonwealth realms. He was special adviser to The Prince of Wales's charities office between 2004 and 2014 as well as councillor of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea between 1990 and 1994.