Today sees the publication of the 2024 eprivateclient 50 Most Influential – the definitive rankings of the key players in the UK and global offshore private client practitioner sector.
The 50 individuals listed below have been selected by PAM Insight's judges with achievements, promotions and progress potential candidates made in the past 12 months considered. As well as this judging process, an open call for nominations was made to eprivateclient readers and names put forward by this process were also considered.
The 50 individuals listed below highlight the depth of talent and breadth of skilled and professional advice available to clients across the world from UK and global offshore private client professionals.
Once again, the 2024 eprivateclient 50 Most Influential is kindly sponsored by Sarasin & Partners.
Akin Coker
Partner & head of private client
Buzzacott
Akin is a partner and head of private clients at Buzzacott with a focus on wealth preservation from a tax perspective. Working closely with Buzzacott’s financial planning team, he helps high net worth individuals and their families protect their wealth throughout their lives through careful planning. Akin advises on all aspects of tax planning and compliance reporting for clients with complicated financial affairs, often in multiple jurisdictions. He also specialises in assisting clients who have moved or are looking to move to the UK and require tax advice. Akin is a member of the Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) and is a qualified Chartered tax adviser. Prior to Buzzacott, Akin worked in the private client team at a national practice.
Alan Ive
Partner & head of private client tax
Rawlinson & Hunter
Alan is a partner and head of private client tax at Rawlinson & Hunter, advising UK and international high net worth individuals on their tax affairs. He specialises in advising individuals and businesses in the private equity, real estate and financial services sectors. Alan has strong experience in the taxation of foreign domiciled individuals, their business interests and their family wealth structures, with a particular emphasis on private equity and venture capital asset managers, including the taxation of management fees and carried interest.
Ashley Crossley
Partner
Baker McKenzie
Ashley is head of the wealth management department in Baker McKenzie’s London office, a member of Baker McKenzie’s global wealth management steering committee, coordinating partner for the firm’s global banking relationships and also heads the firm's Russia/CIS practice. In 2021, he acted on one of the largest family offices' instructions the firm has ever worked on involving multiple jurisdictions and very challenging tax and asset protection requirements covering the UK, US, Europe and Asia. Ashley also advises governments and global financial institutions on compliance and regulatory issues, including disclosure and exchange of information. Ashley advises high net worth individuals, families and global financial institutions on cross-border tax and trust structuring, asset protection, multi-jurisdictional investment structures and contentious and non-contentious trust work.
Bart Peerless
Senior partner
Charles Russell Speechlys
Bart, senior partner at Charles Russell Speechlys, advises individuals, trustees and beneficiaries in relation to succession and estate planning, including tax and on the use of trusts and other asset holding vehicles. His clients include some of the world’s wealthiest families and he advises many UK and international business people and substantial landowners. He frequently has to deal with cross border tax and succession issues in the course of this work. He also acts for a large number of charitable trusts and is a trustee of several charities.
Bryony Cove
Partner
Farrer & Co
Bryony, a partner at Farrer & Co, is an experienced private client lawyer working with a broad range of UK and international clients, from individuals and families to trust companies and family businesses. Bryony has experience advising on all aspects of UK estate planning, including wills, trusts, lasting powers of attorney and family governance issues. She regularly advises on the administration of large and complex estates and international probate and some contentious probate and trust matters. Bryony looks after entrepreneurial and multi-generational private business owning clients as well as talents from the fields of entertainment, media, music, sport, literature, art and design. She also advises professionals including private bankers, investment managers and accountants. Bryony acts as a trustee for several UK business and land owning families, gaining insight into the very specific challenges of this role. She is a member of STEP (The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), sitting as a founder member of its responsible stewardship of wealth strategy group. Bryony also regularly speaks at and chairs industry seminars and events both within the UK and overseas.
Camilla Wallace
Senior partner
Wedlake Bell
With specialisms in personal tax, offshore and UK trusts, wills and estate planning and wealth structuring, Camilla is senior partner at Wedlake Bell. She advises both UK and global high net worth individuals and trustees on estate planning to mitigate the incidence of inheritance tax and control the devolution of estates using lifetime gifts, trusts and tax-efficient wills. She also provides advice to clients on capital gains tax and income tax mitigation strategies as regards lifetime tax planning. Camilla has experience of both offshore and onshore trust structuring and advising trustees and beneficiaries in relation to the day-to-day management and administration of trusts and estates. Camilla is a member of Wedlake Bell’s offshore, family office and India groups. Camilla trained at US firm Dechert and thereafter was a solicitor in the private client team at Macfarlanes. She is also a founding member of PAIAM (Professional Advisors to the International Art Market).
Chris Moorcroft
Partner & head of private client
Harbottle & Lewis
Chris, a partner and head of private client at Harbottle & Lewis, advises individuals and families on the structuring of wealth and estates. He advises on will planning and probate, particularly those involving multiple jurisdictions, and acts as an executor and administrator of estates. He has a particular interest in intestate estates and conducting the administration of estates which are the subject of dispute. With a particular focus on US-connected clients and counts a number of clients from South America, the Middle East and Africa, Chris represents wealthy individuals and families from around the world, as well as their family offices and trustees. A significant element of his time involves advising UK and international high net worth individuals who are resident, investing or spending time in UK on how to structure their assets, including advice on the res non-dom (RND) regime and the structuring of UK residential property.
Christopher Groves
Partner & co-head of private client and tax in Europe
Withers
Chris, a partner at Withers, leads the private client and tax team in Europe. He is a tax and trusts lawyer. Chris’ practice includes advising individuals and trustees on UK tax issues, succession planning, business and investment structuring for families and private investors and international trust and estate planning.
Darren Kelland
Head of private client services group
Hawksford
Darren, head of Hawksford’s private client services group, has experience as both a trustee and a director on complex trust structures, family offices and multinational companies, and has provided administration services for high profile and influential individuals, entrepreneurs and long established families with considerable private capital and varied business interests. Darren leads the management and growth of Hawksford’s private client services and proposition. He is responsible for the firm’s team of specialist administrators who are discreet, professional and focused on the long term and individual needs of Hawksford’s clients.
Fiona Poole
Partner & head of private wealth
Maurice Turnor Gardner
Fiona is a partner and head of private wealth at Maurice Turnor Gardner, with UK and international high net worth clients benefiting from her in-depth personal tax experience. She was appointed as head of private wealth in November of last year. Fiona specialises in complex estate and succession planning for her clients’ personal and business assets in multiple jurisdictions and international trust issues for high net worth individuals. In addition to being a private client lawyer, Fiona is dual qualified as a Chartered tax adviser. This, and her background as a solicitor in the international private client team at a big four accountancy firm, means that Fiona has developed her profile in advising on the tax treatment of entrepreneurs and wealthy families from around the world. Fiona is both a member of STEP, the Association of Partnership Practitioners and the Charity Law Association – reflecting the breadth of her practice, which includes philanthropy and partnership law as well as wealthy families.
Gail McCourt
Head of private client fiduciary services
RBC
Gail has been head of the private client fiduciary services business at RBC for the past three years and is responsible for the fiduciary management and technical trust teams in the Channel Islands. She is also a member of the RBC Wealth Management international operating committee and holds a number of board positions. Gail joined RBC in 2003 and has also held roles including head of marketing, head of regional market strategy, head of client experience and, latterly, four years as head of fiduciary management.
Gary Heynes
Partner & head of private client
RSM
Gary is the national head of private client at RSM. Gary has wide experience of private client tax issues and advises many entrepreneurs, business owners, UK non-resident and non-domiciled individuals and trustees both in the UK and offshore on a variety of UK tax matters. The majority of his clients are multinational families who either have a base in the UK or who have family members or investments in the UK. Gary is also an associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation and a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.
Gillian Crandles
Managing partner
Turcan Connell
Gillian Crandles, a managing partner at Turcan Connell, is accredited as a specialist in family law by the Law Society of Scotland and the only family lawyer in Scotland to be recognised as an Eminent Practitioner by Chambers UK. She has particular experience in cases involving professionals, entrepreneurs, land and estate owners and those in the public domain who require a highly proactive approach to sensitive and private matters. Typically, Gillian deals with complex, high value cases, giving her an understanding of business valuations, partnership issues and farming disputes. Many of her cases have an international element, including disputes regarding children and in respect of jurisdiction for financial claims. A dual qualified solicitor in Scotland and England & Wales, Gillian is often involved in cross-border cases, particularly in relation to asset protection including pre- and post-nuptial agreements and living together agreements.
Hayden Bailey
Partner & head of private client tax
Boodle Hatfield
A partner and head of Boodle Hatfield’s private client tax team, Hayden has an extensive range of private client and tax planning experience and advises entrepreneurs, family business owners and city executives on their UK capital taxation strategy, wills, trusts, life assurance based products, partnerships, shareholder issues and corporate governance. Hayden also advises non-UK domiciliaries on their UK taxation exposure and asset holding structures and family office arrangements.
Heather Tibbo
Chief executive
Crestbridge Family Office Services
A qualified lawyer, Heather, chief executive of Crestbridge FOS has more than 25 years’ experience in the UHNW sector and has worked closely with families and their trusted advisers over more than two decades to develop a formidable understanding of the family office landscape. As well as working extensively across the UK, she is a frequent visitor to markets in Europe, Middle East and the US and has worked with UHNWIs, their families and institutions globally to provide a comprehensive range of family office services to both families and corporate clients based in multiple jurisdictions.
Henry Hood
Senior partner
Hunters Law
With extensive experience of financial claims involving substantial wealth and complex UK and foreign assets, Henry is senior partner at Hunters and leads the firm’s family team. Henry’s clients include ultra-high net worth individuals and their spouses, ranging from bankers, entrepreneurs, senior lawyers and substantial property owners. Henry regularly advises on nuptial agreements in the context of family wealth protection, where he works closely with our leading private client advisers. Henry has a particular specialism in landed estate and farming divorce cases, and is a member of the Agricultural Law Association. Henry is an accredited mediator, a collaborative lawyer and a family arbitrator (finance).
Iain Johns
Group head of private client services
JTC
As JTC’s group head of private client services, Iain oversees the strategic development and expansion of the company’s private client business, as well as its day-to-day running, from the twin perspectives of geographic and product development. He is also a director on JTC’s group holdings board. Iain has experience in dealing with the financial affairs of some of the world’s wealthiest families. The last year has seen the expansion of JTC continue under Iain’s stewardship. Iain is a regular runner, an avid collector of guitars and a father to three children. One nominator said: “His calm but driven approach helps the team to have confidence in what they are doing and it motivates them to achieve.”
James Campbell
Partner
Ogier
A partner at Ogier since May 2017, James specialises in advising professional trustees, family offices, intermediaries and high net worth families on all aspects of Jersey trusts, foundations and estate planning, together with all related company and commercial law issues. He also advises on the establishment, ongoing operation and restructuring of both private and commercial trusts and has a particular focus on the establishment and use of private trust companies. He was previously a partner with Bedell Cristin in its Jersey office for 17 years.
James Quarmby
Partner
Stephenson Harwood
James created the private wealth team at Stephenson Harwood in 2014, which has now grown to an international practice in six jurisdictions with 55 fee-earners. James' own caseload consists of UK and international taxation, residency and domicile, offshore pensions and trusts, asset protection, succession planning and HMRC disputes. James is one of the most prominent private client lawyers in the UK and is notable for his robust commentary on tax policy in the press and broadcast media (Sky News, BBC TV News & Radios 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 & World Service, Bloomberg TV, Times Radio and LBC). He is particularly well known for his pugnacious encounter with John Humphrys on R4's Today programme over David Cameron's 'offshore trust' (that wasn't) and a bizarre debate on tax policy with Carol Vordeman on R2's Jeremy Vine Show. As well as being a solicitor, regulated by the SRA, he is a Registered Tax Technician, regulated by the Association of Tax Technicians (ATT). He is an active member of STEP and a contributing editor for Lexis/Nexis.
Jane Pearce
Head of trust
Butterfield
Jane joined Butterfield in February 2020 as group head of trust based in Guernsey. In her role, Jane works with the senior trust executive team to deliver the group trust strategy and value proposition across our jurisdictions, serving over 1,500 ultimate client groups with US$90 billion in client assets under administration. Jane began her career in accountancy with Ernst & Young and has worked in the corporate and funds industry for over 20 years, gaining extensive experience in administering and accounting for complex investment structures. Most recently, Jane worked for the Vistra Group and prior to that was a partner and group director of Ogier. She is also a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
Jonathan Rigby
Global managing partner
Mourant
Global managing partner at offshore law firm Mourant, Jonathan has been elected to that role in 2008, 2012, 2016 and re-elected in 2020. In this role, he chairs the firm’s management committee and is responsible for implementing the firm's strategy. He joined Mourant Ozannes in 1998 and was admitted as a partner in 2003. Between 2003 and 2006, Jonathan was head of Mourant’s London office and led it through a period of significant growth to become one of the largest offshore practices in the City. Jonathan’s experience includes leading the firm through the largest merger of offshore law firms, opening new offices in the Caribbean and Asia, and establishing complementary businesses and services lines. He also have extensive experience advising financial institutions, corporates and intermediaries on capital markets, structured finance and investment fund transactions. Prior to joining Mourant Ozannes, Jonathan was a banking lawyer at CMS Cameron McKenna in London.
Jonathan Riley
Partner & head of private wealth
Fladgate
Jonathan has worked at Fladgate since May 2020 and has overseen substantial growth in the law firm’s private client offering. He was previously a partner at Michelmores and built his career at Macfarlanes and Allen & Overy. Jonathan has substantial experience in advising both UK and internationally based wealthy individuals and families on a broad range of matters, including wealth structuring, trust advice, estate planning and tax. He has advised some of the wealthiest families (and their family offices) in the UK and internationally and has clients based in the Middle East, Switzerland and South America. Jonathan’s work often involves coordinating advice across multiple jurisdictions. He has a particular interest in succession and governance for larger family owned businesses and in ensuring that the optimisation of a family’s private affairs reflects the commercial imperatives of their business.
Judith Millar
Partner & head of private wealth international team
BDB Pitmans
Judith is the head of the private wealth international team at BDB Pitmans. Judith leads partners and fee-earners from the private client, private real estate, trust disputes and family law teams, encouraging a collaborative and integrated approach to cross jurisdictional work which has successfully enhanced the firm’s international offering. Judith specialises in UK and international trust and estate planning and is regarded as an expert in the sector. Her clients include a number of families with very substantial UK and non-UK trust interests requiring advice on restructuring in order to benefit succeeding generations and on the implications of changes in tax treatment. She is often asked to act as a trustee and an executor for her clients.
Justine Markovitz
Chairperson
Withers
Also named in as an eprivateclient 50 Most Influential in 2022 and 2023, Justine is chairperson for Withers and is a partner in the firm’s private client and tax team. She focuses on advising private clients and financial institutions in relation to tax, trusts and estate planning. She also advises on wills and trust drafting matters as well as on international tax investigations. Justine became global chairperson of Withers in July 2019. Prior to that, Justine joined Withers in 1999, moving to Geneva in September 2005 to become head of its Geneva office. In 2011, Justine became head of Swiss operations. In 2016, she was appointed joint divisional chief executive of the global private client and tax team.
Lisa Vizia
Guernsey head of family office services
Saffery Trust
Lisa heads up a family office team in Guernsey, managing offshore structures for UHNW families, focusing on the Middle East. Lisa works in partnership with clients’ family offices, providing a tailored support service focused on individual client needs. Lisa adds value by providing proactive strategic input to the clients’ family office deliberations, becoming a trusted adviser at the family office table. She has particular expertise in Middle Eastern structures, with an essential understanding of Sharia law and the devolution of Middle Eastern Estates in conjunction with complex trust and company structures. One nominator said that Lisa was “She is the consummate professional – deeply caring and empathetic towards the families behind the trusts her team runs, whilst always being responsive and commercial in her approach and on top of the detail” whilst another said she “has gone over and above on a number of occasions to deliver an exceptional client service, and it is clear that she fully understands the need to look at things from a very practical perspective which is much appreciated by her clients.”
Marcus Dearle
Senior partner
Miles Preston
Marcus has been a partner at Miles Preston since 2021 and senior partner since last year and is a 26-year veteran of Withers in London and Hong Kong (1990-2016) with over 35 years of experience acting in complex domestic and international family law cases. Marcus has specialist expertise, in particular, acting for trustees in HNW and UHNW divorce and trust cases, advising on HNW and UHNW pre- and post-nuptial agreements (PNAs) and dealing with international divorce litigation involving PNAs and trusts. He has recognised pioneering expertise in international surrogacy law and medico-legal/fertility law issues. He is the immediate past chair of the International Bar Association, Family Law Committee, and a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers. In addition to being admitted in England & Wales, he uniquely practises in Hong Kong family law from London. He is also admitted, but not practising in, the BVI.
Mark McMullen
Partner & chief executive – family office
Stonehage Fleming
Mark has been a partner and chief executive of Stonehage Fleming’s family office for two decades. He serves as a senior partner and adviser to a number of HNW international families. Mark joined the Stonehage Fleming Group in 2001 in Neuchatel, Switzerland. In 2009, he relocated to Geneva to establish and head up the Geneva office. Mark also oversees Stonehage Fleming’s family office businesses in Switzerland, Luxembourg, Monaco, UK, Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, South Africa, Mauritius, Israel, the US and Canada. He is a qualified chartered accountant having completed his professional training with Deloitte in South Africa and the USA. He is a member of SAICA and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
Mark Pesco
Group chief executive
IQ-EQ
Based in Jersey, Mark is IQ-EQ’s group chief executive and is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the firm and leading the day to day management of the business and our people across the group. Mark qualified as a chartered accountant with PwC and has since held a number of senior leadership roles in the investor services sector including partner, managing director, group managing director and chief executive officer. Mark’s responsibilities have included financial, operational, strategic, general management and client relationship management. His career has also included periods working in Singapore, Australia and London. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).
Michael Betley
Global head of private clients
Ocorian
Michael is the global head of private client at Ocorian. Prior to the business being acquired, Michael was chief executive of Trust Corporation International and, as one of its founders, shaped the focus it still has today on administering complex and high-value structures which tend to sit outside the traditional comfort zone of many offshore fiduciaries. In 2023, under Michael’s leadership, Ocorian developed its thematic approach to assessing market opportunity and created campaigns around these themes. This has led to significant new client wins and the delivery of more focused, strategic thought leadership insights. One such thematic initiative was the commissioning and publication of a report from an international study with more than 130 family office professionals responsible for around $62.425 billion assets under management, identifying key themes and trends in the industry.
Mike Hodges
Partner & head of private wealth group
Saffery
Mike is a tax partner and head of Saffery's private wealth group. He has more than 20 years’ experience advising wealthy individuals, entrepreneurs and their businesses across a wide range of industry sectors, including professional partnerships, on tax planning and wider financial matters. A good deal of Mike’s work focuses on corporate finance and transaction advisory work. Mike is one of the firm's press spokespeople and is regularly quoted in the national press. He is also a regular presenter on Saffery's popular series of private wealth podcasts.
Nancy Chien
Partner & head of international private wealth
Bedell Cristin
Also named in the 2022 and 2023 eprivateclient 50 Most Influential rankings, Nancy is fluent in English, Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese. She has extensive experience in a wide range of offshore matters in both the private client area as well as the corporate sphere. In the private client context, Nancy advises UHNW families, family offices and intermediaries on all aspects of private client structuring including the use of trusts and foundations, as well as related corporate law issues (including where such vehicles are used for philanthropic purposes). She has considerable experience with high value and complex structures which enable the clients to retain a degree of control over their family assets and achieve effective succession planning. In the corporate area, Nancy is one of the only Jersey lawyers with specific experience in pensions and employee incentive arrangements (having previously worked for Ashurst in London) and is the chairperson of the Jersey Pensions Association.
Naomi Rive
Group director
Highvern
Naomi is a group director at Highvern. She was called to the English Bar in 1999 and re-qualified as a Jersey Advocate in 2003. As a former partner at global offshore law firm Appleby, Naomi provided wealth-structuring advice to HNW and UHNW individuals, international private banks and trust companies. At Highvern, Naomi works closely with clients and their advisers to establish and implement wealth planning structures. Naomi is a member of the board of Highvern Trustees, former chair of STEP in Jersey and sits on the Jersey Finance Trusts Law Working Party.
Neil Long
Partner & head of private capital team
Womble Bond Dickinson
Neil leads Womble Bond Dickinson's private capital team, which is made up of more than 35 lawyers and other professionals operating from London, Bristol, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh. Neil is an experienced private client lawyer, with a particular specialism in trust and estate disputes. He advises individuals, families, charities and trustees about the validity of Wills and trust documents, undue influence, financial provision, mental capacity, interpretation and related matters. Neil has wide experience of negotiation, mediation and litigation, having conducted cases in the Family and Chancery Divisions of the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Court of Protection. He also maintains a non-contentious practice advising clients on wills, inheritance tax and the administration of complex UK and international estates and trusts. One nominator said Neil is “someone who cares about his clients. He is brave for them when necessary but gets things done in a calm and considered way.”
Nick Pheasey
Partner & UK head of private client and family office
KPMG
Nick is a partner and head of the KPMG family office and private client team in the UK. He joined KPMG in 2002 and has specialised in private client tax matters throughout his career with over 20 years’ experience advising in this area. Nick is based in the North of England and his clients include entrepreneurs, family offices and private families. Nick has worked with many private business owners as they navigate complex transactions and the transition of wealth through the family. Nick was also named as an eprivateclient 50 Most Influential in 2017.
Nick Warr
UK senior partner
Taylor Wessing
Recently elected as Taylor Wessing’s next UK senior partner, Nick is succeeding Dominic Fitzpatrick, who has been Taylor Wessing's UK senior partner since 2017 and has worked at the firm for over 33 years. Nick has been a partner in the firm's private client group since 2006 and head of its international private wealth group since 2015. He specialises in advising ultra-high net worth individuals, with experience in advising individuals from the financial industry on all aspects of their personal and corporate structuring, and families with interests mainly on fiscal and succession planning.
Nicola Roberts
Head of private client services
Deloitte
Named as Deloitte’s head of private client services in 2017, Nicola, who has over 20 years’ experience in providing private client tax services, became one of Deloitte’s youngest partners in 2011. She leads the firm’s relationships with private clients and has been pivotal in the practice’s success in advising international entrepreneurial clients from around the globe. As a private client tax partner, Nicola advises single family offices, international private clients and families on their trusts and related structures on UK and international tax matters.
Nimesh Shah
Chief executive
Blick Rothenberg
Chief executive of London-based tax advisory firm Blick Rothenberg since August 2020, Nimesh joined the firm in 2012. His background is in personal tax and he has over 15 years’ continuous experience in practice. He specialises in the interaction of personal and corporate tax matters, advising predominantly entrepreneurs from across a variety of industry sectors on all aspects of their personal and corporate tax affairs. Nimesh has a keen interest in the UK’s tax policy and regularly inputs into government consultations including stakeholder meetings with HMRC and HM Treasury. He is passionate about both improving the UK’s tax system through simplification and reducing barriers and compliance requirements to promote entrepreneurship in the UK.
Paul Ayers
Partner & UK head of private client services
BDO
Paul is the national head of private client services for BDO in the UK and since March 2023, the new chair of BDO's global private client services. He has a varied client base comprising entrepreneurs, entertainers and both UK and international families. Paul’s areas of tax expertise reflect that client base and he advises them on all aspects of their personal tax affairs including overseeing their tax filings both in the UK and abroad, advising them on estate planning matters, and generally ensuring they optimise their tax position. Paul takes a collaborative approach to working with his clients’ other advisers, whilst always recognising that ultimately he is advising the client on what is best for them.
Piers Barclay
Partner & head of private clients
Macfarlanes
Head of private client at UK law firm Macfarlanes, Piers specialises in succession, tax and estate planning advice for individuals and their families as well as related advice to trustees and other private client service providers, such as family offices. In addition to UK-based clients, much of his work has an international element, including structuring multi-jurisdictional estates, using trusts in civil law and Sharia law countries and advising non-UK trustees on tax and fiduciary matters. Before becoming a partner, Piers spent six months on secondment in the trusts department of an international law firm. Piers is a member of the firm's probate group and has many years' experience advising on all probate related matters.
Piers Master
Partner & head of private wealth
Charles Russell Speechlys
Piers acts for some of the firm’s largest private clients and leads the firm’s Private Wealth group. He has grown the firm’s international client base as a trusted adviser to families with financial power and business ambition from across the world, who recognise his multi-disciplinary understanding of their overall situation. This includes work from Middle Eastern ruling family members and billionaires with global enterprises, cross border projects, and complex family shareholdings. These families and their advisers recognise his experience, and his role as their trusted lead adviser, whilst his market standing is reflected in frequent requests for his leading commentary and speaking at international conferences on private wealth matters. He is also a Visiting Professor at the University of Law. As well as acting for Middle Eastern clients, Piers also acts for many high-net-worth individuals from the US living in the UK or with financial interests in the UK. In addition he acts for UK based clients including entrepreneurs and owners of major landed estates.
Rosamond McDowell
Partner & head of private clients
Payne Hicks Beach
Also named as a 2023 eprivateclient 50 Most Influential, Rosamond specialises in tax and estate planning advice for individual private clients, families and trustees, onshore and offshore. Rosamond helps families to plan, advising on estate and capital taxes, inheritance matters, wills, trusts and other financial structures. Mental capacity is critical to estate planning matters, and Rosamond advises on Lasting Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection applications. Difficulties can arise from maladministration of probates or breaches of trust, fiduciary or investment obligations, or when the laws of various jurisdictions internationally conflict. Rosamond can advise beneficiaries in these circumstances and is also experienced at defending executors and trustees who are subject to complaints from aggrieved beneficiaries. Rosamond trained at Charles Russell and upon qualification joined Biddle & Co in 1998 which then merged in 2001 to become Pinsents. She joined Payne Hicks Beach in 2014 after 10 years with Collyer Bristow. Rosamond is a member of the Law Society private client section and is also an ordained priest.
Russell Clark
Partner & Guernsey head of trust and private wealth
Carey Olsen
Russell heads up Carey Olsen’s trusts and private wealth team in Guernsey. He advises on both contentious and non-contentious trust and private wealth matters. He also advises private clients on succession, estate planning and family governance. Russell was elected as a member of The International Academy of Estate and Trust Law (TIAETL) and is a member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS). He is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), having previously been chairman of the STEP Guernsey Branch Technical Committee and a branch committee member for 18 years. Russell is also a Notary Public and advises on Guernsey, Alderney and Sark law. He was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales before returning to Guernsey where he qualified as an advocate in 1997. He was made partner in 2001. Russell became a Notary Public in 2006.
Sarah von Schmidt
Partner & head of private client
Farrer & Co
An experienced private client lawyer with a strong reputation for her work on trusts, wills and succession planning, and family constitution and governance issues, Sarah leads the firm’s private client group and has a diverse practice spanning the private client sector. She has developed an unusually broad range of expertise in the field, with a special interest in trusts issues. On trusts matters, Sarah acts for a range of trustees and beneficiaries, including those involved with significant onshore and international trusts, and associated with large corporations, substantial landed estates, family offices, wealthy individuals and families. Her experience advising both trustees and beneficiaries gives her a valuable perspective on the needs of all those involved. Sarah acts for a wide range of family offices, family businesses, entrepreneurs and owner managers, wealthy families and individuals, and landed estates.
Sean Bannister
Head of tax
Edwin Coe
Sean is head of the tax practice at Edwin Coe. Sean acts for high-net and ultra-high-net worth individuals and families and those that advise them (financial service providers and corporate service provider/trustees). Principally acting for clients with assets and business interests globally, Sean is well versed on multi-jurisdictional issues and has a wealth of experience advising those who are seeking to ensure their tax affairs are administered in a framework that is both effective and compliant. A particular strength is advising non-domiciled clients as to how best to navigate the UK tax landscape and maximise their position, as well as assisting non-UK residents who are looking to acquire business or property interests in the UK and structure their arrangements effectively. Sean has also advised a number of non-UK trustees/directors as to their UK tax position and the impact of several significant legislative changes in the most recent years.
Susannah Simpson
Partner & UK private client leader
PwC UK
Also named as an eprivateclient 50 Most Influential last year, Susannah leads the UK private client and private office business for PwC UK and the private business practice in Scotland and has been a partner since 2014. Susannah's background before joining PwC 14 years ago was as a practicing tax lawyer with firms in London and Edinburgh. Her legal experience means that she is ideally placed to bridge the gap between advising individuals with both private and business wealth as well as the business itself at every stage of its lifecycle through growth, succession and beyond.
Suzanna Harvey
Partner & head of private wealth
Burges Salmon
Suzanna was named as Burges Salmon’s head of private wealth in early 2023. She is a private client partner, specialising in tax, trusts, immigration and estate planning for international clients (both UK resident and non-resident). Suzanna provides tax advice to a wide range of clients, from high net worth individuals to leading private banks and other financial institutions. She regularly advises clients considering moving to the UK on their immigration options, the impact of the UK's statutory residence test and pre-residence tax planning. She has wide-ranging experience of advising non-UK domiciliaries on the income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax implications of UK residence. Suzanna provides trust advice to numerous international trust companies and individuals, including drafting trust documentation, advising on general trust law issues and advising on policy documentation.
Tim Houghton
Global head of private wealth and family office services
TMF Group
Tim was named as TMF Group’s new global head of private wealth and family office (PWFO) services in October 2023. He joined TMF Group in March 2019, as a member of the firm’s private clients’ team. In January 2022, he was appointed market head for the Channel Islands. Prior to joining TMF Group, Tim worked for RBC Wealth Management for almost 20 years, holding multiple senior positions including head of business development for the bank’s international business and head of private client wealth management. In his role as global services head, Tim oversee’s TMF Group’s strategy for international pensions, employee benefits and management incentive programmes (MIP).
Tom Evennett
Partner & head of UK private client team
EY
Tom leads the private client team within the UK&I EY private tax team (which is EY’s specialist offering to private clients and private businesses) having been one of the founding partners of the firm’s private group back in 2020. He also played an instrumental role in EY’s acquisition of the Frank Hirth business in 2021 and continues to drive the integration of the EY UK and US/UK cross border (formerly EY Frank Hirth) businesses. Tom advises UHNW individuals, families and entrepreneurs, their private/family offices and wealth structures in the UK and globally and prides himself on providing clear advice to clients in the increasingly complex UK and global tax system. This stretches across a broad range of areas including establishment of dynastic wealth structures for UHNW individuals and families through to the establishment of international incentive structures for entrepreneurial businesses.
Xavier Isaac
Chief executive
Accuro
Xavier is chief executive of multi-jurisdictional trust & family office business, Accuro and has over 20 years of experience in various senior management positions at ABN AMRO Bank and Trust in Luxembourg, Geneva and Jersey prior to joining Investec in 2005. He was instrumental in the launch of Accuro in May 2017 following the successful completion of the management buyout of the Salamanca Trust Group, formally known as Investec Trust. Originally from Belgium, Xavier served as the inaugural vice-president of the Swiss Association of Trust Companies (SATC) and since February 2016, Xavier is the treasurer of the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation.
Xavier Nicholas
Partner & head of private client
Forsters
Xavier is the head of private client at Forsters. He advises on personal taxation, trust and estate planning, and family governance, for individuals and trustees in the UK and overseas. He has considerable experience in advising on the establishment, taxation and operation of asset holding structures – including companies, partnerships, trusts, private trust companies and foundations. Xavier acts as a trusted adviser to wealthy families in the UK and internationally. He has particular experience in advising families and trustees with business interests, working alongside our corporate team on the creation of family investment companies, family limited partnerships, and other governance structures. He also works closely with the real estate team at Forsters to advise on the tax and other implications of UK property ownership, investment and development. He also frequently advises clients who have a US connection, both on the UK aspects of US/UK estate planning, and the interaction between UK and US taxes. Xavier speaks fluent French and has a number of clients based in Monaco.
