A look back at the most read stories this week on eprivateclient…
Monday
Baker Tilly International appointed Francesca Lagerberg as chief executive officer of its global network. Ms Lagerberg had worked at Grant Thornton since 2006, specialising in topical tax issues, tax policy and private client matters and also led the firm's national tax office that covers technical tax issues of all kinds, knowledge management, training, national tax marketing and risk management.
Global fiduciary services provider JTC appointed Naro Zimmerman as its deputy head of Caribbean – private client services, while Alia Haskouri was promoted to the role of director – head of UAE as part of the firm’s growth strategy across the two regions. A former eprivateclient Top 35 under 35, Mr Zimmerman, will be moving from Dubai to the Cayman Islands to take up his new responsibilities. Prior to moving into this new role, Mr Zimmerman was head of JTC’s Dubai and Abu Dhabi offices, having originally joined JTC in 2020 as an associate director based in Guernsey.
Charles Russell Speechlys made two appointments including former eprivateclient 50 Most Influential Jeremy Arnold as senior counsel as well as Alastair Morrison as a property consultant. Mr Arnold joined the firm’s tax trusts and succession group in its London office. He joined from Withers where he held the position of partner and joint chief executive of the private client and tax division.
People in mid-life and approaching retirement reported the lowest levels of life satisfaction and highest anxiety, according to analysis from retirement specialists, Just Group. The only group to report lower life satisfaction than 45 to 64-year-olds were those aged 90 plus. The 45 to 49 year-old age group reported high levels of anxiety, with only under 20s suffering more.
Deloitte in the UK promoted 124 people to partner, a 57 percent increase from 2021. Out of the new promotions, 44 (35 percent) are women, increasing the total number of Deloitte’s women partners to 323 (26 percent). 22 new partners are from ethnic minority backgrounds, equating to 18 percent of the promotions.
Trust services provider Zedra acquired Maltese corporate service provider, trustee and Virtual Financial Asset (VFA) agent, AlleyBe, to bolster its operations in Malta. Founded in 2015, AlleyBe assists with the setting up, managing and administering companies, trusts and foundations in Malta as well as providing VFA agent services, accounting, tax compliance and regulatory services. The acquisition adds 25 new team members to Zedra Malta.
Private wealth specialist Glen Atchison left UK law firm Harbootle & Lewis where he was its managing partner. He was replaced as managing partner by Charles Leveque, who had been Harbottle & Lewis’ corporate head. The firm’s private client department is now led by Jonathan Burt, who has been a partner at Harbottle & Lewis since 2018.
The UK government’s new £400 fuel allowance means wealthy households with two homes - such as holiday homes in the UK or a pied-a-terre in London - qualify for the £400 fuel allowance on each property. Robert Salter, a client service tax director at Blick Rothenberg, said that the double-up is "one of the potentially unforeseen consequences” of the new fuel allowance.
Professional services group and wealth manager Tilney Smith & Williamson hired Stephen Woodhouse as a partner. Mr Woodhouse joined the firm from EY where he was an associate partner. In this role he led EY's Manchester private equity transaction tax team. Mr Woodhouse will work with Tilney Smith & Williamson’s transaction services team which advises private equity firms, corporate clients, banks, and family offices.
US reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were found guilty of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million of fraudulent loans, as well as tax evasion. The couple are the stars of their own reality television show Chrisley Knows Best.