We are delighted to host our 4th annual Middle East Wealth Management Forum
GCC continues to present an enticing opportunity in wealth management for domestic and foreign players alike.
The agenda is designed to include presentations, workshops, case studies and panel discussions – to look at where the market is at today, the opportunities and challenges it faces, and where it needs to go to move it to the next level.
Its exclusively designed for CEOs, senior management, product gatekeepers and relationship managers – from the leading local Private Banks, Securities Firms. Asset Management Companies, Retail Banks, IFAs, Family Offices, Insurance Companies and Wealth Management Firms.
Middle East Wealth Management Forum 2019
Ritz Carlton DIFC, United Arab Emirates

A community of leading organisations within Asian Wealth Management

Senior figures in Asian Wealth Management are speaking at this event

Oliver Kettlewell
Mashreq

Jeroen Simons
Sun Life Financial

Cedric Lizin
UBS

Sean Kelleher
Mondial

Fahad Versey
Union Insurance

F. Edward Lopez
JHC Financial

Muneer Khan
Simmons & Simmons

Tim Denton
Emirates NBD
Why you should attend Hubbis events

Experience our latest event for yourself
THAILAND WEALTH MANAGEMENT FORUM 2023
Ritz Carlton DIFC, United Arab Emirates
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8.30am
Registration
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8.50am
Welcome Address - Chair Opening Remarks: Why we are here!
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9.00am
Keynote Address - Time to evolve with agile and innovative ways of working
- Economic environment remains challenging and previous year insurance industry trends have further accelerated
- Regulations continue intensifying significantly across various locations
- Brokers forms part of the insurance value chain by adding new services
- Customer innovation advances in the new digital world of insurance
- Becoming a customer-led company is crucial for future success for Zurich and insurance companies in general
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9.10am
Panel Discussion
Driving the wealth management proposition forward
- Enhancing the Wealth Management proposition 2.0. What is the new and improved proposition of WM 2.0 applied in 2018? Plans for 2019.
- How do you deal with the resistance to change within your organisation? How can you drive the right culture?
- How do you deploy your omni-channel to deliver exceptional client experience?
- UAE seems overbanked. What is your niche for meaningful opportunities?
- What are the developing regional opportunities you can service from Dubai?
- How do most firms deploy talent management for hiring, upskilling and retaining?
- Is hiring top performers sustainable? Focus on hiring/grooming young talent?
- We are seeing a focus on trusted advisor skill-building. Which specialist firms are you using for getting better RM qualifications?
Chair
Speakers
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9.50am
Presentation - Fintech & the bottom line
- Global spend on Fintech shows no sign of slowing down
- It represents a disruptive threat to traditional insurance and banking models
- Front end Fintech is game-changing, but it is dependent on a back-office that can back up the high expectations it sets
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10.00am
Presentation - Time is money in financial services
- Advisers can gain time by using modern systems and solutions
- With more time they can provide an enhanced customer service
- With better customer service they will earn more, short and long term
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10.10am
Presentation - Wealth Management 2.1
- Mandating digital as part of your firm's DNA
- The digital revolution - its more than just front-office engagement
- Introducing firm-wide oversight at your fingertips - new tools for the C-suite
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10.20am
Panel Discussion
TECH / DIGITAL = Faster, cheaper and better wealth management
- What’s the potential for non-banks and other start-ups to eat into existing market share of organisations built on a traditional business model supported by RMs and bricks and mortar wrapped around well-known brands that are perceived to be safe?
- Build it yourself or PLUG & PLAY?
- What digital trends are we seeing elsewhere?
- Platforms and processes – whats the role of digital?
- Which technology solution provider do I choose?
- What are the consequences of not doing enough or anything?
- What is the client experience supposed to look like?
- Have we seen any examples of tangible success in digital wealth management?
- How should banks decide what’s working? What KPIs should we use?
Chair
Speakers
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11.05am
Refreshment & Networking
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11.30am
Presentation - Citrine Estates - Invest in Luxury, Live in Nature
- General overview of the real estate market in Cyprus
- The Cyprus CIP and the real estate exit strategy
- Citrine Estates
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11.40am
Presentation - Regulatory Update
- Growth in the Funds & Asset Management Industry
- Proposals – Funds Passporting in the UAE
- Other regulatory initiatives in Funds and Asset Management
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11.50am
Presentation - The emerging GCC regulatory landscape
- Is there a framework?
- Is cross-border business possible?
- Is using a single hub viable?
- What is the regulatory direction of travel?
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12.00pm
Presentation - The HNW Insurance Market has Changed – Here’s how you win
- What’s happening in the HNW Market?
- How HNW Brokers, Bankers, EAM can adapt to win in the new HNW Insurance Market
- What are the new Products and Trends in HNW Market
- Why should Bankers and Financial Advisers be interested in HNW Insurance
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12.10pm
Presentation - Wealth Protection and Succession Solutions - Family Trusts and Alternative Structures for the MENA Region
- Regional structuring trends
- Considerations for wealthy individuals, families and businesses
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12.20pm
Panel Discussion
What are the challenges that wealthy families face today?
- How do wealthy families try and engage the next generation around handling the wealth?
- Is privacy an interesting topic for this region today?
- What are the tax developments that affect wealthy clients in GCC today?
- How are the local tax frameworks developing?
- Does this force clients to think about reporting and consequences?
- What's the role of regional and international financial centres today?
- What's possible today that was not possible before? For example, new foundations law.
- How are reporting obligations - both globally and locally - developing and to what extent are they relevant to clients in GCC?
Chair
Speakers
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13.10pm
Lunch & Networking
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13.50pm
Workshop - How is technology impacting the delivery of Wealth Management?
An in-depth look at:
- What are the main evolutions being driven by technology?
- What are the client demands re; technology? What are the expectations?
- Is the industry, and its main players, adopting and adapting its delivery of services?
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14.30pm
Workshop - Enhancing your impact to delight clients!
- Five habits of effective advisers
- Becoming a differentiated adviser; Continuous self enhancement
- How can sales managers upskill themselves?
- How do you engage clients in challenging markets?
- Where is the return now? Simple solutions to discuss with clients today
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15.10pm
Refreshment & Networking
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15.30pm
Panel Discussion
Developing the product and advisory proposition
- How are you upgrading your investment platform and processes?
- What are your biggest priorities for the years ahead?
- Is there a big disconnect between what a client needs and what they have in their portfolio today?
- Are clients overly concentrated on risky assets? Are they becoming more diversified?
- Is it likely that clients will be more interested in discretionary?
- Have portfolios performed well in recent years well by accident rather than by design?
- How do portfolios need to be restructured now?
- How will we move to a fee for service and deliver advice?
- How do we justify that fee?
- What are the services we are charging and what do clients get?
Chair
Speakers
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16.15pm
Panel Discussion
Product Manufacturers – Leaders Conversation
- Is there increasing interest in ESG?
- What's the outlook for emerging markets?
- MSCI will be including Saudi Arabia in emerging markets index at some point. How will that effect you?
- Is US market over heated? Are we heading to the next financial crisis in 2020?
- Is GCC warming to index and ETF products?
- Is GOLD an interesting asset class today? What’s its role in a client portfolio?
- What’s the difference between physical and paper gold?
- What is the role of Gold in Islamic finance?
- How do you generate income today?
- What's the interest in;
- Alternatives
- Private equity
- Hedge funds
- Infrastructure
- Property
- Multi-asset portfolios
Chair
Speakers
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17.00pm
Closing remarks - Chairman’s Closing Remarks: key learnings to apply
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17.10pm
Forum End
Middle East Wealth Management Forum 2019
Ritz Carlton DIFC,United Arab Emirates


Oliver Kettlewell
Mashreq

Jeroen Simons
Sun Life Financial

Cedric Lizin
UBS

Sean Kelleher
Mondial

Fahad Versey
Union Insurance

F. Edward Lopez
JHC Financial

Muneer Khan
Simmons & Simmons

Tim Denton
Emirates NBD

Peter Huber
Zurich International Life

Christian Cameron
Dubai Financial Services Authority

Nirav Dinesh Kumar Shah
FAME Advisory

Biswajit Dasgupta
Emirates Investment Bank

Malik S. Sarwar
K2 Leaders

Nick Savastano
Invesco

Sai Narain
HSBC Bank

Nisarg Trivedi
Schroders Investment Management

Yann Mrazek
M/HQ

Damian Hitchen
Swissquote

Vishal Dhawan
Plan Ahead Wealth Advisors

Yunus Selant
Allfunds

Bart Kendall
Globaleye

Kimberley Wilks
PwC

Philip Story
Investors Trust

Shiraz Habib
First Abu Dhabi Bank

James Pollard
PwC

Ilya Kustov
Casamont Cyprus

Ashok Sardana
Continental Financial Services

Andrew Naylor
World Gold Council

Matein Khaled
Asas Capital

Laurence Black
Asiaciti Trust Group
Middle East Wealth Management Forum 2019
Ritz Carlton DIFC,United Arab Emirates

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Middle East Wealth Management Forum 2019
Ritz Carlton DIFC,United Arab Emirates

We were delighted to host our annual Middle East in Asian Wealth Management event in Dubai. Over 250 CEOs, COOs, CIOs, senior management, asset managers, and advisers attended – from a mix of Private Banks, Retail banks, IFAs, Family Offices, Insurance Companies, Asset Management Firms and other Independent Wealth Management Firms.
Below for your interest and reference are links to various content we captured from the day. Please click on the orange headlines – and do send any comments or feedback to [email protected].
Content Highlights
Video Highlights
Video Highlights Summary PDF
Exclusive Insights
Testimonials
I Love Wealth Management
Photos
Event summary
Panel discussions
Presentations & Workshops
Videos
Post event Supplement
Post-event Report
You might also like to view the full Post-Event Report – which is a consolidated summary, including photos of speakers & delegates, the attendee profiles & some delegate feedback, polling results, and more.
EVENT SUMMARY
The Middle East: A Wealth of Opportunity and Challenges Ahead
Hubbis is delighted that our delegates and speakers all enjoyed a remarkably positive and insightful day on January 22 in Dubai, when we hosted our 4th annual Middle East Wealth Management Forum.
Video Highlights
We asked leading industry experts - what are the opportunities and challenges for the year ahead? View the combined video highlights, or click on the links to view the individual videos.
Full Video Highlights
Video Highlights Summary PDF
I love Wealth Management
Testimonials
Bart Kendall, Globaleye
Christian Cameron, Dubai Financial Services Authority
Damian Hitchen, Swissquote
F. Edward Lopez, JHC Systems
Fahad Versey, Union Insurance
James Pollard, PwC
Kimberley Wilks, PwC
Laurence Black, Asiaciti Trust
Malik Sarwar, K2 Leaders
Nick Savastano, Invesco
Nirav Dinesh Kumar Shah, FAME Advisory
Nisarg Trivedi, Schroders
Peter Huber, Zurich International
Philip Story, Investors Trust
Sean Kelleher, Mondial
Shiraz Habib, First Abu Dhabi Bank
Yann Mrazek, M/HQ
Exclusive Insights
We e asked leading industry experts for their exclusive and incisive insights. Click on the links to view the individual videos.
Bart Kendall, Globaleye
How do most firms deploy talent management for hiring, upskilling and retaining?
Christian Cameron, Dubai Financial Services Authority
What regulatory initiatives in Funds and Asset Management have we seen in UAE?
Damian Hitchen, Swissquote
What digital expectations do wealth management clients have today? Do you find that people are just talking about digital? Or really taking action?
Delivering investment products and advice to clients – time to re-think everything?
F. Edward Lopez JHC Systems
What’s the role of digitalization in wealth management in the GCC region?
James Pollard, PwC
How do you see tax developments and complexity impacting clients?
How are the local tax frameworks developing?
Kimberley Wilks, PwC
What are the worries for a Middle East family which has structures in place? Is it reputation risk, regulatory risk, new taxes or levies being introduced?
What are the tax developments that affect wealthy clients in GCC today?
Laurence Black, Asiaciti Trust
How do wealthy families try and engage the next generation around handling the wealth?
Do you see Middle East families trying to use more on shore jurisdictions or they continue to use offshore jurisdictions?
Malik S. Sarwar, K2 Leaders
What’s the future of Discretionary and Advisory Portfolio Management in the Middle East?
Private wealth management – is this a time of dramatic change in the Middle East?
Is hiring top performers sustainable? Focus on hiring/grooming young talent?
Have we seen any examples of tangible success in digital wealth management in the US?
Nirav Dinesh Kumar Shah, FAME Advisory
Is privacy an interesting topic for the GCC region today?
Do tax changes force clients to think about reporting and consequences?
Peter Huber, Zurich International
What are some of the trends that we are seeing in the insurance industry globally?
How would you explain the opportunity that UAE represents to Zurich International?
Philip Story, Investors Trust
What are the developing regional opportunities you can service from Dubai?
Shiraz Habib, First Abu Dhabi Bank
Are clients overly concentrated on risky assets? Are they becoming more diversified?
How will we move to a fee for service and deliver advice?
Yann Mrazek, M/HQ
What are their preferred jurisdictions, Local? Foreign? Do you think the DIFC and ADGM are now robust centres for wealth management, protection and structuring?
Panel Discussions
We held 5 interactive panel discussions throughout the day – which involved senior industry practitioners who we invited to participate and share their thoughts. We have also incorporated into the summaries below the briefing notes which speakers sent to us in advance of the event. Plus, we have included the results of audience polling as well as questions we received from delegates. Click on each headline to view the PDFs.
Driving the Middle East Wealth Management Proposition Forward
A panel of eminent private bankers and asset managers assembled to cogitate on the state of the Middle East wealth management market. If there was one overriding conclusion from the experts, it was that the client must be first, last and everything in between. In a world both challenged and enhanced by technology, the wealth management market, at least in the Middle East, will likely remain driven by human skills and relationships., both through the good and the more difficult market conditions.
Panel Members
Sean Kelleher, Chief Executive Officer, Mondial
Ashok Sardana, Managing Director, Continental Group
Cedric Lizin, Managing Director, Head Wealth Management, Dubai Branch, UBS
Bart Kendall, Director of Wealth Management, Globaleye
Sai Narain, Regional Head of Sales & Distribution, Head of International Markets, HSBC Bank
Digital Solutions for Faster, Cheaper and Smarter Wealth Management
A smart panel of digital solutions experts and online platform providers mulled over the state-of-the-art for digitalisation in the global wealth management industry, and its applications to the current environment in the Middle East. The delegates at the Hubbis Middle East Wealth Management Forum were treated to some sharp insights on topics ranging from digital adoption to the arrival of Big Tech.
Panel members
Damian Hitchen, Chief Executive Officer, Middle East & Asia, Swissquote
Yunus Selant, Regional Manager Middle East & Africa, Allfunds Bank
Philip Story, Head of Distribution, EMEA, Investors Trust
F. Edward Lopez, Chief Revenue Officer, JHC Financial
What Challenges do Wealthy Families in the Middle East Face Today?
Expert panellists on matters of family wealth and transition assembled at the Hubbis Middle East Wealth Management Forum to mine down into current issues of concern for high-net-worth (HNW) families in the region. They surveyed the challenges to wealth preservation, including staying on the right side of the mercurial local and global tax regulations, investing smartly and compliantly, fears over loss of privacy, and the relative benefits of onshore structuring in the UAE versus the traditional offshore routes, and how to smoothly transition wealth to the younger generations.
Panel members
Laurence Black, Regional Director, Client Solutions, EMEA, Asiaciti Trust
Yann Mrazek, Managing Partner, M/HQ
Nirav Dinesh Kumar Shah, Director, FAME Advisory
Tim Denton, Vice President - Head of Trust & Wealth Structuring, Emirates NBD
Kimberley Wilks, Senior Manager, Tax - Consulting Services, PwC
Developing the product and advisory proposition in the Middle East
The Hubbis Midde East Wealth Management Forum offered the audience to listen in to a fascinating, broad-ranging discussion covering the development of the Middle East high-net-worth (NHW) investor psychology, the wealth management industry’s evolution and perspectives on global asset allocation.
Panel members
Biswajit Dasgupta, Chief Investment Officer, Head of Global Markets, Emirates Investment Bank
Shiraz Habib, Managing Director & Head of Investment Solutions, First Abu Dhabi Bank
Malik S. Sarwar, CEO, K2 Leaders
Matein Khaled, Chief Investment Officer, Asas Capital
Opportunities for GCC’s HNWIs: Investment Experts Survey Global Landscape
In the final panel discussion of the Hubbis Middle East Wealth Management Forum, several leading investment professionals and senior assets and markets experts surveyed the opportunities for investors in the GCC region and analysed the key developments that have emerged and the key products and trends to watch out for in the future.
Panel members
Nick Savastano, Head of Offshore Global Life Groups and Middle East Financial Institutions, Invesco
Oliver Kettlewell, Director of Fixed Income, Mashreq Capital
Nisarg Trivedi, Middle East Sales Director, Schroders
Andrew Naylor, Director, Central Banks & Public Policy, World Gold Council
Presentations
Below are summaries of the Presentations and Wealth TALKS delivered at the event. These were 10-minute slots hosted either by senior industry practitioners who we invited to speak (Wealth TALKS), or by some of our event partners (Presentations). Also listed with each summary are links to the presentation slides (where these are made available by speakers). Click on each headline to view the web versions of these – from which you can also access the PDFs.
Time to Evolve with Agile and Innovative Ways of working
Peter Huber, Chief Executive Officer of Zurich International (Zurich Insurance Group) is at the cutting edge of the international life insurance market’s evolution. He told the audience at the Hubbis Middle East Wealth Management Forum that the global economic environment remains challenging, regulation is intensifying, digitalisation is advancing, however at the same time that the growth of private wealth globally offers outstanding potential for firms that can forge and maintain their own unique identity with customers.
View Slides
Fintech, its Implementation and the Bottom Line for Financial Service Providers
Fahad Versey, Head of Distribution for the UAE at Union Insurance is a keen proponent of fintech, which is revolutionising the delivery of financial services across the globe. In the world of insurance, fintech brings many challenges and opportunities that Versey outlined to the delegates at the Hubbis Middle East Wealth Management Forum.
View Slides
Time is Money in Financial Services
Philip Story, Head of Distribution for EMEA at Investors Trust Assurance (ITA), advised attendees at the Hubbis Middle East Wealth Management Forum that embracing new technological systems and solutions can enhance customer service and increase earnings. Streamlining processes, delivering upon promises and prioritising face-to-face client contact are the keys to successful wealth management for today’s world. In addition, deciding early whether to aim for scale or boutique specialisation will help focus efforts and assets in the right direction.
View Slides
Casamont Highlights the Cyprus Prime Real Estate and Citizenship Programme
An unusual diversion from the typical Hubbis event agenda appeared in the form of a presentation on the Cyprus real estate market and how it can be blended to the country’s citizenship by investment programme. The talk was presented by another rarity in the form of Russian citizen Ilya Kustov, who is senior manager of Casamont Cyprus, which is promoting exceptional lifestyle properties such as the homes found on Citrine Estates.
View Slides
Family Wealth Protection and Succession – Trusts and Structures for the MENA Region
Laurence Black, Regional Director, Client Solutions, EMEA at Asiaciti Trust is an expert in the arena of structuring family wealth for preservation and ease of transition to family members and younger generations. Dynastic planning is vital to ensure family harmony and personal legacy aspirations and due care and attention is essential. And nowadays, the GCC region offers more potential for onshore structures, rather than clients turning only to offshore vehicles, in synch with what is now a worldwide trend towards onshore and mid-shore.
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Transformational Wealth Management: Anticipating and Fulfilling Client Life Goals
Malik S. Sarwar, CEO of wealth management firm K2 Leaders and Chairman of Hubbis, has innovative views on the state of the wealth management industry and what its stakeholders need to do to take it to the next level of sustained success. He provided a fascinating, energetic interactive workshop at the Hubbis Middle East Wealth Management Forum in Dubai on January 22nd, 2019, presenting his ideas about what makes a well-rounded advisor and a successful wealth advisory firm.
How Technology Can Enhance the Delivery of Wealth Management
Damian Hitchen, CEO for the Middle East & Asia at Swissquote presented a fascinating Workshop to explain how in the world of financial services and wealth management, client demand is evolving rapidly. He surveyed why, and how, incumbent banks and other providers must adapt their business models and embrace the new technologies that are on offer. He warned that to fail in that endeavour could put the entire enterprise at risk.
View Slides
Middle East Wealth Management Forum 2019
Ritz Carlton DIFC,United Arab Emirates