Middle East Wealth Management Forum 2020

Oliver is the CEO of 1291 Private Office, a subsidiary of the Switzerland-based wealth planning firm 1291 Group. With its team of seasoned specialists, the company provides a broad range of independent and bespoke family office services to its institutional partners and their wealthy clients. Oliver can look back at more than 20 years of experience in the wealth management and family office space, having worked for renowned institutions in Switzerland, Hong Kong and Liechtenstein.

With over 22 years of financial services experience in ADIB & CBD; Saif is currently the Head of Priority Banking, Wealth Management, and Liabilities at ADIB and oversees all aspects of ADIB's global priority banking, wealth management, and Liability Business. Also he is a board member of 2 ADIB subsidiary companies; Saudi Finance Company & ADIB Securities. ADIB is currently one of the leading banks in Wealth & Liabilities and combines award-winning digital banking services with a network of exclusive branches staffed by a dedicated team to identify opportunities for the banking business. Previously, Saif held a number of management roles at ADIB, including Priority Banking & Branches Network for Northern Emirates, where he participated in the setup of priority banking model and implementation of Branch Expansion Strategy. Before joining ADIB, he was managing different positions of Cooperate Banking & Business Relationship at Commercial Bank of Dubai. Saif holds Masters in Business Administration from University of Wolverhampton UK.

Ewald J. Scherrer is the Managing Director of Alpadis Group’s Swiss Office. Based in Zurich, Ewald runs the wealth planning and family office services country-wide. Ewald brings with him three decades of experience in international strategic tax planning, estate planning, family governance as well as in fiduciary and trust advisory; providing significant leadership skills. As a Swiss and US qualified lawyer, he has spent much of his career in wealth advisory for some of Switzerland’s leading private banks, family offices and fiduciary institutions. He is a member of the Zurich Bar Association, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioner ( STEP) and the International Tax Planning Association (ITPA).

Vinod has over three decades of experience through inheriting and managing his own family businesses and being a part of multi-dimensional management consultancy assignments while employed with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), working alongside family owned businesses, orchestrating exit strategies, advising ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) families on inheritance, setting up family offices for wealth management and successfully managing a well-diversified investment mandate with hundreds of millions of dollars of assets under management. He holds a postgraduate degree in Management from the University of Bombay and has attended executive management program by Harvard Business School. Vinod is a member Society for Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP) and The Family Firm Institute (FFI), two professional organizations focusing on wealth preservation. At Arch Corporation (DIFC) Limited, he advises Family Offices and high-net-worth entrepreneurs on wealth management and business continuity strategies through asset allocation, manager-selection and their implications on family wealth preservation. He also advises on investing in Canadian real estate opportunities.

Laurence is the Regional Director, Client Solutions, EMEA for Asiaciti Trust in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He joined Asiaciti Trust in late 2012 and has over 30 years’ experience in the offshore finance industry. Based in the Middle East for the past 25 years he has particular skills and experience in cross border planning, the establishment of offshore trusts, foundations and company formation. Before joining Asiaciti Trust he held a number of senior positions within the Trust & Fiduciary industry and more recently was Head of Fiduciary Services, MENAP for a major international financial institution in the Dubai International Financial Centre. In these roles he successfully serviced clients in the EMEA region with their international needs and works closely with other cross border specialists in the establishment of international trusts and a variety of investment structures. Laurence maintains a comprehensive knowledge of legislative changes and industry trends affecting cross-border issues. He is a full member of STEP Worldwide (Society of Trust and Estate Planners) and was the founding Chairman of STEP Arabia.

Tomasz Bortnik heads the Wealth Management Product Department for the UAE & Bahrain cluster based out of Dubai, UAE and has been in this role since July, 2014. Prior to his current role, Tomasz was the Citi EMEA Regional Head of Brokerage & Securities Backed Lending, responsible for managing brokerage Equity and Fixed Income retail brokerage products as well as securities backed lending across the markets of the EMEA region, based in London, UK. Prior to taking on this role, Tomasz headed Citi EMEA’s Regional Investments Advisory, based in London, UK. Tomasz joined Citi post university graduation in 2000 in Citibank Poland, before merger with Handlowy, where he was responsible for first Mutual Funds launch. He later worked for 5 years for a Consulting company, Accenture Poland and Accenture Germany and rejoined Citi in 2005 in EMEA Regional Office in London, where he held various positions in Operations and Technology and in 2007 joined EMEA Regional Wealth Management. Tomasz has a Master’s degree in Finance and Banking from the Warsaw School of Economics

Ashok Sardana, Founder and Managing Director of the Continental Group, has been advising clients on a range of financial solutions for over 37 years. A dynamic individual, Ashok believes in leading from the front and is passionate about spreading financial awareness and the need for proper financial planning. He is a lifetime member of the MDRT and a ‘Top of the Table’ qualifier for over 20 years. He is an internationally certified financial advisor from the Chartered Insurance Institute of London and holds a Diploma in Business Management and a BA from Delhi University, India. Ashok’s views and thoughts on insurance and financial services in the UAE have been much sought after and published in newspapers and on radio talk shows. His articles have frequently been featured in various publications. The Continental Group is among the leading independent financial services organisations in the UAE. Under Ashok’s leadership, the Continental Group has grown from a threemember team providing insurance solutions to over 100 qualified professionals offering complete insurance and financial planning solutions, through offices spread across the UAE, Mauritius, Switzerland and India. A strong advocate of continuous learning and improvement, Ashok is an innovative thinker, who is also passionate about classic cars. He is married to the same lady for the last 44 years and has one son who has joined the business.

Ismael Hajjar leads the MENA Private Client Services (PCS) core practice of EY Middle East. In his role, Ismael focuses on assisting successful families, entrepreneurs and family offices across MENA managing risks and preserving wealth. Ismael has been serving international families for over 14 years and currently acts as trusted advisor to a number of successful families across MENA. He has been successful in designing and implementing inter-generational succession, inheritance, governance, tax compliance and confidentiality strategies. He has contributed to building and currently serves Family Offices. Ismael is a regular speaker in the GCC and beyond on topics such as family business and private wealth institutionalization, global tax transparency, succession planning and the role of the family office. The team that he leads won the “WealthBriefing MENA Tax and Accountancy firm of the year” award in 2017 and 2019. He holds a Master Degree in Business Administration, HEC-Ulg School of Management (Belgium) and is a certified chartered accountant in Luxembourg (“expert-comptable”). He also holds an Islamic finance qualification, Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance (UK), is a Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) and holds a Certificate in Family Business Advising (CFBA, Family Firm Institute).

Nirav is qualified as Chartered Accountant from Gujarat, India. Being an excellent academia, he has secured 6th Rank in Inter CA and 36th rank in CA Finals. He then moved to KPMG in Mumbai and had specialized in International Tax and Finance and is advising on various cross border transactions from International and Domestic Tax and Regulatory perspective. His skills help companies do set up right Corporate Holding structure for the group, Evaluation of New Business/Investment Opportunities, Strategic Inputs/Reviews for businesses and Managing Compliance issues. Nirav has a 25 plus years’ experience from own practice to leading consulting firm to working with large family-owned corporate group. He has a hands-on experience of establishing and managing structures and compliances in more than 12 jurisdictions; evolving suitable corporate structures for holding companies, acquisition of business, financing, and IP optimization structures; establishing suitable family structures for Asset protection, succession planning, efficient ownership, and valuable experience of operating in multiple jurisdictions. Nirav had successfully conducted VAT Trainings for Dubai SME, The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) Dubai, Jain International Trade Organization (JITO) Dubai and Indian Business & Professional Council (IBPC) Dubai (to name a few), with a total participant of around 1,600+ Professionals who work from 550+ Companies, coming from the 7 Emirates of UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah). Nirav is also a full member of Society of Trust and Estate Planners (STEP).

A seasoned banker with over 25 years of experience in multinational banks like American Express Bank, ABN AMRO, Credit Suisse AG and Citibank, Madhavan brings along with him strong corporate leadership learning and business acumen. He is the Founder & CEO of Gulf International Finance Limited (GIFL).With a proven track record of successful stints in his previous assignments, of which over a decade has been in the GCC, Madhavan possesses a keen understanding of the global financial services environment. His strong relationship management skills augur well with fulfilling client needs that enables him to drive the overall strategy of GIFL. Madhavan is a commerce graduate and has obtained an MBA from India. He is also certified in Banking, Finance & Securities Law by the New York Institute of Finance (NYIF).

Asad Khairi is the Regional Head Investment & Insurance Products and lead the development and commercialization of Investment and Insurance Products for HSBC in MENAT. Asad has been with HSBC Middle East Regional Wealth Management for the last 8 years. In that time, he has excelled in a variety of roles across all Wealth Products including Investment, FX, Financial Planning and recently took over the Insurance business. He has been a key member in driving the Wealth business in the Region. Prior to joining HSBC he was part of Treasury and Capital Markets with Mashreqbank, where he worked in various capacities including a Product Specialist managing complex Treasury solutions for Institutional clients, and in Asset Management where he managed client portfolios. He has been in the Region for over 12 years and have a good understanding of the Middle Eastern culture as well as the Macroeconomic environment Asad is a Masters in Business Administration in Finance and passionate about his fitness. He lives in Dubai and is married to Annie. They have 3 girls Zainab (8), Maria (7) & Eshaal (5). He enjoys cooking over the weekend for the family and recently started playing golf.

Paul joined the Region in January 2018, following a decade of successful senior management roles in HSBC UK Retail Banking and Wealth Management. Paul brings a unique perspective to proceedings, having split his career between  frontline Distribution and Head Office roles. These roles have afforded Paul the opportunity to lead teams in excess of 500 colleagues, whilst being responsible for significant revenue generation. Prior to, and during his tenure, at HSBC, Paul has actively diversified his career, allowing him to gain significant experience across a broad range of business lines in senior roles. These include, but are not limited to: Marketing, Call Centers, Project Management, Strategic Restructuring, Estate Agency and of course Retail Banking and Wealth Management. This exposure provides Paul with a commanding knowledge of the Financial Services Sector, combined with an extensive internal and external network. Paul was born in the UK, but now resides in Dubai with his wife Heather and son Joshua.

Anand Rai has 11 years of experience in the business of wealth management and in designing of wealth management products. He has worked as a Consultant with large regional and global banks. His area of expertise includes financial planning, performance analytics and trading systems. Currently he is actively engaged in designing systems which increase productivity in the Front Office specifically that of relationship managers and their supervisors.

Ahmad Chahidi studied law in Switzerland, where he graduated from the University of Lausanne. After having worked several years in a marketing and communication company, he decided to go back to this roots and started his internship in a law firm in Geneva. Having spent several years there, Ahmad decided to join the private banking world, in order to advise clients in terms of succession, wealth and tax planning. He worked for several prestigious banks and set-up the family office of Banque Julius Baer in Geneva, before relocating to Dubai in 2007 with JP Morgan. In 2010, he joined EmiratesNBD which had recently launched its Private Banking division. Ahmad came back to Banque Julius Baer in 2017 in Dubai. Among his achievements, we can mention the Saudi Real Estate Investment Fund (first fund holding properties in Mecca), which received several awards, and the design of a DIFC Trust company.

Malik has a great breadth and depth of expertise in Wealth Management and Strategic Leadership, guiding organisations toward leadership positions that help their clients achieve their life goals and dreams. He deploys a genuinely passionate style in motivating leaders and frontline staff to become exceptional professionals, deliver an engaging client experience, and achieve outstanding financial results. Rooted in his extensive global experience, Malik’s ‘war stories’ enable his audience to apply practical skills for enhancing overall business quality and productivity. As a Wealth Management executive, Malik has operated at the leading edge of the Global Wealth Management industry with 30+ years of experience as a senior executive across the US, Asia, and MENA. He consistently communicates a strong strategic vision backed by excellent education, all adapted to cross-cultural business settings. His career successes include Global Head of Sales Management/Wealth Development at HSBC, as well as business leadership at ADIB (Global Head of WM) Permal Group (US Head of UHNW), Citigroup (WM Head, Asia/ President CIS, US), Merrill Lynch (Director/Country Head) and Bain & Company (Senior Advisor). He has also been on the board and management committees of investment subsidiaries and businesses. Currently, Malik is CEO of K2 Leaders Inc, a New York based Wealth Management advisory firm which provides teaching, coaching, and consulting for Wealth Management institutes, business schools, and financial industry clients. He is a noted speaker and moderator at industry conferences. Malik is a Council Member of GLG as well as a Development Partner/Advisor of Acumen, an impact investing firm in NY. Malik, Najmi, their two daughters and two sons are avid scuba divers and hikers.

Karim is the Founder and CEO of Legacy Line Family Office, established in 2004. Karim is an entrepreneur who parlayed his almost two decades of family financial planning experience into a Company that offers financial coaching to fellow entrepreneurs. As an independent certified Estate Planner and Family Wealth Advisor (CFWA), Karim draws on his own passions to guide individuals and family businesses through their legacy planning, including long-term wealth structuring, family governance, tax planning, citizenship-by-investment, and planned giving that matches an individual’s philanthropic ideals. Karim began his career in 1993 in Ottawa, Canada. His career path brought him back to the Middle East where he works with clients in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the UAE. He is fluent in both English and Arabic and offers services tailored to meet either Shari’a or non-Shari’a compliant client needs.

Prashant joined Lighthouse Canton in 2016 in Singapore and moved to Dubai in 2017 to set up the DIFC business. He is the CEO for Lighthouse Canton Capital (DIFC) Pte Ltd and heads the Multi-Family Office business for the firm. He is responsible for engagement with key clients in addition to building a footprint for the business in the MENA region Prashant brings over 18 years of experience across large international banks like Citibank, Merrill Lynch and Barclays. In Barclays, he was responsible for managing the Non-Resident Indian team in Dubai along with the portfolios of select Ultra-High Net Worth and Institutional clients based in MENA and South/South-East Asia. Prashant has specialized skills in complex derivative products across interest rates, equities and FX and has a keen understanding of the requirements of corporate and institutional clients Prashant qualified as a Chartered Accountant and is a merit holder from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He is also a member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India. He received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Delhi University in India.

Deepak is the Chief Executive Officer of Mayfair Private, Dubai. He specialises in advising ultra-high net worth families who have complex advisory requirements and works closely with clients to develop strategies that safeguard the family and best protect their assets. He was previously a Managing Director at Barclays Wealth, where he was head of the AMEA wealth advisory business. Deepak trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser, working with the professional firms Deloitte & Grant Thornton.

He is an Economics graduate from the American University of Beirut, with over 18 years of experience in banking, 11 of which were in the DIFC at a top tier European bank, as well as two multi-family offices. Fadi spent the last two years as the SEO of Namara Wealth advisors a MFO/EAM where he was focused on managing the principal's portfolios and developing the business. Prior to Joining Namara, he was the CIO of Index & Cie regularly issuing newsletters in addition to managing clients’ money and advising clients on investments globally. From 2008 to 2014, prior to joining Index & Cie, he was portfolio and treasury manager with ES Bankers Dubai, a category 1 licensed bank where he was managing sizeable AUMs allocated into Fixed income (HG, EM and HY) as well equities and thematic funds.

Martyn has been in the international fiduciary industry for over 40 years. Born in Jersey, after a period in the British Virgin Islands and Hong Kong he returned to establish his own business which was later acquired by a Dutch private banking group. After moving to Switzerland in 2002 to establish Equity Trust (now part of the TMF Group), Martyn then set up Ampersand Management SA, a niche multi-family office/fiduciary business. Ampersand Management was acquired by the PraxisIFM Group in May 2016 and Martyn was subsequently appointed Managing Director of the Swiss trust company. He now specialises in corporate governance for single family offices and trust and estate planning for Sharia compliant clients and has a truly international client base. Martyn is STEP qualified and sits on a number of investment committees for clients and charities and is on the STEP TMPI steering committee.

Ivan Jean Charles Pelle, is the CEO and Founder of RGN Group, a bespoke premium service for private and corporate clients. The Group is located in five jurisdictions: Switzerland, Luxembourg, Malta, Cyprus and Singapore. Ivan JC Pelle is responsible of multidisciplinary consultancy services for the international needs of family offices, worldwide tax planning and advisory, construction and administration of structures for unique purposes and private equity in Real Estate. Ivan JC Pelle is Swiss Certified Tax Expert and member of ExpertSuisse and IFA, holder of an Executive Master of Advanced Studies in International Taxation (MASIT), Certified Public Accountant CPA registered at FAOA - Swiss Federal Audit Oversight Authority and participant at MSc in Digital Currency (blockchain and Cryptocurrencies) at the University of Nicosia (Cyprus). With over 25 years’s experience within the international taxation industry, Ivan JC Pelle also held directorial and board member positions in companies to represent stakeholders. His considerable knowledge and expertise, together with his passion for 24/7 service excellence and desire to help, have enabled him to build long lasting client relationships as a trusted/family advisor to intermediaries and HNWI; through the provision of comprehensive individual and corporate specialization services.

Muneer heads the firm’s award-winning Middle East financial markets and financial services regulatory practices, in addition to our international Islamic finance practice. He is also a member of the firm’s international FinTech team. He specialises in financial services regulatory matters and advises both regional and international financial institutions and asset management groups on a wide range of regulatory and transactional matters. In particular, Muneer helps international banks and asset management firms to navigate complex cross-border regulatory issues relating to the provision of financial services, including structuring and licensing issues, across the Middle East and the wider regions. Muneer also has significant experience and has recognised expertise in structuring a wide range of complex and innovative funds, financial products and services. Muneer has experience of advising large family owned groups on the development of investment platforms and governance structures. He has also advised a number of governments on major regulatory reform initiatives.

Ayesha Abbas joined Standard Chartered Bank in Feb 2019 as General Manager – Affluent, Head of Priority & Premium Banking, and Branch Network in the UAE, also managing client coverage in Pakistan, Oman and key African markets out of the UAE. In her role, Ayesha is responsible to design and deliver on Standard Chartered Bank’s growth agenda by setting up and driving best in class Priority and Premium Affluent banking segments. She is responsible to translate and implement Group Affluent CPBB strategy in the UAE, delivering on the customer promise and financial results. In her role, Ayesha runs the multi-channel Distribution teams for affluent client acquisition and relationship management, Affluent client value proposition with Product oversight, branch network transformation, and International Network Corridors. She is a key member of the CPBB Management Team and is instrumental in setting up the banks refreshed growth strategy with a special focus on superior client experience, scientific mechanism of client segmentation and coverage, process streamlining, digital and distribution models, with a focus on resource optimisation, revenue growth and profitability. Prior to joining Standard Chartered, Ayesha was with HSBC where she spent 18 years of her career. During her tenor with HSBC, Ayesha worked in Country, Regional and Global roles within Premier Wealth Management and Private Banking space in Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, UK and Switzerland. She maintained her consistent position in the regional and global talent pool representing Top 2% of the work force. Her last role in HSBC was Regional Head of Premier & Wealth Management Sales. In her role, she owned, designed and delivered the Regional Premier Wealth Management strategy in terms of Financial Performance, Customer Experience, People Development, and Governance. Ayesha is a member of the UAE D&I council and is the gender ambassador. She has also been recently appointed as Global CPBB D&I council member. She is an avid traveller and spends a good part of her holidays in hiking and forest walks.

Sunita leads Stephenson Harwood Middle East LLP's private wealth practice from the Dubai office, where the team focus on assisting clients in the GCC, Middle East, Africa and SW Asia. Sunita is a full member of STEP (Africa and Arabia) and speaks at various international forums and conferences in the Middle East and SW Asia. Sunita has established intrinsic relationships with private banks, financial and legal advisers, corporate service providers and the regulators (DIFC and ADGM). Sunita also publishes regular newsletters that are circulated to the international private wealth advisory community covering topical issues and updates. Young Lawyer of the Year Award (NRI) from the Indian National Bar Association. Sunita has been nominated and shortlisted in the Citywealth Powerwomen Awards 2020 as "Inspirational Woman of the Year" and has been named a key India Lawyer in both the Indian Business Law Journal's 2019 Report and the Global Stars Report 2017. She was conferred an international accolade of recognition  by the Indian Corporate Counsel Association (ICCA) of India's Most Trusted Corporate Lawyer in 2017. She has actively promoted womens' empowerment for young professional women in India and the Middle East and is a professional mentor for young female executives in the Middle East.

David Varley is Chief High Net Worth Officer at Sun Life Financial in Hong Kong. He specializes in HNW and Ultra HNW Planning and Insurance Structuring solutions for clients and families in Asia. He has a Bachelor of Commerce Degree, with an Honors in Management, and a thesis in Innovation – from Melbourne University. Previously he was Head of HNW for Asia for AXA, and Head of International Business for Aviva.

Michael is a prominent figure in the financial services industry in Asia. He is the founder and CEO of Hubbis, a renowned provider of intelligence and connectivity for the Asian wealth management industry. With a depth of experience and expertise, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the industry for over 30 years, becoming a leading industry presence in the events, professional development, and publishing space in the region. Hubbis is a multi-generational family-owned and managed business.

He has been actively involved in the Asia-Pacific region since 1993. And has lived in Asia since 1995, holding positions in Hong Kong, Sydney, and Singapore. 

For over 14-years, Hubbis has established itself as the gold standard media and events brand in wealth management thought leadership in Asia. Each year providing a very large body of cutting-edge editorial and sponsored content, organizing top-flight events.

During that time Hubbis has become the platform of choice for many high-profile C-suite leaders to communicate their vision of the Asian wealth management.

Before his involvement with Hubbis, Michael founded Pacific Prospect in 2002, a financial services media company. Under his leadership, the company achieved significant success and was subsequently acquired by global business-to-business publisher Incisive Media in 2006. Michael continued to serve as the CEO of Pacific Prospect until October 2008.

Prior to his entrepreneurial ventures, Michael garnered 5 years of experience in financial markets publishing. His career in this field began in 1993 when he joined Euromoney Publications as the publisher of the quarterly magazine, International Bond Investor. In 1995, Michael joined Thomson Financial Services (now owned by LSEG) and spearheaded the conception and launch of Finance Asia magazine. During his tenure as Managing Director of Finance Asia, he also initiated the Asian Debt Review, Asian Private Capital Magazine, and the Finance Asia Conference Business. In 1997, he founded FIA Limited, further expanding his contributions to the financial publishing industry.

Born in North Wales, Michael served as the head boy of St David's College Llandudno. He holds a degree in Business Administration from Cardiff University. Beyond his professional endeavours, Michael is a family-oriented individual and is happily married with three children: Reanna, Garett, and Tarryn.

Muneer heads the firm’s award-winning Middle East financial markets and financial services regulatory practices, in addition to our international Islamic finance practice. He is also a member of the firm’s international FinTech team. He specialises in financial services regulatory matters and advises both regional and international financial institutions and asset management groups on a wide range of regulatory and transactional matters. In particular, Muneer helps international banks and asset management firms to navigate complex cross-border regulatory issues relating to the provision of financial services, including structuring and licensing issues, across the Middle East and the wider regions. Muneer also has significant experience and has recognised expertise in structuring a wide range of complex and innovative funds, financial products and services. Muneer has experience of advising large family owned groups on the development of investment platforms and governance structures. He has also advised a number of governments on major regulatory reform initiatives.

Ashok Sardana, Founder and Managing Director of the Continental Group, has been advising clients on a range of financial solutions for over 37 years. A dynamic individual, Ashok believes in leading from the front and is passionate about spreading financial awareness and the need for proper financial planning. He is a lifetime member of the MDRT and a ‘Top of the Table’ qualifier for over 20 years. He is an internationally certified financial advisor from the Chartered Insurance Institute of London and holds a Diploma in Business Management and a BA from Delhi University, India. Ashok’s views and thoughts on insurance and financial services in the UAE have been much sought after and published in newspapers and on radio talk shows. His articles have frequently been featured in various publications. The Continental Group is among the leading independent financial services organisations in the UAE. Under Ashok’s leadership, the Continental Group has grown from a threemember team providing insurance solutions to over 100 qualified professionals offering complete insurance and financial planning solutions, through offices spread across the UAE, Mauritius, Switzerland and India. A strong advocate of continuous learning and improvement, Ashok is an innovative thinker, who is also passionate about classic cars. He is married to the same lady for the last 44 years and has one son who has joined the business.

Ayesha Abbas joined Standard Chartered Bank in Feb 2019 as General Manager – Affluent, Head of Priority & Premium Banking, and Branch Network in the UAE, also managing client coverage in Pakistan, Oman and key African markets out of the UAE. In her role, Ayesha is responsible to design and deliver on Standard Chartered Bank’s growth agenda by setting up and driving best in class Priority and Premium Affluent banking segments. She is responsible to translate and implement Group Affluent CPBB strategy in the UAE, delivering on the customer promise and financial results. In her role, Ayesha runs the multi-channel Distribution teams for affluent client acquisition and relationship management, Affluent client value proposition with Product oversight, branch network transformation, and International Network Corridors. She is a key member of the CPBB Management Team and is instrumental in setting up the banks refreshed growth strategy with a special focus on superior client experience, scientific mechanism of client segmentation and coverage, process streamlining, digital and distribution models, with a focus on resource optimisation, revenue growth and profitability. Prior to joining Standard Chartered, Ayesha was with HSBC where she spent 18 years of her career. During her tenor with HSBC, Ayesha worked in Country, Regional and Global roles within Premier Wealth Management and Private Banking space in Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, UK and Switzerland. She maintained her consistent position in the regional and global talent pool representing Top 2% of the work force. Her last role in HSBC was Regional Head of Premier & Wealth Management Sales. In her role, she owned, designed and delivered the Regional Premier Wealth Management strategy in terms of Financial Performance, Customer Experience, People Development, and Governance. Ayesha is a member of the UAE D&I council and is the gender ambassador. She has also been recently appointed as Global CPBB D&I council member. She is an avid traveller and spends a good part of her holidays in hiking and forest walks.

With over 22 years of financial services experience in ADIB & CBD; Saif is currently the Head of Priority Banking, Wealth Management, and Liabilities at ADIB and oversees all aspects of ADIB's global priority banking, wealth management, and Liability Business. Also he is a board member of 2 ADIB subsidiary companies; Saudi Finance Company & ADIB Securities. ADIB is currently one of the leading banks in Wealth & Liabilities and combines award-winning digital banking services with a network of exclusive branches staffed by a dedicated team to identify opportunities for the banking business. Previously, Saif held a number of management roles at ADIB, including Priority Banking & Branches Network for Northern Emirates, where he participated in the setup of priority banking model and implementation of Branch Expansion Strategy. Before joining ADIB, he was managing different positions of Cooperate Banking & Business Relationship at Commercial Bank of Dubai. Saif holds Masters in Business Administration from University of Wolverhampton UK.

Martyn has been in the international fiduciary industry for over 40 years. Born in Jersey, after a period in the British Virgin Islands and Hong Kong he returned to establish his own business which was later acquired by a Dutch private banking group. After moving to Switzerland in 2002 to establish Equity Trust (now part of the TMF Group), Martyn then set up Ampersand Management SA, a niche multi-family office/fiduciary business. Ampersand Management was acquired by the PraxisIFM Group in May 2016 and Martyn was subsequently appointed Managing Director of the Swiss trust company. He now specialises in corporate governance for single family offices and trust and estate planning for Sharia compliant clients and has a truly international client base. Martyn is STEP qualified and sits on a number of investment committees for clients and charities and is on the STEP TMPI steering committee.

Anand Rai has 11 years of experience in the business of wealth management and in designing of wealth management products. He has worked as a Consultant with large regional and global banks. His area of expertise includes financial planning, performance analytics and trading systems. Currently he is actively engaged in designing systems which increase productivity in the Front Office specifically that of relationship managers and their supervisors.

A seasoned banker with over 25 years of experience in multinational banks like American Express Bank, ABN AMRO, Credit Suisse AG and Citibank, Madhavan brings along with him strong corporate leadership learning and business acumen. He is the Founder & CEO of Gulf International Finance Limited (GIFL).With a proven track record of successful stints in his previous assignments, of which over a decade has been in the GCC, Madhavan possesses a keen understanding of the global financial services environment. His strong relationship management skills augur well with fulfilling client needs that enables him to drive the overall strategy of GIFL. Madhavan is a commerce graduate and has obtained an MBA from India. He is also certified in Banking, Finance & Securities Law by the New York Institute of Finance (NYIF).

Prashant joined Lighthouse Canton in 2016 in Singapore and moved to Dubai in 2017 to set up the DIFC business. He is the CEO for Lighthouse Canton Capital (DIFC) Pte Ltd and heads the Multi-Family Office business for the firm. He is responsible for engagement with key clients in addition to building a footprint for the business in the MENA region Prashant brings over 18 years of experience across large international banks like Citibank, Merrill Lynch and Barclays. In Barclays, he was responsible for managing the Non-Resident Indian team in Dubai along with the portfolios of select Ultra-High Net Worth and Institutional clients based in MENA and South/South-East Asia. Prashant has specialized skills in complex derivative products across interest rates, equities and FX and has a keen understanding of the requirements of corporate and institutional clients Prashant qualified as a Chartered Accountant and is a merit holder from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He is also a member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India. He received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Delhi University in India.

Ivan Jean Charles Pelle, is the CEO and Founder of RGN Group, a bespoke premium service for private and corporate clients. The Group is located in five jurisdictions: Switzerland, Luxembourg, Malta, Cyprus and Singapore. Ivan JC Pelle is responsible of multidisciplinary consultancy services for the international needs of family offices, worldwide tax planning and advisory, construction and administration of structures for unique purposes and private equity in Real Estate. Ivan JC Pelle is Swiss Certified Tax Expert and member of ExpertSuisse and IFA, holder of an Executive Master of Advanced Studies in International Taxation (MASIT), Certified Public Accountant CPA registered at FAOA - Swiss Federal Audit Oversight Authority and participant at MSc in Digital Currency (blockchain and Cryptocurrencies) at the University of Nicosia (Cyprus). With over 25 years’s experience within the international taxation industry, Ivan JC Pelle also held directorial and board member positions in companies to represent stakeholders. His considerable knowledge and expertise, together with his passion for 24/7 service excellence and desire to help, have enabled him to build long lasting client relationships as a trusted/family advisor to intermediaries and HNWI; through the provision of comprehensive individual and corporate specialization services.

Tomasz Bortnik heads the Wealth Management Product Department for the UAE & Bahrain cluster based out of Dubai, UAE and has been in this role since July, 2014. Prior to his current role, Tomasz was the Citi EMEA Regional Head of Brokerage & Securities Backed Lending, responsible for managing brokerage Equity and Fixed Income retail brokerage products as well as securities backed lending across the markets of the EMEA region, based in London, UK. Prior to taking on this role, Tomasz headed Citi EMEA’s Regional Investments Advisory, based in London, UK. Tomasz joined Citi post university graduation in 2000 in Citibank Poland, before merger with Handlowy, where he was responsible for first Mutual Funds launch. He later worked for 5 years for a Consulting company, Accenture Poland and Accenture Germany and rejoined Citi in 2005 in EMEA Regional Office in London, where he held various positions in Operations and Technology and in 2007 joined EMEA Regional Wealth Management. Tomasz has a Master’s degree in Finance and Banking from the Warsaw School of Economics

Laurence is the Regional Director, Client Solutions, EMEA for Asiaciti Trust in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He joined Asiaciti Trust in late 2012 and has over 30 years’ experience in the offshore finance industry. Based in the Middle East for the past 25 years he has particular skills and experience in cross border planning, the establishment of offshore trusts, foundations and company formation. Before joining Asiaciti Trust he held a number of senior positions within the Trust & Fiduciary industry and more recently was Head of Fiduciary Services, MENAP for a major international financial institution in the Dubai International Financial Centre. In these roles he successfully serviced clients in the EMEA region with their international needs and works closely with other cross border specialists in the establishment of international trusts and a variety of investment structures. Laurence maintains a comprehensive knowledge of legislative changes and industry trends affecting cross-border issues. He is a full member of STEP Worldwide (Society of Trust and Estate Planners) and was the founding Chairman of STEP Arabia.

Nirav is qualified as Chartered Accountant from Gujarat, India. Being an excellent academia, he has secured 6th Rank in Inter CA and 36th rank in CA Finals. He then moved to KPMG in Mumbai and had specialized in International Tax and Finance and is advising on various cross border transactions from International and Domestic Tax and Regulatory perspective. His skills help companies do set up right Corporate Holding structure for the group, Evaluation of New Business/Investment Opportunities, Strategic Inputs/Reviews for businesses and Managing Compliance issues. Nirav has a 25 plus years’ experience from own practice to leading consulting firm to working with large family-owned corporate group. He has a hands-on experience of establishing and managing structures and compliances in more than 12 jurisdictions; evolving suitable corporate structures for holding companies, acquisition of business, financing, and IP optimization structures; establishing suitable family structures for Asset protection, succession planning, efficient ownership, and valuable experience of operating in multiple jurisdictions. Nirav had successfully conducted VAT Trainings for Dubai SME, The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) Dubai, Jain International Trade Organization (JITO) Dubai and Indian Business & Professional Council (IBPC) Dubai (to name a few), with a total participant of around 1,600+ Professionals who work from 550+ Companies, coming from the 7 Emirates of UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah). Nirav is also a full member of Society of Trust and Estate Planners (STEP).

Vinod has over three decades of experience through inheriting and managing his own family businesses and being a part of multi-dimensional management consultancy assignments while employed with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), working alongside family owned businesses, orchestrating exit strategies, advising ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) families on inheritance, setting up family offices for wealth management and successfully managing a well-diversified investment mandate with hundreds of millions of dollars of assets under management. He holds a postgraduate degree in Management from the University of Bombay and has attended executive management program by Harvard Business School. Vinod is a member Society for Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP) and The Family Firm Institute (FFI), two professional organizations focusing on wealth preservation. At Arch Corporation (DIFC) Limited, he advises Family Offices and high-net-worth entrepreneurs on wealth management and business continuity strategies through asset allocation, manager-selection and their implications on family wealth preservation. He also advises on investing in Canadian real estate opportunities.

Oliver is the CEO of 1291 Private Office, a subsidiary of the Switzerland-based wealth planning firm 1291 Group. With its team of seasoned specialists, the company provides a broad range of independent and bespoke family office services to its institutional partners and their wealthy clients. Oliver can look back at more than 20 years of experience in the wealth management and family office space, having worked for renowned institutions in Switzerland, Hong Kong and Liechtenstein.

David Varley is Chief High Net Worth Officer at Sun Life Financial in Hong Kong. He specializes in HNW and Ultra HNW Planning and Insurance Structuring solutions for clients and families in Asia. He has a Bachelor of Commerce Degree, with an Honors in Management, and a thesis in Innovation – from Melbourne University. Previously he was Head of HNW for Asia for AXA, and Head of International Business for Aviva.

Ahmad Chahidi studied law in Switzerland, where he graduated from the University of Lausanne. After having worked several years in a marketing and communication company, he decided to go back to this roots and started his internship in a law firm in Geneva. Having spent several years there, Ahmad decided to join the private banking world, in order to advise clients in terms of succession, wealth and tax planning. He worked for several prestigious banks and set-up the family office of Banque Julius Baer in Geneva, before relocating to Dubai in 2007 with JP Morgan. In 2010, he joined EmiratesNBD which had recently launched its Private Banking division. Ahmad came back to Banque Julius Baer in 2017 in Dubai. Among his achievements, we can mention the Saudi Real Estate Investment Fund (first fund holding properties in Mecca), which received several awards, and the design of a DIFC Trust company.

Karim is the Founder and CEO of Legacy Line Family Office, established in 2004. Karim is an entrepreneur who parlayed his almost two decades of family financial planning experience into a Company that offers financial coaching to fellow entrepreneurs. As an independent certified Estate Planner and Family Wealth Advisor (CFWA), Karim draws on his own passions to guide individuals and family businesses through their legacy planning, including long-term wealth structuring, family governance, tax planning, citizenship-by-investment, and planned giving that matches an individual’s philanthropic ideals. Karim began his career in 1993 in Ottawa, Canada. His career path brought him back to the Middle East where he works with clients in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the UAE. He is fluent in both English and Arabic and offers services tailored to meet either Shari’a or non-Shari’a compliant client needs.

Michael is a prominent figure in the financial services industry in Asia. He is the founder and CEO of Hubbis, a renowned provider of intelligence and connectivity for the Asian wealth management industry. With a depth of experience and expertise, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the industry for over 30 years, becoming a leading industry presence in the events, professional development, and publishing space in the region. Hubbis is a multi-generational family-owned and managed business.

He has been actively involved in the Asia-Pacific region since 1993. And has lived in Asia since 1995, holding positions in Hong Kong, Sydney, and Singapore. 

For over 14-years, Hubbis has established itself as the gold standard media and events brand in wealth management thought leadership in Asia. Each year providing a very large body of cutting-edge editorial and sponsored content, organizing top-flight events.

During that time Hubbis has become the platform of choice for many high-profile C-suite leaders to communicate their vision of the Asian wealth management.

Before his involvement with Hubbis, Michael founded Pacific Prospect in 2002, a financial services media company. Under his leadership, the company achieved significant success and was subsequently acquired by global business-to-business publisher Incisive Media in 2006. Michael continued to serve as the CEO of Pacific Prospect until October 2008.

Prior to his entrepreneurial ventures, Michael garnered 5 years of experience in financial markets publishing. His career in this field began in 1993 when he joined Euromoney Publications as the publisher of the quarterly magazine, International Bond Investor. In 1995, Michael joined Thomson Financial Services (now owned by LSEG) and spearheaded the conception and launch of Finance Asia magazine. During his tenure as Managing Director of Finance Asia, he also initiated the Asian Debt Review, Asian Private Capital Magazine, and the Finance Asia Conference Business. In 1997, he founded FIA Limited, further expanding his contributions to the financial publishing industry.

Born in North Wales, Michael served as the head boy of St David's College Llandudno. He holds a degree in Business Administration from Cardiff University. Beyond his professional endeavours, Michael is a family-oriented individual and is happily married with three children: Reanna, Garett, and Tarryn.

Michael is a prominent figure in the financial services industry in Asia. He is the founder and CEO of Hubbis, a renowned provider of intelligence and connectivity for the Asian wealth management industry. With a depth of experience and expertise, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the industry for over 30 years, becoming a leading industry presence in the events, professional development, and publishing space in the region. Hubbis is a multi-generational family-owned and managed business.

He has been actively involved in the Asia-Pacific region since 1993. And has lived in Asia since 1995, holding positions in Hong Kong, Sydney, and Singapore. 

For over 14-years, Hubbis has established itself as the gold standard media and events brand in wealth management thought leadership in Asia. Each year providing a very large body of cutting-edge editorial and sponsored content, organizing top-flight events.

During that time Hubbis has become the platform of choice for many high-profile C-suite leaders to communicate their vision of the Asian wealth management.

Before his involvement with Hubbis, Michael founded Pacific Prospect in 2002, a financial services media company. Under his leadership, the company achieved significant success and was subsequently acquired by global business-to-business publisher Incisive Media in 2006. Michael continued to serve as the CEO of Pacific Prospect until October 2008.

Prior to his entrepreneurial ventures, Michael garnered 5 years of experience in financial markets publishing. His career in this field began in 1993 when he joined Euromoney Publications as the publisher of the quarterly magazine, International Bond Investor. In 1995, Michael joined Thomson Financial Services (now owned by LSEG) and spearheaded the conception and launch of Finance Asia magazine. During his tenure as Managing Director of Finance Asia, he also initiated the Asian Debt Review, Asian Private Capital Magazine, and the Finance Asia Conference Business. In 1997, he founded FIA Limited, further expanding his contributions to the financial publishing industry.

Born in North Wales, Michael served as the head boy of St David's College Llandudno. He holds a degree in Business Administration from Cardiff University. Beyond his professional endeavours, Michael is a family-oriented individual and is happily married with three children: Reanna, Garett, and Tarryn.

Michael is a prominent figure in the financial services industry in Asia. He is the founder and CEO of Hubbis, a renowned provider of intelligence and connectivity for the Asian wealth management industry. With a depth of experience and expertise, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the industry for over 30 years, becoming a leading industry presence in the events, professional development, and publishing space in the region. Hubbis is a multi-generational family-owned and managed business.

He has been actively involved in the Asia-Pacific region since 1993. And has lived in Asia since 1995, holding positions in Hong Kong, Sydney, and Singapore. 

For over 14-years, Hubbis has established itself as the gold standard media and events brand in wealth management thought leadership in Asia. Each year providing a very large body of cutting-edge editorial and sponsored content, organizing top-flight events.

During that time Hubbis has become the platform of choice for many high-profile C-suite leaders to communicate their vision of the Asian wealth management.

Before his involvement with Hubbis, Michael founded Pacific Prospect in 2002, a financial services media company. Under his leadership, the company achieved significant success and was subsequently acquired by global business-to-business publisher Incisive Media in 2006. Michael continued to serve as the CEO of Pacific Prospect until October 2008.

Prior to his entrepreneurial ventures, Michael garnered 5 years of experience in financial markets publishing. His career in this field began in 1993 when he joined Euromoney Publications as the publisher of the quarterly magazine, International Bond Investor. In 1995, Michael joined Thomson Financial Services (now owned by LSEG) and spearheaded the conception and launch of Finance Asia magazine. During his tenure as Managing Director of Finance Asia, he also initiated the Asian Debt Review, Asian Private Capital Magazine, and the Finance Asia Conference Business. In 1997, he founded FIA Limited, further expanding his contributions to the financial publishing industry.

Born in North Wales, Michael served as the head boy of St David's College Llandudno. He holds a degree in Business Administration from Cardiff University. Beyond his professional endeavours, Michael is a family-oriented individual and is happily married with three children: Reanna, Garett, and Tarryn.