UAE and Singapore – Wealth Structuring 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.

Sunita is a well-known authority and legal adviser in the private wealth community. Her trusted relationships with UAE Regulatory authorities, financial advisors, corporate services providers, family offices and banks enable her to provide expert legal advice to her private wealth clients, especially in the GCC, Southwest Asia and Africa. She is a full member of STEP (Africa and Arabia) and often acts as moderator at international forums and conferences. As a thought leader, Sunita regularly publishes in prominent publications and participated, amongst other in the ground-breaking “Women in Wealth Management” GCC roadshow. She is recognised by various legal directories such as Chambers & Partners, Global Stars Report, and was peer-selected for the Private Client Global Elite Directory (2022 – 2023). Sunita has actively promoted women’s empowerment for young professionals in India and the Middle East and is a professional mentor for young female executives in the Middle East.

Philippe Amarante is a Managing Partner at Henley & Partners and the Head of the firm’s Dubai and Pakistan offices. Philippe has been successfully advising private and institutional clients across industries, countries, and cultures for over 15 years as a successful business, relationship, and brand builder. Before his current role, he served as the Global Head of Brand and Group Marketing Strategy at Credit Suisse Group. Philippe is a strategic thinker who enjoys a hands-on approach, delivering results across board and governmental levels in complex and international environments. His interests include nascent technologies and emerging business models and related trends. Philippe also has experience in non-profit organizations and luxury, retail, and finance industries.

Woon Shiu has over 20 years of expertise in marketing, client development and professional training in family office structuring, trusts, high-net-worth life insurance and estate planning in Asia Pacific (especially China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia). Over the years, Woon Shiu has handled multiple landmark transactions, advising ultra-high net-worth individuals and founding members of banking conglomerates on matters relating to taxes, multi-generational endowment funds, planning of global assets, and much more. Woon Shiu is also an adjunct professor at the Wealth Management Institute (in Nanyang Technological University) and regularly lectures private bankers, lawyers and trust practitioners on wealth structuring and estate succession. He has also spoken as a guest lecturer at universities in China, and his views on family businesses are regularly featured in the Financial Times, Barron’s Asia, Singapore Business Times, China Daily and other renowned publications. Woon Shiu has advised numerous ultra-high net-worth families across Asia Pacific in the areas of strategic structuring of their estate and succession planning. He commonly engages multi-generation families, giving them advice on successfully establishing and implementing their desired family governance and philanthropic strategies. He holds a STEP certification and is a Solicitor in England and Wales, as well as an Advocate and Solicitor in Singapore. Woon Shiu is fluent in English and Mandarin – often lecturing in both languages – and is also conversant in Cantonese, Hokkien and Hainanese.

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).

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.

Nancy 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 ultra-high net worth 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). She is the chairperson of the Jersey Pensions Association and is working closely with the Jersey government to enhance Jersey's offering of end of service gratuity plans and international savings vehicles. Nancy also has considerable experience in regulatory matters affecting offshore vehicles and service providers, including FATCA, the common reporting standard (CRS) and data protection.She is fluent in English, Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese.

Woon Shiu has over 20 years of expertise in marketing, client development and professional training in family office structuring, trusts, high-net-worth life insurance and estate planning in Asia Pacific (especially China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia). Over the years, Woon Shiu has handled multiple landmark transactions, advising ultra-high net-worth individuals and founding members of banking conglomerates on matters relating to taxes, multi-generational endowment funds, planning of global assets, and much more. Woon Shiu is also an adjunct professor at the Wealth Management Institute (in Nanyang Technological University) and regularly lectures private bankers, lawyers and trust practitioners on wealth structuring and estate succession. He has also spoken as a guest lecturer at universities in China, and his views on family businesses are regularly featured in the Financial Times, Barron’s Asia, Singapore Business Times, China Daily and other renowned publications. Woon Shiu has advised numerous ultra-high net-worth families across Asia Pacific in the areas of strategic structuring of their estate and succession planning. He commonly engages multi-generation families, giving them advice on successfully establishing and implementing their desired family governance and philanthropic strategies. He holds a STEP certification and is a Solicitor in England and Wales, as well as an Advocate and Solicitor in Singapore. Woon Shiu is fluent in English and Mandarin – often lecturing in both languages – and is also conversant in Cantonese, Hokkien and Hainanese.

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).

Philippe Amarante is a Managing Partner at Henley & Partners and the Head of the firm’s Dubai and Pakistan offices. Philippe has been successfully advising private and institutional clients across industries, countries, and cultures for over 15 years as a successful business, relationship, and brand builder. Before his current role, he served as the Global Head of Brand and Group Marketing Strategy at Credit Suisse Group. Philippe is a strategic thinker who enjoys a hands-on approach, delivering results across board and governmental levels in complex and international environments. His interests include nascent technologies and emerging business models and related trends. Philippe also has experience in non-profit organizations and luxury, retail, and finance industries.

Michael has an extensive background in financial services in Asia, Europe and North America. He has been in Asia-Pacific since 1995 – first in Hong Kong for six years, then in Sydney and Singapore, returning to Hong Kong in 2007. Before setting up Hubbis in early 2009, Michael founded Pacific Prospect in 2002 and sold it to global business-to-business publisher Incisive Media in 2006, continuing to serve as Chief Executive Officer until October 2008. Prior to Pacific Prospect, Michael worked for nine years in financial markets publishing. He joined Euromoney Publications in 1993 as the publisher of a quarterly magazine, International Bond Investor. In 1995, Michael joined Thomson Financial Services (now Thomson Reuters) to conceive and launch Finance Asia magazine. While he was Managing Director of Finance Asia, Michael also started the Asian Debt Review, Asian Private Capital Magazine and started the Finance Asia Conference Business. In 1997, Michael founded FIA Limited. Born in North Wales, Michael was head boy of St David’s College Llandudno. He has a degree in Business Administration from Cardiff University. And is married with three children - Reanna, Garett and Tarryn.