Where and How to Establish a Modern & Efficient Family Office?

Richard Grasby is an experienced trusts, funds, family office and private wealth lawyer. He has experience in multiple jurisdictions and has been admitted as a lawyer in England & Wales, the Cayman Islands and the BVI. Richard has expertise in the establishment and administration of offshore entities including trusts, companies and investment funds. He has significant experience in compliance, governance and account opening. Richard also has considerable involvement in private trust companies, family constitutions and succession planning. He has worked with clients and advisers in numerous jurisdictions. Richard lived and worked in Asia for over 12 years. Prior to that, he was based in the Cayman Islands. He has also worked in Jersey and London. Richard is the immediate past chair of the STEP Hong Kong branch, a committee member of the STEP Business Families Global Special Interest Group and a committee member of the STEP International Client Global Special Interest Group. He is a member of the Hong Kong Trustees Association and a lecturer on their Trust Training Certificate course. He is an elected member of the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law.

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.

Bryan Henning is a wealth management specialist with over 30 years of experience. He represents Eton Solutions as Senior Vice President of International Sales. Bryan is based in Singapore, where he leads Sales & Marketing efforts in the Asia Pacific region. As Senior VP of International Sales, he leads client interactions, sales, implementation, and services throughout the Asia Pacific region and supports all company operations in Singapore. Throughout his multi-decade career, Bryan has worked in banking and wealth management, leading divisions for Standard Chartered Bank, Barclays Wealth, and HSBC, where he developed and managed all aspects of wealth management offerings to retail, mass affluent, HNW, and UHNW clients. While Bryan has successfully built and run wealth management and investment product and services businesses in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, the majority of his experience is based in Asia. He is a Permanent Resident of Singapore, where he currently resides, and he has Canadian and Australian roots.

Dominic Volek is Group Head of Private Clients at Henley & Partners and a member of the Executive Committee. Originally from South Africa, he now spends his time between London, Dubai, and Singapore as a private client specialist in residence and citizenship planning and provides advice to ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their families across the globe. His work targets countries that are deemed most attractive to wealthy individuals in terms of mobility, security, privacy, personal tax, estate planning, and lifestyle. He is also a member of the firm’s Government Advisory practice, providing strategic advice to governments on the design, implementation, and promotion of successful investment migration programs. Dominic is a certified Chartered Accountant CA (SA), holding both a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting with Honors and Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication. Prior to joining Henley & Partners, Dominic had a successful career as part of the Senior Management team in one of the big four accounting and advisory firms in Singapore, South Africa, and the USA. Dominic is frequently sought after as a speaker and thought leader on residence and citizenship planning, and he regularly provides commentary on the Henley Passport Index. He has been interviewed by top-tier media such as BBC, Quartz, and Bloomberg.

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.

Paul is a Managing Director and Senior Wealth Advisor for the ASIAPAC region of the JP Morgan Private Bank. He is based in Hong Kong and joined JP Morgan 14 years ago from Ernst and Young LLP where he was a Director and head of the Private Client Services group in London. He was also Chairman and founder of the Ernst & Young International Private Wealth Group. He has over thirty five years experience in advising wealthy individuals and families on both domestic and international tax and estate planning as well as family governance and succession issues. He also has wide experience in advising philanthropists on both tax and structuring issues in relation to charitable giving. Paul graduated from Durham University and is a UK Solicitor. He is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and has served as co-chair of its International Committee as well as being an advisor to its UK technical committee and a member of the Family Business Special Interest Group. He is also Vice Chairman of the UK charity Philanthropy Impact prior to relocating to Hong Kong.

Zac has experience in all areas of international private client law including cross border tax, trust, estate, family, divorce and succession laws. Zac also has extensive experience advising in relation business family and family office governance and succession planning, and international private client regulatory laws, including the Common Reporting Standard, Mandatory Disclosure Rules, Economic Substance Rules and Beneficial Ownership Registers.

Richard Grasby is an experienced trusts, funds, family office and private wealth lawyer. He has experience in multiple jurisdictions and has been admitted as a lawyer in England & Wales, the Cayman Islands and the BVI. Richard has expertise in the establishment and administration of offshore entities including trusts, companies and investment funds. He has significant experience in compliance, governance and account opening. Richard also has considerable involvement in private trust companies, family constitutions and succession planning. He has worked with clients and advisers in numerous jurisdictions. Richard lived and worked in Asia for over 12 years. Prior to that, he was based in the Cayman Islands. He has also worked in Jersey and London. Richard is the immediate past chair of the STEP Hong Kong branch, a committee member of the STEP Business Families Global Special Interest Group and a committee member of the STEP International Client Global Special Interest Group. He is a member of the Hong Kong Trustees Association and a lecturer on their Trust Training Certificate course. He is an elected member of the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law.

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.

Bryan Henning is a wealth management specialist with over 30 years of experience. He represents Eton Solutions as Senior Vice President of International Sales. Bryan is based in Singapore, where he leads Sales & Marketing efforts in the Asia Pacific region. As Senior VP of International Sales, he leads client interactions, sales, implementation, and services throughout the Asia Pacific region and supports all company operations in Singapore. Throughout his multi-decade career, Bryan has worked in banking and wealth management, leading divisions for Standard Chartered Bank, Barclays Wealth, and HSBC, where he developed and managed all aspects of wealth management offerings to retail, mass affluent, HNW, and UHNW clients. While Bryan has successfully built and run wealth management and investment product and services businesses in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, the majority of his experience is based in Asia. He is a Permanent Resident of Singapore, where he currently resides, and he has Canadian and Australian roots.

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.

Paul is a Managing Director and Senior Wealth Advisor for the ASIAPAC region of the JP Morgan Private Bank. He is based in Hong Kong and joined JP Morgan 14 years ago from Ernst and Young LLP where he was a Director and head of the Private Client Services group in London. He was also Chairman and founder of the Ernst & Young International Private Wealth Group. He has over thirty five years experience in advising wealthy individuals and families on both domestic and international tax and estate planning as well as family governance and succession issues. He also has wide experience in advising philanthropists on both tax and structuring issues in relation to charitable giving. Paul graduated from Durham University and is a UK Solicitor. He is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and has served as co-chair of its International Committee as well as being an advisor to its UK technical committee and a member of the Family Business Special Interest Group. He is also Vice Chairman of the UK charity Philanthropy Impact prior to relocating to Hong Kong.

Dominic Volek is Group Head of Private Clients at Henley & Partners and a member of the Executive Committee. Originally from South Africa, he now spends his time between London, Dubai, and Singapore as a private client specialist in residence and citizenship planning and provides advice to ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their families across the globe. His work targets countries that are deemed most attractive to wealthy individuals in terms of mobility, security, privacy, personal tax, estate planning, and lifestyle. He is also a member of the firm’s Government Advisory practice, providing strategic advice to governments on the design, implementation, and promotion of successful investment migration programs. Dominic is a certified Chartered Accountant CA (SA), holding both a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting with Honors and Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication. Prior to joining Henley & Partners, Dominic had a successful career as part of the Senior Management team in one of the big four accounting and advisory firms in Singapore, South Africa, and the USA. Dominic is frequently sought after as a speaker and thought leader on residence and citizenship planning, and he regularly provides commentary on the Henley Passport Index. He has been interviewed by top-tier media such as BBC, Quartz, and Bloomberg.