Business Families in Transition – How can wealth managers embrace this opportunity?

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.

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.

Yanylis arising star in Greater China wealth planning and a trusted counsel to leading families across the region. At Hywin, Yanyi specializes in crafting and implementing holistic family governance and succession solutions UHNW clients, including family diagnostics, trust structuring, tax and citizenship planning family conflict resolution, family litigation and defense. Prior to joining Hywin, Yanyi held senior positions at two leading global trust companies (Visb'4 Trident), intimately familiar with the trust laws and practices of major jurisdictions, As a popular speaker, Yanyi shared her insights at a variety of industry events and UHNW gatherings. Yanyi holds a bachelor degree of laws from the University of Bristol in United Kingdom, and completed academic pursuits at Peking University. Yanyi is a key member of Hong Kong Chinese People’ Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Youth Association, and saluted for her championship of closer ties between HKSAR and the motherland.

Lee Wong is Head of Family Services, Asia at Lombard Odier. Lee is responsible for leading Lombard Odier’s wealth planning and family services proposition, which is a key component of the Bank’s growth strategy in the region. Before joining Lombard Odier, Lee amassed over 22 years of experience in the wealth management industry. She joined from Union Bancaire Privée in Singapore, where she was Head of Wealth Planning for South Asia and was responsible for leading a team advising high net worth clients on their family wealth transition, family governance, as well as philanthropic aspirations. Lee is a member of the MAS-EDB Family Office workgroup as well as the Wealth Management Institute’s expert panel on Family Offices. She is a regular trainer for Singapore Management University for IBF certification courses on wealth planning and family office. She is also a trainer for Wealth Management Institute’s family office advisor program. Lee holds a Bachelor of Laws from the National University of Singapore. She is a Chartered Trustee appointed by the Singapore Trustee Association.

Mr. On Wai LAU is Head of Wealth Planning covering North Asia markets in Banque Pictet & Cie SA HK Branch. On Wai (ACG, TEP, MBA) has been working for different European private banking groups and trust companies for over 30 years. As North Asia Head of Wealth Planning in Pictet, he specializes in advising Greater China HNW families for their wealth succession, cross border investments, immigration planning, risk management and family governance planning by setting up different fiduciary and legal structures, including family offices and private trust companies etc.

Sneha Makhija leads the wealth planning division to provide comprehensive estate planning solutions to a diverse clientele of high-net-worth individuals including professionals, entrepreneurs, business owners and multi-generational family businesses. Bringing years of expertise to the role, Sneha specialises in creating bespoke wealth planning solutions for UHNW individuals and families. She provides advice to clients on their estate and succession planning requirements that includes advisory on creation and structuring of trusts and wills with best practice governance principles to ensure their longevity and success. Her in-depth understanding of governance issues in multi-generational business families enables addressing of business and relationship challenges that such families often encounter. She has worked with organisations such as Barclays Bank PLC., and Kotak Family Office. She is a Chartered Trust and Estate Planner (CTEP)TM and holds an MBA from Durham University Business School (UK).

Marilyn focuses on business development with Trident Trust’s network of Wealth Planners, Private Bankers, Lawyers, Accountants, Family Offices, and other professional intermediaries. She has nearly 10 years of experience in providing trust, corporate and fund structuring solutions to meet the needs of asset managers, family offices and high net worth clients. She has worked with numerous fund managers and family offices to establish their fund structures and has also extensive knowledge of the North Asian and Indonesian markets for private client solutions, establishing a broad range of structures from basic estate and legacy planning to complex trust structures for family business governance. Marilyn graduated with double honours in Business Management and Accountancy and is fluent in spoken and written Mandarin.

AW Wen Ni is a Partner in the Specialist & Private Client Disputes Practice and in the Private Wealth Practice. Wen Ni's main practice areas are in civil commercial litigation and private wealth. Wen Ni regularly advises ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families with assets spanning different jurisdictions on succession and estate planning with a view to business continuity and providing for the future generations. This includes the setting up of trust structures, family offices, applications for the relevant tax exemption schemes, negotiating and preparing prenuptial agreements and family constitutions. Being a litigator, Wen Ni also acts for ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families in complex and high value disputes including contested estate / probate matters, shareholders' disputes, banking and financial disputes and proceedings commenced under Mental Capacity Act 2008. As a litigator, Wen Ni regularly appears as Counsel before the Singapore Courts.

Hengka focuses on international tax and transaction tax and advises on a variety of cutting-edge tax matters, including as they relate to tax planning and compliance, tax-efficient structuring, and tax dispute resolution. Hengka is also a trusted adviser in relation to wealth planning and he serves numerous Chinese Ultra HNWI, leading private banks and family offices for global asset protection scheme and handle their offshore trust, ESOP, CRS, immigration, and succession matters. Beyond that, Hengka contributes substantial efforts on non-profit and philanthropy legal practice. He is a pioneer lawyer in the NGO sector and has advised more than 50 international NGOs, United Nations Agency and charitable foundations and philanthropist on a full range of legal issues, advising the legal implications under INGO Law, handling transactions and day-to-day operation for these entities and representing them in structuring, entity formation, fundraising, donation, due diligence, tax incentives application, governance, litigation and internal compliance investigation. He has been appointed to serve as the China representative of CEPI and authorized representative of one famous international educational NGO. Henry is also selected as the Global Fellow of Salzburg Global Seminar, and Asia Fellow of AVPN for Impact Investment (funded by Ford Foundation).

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.

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.

Yanylis arising star in Greater China wealth planning and a trusted counsel to leading families across the region. At Hywin, Yanyi specializes in crafting and implementing holistic family governance and succession solutions UHNW clients, including family diagnostics, trust structuring, tax and citizenship planning family conflict resolution, family litigation and defense. Prior to joining Hywin, Yanyi held senior positions at two leading global trust companies (Visb'4 Trident), intimately familiar with the trust laws and practices of major jurisdictions, As a popular speaker, Yanyi shared her insights at a variety of industry events and UHNW gatherings. Yanyi holds a bachelor degree of laws from the University of Bristol in United Kingdom, and completed academic pursuits at Peking University. Yanyi is a key member of Hong Kong Chinese People’ Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Youth Association, and saluted for her championship of closer ties between HKSAR and the motherland.

Lee Wong is Head of Family Services, Asia at Lombard Odier. Lee is responsible for leading Lombard Odier’s wealth planning and family services proposition, which is a key component of the Bank’s growth strategy in the region. Before joining Lombard Odier, Lee amassed over 22 years of experience in the wealth management industry. She joined from Union Bancaire Privée in Singapore, where she was Head of Wealth Planning for South Asia and was responsible for leading a team advising high net worth clients on their family wealth transition, family governance, as well as philanthropic aspirations. Lee is a member of the MAS-EDB Family Office workgroup as well as the Wealth Management Institute’s expert panel on Family Offices. She is a regular trainer for Singapore Management University for IBF certification courses on wealth planning and family office. She is also a trainer for Wealth Management Institute’s family office advisor program. Lee holds a Bachelor of Laws from the National University of Singapore. She is a Chartered Trustee appointed by the Singapore Trustee Association.

Mr. On Wai LAU is Head of Wealth Planning covering North Asia markets in Banque Pictet & Cie SA HK Branch. On Wai (ACG, TEP, MBA) has been working for different European private banking groups and trust companies for over 30 years. As North Asia Head of Wealth Planning in Pictet, he specializes in advising Greater China HNW families for their wealth succession, cross border investments, immigration planning, risk management and family governance planning by setting up different fiduciary and legal structures, including family offices and private trust companies etc.

Sneha Makhija leads the wealth planning division to provide comprehensive estate planning solutions to a diverse clientele of high-net-worth individuals including professionals, entrepreneurs, business owners and multi-generational family businesses. Bringing years of expertise to the role, Sneha specialises in creating bespoke wealth planning solutions for UHNW individuals and families. She provides advice to clients on their estate and succession planning requirements that includes advisory on creation and structuring of trusts and wills with best practice governance principles to ensure their longevity and success. Her in-depth understanding of governance issues in multi-generational business families enables addressing of business and relationship challenges that such families often encounter. She has worked with organisations such as Barclays Bank PLC., and Kotak Family Office. She is a Chartered Trust and Estate Planner (CTEP)TM and holds an MBA from Durham University Business School (UK).

Marilyn focuses on business development with Trident Trust’s network of Wealth Planners, Private Bankers, Lawyers, Accountants, Family Offices, and other professional intermediaries. She has nearly 10 years of experience in providing trust, corporate and fund structuring solutions to meet the needs of asset managers, family offices and high net worth clients. She has worked with numerous fund managers and family offices to establish their fund structures and has also extensive knowledge of the North Asian and Indonesian markets for private client solutions, establishing a broad range of structures from basic estate and legacy planning to complex trust structures for family business governance. Marilyn graduated with double honours in Business Management and Accountancy and is fluent in spoken and written Mandarin.

AW Wen Ni is a Partner in the Specialist & Private Client Disputes Practice and in the Private Wealth Practice. Wen Ni's main practice areas are in civil commercial litigation and private wealth. Wen Ni regularly advises ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families with assets spanning different jurisdictions on succession and estate planning with a view to business continuity and providing for the future generations. This includes the setting up of trust structures, family offices, applications for the relevant tax exemption schemes, negotiating and preparing prenuptial agreements and family constitutions. Being a litigator, Wen Ni also acts for ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families in complex and high value disputes including contested estate / probate matters, shareholders' disputes, banking and financial disputes and proceedings commenced under Mental Capacity Act 2008. As a litigator, Wen Ni regularly appears as Counsel before the Singapore Courts.

Hengka focuses on international tax and transaction tax and advises on a variety of cutting-edge tax matters, including as they relate to tax planning and compliance, tax-efficient structuring, and tax dispute resolution. Hengka is also a trusted adviser in relation to wealth planning and he serves numerous Chinese Ultra HNWI, leading private banks and family offices for global asset protection scheme and handle their offshore trust, ESOP, CRS, immigration, and succession matters. Beyond that, Hengka contributes substantial efforts on non-profit and philanthropy legal practice. He is a pioneer lawyer in the NGO sector and has advised more than 50 international NGOs, United Nations Agency and charitable foundations and philanthropist on a full range of legal issues, advising the legal implications under INGO Law, handling transactions and day-to-day operation for these entities and representing them in structuring, entity formation, fundraising, donation, due diligence, tax incentives application, governance, litigation and internal compliance investigation. He has been appointed to serve as the China representative of CEPI and authorized representative of one famous international educational NGO. Henry is also selected as the Global Fellow of Salzburg Global Seminar, and Asia Fellow of AVPN for Impact Investment (funded by Ford Foundation).

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.