Structuring Wealth Across Borders

Sunita is a UK and UAE trained and qualified attorney who leads the Private Wealth & Family Offices practice at Hourani.

Sunita advises and assists significant business families and clients in the Middle East, SW Asia and Africa with topical matters such as Cross Border Estate and Succession Planning, Wealth Management, the implementation of Family Codes of Governance and Family Constitutions and establishing Family Offices.

Sunita has established intrinsic relationships with the UAE regulatory authorities, financial advisers, corporate service providers, family offices and private banks. She actively works with the local regulators to spread awareness in the international community of the latest developments and updates within the private wealth sector, particularly in relation to the recent Foundations and Trust Laws implemented by the ADGM, DIFC and RAK ICC and other developments in the Middle East.

In addition to her client advisory work, she has dedicated significant time to training and sharing knowledge with relationship managers, trusted advisors and family offices in the global private wealth community on legal and practical developments in the Middle East; she believes that the success of the UAE as an IFC, is dependent upon the continual dissemination of knowledge and the correct application of current legislation when implementing cross border wealth planning structures.

As an active member of the private wealth community Sunita is a full member of STEP (Africa and Arabia) and frequently speaks at various international forums and conferences.

Sunita is regarded as a leading authority on Middle East private client issues by global private wealth industry groups such as HUBBIS and PCD. Sunita is consistently ranked by Chambers and is also listed in the Private Client Global Elite Directory.

She actively promotes women empowerment for young professionals in the Middle East and SW Asia and is a professional mentor for female executives in the GCC.

Aakriti is an Australian-qualified lawyer who specializes in advising on corporate tax, withholding tax and VAT aspects in a broad range of industry sectors, including consumer business, F&B, financial services (including private equity), telecommunications and education, as well as sovereign wealth funds, ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWIs) and family offices.

She was involved with the implementation of VAT in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain, as well as the introduction of corporate tax in the UAE. She has in-depth experience on international tax structuring, cross-border M&A, private wealth restructuring and tax related implications of funds.

Given her years of experience in the GCC (including Saudi Arabia and the UAE) and broader MENA region, Aakriti is involved in designing and implementing tax-efficient structures that balance regulatory compliance with optimal business and wealth preservation.

Shanthi Thangaraj is a dual-qualified attorney in New York and India with over 14 years of international legal experience spanning cross-border transactions, regulatory compliance, and governance. She currently serves as an Advisor in the Policy and Regulatory Enablement department at Dubai Economy & Tourism, working closely with the CEO–Regulatory Policy, Enablement and Governance on policy-driven strategic initiatives that shape Dubai’s economic landscape.

Shanthi has been involved in the implementation of the UAE’s new Family Business Law, contributing to guidance documents for the sector and advising on related matters at both the federal and emirate levels. She is also engaged in the ongoing development of the UAE Trust Law, providing input on its application and implications. Her work covers a broad spectrum of legal and structural considerations — from real estate ownership within family business vehicles to other strategic “unlocks” that shape wealth management, succession planning and family offices — in alignment with Dubai’s D33 economic agenda.

Shanthi also has a strong track record in advising on complex, multi-jurisdictional regulatory matters, from structuring compliance frameworks to navigating privacy, data protection, and broader governance risks. She established and led the global privacy and data protection compliance program at Dubai Economy & Tourism and is an IAPP Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP), holding CIPP/E and CIPM certifications. Shanthi holds an LL.M in International Business Regulation, Litigation, and Arbitration from NYU School of Law.

Yasmine joined Bank of Singapore as the Head of Family Office and wealth advisory in January 2025. In this capacity, Yasmine is responsible for supporting the bank’s clients with their broader wealth planning and wealth structuring requirements.

Yasmine has over 13 years of experience working with high-net-worth individuals and family-owned businesses across the Gulf region. With a background in private client and family business advisory at leading Big Four firms, she specializes in complex cross-border estate and succession planning, family office structuring, and the institutionalization of family businesses.

Yasmine has advised numerous regional and international families on the development and implementation of intergenerational succession plans, governance frameworks, and Family Office structures. Her expertise spans the design of tailored wealth and tax structuring solutions, corporate re-engineering, and governance systems aimed at facilitating the orderly transition of family wealth and leadership.