Private Client NextGen Academy, Session One: The Lifecycle of a HNW Client

Ben is a Guernsey Advocate and Partner of Collas Crill's Private Client and Trusts team.

His practice is focussed on contentious and semi-contentious trust work, advising both trustees and beneficiaries and appearing in the Royal Court in Guernsey on those matters.

He has a particular interest in the issues around the succession to wealth by the next generation. Recent highlights include: acting for the beneficiary of a trust in a proposed restructuring of an UHNW family's wealth following a dispute with their trustee. Planning for the splintering-off of our client's interests, and negotiating the necessary protections; acting for the corporate trustee of a discretionary trust settled for the benefit of the Settlor's children. The Settlor was domiciled in a jurisdiction in which Sharia law would have applied on succession. The trust imported aspects of Sharia law, while also providing for the settlor's daughters. A family dispute resulted in various challenges relating to the trust; acting for the corporate trustee of a trust during the course of a significant family dispute. The aim was to divide the assets of the trust against a lack of any agreement between the beneficiaries as to how that should be done.

Mustafa manages our group office in London and co-chairs  group strategy. He joined Accuro in 2019 from Taylor Wessing LLP, where he advised private clients as a corporate partner.

Utilizing the deep insight and strategic thought  honed working in London, Singapore, Kuwait and advising Middle Eastern clients for 21 years, Mustafa works with clients to plan governance, succession and private wealth structures and solutions.

His goal is to bring proactive, culturally astute and purpose-led insight to families. Mustafa is a devoted father as well as a landscape and abstract photographer.

Richard is a Director of Highvern and Head of Family Office. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1997 and holds an MBA from Warwick University. As well as having expertise in financial accounting and strategic financial planning, Richard has devoted the last 20 years of his career to the Family Office sector. He was the Director of a prominent Single Family Office from 2002-2012 and led the Multi-Family Office division of a prominent international fiduciary services firm from 2013 to 2021, dealing with Ultra High Net Worth individuals and their families from many jurisdictions including Europe, the US, the UAE and Russia. He has specific expertise in private equity, luxury assets, cryptocurrencies and philanthropy. At Highvern, Richard is responsible for managing some of the more complex client relationships, often with innovative structures. He is frequently asked to write articles for leading publications and regularly speaks at international conferences on specific issues relating to Family Offices.

John specialises in all aspects of relationship breakdown and wealth protection, including financial claims on divorce, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, financial claims between unmarried couples and disputes relating to children, including relocation cases.

Most of John's cases have an international element and involve dealing with complex financial structures, inherited wealth and / or family businesses. John also has extensive experience of complex and challenging cases involving safeguarding issues and allegations of domestic abuse.

John is President of the International Private Client and Family Law Commission of AIJA (the International Association of Young Lawyers). He regularly speaks in relation to family law issues, including at international conferences in Dubai and Hong Kong. He also recently delivered a seminar at the University of Lausanne.

John was recently ranked in the 2023 Legal 500 Guide as a Rising Star and as an Associate to Watch by Chambers UK 2023. Contributors to Chambers described him as "very knowledgeable, very attentive to clients and very good at seeing the big picture ... He is a very, very good lawyer."

Alasdair Wilson advises UK and international clients on their private wealth, which includes cross-border tax matters, structuring assets held across different jurisdictions, global succession planning and wealth protection. His clients include individuals, families and professional fiduciaries.

Alasdair regularly deals with the implementation of international trust structures for the purposes of asset protection, tax efficiency or the devolution of family wealth.

He is an associate member of the Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners (STEP)

Jessica is an Executive Director in the Private Investment Office. She joined London & Capital in 2007 and has broad experience in advising private clients with wealth management and investment strategy.

Jessica is a firm believer in collaboration and believes that the client can often be best advised by all their advisors working closely together. She therefore has a strong network of professional contacts in the legal, tax and fiduciary professions.

She has been recognised as a PAM Top 40 under 40 Wealth Manager, included in the Spears 500 top advisors and is a CityWealth Power Women award winner. She has a Modern Languages degree from Durham University and speaks fluent French and Italian.