The WealthBriefing European Awards 2024 - Acclaim

ACCLAIM

RECOGNISING LEADERS AC ROSS THE GLOBAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY THROUGH THE WealthBriefing AWARDS PROGRAMME

RECENT RESEARCH OUTPUT

Why Wealth Managers are the Ultimate Private Market Matchmakers

(in partnership with Hywin Wealth & VP Bank)

This report tackles both the supply and demand for private market opportunities in both the Asia-Pacific region and globally, a topic which will continue to be hugely important for the wealth management industry as H/UHNWs seek enhanced returns and diversification in a challenging investment environment and billions of “dry powder” await deployment.

External Asset Managers in Asia - New Directions for Rapidly-Expanding Sector

(in partnership with UBS)

Our second annual report examining the growth of Asia’s EAM sector, covering both the powerhouses of Singapore and Hong Kong, and emerging markets like Thailand and the Philippines. This study looks at the growth prospects for independent advisors in the round as they seek to tap the region’s booming wealth and growing client acceptance of the EAM model.

Family Office Focus: An Update of the Industry's Efficiency in Accounting and Investment Analysis

(in partnership with FundCount)

A deep dive into the key technological and operational challenges facing family offices in their accounting and investment analysis activities. Based on surveys and interviews

among family offices managing over $72 billion in assets, this is an invaluable benchmarking tool for the sector which presents fascinating insights into future developments from a range of industry experts.

Applying Artificial Intelligence in Wealth Management - Compelling Use Cases

Across the Client Life Cycle

(in partnership with Finantix & EY)

This comprehensive report identifies elements of the institution and advisor’s workloads that are ripe for AI amelioration, and points the way for firms seeking to maximise the competitive advantages offered by new technologies. AI experts and senior industry executives enrich each chapter, answering crucial questions on risk, KYC/ AML, compliance, portfolio management and more.

Decoding The Digital Landscape for UHNWIs

(in partnership with Jersey Finance)

This report explores the digitalisation of - and digital assets in - Jersey’s wealth management sector. It explores the shifting sands - both economic and regulatory - on which the digital sector rests.

Winning Women in MENA

(in partnership with First Abu Dhabi Bank)

This ground breaking new research examines the growth of female

entrepreneurship in the region. More specifically it looks at how women are driving family office strategy as well as the relationship between MENA’s UHNW female clients and the wealth management industry.

Technology & Operations Trends in Wealth Management 2023

(in partnership with SS&C Advent)

This succinct yet wide-ranging report shines a light on both macro and micro trends, beginning with industry growth sentiment and ending on operating model evolution, taking in every key area of development in between. It brings together datapoints and candid comments senior executives at leading consultancies across the world’s major wealth markets to create an invaluable peer benchmarking tool.

Technology Traps Wealth Managers

Must Avoid 2023

(in partnership with EY)

With EY providing the overview, this report draws on the front-line experience of many of the technology sector’s biggest names, in recognition of the fact that they are the ones going in to solve wealth managers’ most pressing problems and have typically seen the ramifications of firms’ choices play out numerous times – not to mention in various contexts globally.

Foreword

TOM BURROUGHES

Group Editor, WealthBriefing

The annual WealthBriefing European Awards, in their twelfth year, are one of the highlights of the world’s wealth management calendar.

The enthusiastic attendance and wide variety of categories demonstrate the tremendous vigour and entrepreneurial flair of the sector. It is important it is to salute high achievers who make all this happen.

The awards programme captures the diversity of business models and approaches across Europe. Large banks such as ABN AMRO, HSBC, Societe Generale and Lombard Odier jostle alongside boutique law firms, multi-family offices, FinTechs, philanthropy specialists and investment boutiques. Covering all this from an editorial viewpoint is hard work. But it is also a fascinating task.

A crux of the programme is the judging process. The judges are chosen for their independence, experience, and diligence. Judges scrutinise applications outside their immediate sectors to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure maximum objectivity. The organisers thank them for drawing up the list of winners, and for their advice in how to define categories. A list of the judges can be found on the WealthBriefing website. Winners tell us how they value their accolade, and the rigour of the judging process means winning an award is a great achievement.

Awards are a great opportunity for winners to explain why they have won, how they intend to remain at the forefront of the industry, and their views about challenges and opportunities. Such a programme is also a good way for firms to promote brands and raise and sustain morale among their colleagues. Awards are, to a degree, a sign of how hard work pays off. They’re also a chance for businesses to swap ideas, view cases of best practice, and see what inspires their peers.

Awards are ultimately about the people who drive change and sustain excellence. These awards honour those qualities.

Contents

WEALTHBRIEFING EUROPEAN AWARDS JUDGING PANEL

Overview of the European Wealth Management Industry

Europe’s wealth sector has faced more than its fair share of challenges in recent years, with the impact of geopolitical influences and as the continent recovered from the pandemic. According to the Capgemini World Wealth Report for 2023, total European high net worth wealth fell 3.2 per cent in 2022 from 2021; the HNW population fell 2 per cent. On the other hand, rising interest rates to curb inflation have widened banks’ net interest margins, boosting them after more than a decade of ultra-loose monetary policy.

Instability in some parts of the world underscores the benefits of financial resilience, attention to detail, advisory know-how and the ability to “see around corners” on behalf of clients. With ageing populations and rising public spending burdens to focus on, wealth creation is never more important. Europe’s banks and other financial institutions know they must be nimble and adaptable in helping the next generation of entrepreneurs to grow.

Integrated banking groups such as Deutsche Bank, Mediobanca, Santander, Barclays, HSBC, and Societe Generale, to name a few, continue to preach benefits of financial robustness, breadth of offering, and scale.

The sheer variety of business models remains eye-catching: there are plenty of boutique firms, specialist investment houses, disruptive FinTechs and a long tail of legal, accounting, consulting, and concierge businesses to handle the varied needs of HNW clients. Cross-border financial planning, intergenerational wealth transfer, protection against cyber and physical threats, for example, generate considerable work. Europe has a rich mixture of business models, with some banking firms, for example, with centuries of history. The key is staying modern and competitive while harnessing institutional memory.

Of all the wealth management markets, Europe’s is probably the most complex and diverse. That’s unlikely to change.

The Judging Panel

The WealthBriefing European Awards 2024 programme was focused around three main category groupings: experts (individuals and teams), products and services for wealth managers and clients, and institutions of all sizes and types in the European market.

Independence, integrity and genuine insight are the watchwords of the judging process with the judging panels made up of some of the industry’s top trusted advisors and bankers.

AUSAF ABBAS

LIZ BOTTOMLEY

General Manager - BOS

Wealth Management

UK Branch Bank of Singapore

MATTHEW

DRUMMOND-SMITH

Associate Director and Head of Operations

JACQUI

PIERRE DUPONT

JM Finn STEVE

JAMES FLEMING

Vice Chairman

VAR Capital

MARTIN HEALE

Director

Schroder US Wealth Management

MARK HUSSEIN

CEO

HSBC Life (UK)

Head of UK Insurance

HSBC Bank

GILLY GREEN Director

FoxRed Insight Limited

ELIZABETH HART

ELISE HOCKLEY

ORRAA

SEAN KIERNAN

and Founder

MICHAEL HUNWICK

KEITH

PAUL AYRES

TRISH BOTOFF

The Judging Panel

A shortlist was identified from the hundreds of entries received for these awards and a discussion took place with the judges to agree the winner of each category. The judges were split into three groups, dependent on their industry; a panel of trusted advisors were responsible for judging the private banking categories; a panel of private bankers judges the trusted advisor categories; and new for this year we had a specialist group of tech experts judging the technology categories. This was to ensure that commercially sensitive information was kept confidential and conflicts of interest were avoided.

ANTOINE MEGARBANE

Director of Business Development

Taranis ROBERT PAUL

Partner & Head of the US Family Office London & Capital

BILLY STEPHENSON

Chief Executive Stephenson Executive Search

DEBBIE WILLS

Head of Wealth Management & CMPS, Europe

Standard Chartered Private Banking

GRÉGOIRE MURE

CEO

TrustConsult Group S.A

MATTHEW SPENCER

Advisor Various

GLENN MURPHY

Director

Advise Advance Accelerate Ltd

PHILIPPE STEFFEN

Managing Director

REYL & Cie

MIKE TOOLE

Owner Director Elterwater Consulting Ltd

IAN WOODHOUSE

Board Advisor and Partner Various

BRUCE WEATHERILL

Chief Executive Weatherill Consulting

Software editor and digital solutions creator for wealth management and finance professionals Wealth management Customer

WINNER: ABN AMRO Wealth Management

WINNER: Arbuthnot Latham

WINNER: Artorius

WINNER: AML Partners

WINNER: ARC

DIFFERENT BY DESIGN

Accuro specialises in trust structures for high net worth individuals and families seeking to responsibly preserve wealth across generations.

Being wholly management and staff owned, Accuro has the freedom to pursue its mission with passion. The way we operate and who we partner with, can only be made possible by our independence.

WINNER: Accuro

WINNER: Atfinity

WINNER: Azqore

WINNER: Bank Syz

WINNER: Charles-Henry Monchau (right) - Bank Syz

Pioneers Of Impact Investing

Vincent Triesschijn Global Head ESG & Sustainable Investing ABN AMRO Wealth Management

What was the winning formula of ABN AMRO that explains why you won the impact investing award?

On behalf of its clients, ABN AMRO has invested in impact investments for over 10 years. What started with a small allocation to micro finance and private debt resulted in a full range of impact investment products and services that we offer to our private wealth clients in The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France through our private banking branches ABN AMRO MeesPierson, ABN AMRO Private Banking, Bethmann Bank, Neuflize OBC and ABN AMRO Investment Solutions.

ABN AMRO was the first Private Bank in Europe to offer a diversified Impact Mandate with exposure to multiple asset classes. Today, we offer this mandate to a wide range of clients, including retail and affluent clients in The Netherlands. Uniquely in its markets, ABN AMRO offers clients the opportunity to invest in impact Private Equity funds through its investment advisors. Depending on the client, ABN AMRO also offers tailor made impact investing mandates ranging from Development Bank financing to Impact Buy-Out Private Equity.

ABN AMRO is a member of the GIIN, the Global Impact Investment Network and has made EUR 1bn of equity capital available on its balance sheet to invest in impact investments.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

As an early adopter in impact investment products and services, we want to remain at the forefront of impact investing by pioneering and partnering with other investors to widen and deepen our impact investing offering. Through our partnership with the University of Amsterdam we’re exploring possibilities how we can innovate our product offering by combining Philanthropy Advice and Impact Investing in one conversation

and offering to our clients, while contributing to academic research. ABN AMRO has been awarded ‘Best Impact Investing Provider’ in The Netherlands in 2022 and 2023 and with our continuous effort we aim to continue our journey in making impact investing available for our Private Wealth, Affluent and Retail clients.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from getting this award?

The purpose of ABN AMRO is “Banking for Better for Generations to come” and we aim to “Accelerate the Sustainability Shift” together with our clients. Even though impact investing is bigger than ever, the world is also more divided than ever.

Huge challenges remain around climate change, biodiversity, human rights and the division of wealth. Even though Impact investing cannot solve these problems in isolation, it can contribute to making the lives of people and the environment better than before, by measuring intended progress.

Even though there is growth in this area, it can never be enough. We need more than investments, also the effect of philanthropy in combination with impact investing should not be underestimated, as well as political attention for the SDGs. And as Impact investing focuses on both financial return and positive societal impact, it may bring worlds together by combining the best of both worlds.

A Winning Client Centred Approach For ABN AMRO

What was the winning formula of your firm that explains why you won?

ABN AMRO creates better investment portfolios by using Structured Products.

Structured Products are tailor made solutions that can fit within any investment portfolio or risk profile. The products are usually used as an alternative asset class, next to more traditional investments in equities, bonds and cash. Using Structured Products result in a better risk reward, and many solutions have (a certain) capital guaranteed element. We offer a very wide range of products, key element is to understand the need of our clients, to identify which product is suitable for which client. Based on client needs we can tailor a solution that fits within the profile of the client. ABN AMRO uses an holistic approach towards investments. First we identify what a client wants to achieve with investments and the risk profile, afterwards we create a portfolio with a diversity of asset classes that fits the profile of the client. A true client centric approach is what stands out in our team. Besides, we have an open architecture model, meaning that we are executing every new trade at the best possible price by opening up towards a wide panel of strong counterparties. This gives us an advantage over our competitors.

Please describe how your colleagues made the difference. Client centred approach led to strong growth supported by a best in class team.

The ABN AMRO Structured Products specialists, located in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and France, are best in class. We have a great mix between senior, medior and junior people, together ticking all the boxes we need to service our internal

Winner

• Structured Product Provider

ABN AMRO Wealth Management

and external clients in the best possible way. Our people closely monitor financial markets, day in and day out. Based on developments on financial markets we create investment solutions fitting within these developments and offer them pro actively to our clients. To give a recent example, during the US regional banks cisis in 2023 we advised on of our largest clients to take advantage of increased volatility by increasing exposure to structured products.

This client still is very happy with this advice.

Who inspires you, either inside or outside your organisation?

Being the best and even becoming better, to keep competition at a distance. I find my inspiration in sports, athletes like Roger Federer, one of the most talented tennis players ever, who continued to improve his game, whilst remaining a very likeable, almost normal guy. Be good, become even better, behave normal and remain nice to other people.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from getting this award?

The purpose of ABN AMRO is “Banking for better, for Generations to come”.

ABN AMRO aims to have products available for our customers to be able to invest in line with our purpose. Alternative investments can play a vital part here, not only from a return perspective, but also in stimulating ‘green’ investments. This award is an acknowledgment of the way we conduct our business and an encouragement to continue along the road we have entered.

Proud winner

Client Initiative (Europe) - E&E model

The Winning Formula To Serve Entrepreneurs Successfully

Neuflize OBC has decades of Entrepreneur and Enterprise (E&E) experience, offering a unique approach based on the lifecycle of the Entrepreneur, covering both the Private and Corporate side with one client facing team. Success in France led to starting a similar way of servicing entrepreneurs in Belgium and Germany.

In the Netherlands, the scope has been broadened to being the go-to bank for all entrepreneurs; engaging six customer segments to collaborate and service entrepreneurs. The goal is higher NPS and customer loyalty, higher market share, a larger dual client base and optimal product penetration.

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

The life of an entrepreneur is a combination of many important life events, on both the personal and business sides. An entrepreneur starting a company obviously has different needs than one growing his business or deciding to sell it after many years. After years of servicing the client from a product perspective we transitioned to serving clients with a client-centric approach fuelled by life events.

With the E&E strategy we offer a whole new way of servicing our clients, connecting different expertise across the bank. Based on clear client recognition we can be proactive to our clients, underpinned by the right use of our digital channels. This way we reach our clients more effectively with better targeted advice on life events and expertise when they need us most.

E&E aims to connect to the heart of what entrepreneurs really drive in life, the challenges they face and their unique approach of

Winner

• Private Bank - Client Initiative

ABN AMRO Wealth Management

overcoming them to be successful. We also use this approach in connecting with entrepreneurs through our marketing campaigns.

A good example is the award-winning female entrepreneur campaign ‘The Guide’ in 2023, where we stepped into the lives of a range of highly-driven female entrepreneurs and their challenges both on a personal and business level. The result is a unique collection of inspiring entrepreneur stories for our clients and actionable advices to support them in their journey.

We also very much believe in the synergy of connecting entrepreneurs for inspiration, networking and knowledge sharing. The various events we did in this context were highly appreciated by our clients.

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

A new way of servicing requires a new skill-set and a complete bank perspective to know what expertise we have to offer to our clients. Therefore we invested in training bankers with One Bank Learning Games and Knowledge Sessions to set the stage for one Bank expertise and collaboration.

Last year we’ve been able to refer 5,353 clients across the bank to help them with our full product expertise and we have closed 803 million in deals. But we even went a step further by offering a Wealth Banker to every Corporate Banking client to make sure we are already aligned with the client’s needs in an early stage.

This ‘One Bank Servicing’ manifests our full commitment to offer high-end service and make our clients feel appreciated. In a successful pilot we were able to onboard 100 clients in 2023. In 2024 we aspire to onboard 1,000 more.

Proud winner

Wealth Planning Team (Europe)

Looking Forward Secures ABN AMRO Success

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

Our wealth planners within ABN AMRO bank combine expertise with client focus. They are fully committed to creating a personal wealth planning customer journey through a long-term relationship with their clients. They provide a global and holistic approach, taking into account the client’s personal but also professional life-events.

What really made the difference is the team spirit of our wealth planners. They work as a team with the client and the banker, and leverage the international network of the ABN AMRO group within Northwest Europe for our international wealth management clients.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

To remain competitive and stay ahead, we strive to focus on people, namely our wealth planning experts and our clients. We do this by providing them a holistic approach and a unique full service embracing both their private and professional issues. We use our “Enterprise – Entrepreneur” approach. We also are developing our augmented wealth planning offering, combining our digital proposition with added-value personal relationships.

We aim to anticipate both new trends and the expectations of our future clients. We aim to share our experience, client network and bank ecosystem. The proposition that we are developing is meaningful to our clients and incorporates features such as philanthropy, a NextGen approach and insights on sustainability.

We also want to fully address new challenges of ageing clients and implement an insightful wealth transfer approach towards our clients and their children.

Winner

• Private Bank Wealth Planning Team

ABN AMRO Wealth Management

How do you hope your firm will benefit from getting this award?

We’re proud to win this wealth planning award and it is an important recognition of the value that wealth planning's expertise brings to our clients.

"We hope that by winning this award, even more existing and new clients - across all generations and life events - will also experience this expertise for themselves at ABN AMRO."

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

We foresee several trends that may have an impact on wealth management. Firstly, there are technological and digital developments, in the field of automation, AI and data. As a bank, we are at the heart of these developments with our strategy to be a personal bank in a digital age.

Secondly, we respond to the ageing population and the transfer of wealth to the next generation by renewing our offering with distinctive products and services combined with our expertise to provide truly personal and holistic wealth insight and advice.

AML Partners Prioritises Flexibility, Automation In Client Lifecycle Management, Compliance

AML Partners takes great pride in providing high-flying RegTech solutions designed for end-user flexibility, automation, and accuracy. And AML Partners’ client institutions around the globe laud the RegTechONETM platform’s built-in cross-border essentials. Features like no-code workflow creation, API extensibility, robust Risk Management tools, and eKYC Golden Records deliver full control and bespoke solutions to Wealth Management professionals and the clients they serve.

CEO Frank Cummings emphasises how personal history drives the vision of AML Partners—"to support our clients’ success and to fight financial crime.”

“My fellow co-founder Jonathan Almeida and I worked together for several years onsite at financial institutions—shoulder to shoulder providing consulting support to Compliance professionals,” Cummings said. “Before we undertook creating RegTech software, we gained a deep understanding of the work, its challenges, and its future directions. We combined that depth with our technology expertise to create solutions that deliver a competitive advantage via automation, efficiency, and – most importantly – accuracy. We remain a founder-driven organisation, and that gives us freedom to focus on clients’ needs and to innovate in the fight against financial crime.”

The firm’s RegTechONETM platform delivers KYC Onboarding, AML and Risk, and Client Lifecycle Management tailored to financial institutions. RegTechONE features Risk-robust onboarding with nocode workflows; API interfacing for data and third-party tools like ID verification; a Multidimensional Risk Engine, advanced screening, and automated monitoring of Key Risk and Performance Indicators. Institutions gain a competitive advantage via RegTechONE’s ability to enable best-practices Lifecycle Management and KYC on-boarding with maximum flexibility and automation.

Frank Cummings Co-founder and CEO AML Partners

• Client Lifecycle Management Solution Winner

Cummings credits the firm’s commitment to innovative platform technology as key to remaining competitive.

“We remain at the forefront of flexibility, automation, and efficiency because we committed to platform technology,” he said. “With a RegTech platform, financial institutions can orchestrate their tech stack, choose among myriad technology and AI tools and data subscriptions, and train their AI in-house. We can embrace the speed of change because we have already prioritised problemsolving, automation, and flexibility via platform architecture.”

Cummings highlights the high quality of his various teams in realising the vision of RegTechONE: “Our teams at AML Partners work to make complex solutions simpler, more efficient, and more flexible for our client institutions. Innovation and creative problem-solving push us all forward toward better products and thinking.”

Cummings said AML Partners’ priority on client satisfaction has resulted in features like best-in-class Perpetual KYC, language-of -choice configurability, and eKYC Golden Records that facilitate cross-border efficiency and accuracy. The RegTechONE platform manifests in technology the firm’s best thinking on behalf of client success and the prevention of financial crime, Cummings explained.

“Every one of our clients – every financial institution in the world – has needs and requirements specific to its unique Risk-based Approach and its own book of business,” Cummings said.

“AML Partners succeeds because we recognise that uniqueness, we honor that, and we provide solutions that maximise flexibility, automation, and accuracy. In our circumstance, being a smaller firm has helped us remain innovative and client-centric. In this industry, that sets us apart – and that is an asset that our clients appreciate.”

Strong Foundations And A Client Focus is The Winning Formula

What was the winning formula of your firm that explains why you won?

Client service is in our DNA. Each client has a dedicated relationship manager, typically a private banker, but depending on their needs they may also have an investment manager and a wealth planner. This consistent team provides continuity and is available face-to-face, on email, by phone or video call.

We pride ourselves on doing the simple things well – we’re proactive with clients and available if they want to speak to us. No chatbots, no call centres. Real people who listen and can then quickly give you help and support. Once we understand their needs, we work collaboratively and bring in our specialist colleagues at the right time to deliver solutions swiftly.

As a full-service bank across wealth management, private banking, and commercial banking we can help manage your day-to-day finances, protect, and grow your wealth, support your business, and ensure your wealth leaves a legacy for future generations. And all under one roof, removing complexity and giving clients time back to focus on what really matters to them.

Our relationship-led approach, coupled with the desire to deliver for clients has led to enviable net promoter scores from happy clients who then become our key advocates. This success has supported a 70% growth in client balances over the past 5 years, while we continue to delight and exceed our clients’ expectations.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

It’s important that we stay relentlessly focused on client service and relationship building so we can continue to deliver the basics brilliantly, while ensuring we really understand our clients and their families and help them achieve their goals with our expert advice.

Kevin Barrett Managing Director, Head of Banking Arbuthnot Latham

• UK Private Bank - Client Service Winner

"It’s true to say we have a passion for client service. We have a strong foundation and client-service culture, but it’s important to keep evolving and making improvements."

What sort of challenges did you surmount to reach this level and how have you been able to succeed in such fast-moving circumstances?

Staying focused on the client over the last few years has been challenging and it is easy for all firms to be inward looking. This has been a constant challenge over recent years with Covid-19 lockdown and the economic environment changing, but I think we have supported our relationship managers to stay focused on the client.

The most important aspect of relationship management is to spend time with our clients. It can, though, be easy for other internal priorities to distract us from this. This is something we are very mindful of. But given our client satisfaction scores and growth in client balances, we appear to be getting this right (more often than not) and heading in the right direction.

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

We are proud to have consistently high colleague satisfaction scores and we have recently also been recognised as a 5-star employer by employee engagement platform WorkBuzz, demonstrating that we’re considered a great place to work.

The Arbuthnot Latham difference is having colleagues who take the time to really understand their clients’ needs, deliver on promises and are focused on how we can help and support clients. This builds trust with clients looking to us to help them achieve their goals, as well as giving them financial peace of mind.

Pioneering Investment Insights for Over a Quarter Century

Established over 25 years ago, ARC has carved a niche in providing expert investment advice to a diverse clientele including investors, families, charities and financial professionals. Our firm stands at the forefront, guiding over 230 clients and advising on assets of US$21.7 billion.

At the core of our philosophy is the belief that every investor merits access to impartial, data-driven insights to unlock their wealth's full potential.

"Our distinction lies in our research team's ability to gather and analyse unparalleled performance data from major investment firms, setting us apart in the industry."

The ARC Indices, constructed from 81.7 million datapoints from over 350,000 investor portfolios, serve as a benchmark for evaluating investment performance, trusted by private banks, wealth managers and investment firms alike. This comprehensive data, coupled with our advisory team's extensive experience, delivers a superior investment industry understanding.

Our consultancy is acknowledged as a leader in investment performance analysis, contributing data and insights to prestigious awards by The Financial Times, Citywire and

Paul Kearney Director ARC UK

• Investment Consultancy Winner

Private Asset Managers (PAM). This recognition underscores our expertise and commitment to excellence.

Our methodology is client-centric, beginning with a thorough comprehension of each family's goals to craft a tailored investment strategy. This client-focused approach is supported by a profound grasp of what drives sustainable investment success.

"ARC's foundation rests on four pillars: independence, integrity, insight and innovation. We champion independent thinking, uphold transparency and prioritise our clients' interests."

Our commitment to delivering informed, effective advice is supported by cutting-edge research and a culture of curiosity and entrepreneurial spirit. These values have been intrinsic to ARC since its inception, guiding our every action.

We also emphasise the importance of a long-term perspective in wealth advisory, a principle that has been integral to our success and the lasting relationships we've built. By blending skill, experience and unmatched market insights, we equip our clients with the knowledge they need to achieve the results they expect and deserve.

Prioritising Investment In Technology

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

Artorius provides bespoke wealth management services, crafted around our clients and their objectives.

Our unwavering commitment to client service, particularly during periods of uncertainty and our ability to focus on the unique needs of our clients, navigating through the complexities of their financial journeys when there have often been more questions than answers, is one of the key reasons for our success.

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

"The success of Artorius is inherently tied to the contributions of everyone at Artorius."

Their dedication, expertise, and collaborative spirit have been instrumental in making a substantial difference in various aspects of our business.

Everyone at Artorius owns a share in the business which keeps us all focused on ensuring everything we do is in the best interest of clients and therefore the business. Our people and relationships are the key driver to our success, both of which we value highly and never take for granted.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

We need to stay focused on and be the best in our segment of the market. Keeping a close eye on what we are doing well todaywith an unobstructed vision of the longer-term strategy, is key to successfully developing the business over the next 10 years. Investment in technology will remain a priority, enabling us to

Paddy Lewis CEO Artorius

Winner

• Specialist Wealth Manager with AuM up to £2 Billion

• Multi-Family Office between £ 1-3 Billion AuM

leverage data analytics and digital tools to refine our planning processes and enhance the overall client experience. By staying at the forefront of technological innovation, we can better address the evolving needs of our clients in a rapidly changing financial landscape.

Expanding our network and collaborations within the industry will also be a focus, fostering strategic partnerships and alliances that contribute to our growth and strengthen our position in the market.

What sort of challenges did you surmount to reach this level and how have you been able to succeed in such fast-moving circumstances?

Navigating the complexities of the industry has posed several challenges, notwithstanding the ability to adapt to market volatility. Our commitment to a planning-centric approach coupled with our investment in our reporting platform, has enabled us to provide clients with a comprehensive view of their assets, irrespective of how or where they are custodied.

This capability has become more valuable to clients during volatile market conditions, and with our help and advice, they can manage their assets holistically through one dynamic report.

"Artorius’ success can be attributed to our emphasis on continuous improvement, innovation, and staying true to our core values."

We foster an environment that encourages adaptability, ensuring that our team is equipped to address emerging challenges and take advantage of opportunities. There will inevitably be bumps in the road and we will need to rely more on the determination that has got us this far.

A No-Code Platform For Lightning Fast On-boarding, KYC And KYB

Atfinity has made some noise recently with its innovative approach to automating onboarding, KYC and KYB. Using an AI-powered rule engine, they allow banks and wealth managers to describe, in a no-code approach, their processes from the results they want to achieve. Processes that needed months to be described with classical BPMN can be described and implemented in just days.

Tell us more about Atfinity's approach. How can you automate processes so much faster than your competitors?

Thorben: Our secret sauce is our AI rule engine, which allows us to automate with lightning speed. Unlike our competitors, we only ask users to describe what they want to achieve and let AI calculate the best possible process from there. By eliminating the need to describe processes explicitly, we make it much simpler for teams to share their knowledge. For example, we just ask them to describe their current forms and when they need which form. Forms are created by experts, so you can directly speak with them. We then simply add every form and let our AI create an onboarding process from there.

Alexander: Of course, you can then still adapt the process further and tailor it to your liking. But just the knowledge about all forms and when to use them is enough to create a pretty good MVP. In about a week, our clients can turn their actual onboarding process into a web app.

Can you explain how wealth managers benefit from faster automation?

Alexander: Absolutely. Automating faster matters because it finally allows smaller companies or teams to automate at all.

Thorben Croisé - CTO (left)

Alexander Balzer - CEO (right) Atfinity

• On-Boarding Winner

Ultimately, faster automation translates to cost savings, and I believe this is the key advantage. Let's consider this: if it takes six months to automate your onboarding process, you'll need to allocate resources, including expert time, for that entire duration.

However, if it only takes two weeks, you'll require significantly fewer internal resources. It reduces the financial burden and frees up valuable time and expertise. So, faster automation isn't just about speed: it's about making automation accessible and cost-effective for businesses of all sizes.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from getting this award?

Alexander: Winning the WealthBriefing Award for 'On-boarding' is a great honour for Atfinity. It strengthens our position as a trusted leader in the industry. It's an exciting opportunity for us to showcase our capabilities and continue driving positive change."

Thorben: This award is a testament to our team's hard work and commitment to delivering exceptional solutions. It reinforces our reputation and highlights our ability to provide cutting-edge onboarding solutions.

Where do you see wealth management in five years?

Alexander: We anticipate a significant evolution in wealth management, driven by technology and changing client expectations. There will be a greater emphasis on digital solutions that enhance efficiency and client engagement. As industry leaders, it's our responsibility to stay ahead of trends and continue providing our clients with the tools they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world.

PARTNERS FOR TOMORROW’S WEALTH MANAGERS

In-depth banking expertise

Leading edge technological approach

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Key figures

Business Process Outsourcing

Digital front-to-back products & services

Open ecosystem connected to Fintechs

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

COUNTRIES across BANKS

BILLION AUM (15% IN ASIA)

EMPLOYEES

AN INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE THROUGH OUR OFFICES

SWITZERLAND

SINGAPORE

A Strong Focus On Customer-centric Services

Based in Switzerland, Azqore is a digital service provider specialised in the outsourcing of information systems and the processing of banking transactions for private banking players. For nearly thirty years, Azqore has been offering Software as a Service (SaaS) innovative solutions to transform, digitise and improve the client experience of private banking players. Azqore serves today 25 clients in Europe and Asia totaling approximately CHF 200 billion in assets under management with proven experience of numerous migrations. Azqore is a subsidiary of Indosuez Wealth Management (the global wealth management brand of the Crédit Agricole Group and a leader in the field) and Capgemini (a global leader in consulting, technology services and digital transformation). With the support of these two shareholders, Azqore can combine in-depth banking expertise with a leading edge technological approach.

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

Our Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) solution provides a customisable and comprehensive set of tools, processes and services to manage all banking operations. The teams of approximately 200 dedicated banking experts operate across two dedicated centers, in Switzerland and Singapore, enabling a follow the sun approach. By being specialised by area of expertise, the back office teams can process each clients’ transaction efficiently within an anonymous and highly secured environment. Regulatory requirements are implemented as they arise, thus offering an integrated, comprehensive and regularly tested environment. Highly automated processes, including RPA automation, combined with proven control architecture, enable teams to achieve top quality and optimal productivity. Independent audits are performed regularly to acknowledge the robustness of the operational risk management & control framework. These audits comply with ISAE 3000/3402, ISO 9001 and OSPAR (Singapore) standards.

Stephane Gomis Deputy Chief Executive Officer Azqore

• Transaction Processing Solution Winner

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

With Azqore, the clients benefit from several differentiating factors on the BPO solution:

• Efficiency - Processes industrialisation with track record of handling diversified, complex products and processes, which require continual flexibility

• High-quality & risk management - Quality awareness and long-term thinking as well as strong risk culture through strict and tight quality control Global coordination, aligned processes throughout the operational centers

• Excellence and in-house expertise - We're an incubator for high-potential talents, recognised for their technical excellence, and growing stronger every day in a playground where exciting challenges are our daily bread.

• Valued partnership - Direct contact between Azqore’s operations team and the client’s middle office, working hand-in-hand to facilitate your business growth.

Furthermore, our strong focus on customer-centric services distinguishes us from the rest. We prioritise our clients' unique needs, offering tailored solutions and personalised support. This commitment to understanding clients and going the extra mile to ensure their success makes Azqore a trusted partner in wealth management.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

Our business has a single purpose: to support tomorrow’s private bankers and wealth managers as they adapt to a fast-changing world. With regulatory evolution becoming ever more complex (ESG, cyber security, customer protection, etc.), combined with the increased need for effective digital solutions and the ability to manage properly their data, our customers are looking for constantly evolving IT platforms with a sophisticated user experience. With its 30 years of experience, Azqore is well positioned to be the go-to partner for private banks and wealth managers, which have a need for digital and operational transformation. By staying at the forefront of digital advancements, we empower our clients to thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape.

From Discretion To Dialogue: How Bank Syz's Thought Leadership Is Redefining Swiss Private Banking

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

Winning an award for excellence in thought leadership as the CIO of a Swiss private bank may seem paradoxical at first, considering the traditional discretion and low-profile stance associated with Swiss banks.

However, the digital landscape is evolving rapidly. The advent of social media has empowered smaller players in the industry to amplify their brand presence and connect with their audience digitally. At Bank Syz, we've embraced this change by launching a financial blog and engaging with a global audience through thought-provoking blogs and articles, actively shared on social media platforms.

As an independent, privately-owned wealth manager, our impartial stance enables us to share insightful perspectives on a wide array of topics, from geopolitics and macroeconomics to cross-asset market trends. This authenticity and unique viewpoint resonates with our clientele and serves as inspiration within our ecosystem and even among our peers.

This approach has not only distinguished Bank Syz but has also become a pivotal strategy for attracting new clients.

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

Though this is an individual award, it’s a collective effort. Indeed, the investment team's collaboration significantly enriches the quality and breadth of our content. Additionally, numerous bank employees are actively leveraging our blog and social media platforms to enhance brand awareness and engage with our ecosystem, showcasing a collective effort to connect and communicate.

Charles-Henri Monchau Chief Investment Officer Bank Syz

• Outstanding Contribution to Wealth Management Thought Leadership (Individual) Winner

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

We are committed to anchoring our operations in our core principles and values: innovation, independence, agility, and a steadfast focus on the quality of services and performance. These distinct attributes are the bedrock of our identity.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

The banking and financial sector is fiercely competitive, demanding a clear differentiation and a compelling value proposition for clients. Bank Syz stands out in the Swiss banking landscape as a genuinely distinctive entity. As a family-owned institution with a transparent succession strategy, we excel in what we do best: managing the wealth of high-net-worth individuals.

Our status as a boutique private bank provides our clients with the triple-A advantage:

• Access: our clients enjoy direct access to both the family and our team of experts.

• Agnostic Allocation: our independence as wealth managers allows us to offer unbiased advice on asset allocation and instrument selection.

• Agility: we are committed to unparalleled quality in client service, offering tailored, independent investment guidance and portfolio management. Our focused approach and size enable us to respond and adapt more swiftly than our competitors.

With the global population of millionaires increasing by an average of 7% annually, our position as a Swiss boutique private bank uniquely equips us to meet their sophisticated needs and exceed their high expectations.

Innovating for future generations

Proud official sponsor of SolarStratos and winner of Specialist Wealth Manager With Assets Under Management Over £5 Billion and Discretionary Fund Management (DFM) Offering.

Setting High Standards To Achieve Success

We are a specialist investment manager – it is all we do and have done for the last 40 years in the UK. As part of the independent Bordier Group, established in Geneva in 1844, we can draw upon 180 years of wealth and investment management experience and are one of the few private, family-owned businesses of scale operating in the UK DFM market.

As a fifth generation family-owned business, we are entirely independent and have no external shareholders – something that differentiates us from many of our peers. Our absolute independence ensures we are not vulnerable to any external pressures, allowing us to focus exclusively on achieving our client’s long-term investment goals.

We work with domestic and international clients, providing investment services, in partnership with their introducers, managing assets for trusts, family offices, pension schemes, charities and livery companies. With ten other offices spread across six countries and three continents, Bordier Group is a truly global business, managing around £14.5bn of assets for 4,400 families. A core advantage of our global Group structure enables our clients to access a wide range of international investment management and private banking services for UK resident and non-domiciled, non-resident non-domiciled and expatriate clients.

Please explain why you think your firm has been able to achieve a high level of success?

Naturally, our clients define our success. First and foremost, we strive to deliver excellent outcomes for our clients. This can be demonstrated by the performance of our active MPS strategies,

Jamie MacLeod CEO Bordier UK

Winner

• Specialist Wealth Manager with AuM over £5 Billion

• Discretionary Fund Management (DFM) Offering

which have outperformed their relevant ARC PCI comparators over past three years and ten years. Our lower cost, hybrid passive MPS strategies and risk targeted MPS strategies have also outperformed their relevant ARC PCI comparators over both three and five-year periods. An alignment of interests is key, and something we believe clients look for in their investment manager – many of our senior investment team have money invested alongside our clients. At a Group level, our Managing Partners bear unlimited personal liability for all commitments undertaken across the Group meaning they are personally liable for all the Group’s commitments. To me that is the ultimate ‘skin in the game’, which helps guarantee that our clients’ interests are fully aligned with our own.

To deliver sustained success it is important to have business stability. Our investment staff turnover is very low and has been for over a decade, which we feel is a key advantage over our peers. Our Chairman and CIO have worked together for close to 30 years and our Investment Committee members have an average of 25 years industry experience. Bordier Group’s financial strength and stability provides our clients with even greater comfort – the Group’s Common Equity Tier 1 ratio was last measured at 35%. Our considerable financial strength and healthy solvency ratio is industry-leading meaning our clients can rest easy at night.

As a business we set ourselves high standards and constantly look to achieve better outcomes for our clients. We recognise the changing needs of our clients and to remain successful we continually invest and evolve our approach to investment management. This is evidenced by our bespoke and MPS achieving the maximum Defaqto 5 Star Ratings for twelve consecutive years, whilst our platform MPS has been 5 Star Rated since 2014. We are one of only three DFMs to achieve the top rating in three DFM categories during this period. We have also been awarded the ARC 3D Award for nine consecutive years, which demonstrates our ever-present commitment to the principles of transparency, engagement and integrity.

transform complex

actionable intelligence within seconds. Automate your alts document and data management with the industry leader.

Transforming Client Workflows With Effective Change Management

With change comes opposition and uncertainty, especially when implementing new technology into existing workflows. As such, at Canoe Intelligence, change management is a fundamental part of onboarding new clients, as this approach ensures they receive the most return from their investment in Canoe’s solutions.

Far too often, tech companies will leave clients to their own devices to discover how the new piece of tech can fit into the intricate puzzle of their workflows. This often leads to client turnover as they struggle to find how the technology can work for them in practice and fail to see the value they were initially sold on.

“With a lot of other tech solutions out there, when the client finishes implementation, they'll be left alone, having maybe quarterly check-ins. At Canoe, we're very hands-on and follow our implementation program with an organised, systematic adoption program, focused on designing and tailoring a client's alts related workflows and use cases,” said Taylor Braney, Relationship Manager at Canoe, regarding his team’s approach.

“In some cases, where additional scope or new use cases are discovered, we’ll reassign project resources back to a client to ensure that any gaps are filled and the client is successful. When a client finishes Canoe’s implementation and adoption program, that level of service and attention doesn't stop. Rather, it's adjusted to their current needs and continues with an updated agenda. Only when a client has proven super successful and comfortable do we graduate to quarterly check-ins.”

In these check-ins, Canoe’s relationship managers work to understand the goals, needs, and expectations of their clients. This not only helps form a deeper

relationship between the client and Canoe but also allows the relationship manager to ensure the full scope of the product capabilities are being harnessed by the user.

“We're not the type to implement and then forget about the client until renewal approaches,” said Braney. “We keep a very close eye on how each client uses the platform. With any feature release, however small, if I notice they haven't started using it yet, I'll come to our next meeting with relevant suggestions that I think would work for their business needs. I also make note of the documents they’re collecting and how they like to extract data from those documents to see if there are any ways we can bring in data more efficiently for them.”

What is the main impact that Canoe’s proactive, client-first approach to change management has on its clients? Braney believes it’s efficiency.

“Being able to take a lot of that work off their plate through document collection and data extraction is a significant step in helping the client standardise their approach. When quarterly or monthly reporting rolls around, the majority of the work is already done. We’re unlocking efficiency.”

Building a deep understanding of clients’ goals and their use of Canoe’s products is foundational to how Canoe assists clients through implementation. This approach to relationship management has proven effective, as Canoe continues to maintain sky-high client retention rates and client relationships that only continue to grow.

Taylor Braney Relationship Manager Canoe Intelligence

Capricorn Private Investments – A Growing Private Investment Office With A Long-Term Endowment Mindset

Capricorn Private Investments (“CPI”) is an independent private investment office specialising in tailored portfolio management solutions for entrepreneurs and select institutions. We started life in 2017 with two cornerstone clients; we have grown organically and now manage c$1.5bn AUM. We currently work with around 20 larger families and institutional clients. Our families are based in the UK, Europe, Southern Africa and Asia. Embracing a multi-asset class methodology, we approach portfolios with a thorough understanding of our clients’ objectives and couple this with rigorous asset class optimisation and external investment manager selection. Our clients choose us for their discretionary investment portfolios and for outsourced CIO services.

What was the winning formula of your firm that explains why you won?

We are very pragmatic and solution-oriented. Clients come to us because they are frustrated by increasing levels of bureaucracy at larger institutions and a general lack of alignment around outcomes. Our objective is to deliver an experience equivalent to having capital managed by a client’s own in-house team, along with a sophisticated endowment approach. We have deliberately kept the team small and focused on key activities (e.g. investments and client management) while outsourcing non-core activities to trusted partners. We try very hard to give clear and concise answers, rather than obfuscating with long presentations. We provide broader family office advice alongside managing client investment portfolios.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

Zero hubris. We know wealthy families have many options. Continue to build the team. Invest in our systems and technology.

Will Thomas Managing Director Capricorn Private Investments

Highly Commended

• Private Investment Office

Think hard about the types of strategies that make sense in the current environment.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next 5 years?

1. Increased polarisation between service providers, with some seeking to achieve scale by offering standardised investment solutions and others, like us, specialising in bespoke strategies tailored to the individual needs of a select group of clients.

2. Continue to invest in the best people. More high-grade performers will leave big firms to work for organisations like ours or set up their own firms.

3. Drive for transparency on fees and costs, and continued downward pressure on margins.

4. Growth of passive solutions on the one side and concentration of alpha in a small number of hard-to-access specialist funds on the other

5. Desire for a one stop shop – clients will look for one key adviser who can provide them with a single overarching view of their assets rather than having to assemble multiple professional advisers from different firms, and enjoy the commensurate time saving this setup offers.

6. Generational shift as younger entrepreneurs continue to generate significant levels of capital.

7. Corresponding focus on technology to drive and enhance the investment process with clients.

What are your ambitions for the business?

We have a clear vision to be the pre-eminent boutique private investment office in London. We try to deliver both outstanding performance and client service, which should allow us to grow and reinvest in the team and our systems. We have always tried to grow patiently and profitably. This is a long-term business with no shortcuts.

Experts in Trust and Private Wealth legal services

Carey Olsen has one of the largest offshore trusts and private wealth legal teams advising on Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey law. Our offices in Hong Kong and Singapore ensure we can advise clients in Asia on both contentious and non-contentious trusts and private wealth matters.

We represent professional trustees, private individuals and families, banks, financial institutions and charities from all over the world.

To find out more, please contact one of our partners listed.

“ Its trusts and fiduciary group is in a class of its own.”

Russell Clark Partner – Head of Trusts and Private Wealth, Guernsey E russell.clark@careyolsen.com

Natasha Kapp Partner, Guernsey E natasha.kapp@careyolsen.com

Patricia Montgomery Partner, Guernsey E patricia.montgomery@careyolsen.com

Alexa Saunders

Partner – Head of Trusts and Private Wealth, Jersey E alexa.saunders@careyolsen.com

Keith Dixon Partner and Notary Public, Jersey E keith.dixon@careyolsen.com

Robert Dobbyn Partner, Jersey E robert.dobbyn@careyolsen.com

Andreas Kistler Partner, Jersey

E andreas.kistler@careyolsen.com

Trusted Legal Advisers In The Offshore World

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

Carey Olsen is at the forefront of the offshore private client space and can attribute its win to a number of factors. It is one of the largest offshore trusts and private wealth teams with a collegiate group of lawyers who collaborate on several high-value, cross border matters. We advise on Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, and Jersey law from nine international offices and advise several very wealthy families and individuals and the professionals charged with the administration of their wealth. Often, we are co-ordinating a team of advisers from across our jurisdictions as well as several other locations.

We have 78 partners, 300+ lawyers and 650+ staff across the globe. The trusts and private wealth team comprises more than 50 partners and lawyers across our offices who work across a range of contentious and non-contentious issues including representing clients before the Privy Council in the UK.

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

We are committed to investing in the continued professional development of our legal teams, many of whom are members of The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). We have been reaccredited as a Platinum Employer Partner by STEP which is a benchmark of quality for businesses in the trusts and estates industry and signals a firm's investment in employees' professional development and provision of a nurturing work environmentCarey Olsen was the first offshore law firm to earn this accreditation.

Our success is down to the quality, calibre and responsiveness of our lawyers across the board as well as our notable client base. It can also be measured by the number of clients we have worked with for many years who not only make use of our private client services but now also instruct colleagues in other departments such as our corporate, property and disputes teams.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from getting this award?

It is always pleasing to be recognised as a leader in your field by winning such accolades as an industry award. The acknowledgement that we are the best offshore law firm will be another feather in our cap and is a fantastic achievement which will be celebrated at Carey Olsen. For clients and potential clients with whom we have not worked previously, the WealthBriefing award will help provide affirmation that their choice to instruct us is a prudent one.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

In the private wealth field developing and maintaining long term client relationships is key to our success. We have well-established, large private client teams in our home jurisdictions which we are constantly building on. We also have a growing private client team in our Asia offices where we have Mandarin speaking lawyers available in Hong Kong and Singapore to advise clients in a more convenient time zone.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

The industry will of course remain buoyant going forward and more specialist roles may emerge over time to cater for particular aspects of a client's objectives, particularly involving complex estates with many different components to manage. We may see more conflict arising, particularly where, on succession, there has been poor inter-generational communication and buy-in resulting in the need for greater negotiation amongst extended family members. Dispute resolution can be complicated where there are many parties and assets are spread across many jurisdictions and different trust structures and trust providers. We are well versed in dealing with the differing needs of family members and other interested parties in complex estates and we expect to be involved in more of this type of work in the future.

Russell Clark Head of Trusts and Private Wealth, Guernsey Carey Olsen

The Charles River ® Wealth Management Solution

Charles River is creating a new paradigm in the industry with a cloud-based, interoperable, and powerful platform. Our solution empowers wealth managers, sponsors, and advisors with the technology and services that help drive business growth and improve investor outcomes.

Committed To Serving The Needs Of Wealth Managers

Randy Bullard Global Director Charles River Development

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

Charles River began as a technology provider for institutional asset managers and our wealth business grew from there.

Therefore, our wealth solution is built to meet the needs of institutional managers, giving wealth firms powerful capabilities with the flexibility and extensibility needed to remain competitive, all while allowing managers who run both wealth and institutional business lines to use a single platform.

"Our technology is built 100% in-house. That is a significant advantage that helps us keep pace with rapidly advancing technology needs and to meet the needs of our global clients."

We also invest substantially in technology research and development. We invest over USD $80M annually across the Charles River product suite with USD $10M allocated to our wealth management solution.

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

Our engineering, product, and client management teams are key to our success.

"Charles River’s teams of highly skilled technologists and professionals are agile thinkers and problem solvers, committed to our end users and engineering excellence."

We use mentorship and teamwork to impact and drive our business forward every day, working collaboratively across geographies and markets to ensure that we provide technological leadership and innovation to the global wealth management community.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from getting this award?

Garnering awards and recognition in regions outside of North America is important for Charles River Development. We are a global company and committed to serving the needs of wealth managers across the world.

"This award from WealthBriefing Europe will support our business strategy in EMEA."

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

Our aim for the Charles River Wealth Management Solution is to provide the most comprehensive wealth solution in the industry built on modern, cloud-driven technology platform that provides clients with flexibility and choice.

Wealth managers and advisors have many challenges to contend with today – we partner with our clients to solve their everyday problems and give them the tools they need to reach their business goals and grow.

Investing In People And Relationships

Heather Tibbo (right) CEO Crestbridge Family Office Services

What was your winning formula, that explains why you won?

My philosophy has always been to place an emphasis on people and relationships. That means bringing together a highly driven, passionate team that can demonstrate impressive technical understanding, but that is also acutely client-focused.

Instilling a culture where we are collectively empowered to put the client at the centre of everything we do has been critical to our shared success over the past ten years, when we have grown from being a small boutique team to a major force serving the needs of global and influential families.

Please describe how your colleagues have made a difference?

Our team ethic is at the core of what we stand for – we work in a truly collaborative, supportive, open and honest way, and place real value on providing professional development opportunities and nurturing a working environment that is both enjoyable and rewarding.

I firmly believe that it is because of that focus on our shared strengths as a team, at all levels, that we are able to deliver such high quality, tailored, flexible solutions to our clients, with a true relationship management focus.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

We’ve managed to achieve consistent growth in both scale and stature over the past ten years – but we are under no illusions that the sector remains highly competitive and increasingly complex. As an independent and privately-owned business though, we believe we are in a strong position to approach the future with confidence,

Winner

• Chief Executive Officer

• Marketing or PR Campaign

being agile and ready to adapt to the shifting needs of families. We also recognise that the best way to provide the best service is to look after our own people, and we do that by offering market-leading professional development opportunities and supporting wellbeing.

With that in mind, our relationship-driven approach is going to remain critical – as the world becomes more sophisticated and as client needs become more bespoke, actively listening to families and being ready and able to respond to their needs quickly and effectively will be a real differentiator for us. We are a driven, independent-spirited team and are passionate about what we do, and I believe that will continue to resonate with families.

Where do you see the wealth management industry, and your part of it, going in the next five years?

There’s no doubt that the future of the family office space is going to be defined by the shifting demands of the nextgen – and those needs will be increasingly diverse and sophisticated. In particular, international mobility is set to be increasingly important as families become more geographically spread and multi-jurisdictional in their approach, whilst the more purpose-driven approach of the nextgen is going to increasingly embed concepts such as philanthropy, impact investing and seed funding in family frameworks. Digital integration and the adoption of AI is also likely to become more and more important in terms of how the nextgen operates and communicates.

For all those supporting families, these are fundamental shifts, and it will be those who possess deep technical cross-border expertise, who are agile, who are proactive in listening to clients, and who have developed strong relationships with their clients who will be successful.

Making an impact

We support the full lifecycle of change from strategic solution design to implementation and delivery, working alongside our clients to deliver enhanced benefit and value to their customers.

Uncertain Future? Insight Guaranteed

Deloitte's Wealth Management Consulting team offer advisory and transformation services covering all aspects of Wealth Management, including Advised and D2C platform, Life and Pension, DFM and Private Banking propositions, working with market-leading clients across the UK and Europe.

We are proud of the breadth and depth of consultancy capabilities our team provide, across market strategy, risk and financial advisory, and digital, technology and workforce transformation. We offer proven end-to-end platform implementation capability for clients, having successfully delivered core wealth technology change programmes for over £1tn of assets.

Our team of onshore domain experts and near/offshore delivery hubs provide a flexible and responsive resourcing model. This enables programmes to scale up and down as required offering a mix that is best aligned to a client's needs, providing cost efficiency and leading market capabilities.

What is your recipe for building insightful thought leadership?

When we think about thought leadership at Deloitte, we look to three key pillars. Firstly, our industry SMEs with years of training and practitioner experience. Secondly, how we draw our market insight from a wide range of sources, using our relations with vendors and practitioners as well as our research. Lastly and critically, we learn so much from our market-leading clients. Bringing these areas together allows us to provide true insight on what is over the horizon for our industry.

What marks you out as being different from others?

We push ourselves to develop further year on year. We take our role in the industry seriously and are proud to be a leading voice. We benefit hugely from our willingness to be bold and state opinions. Our teams thrive on helping to define the future of the

Richard Eighteen Partner, UK IM&W Consulting Lead Deloitte LLP

Winner

• Management Consultancy (Highly Commended)

• Outstanding Contribution to Wealth Management Thought Leadership (Company)

industry by challenging ourselves, providing SME knowledge and delivering for clients.

Our key focus is collaboration. Working together, we achieve measurable impact and drive ourselves and our clients forward. Our commitment to thought leadership is evidence of how we strive to lead the way, not to mention through collaboration with others.

How do you protect against presenting a singular view?

When wrestling with the range of possible outcomes, our clients value our insight which focuses on global and local trends and always contains a range of perspectives.

We are proud that diversity and inclusion is at the heart of how we execute. We believe to achieve diversity of thought, you need a diverse and inclusive workplace, something which is key to our success, innovation, and creativity.

Where do you see the wealth management industry heading in the next five years?

I see the industry moving towards increasing the accessibility of advice, making a wider range of wealth solutions available to more customers and client segments than ever. I think that this will broaden demand and so increase price competition for investment products. It is an exciting direction with great opportunities for firms and clients.

However, for this to be a long-lasting success, it is key that we use technology and data effectively to ensure scalable, sustainable growth. Done right, a commercial imperative to invest will emerge, driving competitive prices for retail customers. This is a fantastic opportunity where regulators, firms and thought leaders will have a key role in ensuring considered, robust progress.

WINNER: Alex Khan - Barclays Private Bank

WINNER: Shehreen Quayyum - Barclays Private Bank

WINNER: Bordier UK

WINNER: Lee Platt - Barclays Private Bank

WINNER: John Reed- EFG Private Bank

WINNER: Bruce Weatherill

WINNER: Capricorn Private Investments

WINNER: Charles River Development

WINNER: Canoe Intelligence

WINNER: Carey Olsen

WINNER: Crestbridge Family Office Services

Our Consistent Measure Of The Contribution To Sustainable Development

Earth Capital is an early-stage growth equity investment manager investing exclusively in clean technology solutions across the climate change nexus of energy, food and water within the UK and Europe. Our investment approach is underpinned by the need to navigate a social and ecological transformation to a just, sustainable, and prosperous society.

What was the winning formula of your firm that explains why you won?

We are delighted to be recognised in the ESG category for the second year in a row. It is a testament to our continued commitment to sustainable investment and our aim to deliver positive long-term results for all stakeholders through sustainable practices. Our sustainability impact is measured through our Earth Dividend™ tool which provides a consistent measure of the contribution each portfolio company makes to sustainable development. The Earth Dividend™ is a bespoke approach, following a detailed benchmarking of international best practice approaches to assessment, reporting, and assurance across Environmental, Social and Governance issues. The tool uses 30 questions over 5 dimensions which we use to assess potential investments – it provides a holistic overview of the company’s contribution to sustainable development. The value add comes from engaging with the reporting output, using the Earth Dividend™ as a portfolio management tool to highlight areas where processes and performance could be refined throughout the investment cycle and ensure continuous sustainable improvements.

Please explain how your colleagues made a difference

Our team is committed to sustainable investment, impact measurement and reporting. The team is the heart and soul of the company - as individuals, they understand and support the

Avent Bezuidenhoudt CEO

Earth Capital

Winner

• ESG

company’s mission and together are dedicated to achieving this goal. We have a wide variety of expertise and perspectives considering the size of our team and are confident that this is a successful combination – offering a well-rounded and diverse skillset to relationships with both investors and investees alike. With our Chief Sustainability Officer, Richard Burrett (a fellow of the Cambridge Institute of Sustainable Leadership who has nearly two decades of experience in sustainable finance) guiding the team, we believe we have a greater understanding of the importance of ESG.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

Earth Capital is dedicated to continually refine our ESG integration, adapting to market shifts. We embrace the opportunities that a sustainable investment approach offers, despite ongoing global challenges. As a sector, we need to be forward-looking. The imminent increase in the regulatory reporting environment around ESG is a hot topic and something that must be considered when raising capital for investment. Regarding the investments themselves, Earth Capital does this by selecting innovative technologies that seek to combat the challenges within E, S and G. We are actively building our energy, food and water networks and continuing our learning so that we have more visibility and connection to innovative companies to partner with to find the best solutions.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from winning this award?

Being recognised by a diverse panel across the financial services sector as best in class simply strengthens our commitment to sustainable investment. This award will bring the opportunity for us to increase our reach and grow our networks, and with that, the chance for new collaborations with likeminded companies and individuals.

Shaped By An Entrepreneurial Spirit

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

EFG Private Bank attracts entrepreneurial minds with its Swiss heritage, long-lasting client relationships and highly personalised service for wealthy UK and international clients. A full-service UK private bank, part of EFG International, a global private banking group, we are large enough to provide security and stability yet nimble enough to craft bespoke solutions to clients’ unique, and often complex, needs. Our clients think differently and so do we, empowering them to create sustainable value – today and for the future.

Our teams have considerable experience of dealing with multi-faceted clients looking for a stable team of trusted advisers that can manage complexities.

Our expertise covers more complex needs. The first meeting with a new client is usually with our global Wealth Planning team, to assess the right set-up and jurisdiction for each family member. We can also leverage a dedicated trust company able to help structure family wealth and develop tax-efficient inheritance structures, as well as support with creating investment funds, private equity or venture capital vehicles, or even new family offices.

This holistic approach – covering property lending, deposit taking, investment management and wealth structuring – means that whatever the requirements, we can offer a solution.

Our award winning West Midlands based Investment Management business EFG Harris Allday has also a client centric model which emphasises bespoke client portfolios alongside strong client interaction. In line with the EFG Private Bank, this business model has been, and continues to be, the core to our client proposition.

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

An entrepreneurial spirit has shaped EFG and our employees ever since the bank was established. We think and act like entrepreneurs. We design and deliver solutions that meet our clients’ individual goals and ambitions - creating a new banking experience. It starts with deep understanding and ends with a recommendation that is as individual as they are.

To us, relationships mean understanding, teamwork, trust, good communication, support and a shared vision. A strong relationship requires strong partners – who think and act according to shared views and values and who display just the right degree of flexibility. We think ahead to ensure that the next steps we take always lead our clients in the right direction.

Our Client Relationship Officers in our London, Birmingham, Shrewsbury, Ombersley, Jersey and Cyprus offices have an average tenure of 14 years. This provides a deep understanding of our clients, enabling us to make decisions quickly and provide solutions which are truly customised for the individual client even in relation to complex requirements.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

Our primary goal is to create profitable and sustainable growth for the benefit of our clients, employees and society as a whole. We strive to be a reliable and professional financial partner and an attractive employer to ensure the prosperity of future generations.

Last year, we welcomed a large number of seasoned bankers to EFG. These new hires underscore our commitment to continuously investing in the bank’s clientfacing and support teams in order to deliver the high-quality service and advice for which EFG is known in the UK marketplace. With their deep experience and expertise, coupled with an entrepreneurial mindset, we are convinced that our new colleagues will successfully create value for our UK and international clients.

Christian Berchem

Head UK Region EFG International

CEO EFG Private Bank Limited

Winner

EFG:

• UK International Wealth Planning Team

• Chief Operating Officer

• Chairperson

EFG Harris Allday:

• Specialist Investment Manager with AuM between £2 - £5 Billion

How ERI Supports Banks In Future-Proofing Their Operating Model Through Technology

Kasraoui Sales Manager

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

In today's dynamic landscape, banks and financial institutions must adapt their operating models to ensure sustainable growth and competitiveness amidst a crowded and aggressive market. This includes both traditional and nontraditional players vying for market share and customer attention.

By embracing an open platform for innovation, institutions can effectively manage their operational costs while staying ahead of the curve. For Private Banks and Wealth Managers, optimising operational efficiency through automation and process streamlining is key. This allows them to focus on delivering exceptional client service while exploring new revenue streams through expanded service offerings and product diversification made possible by seamless API integration.

Moreover, investing in a modern and scalable IT infrastructure, complemented by robust process automation driven by the OLYMPIC Banking System, is essential for risk mitigation and regulatory compliance. This ensures that mandatory regulatory requirements are seamlessly integrated across the entire client lifecycle, from front-end interactions to back-office processes.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

We remain vigilant in tracking the evolving needs and challenges of the market, particularly noting the growing demand among wealth managers for advanced data analytics and technology solutions, possibly powered by AI. These tools are essential for crafting bespoke investment strategies, financial planning, and reporting that cater to the unique requirements of each client, all while staying compliant with the latest regulatory mandates.

Technology platforms should enable seamless data consolidation and ensure end-to-end accuracy, empowering financial institutions to adapt seamlessly to regulatory changes. For instance, with the recent incorporation of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors into MiFID2 regulations, the OLYMPIC Banking System is well-equipped to support institutions in aligning their operations with sustainable practices.

Furthermore, in response to Consumer Duty regulations highlighting the importance of operational resilience, our system offers robust solutions to safeguard uninterrupted service delivery while prioritising consumer protection and operational continuity.

As clients increasingly seek digital platforms for investment tracking and communication with advisors, investing in cutting-edge technology has become imperative for maintaining competitiveness and fostering growth. This commitment to technological advancement not only sets banks apart but also serves as a catalyst for expansion while upholding stringent standards of security and privacy.

What sort of challenges did you surmount to reach this level and how have you been able to succeed in such fast-moving circumstances?

ERI aids banks and financial institutions on their journey toward digital transformation. Private banks are currently grappling with the largest generational wealth transfer witnessed in decades. Modern technology is essential for meeting the needs and expectations of Generation Z, including interactive advisory services and access to essential banking services on-demand. Addressing these trends and challenges necessitates that private banks and wealth managers in the UK prioritise innovation, regulatory compliance, client engagement, and operational excellence to maintain competitiveness and meet evolving client needs.

Adam

Innovative Team Approach Fuels EY Performance In Wealth And Asset Management

What was the winning formula of your firm or you that explains why you won?

At Ernst & Young LLP (EY), we are a globally connected team serving the wealth and asset management industry. We are set apart by our global, regional, and local presence, across the EMEIA and UK. We take pride in working with clients to solve their most pressing challenges by taking a multidisciplinary approach to transformation.

We continue to be at the forefront, guiding our clients through a time of unprecedented change, volatility, and business transformation. Our thought leadership provides insight to our clients on the industry’s most pressing issues. We operate cross-border as one global firm, working with clients of different sizes. Over the last year, we have worked with majority of top 20 wealth managers in the UK and Europe. Our publications, thought leadership, and research enable us to share our global insights with the industry, and help our clients both shape their strategies and protect their businesses.

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

At EY, our competitive edge continues to come from our fantastic people. Our team consists of experts across multiple disciplines, and has the required experience and knowledge to deliver high-quality solutions that meet each client's specific requirements. The team leverages its extensive experience and proven methodology to provide innovative and efficient solutions that create value for our clients.

The team have remained committed to promoting active dialogue with our clients to bring them innovative solutions to solve the challenges in a sector which is critical to the financial health of the country, and the globe. Additionally, we continue to drive market-leading activity within M&A, risk and regulation, AI, and sustainable finance, supporting our clients in their

transition plans and delivering commercial and societal benefit, by not only increasing the flow of capital into sustainable activities, but working to integrate ESG into business as usual.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

More of the same! We will continue to keep an eye on big issues driving the sector, such as GenAI. Equally, we think the way we work with our clients and the valuable long-term relationships that we have built will hold us in good stead.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

The investment markets of the future will be very different from those of the past. Some of the underlying forces reshaping the investment outlook include:

The global aging population - in many markets, higher life expectancy is putting strain on retirement provisions and making public healthcare unaffordable.

Gender rebalancing - demographic shifts, economic and social changes and family planning are accelerating female financial empowerment. By 2030, studies suggest that 55% of the world’s wealth will be owned by women.

Sustainability and climate - demand for sustainability is growing; 54% of consumers will use environmental, social and governance (ESG) data for decision-making by 2027.

The EY purpose is to build a better working work. We embody that by being responsible participants in the industry. We encourage debate and innovation as we support clients through complicated journeys. We actively engage within the industry through our thought leadership and events, and we are constantly pushing boundaries.

Flanks: Pioneering Scalability And Democratisation In The Wealth Management Industry

Joaquim De la Cruz CEO & Co-founder Flanks

Flanks is a pioneering Open Wealth platform, offering investors and financial users an encompassing 360º view of their financial landscape. This comprehensive perspective empowers individuals to make well-informed decisions regarding their wealth management situation. Through seamless integration with custodian entities globally, Flanks ensures the smooth flow of financial data into preferred reporting platforms. With a remarkable 95% coverage of primary financial entities in Europe, we manage a substantial portfolio exceeding 39 billion USD across over ten countries. Moreover, our platform encompasses over 20 diverse types of investment products, catering to the needs of more than 100 customers worldwide.

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

During the last three years, Flanks has laid solid foundations to create a company with additional entry barriers, thanks to recent regulation (acquiring the AISP license) and connectivity with over 300 financial institutions. These two factors have enabled Flanks to establish a business leveraged in financial data, which is structured and securely stored. In the current technological landscape, where trends such as AI are driven by data and models are becoming increasingly accessible thanks to companies like OpenAI/Microsoft, Flanks plans to expand its services in the AI and analytics sector.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from getting this award?

Winning this award would mark a significant milestone for Flanks, validating our team's hard work and dedication while endorsing the value we bring to clients and our mission of democratising and scaling the wealth management industry. It would enhance our reputation as a trusted SaaS company, solidifying our position as a go-to solution for financial institutions

seeking to modernise and innovate. Additionally, it would provide valuable exposure, attracting new clients and partners eager to engage with an award-winning platform like ours. Overall, it would catalyse our growth and amplify our impact in various markets, furthering our goal of making wealth management accessible to all.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

Looking ahead, the wealth management industry is set for significant transformation over the next five years. With over $70 trillion expected to shift from traditional clients to digital natives, there's a clear trend towards advisory services over traditional management. The future of wealth management will be increasingly democratic, automated, and digital, with up to 90% of processes expected to become automated.

Flanks is already adapting to this shift, positioning itself as a one-stop solution for wealth advisors to capitalise on industry momentum and cater to evolving client needs.

Providing Tailored Solutions For A Winning Formula

What was the winning formula of your firm?

Hugh James’ winning formula lies in the broad reaching and comprehensive nature of our Private Wealth services, offered to a broad range of clients. With a team comprising sector-leading experts in Wills and Estate Planning, Trusts and Estates Administration, Private Wealth Disputes, Court of Protection, and Family Law, we provide tailored solutions for high-net-worth individuals, professionals acting in fiduciary capacities, charities and customers of corporate partners alike.

We are also distinguished by our ability to handle a diverse range of complex matters, exceling in managing intricate asset portfolios with international dimensions. Our approach is characterised by bespoke estate planning strategies, meticulously crafted to align with clients' objectives.

We also foster a culture of close collaboration, both internally with colleagues and externally with fellow advisors.

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

Our Private Wealth colleagues have truly made a difference to our offering over the past few years, demonstrating remarkable growth and impactful additions to our expertise. The team's commitment to excellence is evident in our sustainable expansion and recent move to larger premises at 1 King's Arms Yard in London. With the inclusion of Alix Langrognat, Partner, whose specialist knowledge in providing estate planning services to high net worth clients further enriches the firm's offerings, the team is now better positioned than ever to address complex cross-border estate planning matters and provide support for clients with intricate cross-jurisdictional assets.

In addition, the recent acquisition of Cardiff-based commercial and private client firm Loosemores has significantly bolstered the team's capabilities. Maria Cosslett's arrival brings a wealth

Matthew Evans Partner and Head of Private Wealth

Hugh James

Highly Commended

• Estate Planning

of experience in all areas of private client law, particularly estate planning, and strengthens the firm's expertise across the Sport, Media, and Charities sectors. This collaboration not only enhances the firm's full-service client offering but also reinforces its growing UK presence.

Together, the 61-strong Private Wealth team delivers bespoke and fully comprehensive services to businesses and high-net-worth individuals across the UK. Our performance is underscored by our standalone Band One ranking for Private Wealth and Private Wealth Disputes in Wales, in both The Legal 500 and Chambers High-Net-Worth guide 2023. Furthermore, four of our partners have received commendations in the Spear's 500, solidifying the team's standing in the industry.

Notably, the team's outstanding achievements have been recognised with prestigious awards such as the National Solicitor Firm of the Year at the British Wills & Probate Awards for three consecutive years.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

To ensure our continued competitiveness and leadership in the industry, we are committed to implementing new online propositions tailored for both our clients and legal teams. These initiatives aim to enhance the overall client experience and streamline the handling of cases efficiently. However, we understand the importance of maintaining personal, partner-led relationships, which have been integral to our success. Our focus remains on cultivating long-lasting and forward-looking relationships with our clients, ensuring that their needs are met with dedication and expertise. By embracing technology while upholding our commitment to personalised service, we are poised to remain at the forefront of our field and deliver value to our clients.

Hundle – Building The Modern Family Office Experience

What was the winning formula?

Hundle’s success rests on three pillars: a first-class team; our total balance sheet approach; and our independence.

The team is made up of industry experts, who have performed at senior levels at firms such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Kleinwort Hambros, Deloitte, Barclays and Ruffer.

We take a total balance sheet approach, combining the worlds of investment management and wealth planning to create a dedicated programme. We are an independent business, owned by the management team in London.

How did colleagues make a difference?

Dedication displayed by each team member is exemplary. In a demanding industry, their commitment to our shared goals has been a driving force.

A culture of mutual support, collaboration, and genuine concern for each other's well-being fosters a positive working environment.

What are you going to do to remain competitive?

Technology is at the forefront of our strategy. We see the transformative power of advanced digital tools and platforms in enhancing client service and optimising investment performance. We are also committed to investing in our professionals.

What sort of challenges did you surmount?

One of the primary challenges we faced was the time-intensive process of identifying individuals with the right combination of technical expertise, values, and a client-centric mindset.

Navigating through this challenge involved building a rigorous and thorough recruitment process. We cast a wide net. Instead of rushing to fill positions, we focused on finding individuals whose values resonated with our organisational culture and who exhibited the expertise needed to excel in their respective roles.

Who inspires you?

Hari Hundle: “My primary source of inspiration comes from my family, particularly my late father and my children.”

Jan Meyer: “My investment inspiration stems from Benjamin Graham. His groundbreaking work in investing has not only shaped my approach to financial management but continues to be a source of guidance in navigating the complex world of investments.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from this award?

As a relatively new entrant in the industry, establishing a strong presence and building recognition is pivotal to our growth strategy.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

I foresee a significant evolution in wealth management, with a trend towards the growing prevalence of independent multi-family offices as the preferred solution for ultra-high-net-worth families.

This shift is driven by the increasing recognition that MFOs offer a more bespoke and independent advisory approach. One aspect shaping this transformation is the heightened demand among UHNW clients for personalised financial solutions. As wealth becomes more intricate and diversified, clients are increasingly valuing the independence and flexibility that MFOs bring.

Hari Hundle (top)

- Managing Partner

Jan Meyer - CIO Hundle

AWARDS

RESEARCH

EVENTS

WEALTHBRIEFING - ALWAYS AT THE CENTRE OF YOUR 360° VIEW ON THE WEALTH MANAGEMENT LANDSCAPE

With 60,000 global subscribers, WealthBriefing is the world’s largest subscription news and thought-leadership network for the wealth management sector

The Power Of AI Platforms To Drive Transformational Change In Wealth Management

Rajesh Muthuramalingam SVP - Director of Delivery, Technology Practices IntellectAI

The Wealth Management Industry, like the rest of Financial Services, has a tremendous opportunity to leverage AI technologies to revolutionise the way wealth management firms advise clients, optimise their investment strategies, and better serve their clients through intelligent service channels. AI tools and technologies will not replace advisors but will definitely provide a marked edge to those who utilise them, amidst an increasingly competitive landscape.

The challenges to scale AI Solutions

As organisations shift their focus towards operationalising AI proof-ofconcepts, they encounter roadblocks in scaling their initiatives. These challenges encompass strategic data management and operations, underpinning integration architectures, infrastructure scaling and performance, and model lifecycle management, including selection, development, deployment, and explainability. In the world of financial

services, these challenges may be exacerbated by regulatory frameworks and data privacy/residency mandates. Disparate datasets from fragmented systems further add to the complexity of efficiently and accurately sifting through vast datasets to unearth business value.

IntellectAI’s AI platform enables the democratisation of AI

To address these challenges, IntellectAI offers Purple Fabric, a low-code, self-serve enterprise AI platform that empowers businesses to rapidly develop and deploy AI solutions at scale, optimising cost and time. With advanced features like data ingestion, contextual classification, extraction, and the ability for business users to build and deploy expert agents and agent networks, Purple Fabric enables teams to drive innovation, accelerate growth, and gain a competitive edge in today's dynamic market.

Powered by an LLM-first approach, Purple Fabric understands structured and unstructured data from disparate data sources - tables, fields, text, visuals, and more. Users can chat with, summarise, and analyse any source of data. With Use Case Designer, users can leverage the same models to build repeatable, scalable endto-end workflows without writing a line of code. By building their own automations, business users can design and implement pipelines to enhance the quality of and reduce the time to decision.

GenAI studio allows users to quickly deploy AI expert agents and build agent networks, putting the technical expertise of specialists at their fingertips. No annotation or model training is required. This democratises the AI journey by enabling customers to build their own secure AI products and services, scaling them with complete budgetary control. The platform provides access to third-party state-ofthe-art Large Language Models and facilitates comprehensive management of the lifecycle and costs of individual AI assets. It also aggregates disparate

datasets from fragmented systems, facilitating seamless AI analytics and the generation of actionable insights from the aggregated data.

IntellectAI's platforms are underpinned by the eMACH.ai (events, Microservices based, API first, Cloud native, Headless architecture and driven by Artificial Intelligence) framework, which makes integrations with customer enterprise systems easier and the architecture future-proof. The company also leverages its AI platforms to enhance other products, including WealthForce.AI, their wealth management platform, ensuring a unified and seamless experience across all offerings.

Leveraging IntellectAI’s expertise in Financial Services and AI Technology

With a commitment to creating a truly unbiased, open, and innovative ecosystem, IntellectAI helps customers and fintechs engage at every layer of the AI stack. By leveraging deep domain expertise in Financial Services and Wealth Management, along with leading-edge AI platforms, organisations are empowered to resolve issues related to data, integration, and building scalable AI solutions while ensuring regulatory compliance. This approach not only enhances operational efficiency and reduces costs but also fosters innovation and value generation through the application of emerging AI technologies.

Distinct In Its Pure-Play Strategy

What was the winning formula of your firm that explains why you won?

Julius Baer International Limited is the UK-based wholly-owned subsidiary of Julius Baer Group Ltd., providing wealth management services, wealth planning and investment advisory to private clients. Our credibility stems from successfully accompanying generations of families for more than 130 years. We’re delighted to have won three categories in this year’s Wealthbriefing European Awards.

1. Specialist Investment Manager with assets under management over £5 billion: Our investment approach integrates top-down secular views with bottom-up security selection through the overlay of strategic and tactical asset allocation. The range of our proposition, supported by strong performance, has not gone unnoticed by our clients, and has supported us in attracting new business.

2. Wealth Planning Team (UK): Our Wealth Planning team in the UK are advice-led, rather than product-led, and are agnostic around which structures are deployed as part of the client’s overall strategy. As well as having a strong presence across the UK, the team operate across jurisdictions and provide clients with international expertise and a global outlook.

3. Rising Star Under 40 - Dawn Li Wan Po: Dawn is a highly accomplished leader at Julius Baer both in our UK business as Team Head of Investments and at a global level, as head of the Global Equity Income portfolio strategy. Her approach within the UK Investment Committee is exacting and has helped shape Julius Baer’s reputation for investment expertise. She exemplifies the best in class of client service, leadership, and investment management.

Edward Raymond Head of Portfolio Management UK and Head of Products & Services UK Julius Baer International Ltd

Winner

• UK Wealth Planning Team

• Specialist Investment Manager with AuM over £5 Billion

• Rising Star Under 40

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

Our capabilities, tactical decision-making and track-record position us competitively in the investment space. The global energy crisis and surging inflation were just some of the major events in the last couple of years that defined global equity and fixed income markets. By remaining agile, we have been able to weather storms by making several effective, tactical decisions to improve the risk profile of our mandates.

In terms of Wealth Planning, we believe our competitive edge comes from providing far-reaching and wide-ranging propositions for both HNW and UHNW clients. With a minimum investment threshold above the market average, we are involved in cases that are more time intensive and complex in nature. We have a clear focus on the next generation and the importance of preparing them for the transfer of wealth. We have also spent considerable time developing our proposition to help entrepreneurs plan for business exits alongside a robust wealth planning strategy.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

The wealth transfer is impending, and statistics show that children will choose a different wealth manager to their parents. To work for this next generation, our industry will need to cut down jargon to demonstrate transparency. Most importantly, this cohort will think about wealth differently, so it will force our industry to engage on the bigger questions around purpose. Significant investment is also likely to flow into AI to streamline processes to better analyse data and customise client service. Consolidation efforts will continue, but Julius Baer International Ltd remains distinct in its pure-play strategy and will continue to invest in client service and our teams in the UK.

KPMG’s Unique Model For Personal Legal Advice A Recipe For Success

Alice Killingbeck Partner

KPMG Law UK

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

Winner

First, we have a unique offering in the market. Having launched KPMG Law’s Family Office & Private Client team in June 2020, we are the only Big 4 accountancy practice to offer integrated tax and legal services to UK domestic and international private clients. For many of those clients we are the “missing piece in the jigsaw”, giving them reassurance that their affairs are considered in the round from a tax and legal perspective. For global clients, we leverage KPMG’s international network of more than 3,850 legal professionals in over 84 countries to provide integrated cross border advice through one core delivery team.

Secondly, we are entrepreneurial. When leading a team of private client lawyers operating within a multi-disciplinary environment, it is important to keep front of mind the commercial objectives of our clients, as well as understanding where the opportunities lie within KPMG’s wider tax, advisory and KPMG Law practices. We have had to quickly build strong relationships and gain our clients’ trust in an innovative way.

Finally, both of the above have contributed to our rapid growth over the last 4 years. We have grown to meet demand, and the nature and value of our work as well as client feedback has led to this recognition.

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

Launching and growing any market-disruptive practice requires vision and strategy, but equally important is the guidance and support of colleagues along the way. I am very fortunate to have a team who are hard-working, cohesive, open minded, and have a sense of humour to draw on in challenging times!

We have delivered greatest impact and value for clients when working with specialist colleagues within the wider tax, legal advisory practices who are collegiate and have truly embraced adopting a multi-disciplinary approach and a different way of delivering advice. This enables us not only to arrive at the right result for the client but truly sets us apart in the market.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

We plan to keep close to clients and proactively advise them through uncertain economic and fiscal times ahead, making sure that any personal succession planning and philanthropy is tailored to the clients, and achieves their tax and asset protection objectives. This will invariably involve building upon our existing client base which spans international families, entrepreneurs, family-owned businesses, and executives.

KPMG’s investment in technology will help us to formulate innovative ways to service clients and drive efficiencies.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from getting this award?

I am delighted to receive this recognition from WealthBriefing It has come at a good time for us to review the ground we have gained so far, and lay the groundwork and strategy for the next 4 years. One of our key objectives is to strengthen our brand and reputation for legal services within the international wealth advisory industry, and this award will go a long way towards that.

• Private Client Lawyer

Continuing To Innovate

What was the winning formula for Laserfiche that explains why you won?

Laserfiche listens carefully to customers and understands their specific needs, to see how we can deliver more tangible value. For example:

• Accurate document and records management for client files, essential to supporting regulatory requirements.

• Robust tools for digitising business processes – which are often more complex and specialised in the wealth management industry – with compliance checks and reporting capabilities.

• Process digitalisation with integrations with many of the systems wealth managers require.

• A low-code platform that supports flexibility in designing processes with specific requirements.

Laserfiche is adding to the value of wealth management customers through keeping client data in good order, raising staff productivity, accelerating client service and addressing ever-rising compliance requirements effectively and affordably.

What is Laserfiche going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

Wealth management firms are reporting pressure from clients to reduce fees and deliver faster services. Meanwhile, it is more challenging than ever to attract and retain the specialist staff needed for this sophisticated and highly regulated industry.

According to Laserfiche research, 70% of British Gen Z have left, or would consider leaving their company due to outdated technology.

Laserfiche provides easy-to-use tools that empower organisations to modernise processes, and continues to innovate by incorporating technologies including artificial intelligence. This enables wealth managers to automate and optimise operations, aiding training, reducing key person risk and simplifying compliance. Digitalised processes boost productivity, raise staff satisfaction, and improve collaboration, in turn increasing revenue capacity, freeing up staff time to focus on client engagement.

Russell Boland Director of EMEA Sales Laserfiche

• Change Management Process/ Best Implementation of a Technology Solution Winner

What sort of challenges did Laserfiche surmount to reach this level and how has the company succeeded in such fast-moving circumstances?

The volume of data firms create and manage continues to grow by around 20% per year. Additionally, regulators are imposing strict disciplinary sanctions for organisations that fail to follow regulations. More frequent and detailed audits add to rising compliance-related costs.

Laserfiche supports customers through these challenges by providing a single source of truth for data, and a process automation hub that integrates seamlessly with other core technology systems. Laserfiche provides a new level of visibility into operations, by tracking user actions on records with audit trails, and standardising processes to optimise staff experience, address regulatory requirements, and strengthen information governance.

Where does Laserfiche see the wealth management industry and its part of it going in the next five years?

Leading wealth managers are investing heavily in technology to enable them to grow revenues without requiring similar staff cost growth.

Growth often leads to more need for end-to-end automated processes while firms simultaneously navigate an increasingly complex compliance landscape. Today, it’s imperative for organisations to build strong technology infrastructures in partnership with trusted vendors such as Laserfiche and solution providers that specialise in wealth management, including MBS, the 2024 Laserfiche International Partner of the Year.

Additionally, the generative AI hype will continue. At Laserfiche, we believe AI will empower individuals to transform their work, take control of processes, and supercharge productivity. There is great promise for AI solutions in wealth management, in areas such as compliance, fraud prevention and client service.

But to achieve enterprise-wide transformation, organisations need to deploy AI at scale, which involves sophisticated data management frameworks and efficiently deploying AI across platforms. In the next five years, the focus will be on supporting customers in genuinely valuable AI deployments, utilising these technologies responsibly via risk-and-benefits frameworks.

Rethinking Wealth Management

Ross Elder

Partner

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

We feel very strongly that the structure of our firm is one of the core elements that sets us apart.

Lincoln is a genuinely independent wealth management business that is jointly owned by the team and 17 of our clients.

With the shareholders of Lincoln only being clients and team members, we are aligned with our clients in a way that does not normally exist in our industry.

This approach means that our shareholders care about exceptional service and long-term investment performance rather than driving profits at the expense of clients.

Shareholders and team members do not receive discounts, nor are they provided with better access to interesting opportunities than other clients.

Everything we do is about ensuring we are as aligned as we can be. To increase our alignment with our clients, we require all team members to invest their own money alongside our clients’, meaning that if we lose money for our clients, we lose money for ourselves and our families too.

With our own assets committed, we remain focused in a way that few other wealth management businesses are and demonstrate the courage of our convictions.

We do not have any of our own products, nor do we conform to a particular investment style.

"We have built the business to be as aligned as it can be and always focused on our clients’ best interests."

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

Transparency and integrity will always continue to be of importance. Lincoln has recently been certified as a B-Corporation and have gone through rigorous and independent assessment that verifies the business meets high standards of social and environmental performance.

This feels like a natural fit with the way we view the world and allows us to demonstrate accountability and transparency on these subjects, which will be an increasing priority to our clients in the years to come.

At Lincoln, we are committed to investing responsibly. Therefore, alongside our focus on delivering financial returns for our clients, we integrate ESG (Environmental, Social Impact and Governance) into our investment process.

"On behalf of our clients, we are long-term investors so the sustainability of the investments we make is of great importance."

We have no interest in Lincoln being the biggest, but we are striving to be the best.

"Our future goals remain the same as our starting goals, to look after our current clients as well as we possibly can."

We will continue to look for additional ways to improve and deliver excellent performance and service for our clients.

The hummingbird is part of a powerful natural engine, essential for driving food production.

A key pollinator, it pollinates every kind of tree from avocado to banana.

We need real assets solutions that invest in the regeneration of the natural world so pollinators can thrive.

Creating stronger crops, more resilient supply chains and more investment opportunities.

Nature is worth investing in.

Find out more at LombardOdier.com

Dedicated To Excellence And Innovation

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

Our success lies in fostering a working environment that empowers our teams. We strive to be an employer of choice by providing ongoing training, encouraging collaboration, and nurturing a culture that values performance. We believe in investing in our people – offering them the tools and opportunities needed to stay at the forefront of the industry.

This translates into dedication and expertise, enabling them to consistently deliver exceptional service to both our internal and external clients.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

We are committed to continuously evolving our proprietary platform, G2, now transitioning into the next generation: GX. This evolution focuses on enhancing operational efficiency, security and client experience for our business units, our institutional clients, External Asset Managers and financial institutions.

Leveraging cutting-edge technology, we aim to deliver innovative solutions that meet evolving client needs, ensuring a seamless and secure digital banking experience.

Our client-centric approach allows us to tailor our offering to our clients’ specific requirements, giving them access to solutions designed to meet a wide range of financial needs.

What sort of challenges did you surmount to reach this level and how have you been able to succeed in such fast-moving circumstances?

Balancing technological innovation with functional enhancements has been key to our success. Our seven-year

Geoffroy De Ridder

Head

of Technology & Operations

Lombard Odier

• Overall European Private Bank

• Private Bank - Operations Team

• External Asset Management Platform & Offering Winner

GX programme ensures long-term investment in platform transformations, focusing on modernisation, digitisation and the improvement of the client experience. By embracing technological agility, we can adapt to shorter technology cycles and evolving industry demands.

Additionally, we invest in talent development, creating a skilled and adaptable workforce capable of tackling challenges and seizing opportunities. We actively invest in career paths, providing our technical staff with clear and attractive growth prospects.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from this award?

"This award recognises our commitment to excellence and innovation. It not only strengthens our industry reputation, but also reinforces the value of our ongoing initiatives."

It acts as an external endorsement of our leading platform, fostering client confidence and attracting new partnerships and clients seeking an innovative and forward-thinking financial institution. Receiving this award also serves as a major motivational factor for our team, highlighting dedication and contributions.

It allows us to celebrate our achievements and advances Lombard Odier's continued growth in the financial landscape.

Multrees Investor Services Global Custody’s Best Kept Secret

Multrees Investor Services Limited is solely focused on providing custody, execution and outsourced administrative and reporting services to wealth managers, servicing the needs of ultra-high-net-worth families.

Multrees provides multi-asset class global custody (including private investments) and trade execution on a multi-currency platform, and additionally provides fully white labelled administration and customer reporting services. The open architecture Multrees platform also enables integration with client and customer retained third party providers.

Multrees is client led and client focused. Our strategy is to have strong close relationships with our client firms that enable Multrees to develop service solutions that enable our client firms to better compete in their chosen markets.

Our people are key to the success of the business as we ensure excellent service to our clients. We know that the many family offices, wealth managers and private banks we work with expect to get on with managing portfolios without technology getting in their way. That’s where our modular approach to providing platform and investment service comes in, by giving our clients the freedom to choose exactly which components fit the needs of their business and clients.

We are always trying to improve the service & technology we provide to ensure all our clients expectations are met.

• Global Custodian to a Private Client Business

• Platform Provider Winner

Multrees Investor Services Limited

Martyn Johnson, Chief Transformation Officer at Multrees said “ 2024 will see us launch a brand new app giving the clients of our Wealth Management partner firms a market leading digital overview of their portfolio. As well as increased features and improved user experience, our partner firms will receive greater visibility of their clients usage interactions, the ability to self-manage elements of their accounts and use this insight to help influence our future product roadmap as a result. “

Multrees operates a hybrid approach to Client Relationship management. We assign dedicated relationship management staff who spend time gaining a deep understanding of the Client’s business model and target market.

We also offer direct access to our shared service operational teams so that Clients can speak directly to the relevant operational experts.

Multrees prides itself on internal staff mobility and the future leaders of the company.

We spoke with Chris Hancock, recently promoted to Chief Operations Officer who had this to say about his new role and his immediate priorities, “ I am delighted to assume the role of Chief Operations Officer and be back working directly with our investment operations teams to continue to deliver excellent service to our clients. The initial focus will be on ensuring consistency of structure across the teams to make sure we are well positioned for new business growth, as well as aligning all operational teams with the wider business strategy of maximising automation opportunities so that we continue to scale our products and processes effectively. “

Multrees is delighted to have been recognised once again by WealthBriefing and were proud to accept the 2024 awards for ‘Best Global Custodian to Private Client Business’ and ‘Best Platform Provider’

Today’s Data-Driven Decisions In Wealth Management

In the age of big data, a new partner has joined the arsenal of tools designed to support those in the wealth management sector: behavioral analytics. The power of behavioral analytics technology promises to revolutionise investment management by offering a data-driven approach into the often-murky depths of investor psychology.

By analysing vast datasets encompassing past investment choices, emotional responses to market gyrations, and even seemingly subtle details like trading frequency, behavioral analytics empowers advisors to understand their clients on a whole new level.

This deeper understanding translates into a more personalised approach to managing wealth, ultimately aiming to bridge the gap between theoretical risk tolerance and the reality of how investors react when faced with market volatility or substantial gains.

Behavioral analytics leverage vast datasets to analyse investor behavior patterns. This includes factors like past investment choices, risk tolerance demonstrated through trading activity, and emotional responses to market fluctuations.

What Behavioral Analytics Provides

From deeper client understanding to the ability to provide tailored investment strategies, behaviorial analytics strengthen investment management methods in the following ways:

• Provides deeper client understanding: By analysing past behavior, advisors can build more nuanced profiles of their clients. This goes beyond declared risk tolerance and delves into investors' true risk capacity, emotional triggers, and potential biases.

• Personalises investment strategies: Tailored investment recommendations become possible. Advisors can identify asset allocations and investment products that better align with each client's unique behavioral profile.

• Improves client communication: Behavioral insights can help advisors anticipate client reactions to market

movements and tailor communication strategies accordingly. This fosters trust and strengthens advisor-client relationships.

• Enhances risk mitigation: Identifying clients prone to impulsive decisions or emotional investing empowers advisors to implement proactive risk management strategies. This could include setting stop-loss orders or recommending less volatile assets.

Potential Downside to Behavioral Analytics?

With the benefits of behaviorial analytics also come a few cautions which can easily be addressed. These may include:

• Raised concerns over data privacy: Collecting and analysing vast amounts of client data raises privacy concerns. Advisors must ensure they obtain explicit client consent and adhere to data security regulations.

• Over dependence on data: Behavioral analytics should complement, not replace, advisor expertise and judgment. An over reliance on data can lead to a disconnect from the human element of financial planning.

• Limited access to historical data: Behavioral analytics are still evolving. The effectiveness of models might be limited by the availability of historical data and the challenge of accurately predicting future behavior.

Behavioral Analytics – What Lies Ahead

Behavioral analytics are revolutionising financial services, with the potential to improve client outcomes and enhance risk management for advisors and firms alike. However, responsible use of data, a focus on human-centric advice, and continuous refinement of analytical models are crucial for maximising the benefits of this technology.

As the field evolves, financial advisors and firms who embrace behavioral analytics will be well-positioned to navigate the dynamic world of investments and deliver exceptional service to their clients.

Nykredit Private Banking is firmly committed to making the lives of our clients richer.

Nykredit Private Banking has won Wealth Briefing Awards six years running. We are extremely proud and grateful to once again receive this recognition.

Visit nykredit.dk/privatebanking or call +45 70 10 10 76 to learn how we can make your life richer.

Nykredit among the winners again

A Deep Ownership Mentality At Nykredit

Winner

• Domestic Clients Team

• Private Bank - Client Service

• Private Bank - Talent Management

Michael Nordestgaard Interim Director

Nykredit Private Banking

Nykredit Private Banking (NPB) is made up of private bankers, wealth advisers, and investment advisers (all certified), assistant private bankers, and specialists who cover wealth management, tax matters, credit, inheritance, succession planning, and cash management, as well as business and home financing in France and Spain. For over 160 years, the Nykredit Group has been assisting Danish families in buying their homes and Danish businesses in growing. Nykredit is unique in the Danish banking sector because it is predominantly owned by an association, Forenet Kredit, which represents our clients.

Our ownership is deeply ingrained in our organisation and culture. For several years, we have been working on shaping a culture and mindset that embodies collectiveness, curiosity, and passion. Private banking is a people business, and we view people as our most important asset and, therefore, our competitive advantage. We invest our utmost efforts in taking good care of our clients, both during times of growth and, as we are currently experiencing in society, times of uncertainty. Recognising that our clients are human beings with emotions and that their needs are rapidly evolving, our primary purpose in private banking is to provide our clients with reliable financial security as well as a sense of personal ease.

Our strategy is to enhance our advisers' self-awareness and their skills in understanding how to make an impact on others for deeper connections. Our first priority is to foster a culture that supports the well-being of our colleagues working in high-performance jobs. By making room for brain breaks throughout the working hours, such as arranged sessions with meditation and joint walks, we can clearly see a positive effect on employees' psychological safety and motivation. Likewise,

the ability to master oneself in building relationships with both colleagues and clients is the key attribute of tomorrow's private bankers in this dynamic market.

In essence, Nykredit Private Banking is a place where we encourage you to ask for help or feedback, and where all colleagues learn from and collaborate with each other. During a usual working day, we seek to gently inspire with new ways of learning about themes such as neuroscience, emotional intelligence, human behaviour, and sustainability (ESG), all with the aim of developing a stronger culture with more meaningful relationships between advisers and clients. When shaping the future of private banking, we know we must accommodate the complexity in society that reflects in clients' needs to remain perceived as accessible and relevant.

Therefore, we are extremely proud to have once again received awards for our best domestic client team, client service, and talent management, as we view these awards as the greatest acknowledgement of our efforts to deliver the best client experience. We strive ambitiously to be Denmark's responsible wealth manager by creating long-term value for our clients and business partners and by generating value for Danish society. Being recognised with these awards tells us that we are doing something that sets us apart from our competitors in a positive way, and we hope to continue exceeding expectations and delivering even greater experiences in the years to come.

Private Client Services

Private Client

We recognise that every client is different and that individual requirements can change both in the short and long-term, as personal circumstances or, indeed, the wider world changes.

Our services

There is very little that we haven’t come across before – so you can rest assured that you are in safe hands and that you and your family’s interests will be taken care of.

Our highly regarded teams provide entrepreneurial and dynamic bespoke solutions to protect, preserve and grow our clients’ family wealth and businesses, built on a foundation of close and long-term trusted relationships.

We have extensive experience in establishing and managing complex, high-value structures for clients around the world, many with sophisticated, crossborder international affairs.

We also have a deep understanding of the issues that come with family and institutional business operations, cross-border investments, inter-generational wealth transfers, and succession planning.

• Entity formation & administration

• Private trust & foundation services

• Private fund services

• Private company services

• Accounting & regulatory reporting

• Outsourced family office

Our focus

• Private capital

• Philanthropy

• Contentious trusts & dispute resolution

• Lifestyle & luxury assets

• Succession planning

Strategically Structuring Successions

Tracey Neuman Private Client Executive Ocorian

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

Ocorian excel as an estate planner by strategically structuring successions, especially for businesses, ensuring concerns about future management are addressed from the outset.

"Our winning formula has been ensuring wealth is concentrated within the family and the desired area of focus, but also keeping the specific wishes of the beneficiaries at the centre of our client delivery."

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

At Ocorian, the team's extensive background as private client advisors provides a unique perspective in offering trusted and valuable planning services.

Their expertise in identifying and resolving complex issues, such as a recent example of restructuring an old trust to achieve significant tax efficiencies, whilst modernising the terms to prevent outdated exclusions of beneficiaries, showcases their ability to make a substantial difference for our clients.

What are you doing to remain competitive and stay ahead?

The Private Client industry remains hugely competitive specifically around client delivery.

"To remain competitive and stay ahead, we introduced our ‘2030 Trustee’ initiative which launched in early 2023."

The focus being for our Trustees to closely collaborate with clients and intermediaries, looking at how their role needs to adapt and change in line with the market and client demands both now and across the next 10 years or so.

We've explored the shifts in wealth priorities, incorporating philanthropy, ESG and next gen and addressing jurisdictional differences.

"Our approach is dynamic, reflecting societal and legislative developments, ensuring we're up-to-date and globally flexible with a keen awareness of regional nuances."

Who inspires you, either inside or outside your organisation?

In my context, I draw inspiration from numerous peers internally.

First and foremost, our CEO, Chantal Free who has a collaborative and inclusive leadership style, characterised by a distinctly female approach to management. Yet equally, her focus on diversity and inclusion strongly aligns with our team's values.

Building on this, I further take inspiration from those who emphasise the importance of neurodiversity.

At Ocorian, we have a dedicated team who focus on the need for a balance between those skilled in figures and those excelling in people interaction, stressing the value of diverse skill sets for effective client work.

• Estate Planning Winner

Success Through Innovation, Strategy, And Thematic Solutions

Omba Advisory & Investments Ltd was founded with the intention of being the change we needed to see within the investment industry. We align our business interests with our clients’ interests, implement globally diverse portfolios, and achieve this at a lower cost to clients. We advise and manage money for Family Offices, Ultra and High Net Worth clients, Model Portfolio Solutions, and UCITS Funds.

What was the winning formula?

We have meticulously crafted Omba to be client-focused, non-bureaucratic, and technologically astute. Leveraging best-of-breed modern technologies and our team’s extensive institutional experience and ETF expertise.

Our approach to ETF selection is driven by qualitative factors, a necessity in the fast-changing world of ETFs and markets, and quantitative factors, embellished by our proprietary look-through analysis of ETF exposures. Our strategy for Thematic Investing combines long-term secular and shorter-term cyclical themes through a combination of ETFs and single stocks. This blended investment approach allows us to strategically overweight certain companies we believe are at the forefront of innovation, driving growth, revenue, and earnings.

At Omba we have identified five key Megatrends and within these are many more sub-themes we can overweight or underweight based on our assessment of the thematic purity and importantly, valuation. Thematic investing requires big-picture thinking, coupled with attention to detail and strong technical expertise. Our extensive quantitative and qualitative analysis of these themes, and the ETFs we use to invest within them, makes us a stand-out amongst our peers.

Winner

• Most Innovative Thematic Proposition

Omba Advisory & Investments

How do you hope your firm will benefit from the award?

Omba is a relatively new player in the industry, we were founded in 2017 and our primary client base has been international. As we begin to expand our UK presence, we hope this award will provide recognition of our differentiated approach to investment management.

We know (and our clients do too) that we provide unique, bespoke, and innovative solutions. We are grateful to be recognised as an innovator and standout in the Thematic investing space.

What are you doing to remain competitive and stay ahead?

A core value to Omba is to invest in technology. We are excited for the coming months as we roll out our recent technology solutions, both internally and client-facing. We pride ourselves in our attention to detail, and aligning our passion for meticulous data with an innovative technology partner which will set us apart from both specialist firms and large institutions.

On a product front, we have recently launched our Model Portfolio Solutions for UK IFAs. We have spent a lot of time researching the “dos and don’ts” of MPS services and believe our product is forward thinking, priced competitively, and will provide value to the IFA, and importantly, their clients.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and our part?

We believe that the adoption of ETFs as building blocks for client portfolios will continue to grow, perhaps not at the same rate as the previous five years but will certainly continue to capture market share from traditional active managers.

Specialist firms like ours, who have used ETFs since inception in a “pactive” process (passively implemented, actively managed) will continue to be champions of this shift in investment management culture. We look forward to further gathering market share and providing client-focused solutions in the UK and abroad.

YOUR PHILANTHROPY MADE EASY EASY EASY EASY EASY EASY EASY EASY

Our flexible, personable and bespoke service makes it easier for individuals, groups and foundations to make significant tax effective gifts to causes around the world.

Through our Donor Advised Fund you can have your ‘Own Name’ Foundation.

Our Collective Fund model allows individuals or groups wanting to actively fundraise for their causes to operate under Prism’s auspices.

As experts in administration for philanthropy, we let you concentrate on your giving with the peace of mind that all the financial administration, compliance and due diligence is taken care of.

Together, we are increasing the flow of funds into the charitable sector, creating significant impact to causes globally.

Growing Philanthropy Within The Private Wealth Sector

Anna Josse CEO and Founder Prism the Gift Fund

• Philanthropy Offering/Initiative of the Year Winner

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

Prism the Gift Fund (Prism) was founded nearly 20 years ago to address the growing need in the charitable sector for urgent funds to support their work and the barriers that meant that High-Net-Worth Individuals were not engaging with philanthropy. Prism offers a bespoke, flexible, and efficient Donor Advised service to its diverse range of donors. We are driven by our ethos which is embedded in an entrepreneurial approach to our donors’ philanthropic ambitions. Whilst working within the UK regulatory framework, we are able to offer creative solutions to sometimes very complex gifting requirements and our client’s operational structures.

In 2022, Prism raised over £110 million and distributed almost £60m globally and again in 2023 raised near to £115m, distributing almost £70m around the world to charities, not for profits and social enterprises. By increasing the flow of funds into the charitable sector, locally and globally, Prism strives to create lasting impact and positive change.

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

Prism has hired responsive, entrepreneurial staff who are ambitious and passionate about Prism’s operation and mission of driving more funds into the charitable sector. They help manage clients, drive business development, and operate at the highest standards. The financial team has designed systems that can manage complex financial processes that accommodate the varied portfolios of activity that are bespoke to each of our clients. Overall, the team is a close-knit unit and work very well together.

What sort of challenges did you surmount to reach this level and how have you been able to succeed in such fast-moving circumstances?

Building a brand from scratch and creating a new concept

takes time. It requires patience, resilience, and lots of “no’s”. I always tell people when they are out there building businesses or trying to raise funds there is no magic wand. It’s called perseverance and not to take rejection too personally. It also takes years – it doesn’t happen overnight. I believe understanding the competition and having a growing competitive environment is helpful as it shows there is a need for the product. Hiring the right people is also challenging and events such as Brexit, Covid and war create other challenges too.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from getting this award?

We are thrilled to have received the award, competing against lots of large well-known companies. I hope it will help with the name recognition and encourage more private client intermediaries to consider Prism the Gift Fund as the Donor Advised Fund of choice.

Who inspires you, either inside or outside your organisation?

I always strive to do the best I can possibly do – that is the way I’m wired. My mother worked until she was 84 years old as a matrimonial lawyer. And was superb at her job. It’s a pretty good role model! In addition, I think there are an array of talented, smart people who all inspire me – they create companies, tackle complex social issues, work in financial institutions creating financial solutions, some act as a moral compass, and others analyse and advise on challenging legal cases. I am inspired by their masterful skills and rely on their expertise to assist in the development and running of Prism.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from getting this award?

We are thrilled to have received the award, competing against lots of large well-known companies. I hope it will help with the name recognition and encourage more private client intermediaries to consider Prism the Gift Fund as the Donor Advised Fund of choice.

Prometeia – Risk Management Solution Award

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

Prometeia’s tools & analytics, built up over 20 years, support the digitalisation of the entire investment advisory process through personalisation, compliance, and automation. Our digital wealth management platform helps financial intermediaries win, serve, and retain wealth management clients, allowing them to differentiate from their competitors where it matters most: at the touchpoints between the institution and its customers.

"We prioritise placing our clients and their needs at the center of everything we do, driving the industry forward through innovation."

With an in-depth understanding of the day-to-day operations of wealth management and associated regulations, Prometeia is uniquely positioned to offer clients sophisticated, well-grounded solutions tailored to their individual needs.

More than 200 financial institutions take advantage of our modular and sophisticated toolset, leveraging them to serve their clients better and more efficiently, supporting the management of more than EUR 2.5 trillion in assets. Our solutions are uniquely positioned to meet the needs of financial institutions as they push to digitise, engage clients, enhance productivity, and ensure compliance and service quality.

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

Prometeia’s entrepreneurial-minded people represent our greatest asset and the key to our success. Our skilled, smart, and client-focused wealth specialists earn the trust of our clients and ensure our innovative digital wealth management solutions continue to meet and exceed market standards. We are lucky to have such diverse and unique individuals that combine technical excellence with

world-class creative talent. We believe in our people as they support the entire advisory process with innovative tools powered by leading-edge technology. Our employees play a fundamental role in shaping the future trajectory of the company.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

Innovation is firmly ingrained into Prometeia’s DNA, and this is supported by our substantial investments in research and development which underlines the company’s commitment to lead the wealth management industry. For example, throughout the last year and into 2024, we’ve actively explored, tested, and introduced new tools powered by Generative AI aiming to improve advisor efficiency by cutting down manual work, enhance engagement, and foster customer loyalty.

In addition to Generative AI, we are continuously refining our toolset with cutting-edge techniques and methodologies, which include climate and transition risk, sustainable investment, open finance, and cloud-native delivery, just to name a few. In an age of hyper personalisation, automation, and data Prometeia has been taking on ambitious and bold projects to ensure our digital wealth management platform stands outs among the rest.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from getting this award?

The recognition by WealthBriefing highlights the quality of our service and reinforces our main goal of consistently offering the best service for our clients’ needs.

Wealth risk management is a centerpiece capability of our platform and expertise in general. This acknowledgment motivates us to continue our hard work and strive for excellence. Awards like these validate our efforts and strengthen our position in Europe, potentially attracting more financial institutions seeking reliable front-office systems and market data and analytics.

Michele Leoncelli Senior Partner Prometeia

Wealth Reporting

Consolidating the global assets of an individual or a family is no small feat, let alone delivering this regularly, accurately and in a timely manner, with comparable analysis across managers, properties, structures, or family members.

Rawlinson & Hunter deliver regular customised reporting to individuals and families, consolidating their entire net worth, delivering usable information in a clear format, regardless of complexity.

Our heritage as Chartered Accountants is strengthened by our commitment to embrace innovative technology, enabling us to provide services that are state of the art and comprehensive, including:

• Consolidated investment reporting

• Performance analytics

• Income/expenditure analysis

• Management accounting

• Statutory accounting

• Trust accounting

Chris Hawley, Partner

Chris.Hawley@rawlinson-hunter.com

+44 (0)20 7842 2138

Mark Shaw, Partner

Mark.Shaw@rawlinson-hunter.com

+44 (0)20 7842 2217

www.rawlinson-hunter.com

Heritage Meets Innovation: How Rawlinson & Hunter Defined And Continue To Redefine Wealth Reporting

Mark Shaw - Partner (top)

Chris Hawley - Partner

Rawlinson & Hunter LLP

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

Rawlinson & Hunter's recent recognition at the WealthBriefing European Awards 2024 for 'Consolidated Reporting' is a testament to the firm’s unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation.

"Our success lies in our rich heritage as Chartered Accountants, strengthened by our pioneering spirit to leverage state-of-the-art technology."

Our consolidated reporting service stands out for its precision, reliability, and user-centric design; giving practical information to clients and their advisers on their global assets, performance returns and financial statements. This dual approach of marrying traditional accounting principles with cutting-edge technology has enabled us to grow our client base year on year.

Who inspires you, either inside or outside your organisation?

Inspiration comes from clients and from within the firm. The firm’s Wealth Reporting Service would not be what it is today without the foresight and investment of past and present partners, and the technical strengths of directors and staff, whose constant pursuit of excellence and innovation have been instrumental in redefining what can be achieved in wealth reporting.

challenging us to remain client service led but offer reporting that can be tailored, allowing them to be treated as individuals.

What sort of challenges did you surmount to reach this level and how have you been able to succeed in such fast-moving circumstances?

Our journey has not been without its challenges, including designing infrastructure capable of handling the complexities of consolidating global assets accurately and adapting to rapid technological advancements. Our success in overcoming these challenges stems from our ability to innovate and adapt based on our modular system approach. Our modular architecture utilises either best in class industry technology or applications that are in-house designed for our needs. As and when new technology opportunities arise this modular approach allows us to harness those advancements. All information is held centrally, and therefore the client experience remains seamless while they continuously receive efficiency increases and advancements to their online reporting and accounting.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

To remain competitive, we innovate. Our commitment to innovation is supported by an in-house team of IT developers working alongside the reporting team to create tools that streamline workflows, enhance efficiency and deliver reports directly and in a format required by a client.

• Consolidated Reporting

The demands of our clients continue to set our standard and fuel our drive for continuous improvement. Our dedication to achieving client needs shapes our approach, ensuring that our service responds to current demands and continually develops to ensure we remain of the cutting edge of reporting capabilities. The synergy of tradition with innovation, represented in our 15 year wealth reporting journey, is a result of our clients

An example of our forward-thinking is the development of our own proprietary bank feed network. This innovation streamlines the process of capturing information from third parties, enhancing the speed and accuracy of the information we use. By integrating machine learning and robotic process automation into our work, we further automate information capture. Technological advancements such as these enable us to swiftly adapt to changes and ensure that we continue to set new benchmarks for excellence in consolidated reporting.

Nobody knows what the future holds, but at RBC Wealth Management we can help you plan for it.

We’ll work with you to create a wealth plan built on your values and help protect your legacy for future generations.

Achieving A Holistic And Streamlined Approach

Gail McCourt

Head of Private Client Fiduciary Services

RBC Wealth Management

• Institutional Trust or Fiduciary Team Winner

Our trust business, part of RBC Wealth Management in the Channel Islands, consistently demonstrates our expertise in complex, multijurisdictional, dynastic planning for our private clients.

Our position as a leading global financial services provider emboldens our clients, who are encouraged by our robust balance sheet, prudent approach to risk management, and deep experience of administering complex fiduciary structures.

"Our clients benefit from strong, flexible, and competitive solutions that are always in their best interests."

Our 45 fiduciary decision-makers have a 22-year average tenure and combine this experience with the fresh perspectives of our new recruits. This enables our team to proactively navigate the intricacies of complex planning with pragmatism and diligence.

Why do you think your organisation won this award?

This year, we have invested in new talent and technologies, created new opportunities to increase value to key client relationships and have never been in a stronger position to maximise the strength of RBC on the global stage with the support, partnership and commitment of our leadership team.

I would break this down further in the following areas:

Expertise: Our in-house Technical Trust team is a key differentiator. The service grants our trustees ready access to legal, tax, governance and fiduciary professionals, a function many of our competitors must outsource.

Recruitment: By showcasing the benefits of working for RBC and the opportunities available within the company, our Jersey recruitment drive attracted 17 joiners and led to the same number of promotions / transfers in our Trust team. We also welcomed a new generation of trust professionals through our specialist school-leavers programme.

Professional development: We pride ourselves on our investment in the Channel Islands and building clear talent pathways for our teams. Our internal programmes support women in leadership, parental returners, aspiring managers, and provide additional training opportunities for existing employees.

Community: We’re committed to building a sense of wellbeing and prosperity in the communities where we live and work, in particular supporting youth and mental health causes. This year in Jersey we were Educational Partner of the Durrell Tortoise Takeover and supported our charity of the year, Brightly.

Global hub: Our trust business in Jersey is positioned as the global hub and centre of excellence for trust and fiduciary clients at RBC Wealth Management. This has led to an increase in internal referrals from partners across RBC.

Thought leadership: Our trust team is a prominent voice in industry discussions and see these opportunities as a key vehicle in influencing positive change within the sector.

Service excellence: Through the amalgamation of our trust business onto one platform, Salesforce, we have achieved a holistic and streamlined approach to our client management process. It has already facilitated improvements to our data quality and controls and continues to enhance the client experience through streamlined and consistent processing.

Trust, tailored to you

Long-established and highly respected, client service underpins all we do. Independently connected to a network of global specialist advisers, we offer wealth protection and preservation services you can trust.

• Succession and wealth planning

• Asset protection

• Family office

• Trusts and alternative structuring

• Digital assets and cryptocurrency

• ESG and philanthropy

• Yacht management

• Tax compliance and planning

WINNER: Deloitte LLP

WINNER: EFG

WINNER: John Reed - EFG

WINNER: Earth Capital

WINNER: Damiano Baj - EFG

WINNER: EFG Harris Allday

WINNER: Etops Group

WINNER: Hugh James

WINNER: Hundle

WINNER: ERI

WINNER: Flanks

WINNER: Jan Meyer - Hundle

Making A Change With Inspiration And Motivation

What was the winning formula of your firm that explains why you won?

‘Responsible business’ is a long-standing cornerstone of Saffery Trust. The establishment of dedicated CSR and Green teams, led by staff volunteers, helped to direct our responsible business efforts throughout 2023.

I would credit our success to our ongoing commitment to prioritising wellbeing and promoting our ethos of working together to do good. We ran multiple initiatives through 2023 to benefit our people, our community, and our environment.

"I also believe an important factor in our achievements is that our CSR efforts aren’t undertaken for recognition; we are committed to doing the right thing, even if no one is looking."

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference.

Our people recognise that CSR activity extends beyond financial contribution, and often donating time to charitable causes is just as, or more, valuable. From our “10-in-10” alternative transport challenge, to a Christmas shoebox appeal, without staff engagement and involvement we would not be able to have such a positive environmental and social impact.

A fantastic example of how our staff makes a difference is their support of the Saffery Rotary Walk (Guernsey’s largest annual fundraiser). Some staff take part in the walk itself, others volunteer to put together walker packs or help at the finish line and will also bring friends/family along to help too. Staff engagement for this event is led from the top down, with Lisa Vizia (Director) personally volunteering at every stage and motivating others to do the same.

Who inspires you either inside or outside your organisation?

My enthusiasm for, and commitment to, social/environmental responsibility was instilled by my parents who are an endless inspiration. My three brothers and I were raised with the ethos that it’s important to do the right thing, even when it’s not the easiest thing. For example, recycling everything possible by taking things to various collection points around the island before curb-side collections were introduced.

My mum volunteers for a cancer charity and my dad is a manager for a charity providing sheltered occupation for adults with learning disabilities, so they truly do lead by example. This inspires me to do the same by helping to motivate others to engage in charitable and environmental initiatives.

Where do you see the wealth management industry, and your part of it, going in the next five years.

My role as Transformation Manager means I am continually looking to the future of the industry and subsequent needs of the business.

"My team seeks to drive innovation through digital solutions, training, and identifying areas where we can improve efficiency for the ultimate benefit of our clients and people."

One trend I expect to see over the next five years is a continued interest in digital assets. While many may think only of NFTs or cryptocurrency, blockchain technology has huge potential for ensuring fairtrade practices, advancing eco-friendly technologies and supporting positive social change.

Our digital asset team doubled in size in 2023, both in response to and anticipation of continued sector growth.

Joe Cardoso-Smale Transformation Manager Saffery Trust

SIMPLIFYING LIFE’S FINANCIAL CHALLENGES

We strive to make a difference to our clients, our communities and our people.

As a responsible bank, we champion talent from diverse backgrounds. kleinworthambros.com

SG Kleinwort Hambros Bank Limited

Nurturing Both Clients And Staff Yields Results At SG Kleinwort Hambros

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

We consider our colleagues and our culture to be two of our most important competitive advantages and contributors to our success. Without our colleagues we would have not any level of success. So supporting our colleagues is not only at the heart of being a leading responsible bank, it is critical to growing SG Kleinwort Hambros.

Our commitment to client excellence, driven by our team culture helps us achieve a high level of success. We like to consider our business as a start-up with two hundred years of experience. It is that mindset which enables us to be flexible in how we work together across our organisation to directly and indirectly serve our clients.

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

In addition to our inclusivity and connection between colleagues and the culture of excellence we are continually building and encouraging across our organisation, we focus very closely on simplifying life’s financial challenges for our clients. It is the combination of our expertise and service alongside the experience they expect which we feel attracts clients to SG Kleinwort Hambros and keeps them with us year on year, decade upon decade.

We also take a collaborative approach with our clients, meet them where they are and work together to offer them a simple, effective means of managing their financial lives.

We believe SG Kleinwort Hambros is able to demonstrate excellence in our service and solutions to clients. We feel our commitment to building sustainable legacies for clients was recognised, along with our focus on being known as a good place to work (as ranked by

Best Companies) with our strong focus on diversity and inclusion policies make us stand out.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

SG Kleinwort Hambros is a leading full-service private bank, providing financial solutions to HNW and UHNW individuals, families and their businesses, as well as charities. Our purpose can be summarised in one sentence: to simplify life's financial challenges. By offering bespoke solutions to our clients and adapting to their ever-changing needs, we have managed generational wealth for over two centuries.

We will continue to serve clients in three distinct segments: Private Banking with tailored private banking solutions for HNWIs; Key Clients which is our dedicated offering for UHNWIs; and Financial Intermediaries which consists of Intermediaries, External Asset Managers & Independent Financial Advisers.

"Our ambition is to be a leading responsible bank for client service and expertise."

Underneath this leadership of responsibility are the stakeholders we seek to serve as a responsible bank: our clients, colleagues, the community and the climate. We want to help our clients to build sustainable legacies; we want to support our colleagues by promoting diversity and inclusion; we want to make a positive social impact for our community and we want to champion climate action by reducing our carbon footprint.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from getting this award?

For us, these awards represent industry recognition and evidence that our multi-year strategy is working for our clients and all our stakeholders.

Mouhammed Choukeir

CEO SG Kleinwort Hambros

• UK Domestic Clients Team

• UK UHNW Team

• UK Private Bank - Client Initiative

PASS THE FUTURE ON TO THEM

The world you are building is unique. With your private banker, grow your assets and make your vision come to life.

Leveraging International Presence And Expertise

Olivier Paccalin Deputy CEO & Head of Commercial and solutions Societe Generale Private Banking

Winner

• Private Bank - Credit Provider

• Wealth Management Business - Switzerland

• Most Promising Merger

Societe Generale Private Banking: Best Private Bank Credit Provider / Most Promising Merger / Wealth Management Business Servicing Switzerland Société Générale Private Banking is the wealth management arm of Société Générale Group, dedicated to entrepreneurs, UHNW individuals and family offices, and is ranked among the leaders in private banking. All our experts work to build a comprehensive and coherent value proposition to deliver counsel and solutions that incorporate clients’ specific goals and are tailored to their needs in multiple jurisdictions. Their know-how in terms of wealth management, asset allocation and complex loan structuration have earned them industry recognised accolades on a regular basis.

Most Promising Merger

Société Générale Private Banking France draws on more than 600 experts distributed across our French network to offer personalised and comprehensive services. This set-up has been reinforced by the merger with Crédit du Nord Banque Privée, creating a leading and scalable private bank in the French market.

Our model enables us to offer high quality counsel, based on recognised expertise, as well as responsible and innovative financial solutions. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been reinforced as a clear strategic objective. Building a responsible organisation is a fundamental component of our long-term vision.

This merger enabled the Group to capitalise on the perfect mix between the financial expertise of Société Générale reinforced by the local footprint of Crédit du Nord. Indeed, it was the opportunity to develop a more effective and powerful private banking model that will provide the highest standards of service to wealthy clients in each region of the country.

Credit Provider

Regarding our Credit expertise, in addition to off-the-shelfs solutions for simpler situations, we have developed a sophisticated range of financing solutions to accompany entrepreneurs including start-up owners and more globally UHNWI, dealing with multiple needs and various profiles. We can manage a large geographical and currency footprint, and we approach our client’s personal needs considering their professional interdependencies. As we are geared towards tailor made solutions, our set-up is built to cater even for more specific situations and exotic underlying assets.

Starting this year, we aligned our investment and financing policies and we added ESG factors as a new criterion considered in SGPB financing policy.

Wealth Management Business Servicing Switzerland

Societe Generale Private Banking Switzerland is the Swiss private bank of Societe Generale. As an integral part of an international universal banking group, SGPBS acts as a support and gateway for its clients to invest in Europe - through Societe Generale Private Banking's multi-booking platform (Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Monaco, and the UK) - and beyond - through Societe Generale's universal banking capabilities (international retail/private banking, insurance and financial services, global banking, and investor solutions).

Based in Geneva and Zurich, our teams serve a domestic and international clientele of UHNWIs, entrepreneurs, family offices and external asset managers with international wealth management needs. We offer them a full range of private banking services - asset management, financing, wealth planning, listed and unlisted investments and diversification solutions, including art and wine banking and philanthropic capabilities - leveraging the Group's international presence and expertise.

Helping To Build An Enduring Legacy For The Future

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

We’re ideally placed to serve international clients with a footprint in the UK. Firstly, whether our clients are family business owners, entrepreneurs or senior executives, our specialists help them maximise the potential of their wealth and leave a lasting legacy for their family. Our full range of wealth management and banking services help clients grow and protect their businesses, personal wealth and build an enduring legacy for the future.

Secondly, our diverse Private Banking team shares a common heritage with our clients: we speak their language and understand their culture. Thirdly, we offer an unrivalled value proposition for our clients that we call the three ‘A’s: a strong Affinity with emerging markets; Access to our network and capabilities, including through the Bank’s Commercial, Corporate and Institutional Banking franchise; and specialist Advice to seize dynamic market opportunities. Our open architecture approach allows us to offer an impressive range of standard to bespoke wealth management solutions across all asset classes.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

We’re going to keep doing what we do best. Standard Chartered is a leading international cross-border bank with a 170-year history in Asia, Middle East and Africa. This deep knowledge, expertise and local on-the-ground network, combined with taking the time to really get to know our clients, undoubtedly sets us apart.

What sort of challenges did you surmount to reach this level and how have you been able to succeed in such fast-moving circumstances?

Like most years, 2023 came with its challenges and I believe what’s crucial is being able to adjust somewhat quickly. Last year,

Grant Parkinson Head of Consumer, Private and Business Banking for Europe Standard Chartered

Winner

• UK Private BankInternational Clients Team

• UK Private Bank - Talent Management & Diversity

we saw inflationary pressures, higher interest rates, geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. We stayed true to our strategy but with enough flexibility to change course depending on certain headwinds.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from getting this award?

This is the [fourth] year running that Standard Chartered has won 'International Clients Team (UK)' and [first] time winning 'Private Bank - Talent Management & Diversity (UK)'. We are both humbled and proud.

"It is ultimately our clients who benefit from the Bank winning awards repeatedly because it is shows our continuous commitment to providing an award-winning service for them. I hope these awards also encourage top talent from diverse backgrounds considering a career in Private Banking to reach out."

Diversity and Inclusion is key at Standard Chartered, because if everyone can bring their whole selves to work, it creates a workplace culture that offers opportunity and supports everyone to thrive.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

Wealthy families from Asia, Africa and the Middle East will continue to look towards the UK as a destination to work, live and educate their children, and access the range of expert advisers the city has to offer. And we’ll be here to assist.

Fostering Lasting Relationships Is The Key

SBilly Stephenson Managing Director Stephenson Executive Search

• Wealth Management Executive Search Firm (Europe) Winner

tephenson Executive Search (SES) is a family-owned executive search company with expertise in the financial service sector; with a particular focus on wealth and asset management as well as single family offices. The company’s aim has always been to be the most reputable search firm in its industry thus attracting the best candidates and clients. Since SES’s inception 12 years ago, the firm has focused on building long-lasting relationships with clients, choosing to partner with firms that are aligned with the business’s own core values; integrity, trust, respect, passion, innovation and tenacity. In this way, SES is able to assist not only with recruitment, but as strategic business partners too, providing professional counsel to clients on how best to appoint and retain the highest calibre of people.

The majority of Stephenson Executive Search’s clients partner with the firm on an exclusive basis, with SES receiving consecutive assignments as a result of continued success. The results that the team have achieved have led not only to repeat business, but to numerous referrals and recommendations from clients and candidates alike. Their satisfaction with Stephenson Executive Search’s service has helped build our reputation.

SES’s consultants are immersed and qualified in the markets in which they operate, with the insight and expertise to enable them to target the right candidates quickly and efficiently. The team are committed to assisting professionals navigate their career advancements. Billy Stephenson, Managing Director, said, “Individuals are our priority. Ensuring alignment between candidate and client is key and our team is deeply committed to our values, consistently exceeding expectations. Through meticulous candidate mapping and meaningful connections, we've delivered outstanding results. Positive feedback, even from non-shortlisted candidates, reflects our unwavering dedication to excellence.” said Stephenson.

In addition to the firm’s successful placements and growing profits, SES has taken strides in growth and diversity and is proud to be one of the first signatories of the Black Talent Charter, supporting Black representation in the financial services and legal sectors and assisting with progression and promotion opportunities. SES continues to grow, In 2023 it achieved its highest turnover and profits in the company’s 12 year history, “2024 has started strongly and we are on track for another record year, continuing our successful expansion into fund management, distribution, and doing what we do even better. I am looking forward to another exciting year,” said Stephenson.

Stephenson Executive Search is consistently looking for ways to improve and streamline their service, conducting regular reviews and meetings with market professionals to ensure that the team is always prepared to navigate market changes. Data search platforms and processes are regularly updated to ensure the team are generating an up to date and wide-ranging talent pool of candidates, enabling clients to create and maintain diverse teams that are representative of the most experienced within the sector.

“Our success stems from prioritising people and helping them with their professional growth. By aligning the right talent with the right opportunities, we've achieved consistent profitability. I take pride in our team who maintain integrity and are dedicated to fostering career advancement and growth.”

Leveraging Teamwork And High-Quality Service To Achieve Success

Susie Hillier Partner - Head of Wealth Planning Stonehage Fleming

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

At the core of Stonehage Fleming Wealth Planning's success lies our exceptional team and unwavering dedication to client service. We collaborate to harness each team member's unique strengths and area of expertise, delivering a high-quality service tailored to address our clients' needs. We prioritise understanding each client's financial situation, goals, priorities and values before making recommendations, aimed to help them achieve financial peace of mind.

Our wide skill set, which includes a considerable understanding of tax and legal affairs, also gives us the ability to manage, influence, and co-ordinate the delivery of advice from a client’s team of professional advisers. In addition, being able to draw on the experience of the wider Stonehage Fleming Group, which spans globally across service lines, proves to be very valuable, particularly when advising families with an international footprint.

This client-centric approach provides the strong foundation for impactful financial advice that makes a real difference in their lives.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

In order to stay ahead and achieve success, we maintain a high standard of client service excellence while also being agile in responding to regulatory, legislative, and technological change. We have a strong focus on continual training for our team across the latest financial planning innovations, emerging market trends,

Winner

• Multi-Family Office over £3 Billion AuM

new products and services, as well as regulatory and compliance developments. This investment in ongoing professional development will continue and will allow us to remain competitive and stay ahead of the industry curve.

We have a number of valuable initiatives across the Stonehage Fleming Group, which also help in this regard. For example, we have recently presented our thought leadership report, “The Four Pillars of Capital: Managing risk in an age of upheaval” that draws on the responses from nearly 300 families and advisers, assessing the key issues affecting the long-term sustainability of family wealth. We are dedicated to staying ahead of industry trends to tailor our strategies effectively for our clients.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

There has been many changes in the industry in recent years. Looking ahead, we expect the wider wealth management industry as a whole to enjoy substantial continued growth in the near term. This is largely due to increasing awareness of the benefit of that, high-quality advice can bring.

A vital aspect of our approach is engaging with the next generation of clients, who will increasingly shape the industry landscape. In the coming years, as the transfer of wealth between generations accelerates, it will become more and more important to establish trust and rapport with the younger members of the families we look after. Our focus on succession planning allows us to proactively build relationships with successors early on, understand their unique priorities and perspectives, and establish multi-generational relationships with our clients.

We explore, identify, and analyse patterns within financial markets, human behaviour, and technological innovation to

ANTICIPATE MARKET TRENDS

Taranis - How Understanding Investors Can Drive Success

Julien Leegenhoek CEO & Portfolio Manager Taranis SA

Taranis is an innovative Swiss Asset Management company that offers various advanced investment solutions to clients founded on our unique approach to technology use. Technology is at the heart of our DNA.

We embed technology in all steps of our investment process, from data modelling, to trading implementation and risk management. This innovative architecture allows us to have a much smaller and agile team structure.

"If we had to guess what was the “winning formula” for the amazing recognition, we believe it would be the market approach of our main fund, Taranis Market Sentiment which is, by essence, different from our peers."

Academic research has shown that less than 20% of market movements on major stock indices are explained by fundamental factors such as earnings, dividends or macroeconomics.

Standard finance models, that focus on unemotional investors preferences, have failed to explain several empirical market anomalies. Behavioural finance has managed to bridge the gap. Human psychology, in particular emotional mindsets, play a key role when making investments decisions and understand investors’ “animal spirits”, introduced by Keynes in 1936.

We believe that understanding investors behavioural language, their optimism or pessimism and ultimately their risk appetite, help us make predictions on their demand for risky assets. We combine behavioural psychology with rigorous statistical analysis to strengthen our model predictions.

High quality academic research is the foundation of our investment approach. Market sentiment is a relatively new field of economic and financial research, thus, offers tremendous prospect for finding new patterns between exogenous data and market returns.

Data is the most important and vital aspect of our strategy. We use rigorous statistical methods to select each variable of our models. We continuously reassess the validity of our variables and test new datasets to discover new correlations.

With a combination of academic research, data development and technology optimisation we believe we are well positioned to generate performance with our daily liquidity systematic strategy.

"This award is an unbelievable industry recognition for our firm and will undoubtedly bring attention to the groundbreaking academic fielding we are pioneering."

• Equity-Based Investment Strategy Winner

Now, the question is how to measure investor sentiment and quantify its effects. We have built a sophisticated framework using a multitude of quantifiable behavioural indicators to model the overall mood of the market.

TRANSFORMING INVESTOR TAXES

With our consultancy and operational experience, we determined it was time to build technology to resolve legacy integration and data managment issues.

Innovative Design Increased Control Unlock Efficiencies

Built for purpose from the ground up, the core engine can cater for all scenarios. Data is granular and readily available.

Layers of automation and increased data tracking provide a way to derisk the most complex asset administration function.

Data tracking and automation enables firms to utilise TIARA to enhance all operational functions.

Get in touch to book a demo or find out more about how TIARA is shaping the future of asset administration.

Striving to Deliver The Gold Standard With Passion And Tenacity

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

My mission has always been to provide clients in the Wealth Management Sector, with the gold standard of administration services for the UK Tax Reporting function.

I have a genuine passion for tax (and data!) and ensuring the overarching tax function can be the best that it can be - TIARA (Tax Investment and Reporting Administration) is the culmination of years of hard work and determination.

It’s so important that as our Industry moves towards digitalisation, that the tax function doesn’t get left behind. Its already hindered by legacy technology and inefficient integrations. TIARA harnesses the power of serverless cloud technology and successfully bridges the gap between technology and the function.

What sort of challenges did you surmount to reach this level and how have you been able to succeed in such fast-moving circumstances?

We have had heaps of challenges along the way and many setbacks, trying to secure funding is a tough and timeconsuming process. Recruiting a Devops team during a pandemic was difficult to say the least, but at each stage, we have pushed on and are now seeing TIARA gain recognition and attract new business opportunities.

Who inspires you, either inside or outside your organisation?

Abi Ostler our COO has been a great support to me on this journey but also a great source of inspiration. Abi underwent treatment for breast cancer during 2022 and has always remained positive and cheerful.

Emmie Faust @ Female Founders Rise has been doing great work to work to educate,

expose and collaborate to help bridge the funding gap for female founders.

Cindy Callop is challenging the status quo, her outspoken messaging on equality is truly inspirational.

How do you hope your firm will benefit from getting this award?

"This award is a great boost to me and the team, especially after the challenges we have faced. It has been difficult at times to keep fighting but knowing others are starting to recognise what we bring is brilliant."

I’m hoping this will help build more brand awareness for us as we continue to grow and that the Wealth Management industry will begin to look seriously at their tax function as an integral element of their digitalisation journey.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

Ultimately, the end client will want to have access to financial information in one place, along with better administration. As the next generation step up, they will demand more transparent and timely reporting.

"Tax reports are a crucial component of the investor management cycle, we want to revolutionise our industry."

We want TIARA and its operating features to become the gold standard of asset administration to ensure data is managed proactively and automated so investors can get reliable and transparent information on their tax position.

Karrie Tilburn CEO TIARA Fintech Solutions Limited

Defining A Clear Path To Help Firms Realise The Benefits Of Digitalisation

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

Paul White Chief Marketing Officer TrustQuay Viewpoint

Our success has been built on helping corporate services and trust administrators to reimagine their processes, regardless of where they are on their digitalisation pathway. We work with providers to help them consolidate data to improve data quality, improve regulatory compliance, increase efficiencies and reduce costs through automation, and differentiate themselves in the market with digital engagement with their customers.

TrustQuay Online, allows the benefits of digitalisation available to all firms in our sector, no matter what their size. It is the first end-to-end cloud-native SaaS platform that provides a fully digital experience, enabling providers to meet their corporate and private wealth clients’ regulatory requirements as well as manage their own business in a simple to use, highly automated way at a significantly reduced total cost of ownership.

What sort of challenges did you surmount to reach this level and how have you been able to succeed in such fast-moving circumstances?

Current low levels of digitalisation within corporate services and trust administration is a challenge compared to other sectors of financial services. In a recent global survey, we found that while eight out of ten firms said they need to digitalise their business models to stay competitive, only 40% of firms had taken the first step by putting in place a consistent operating model to improve data quality.

Winner

• Innovative Client Solution B2B

These survey findings show an industry that increasingly recognises the need for transformation through challenges such as data quality and regulatory burden but is struggling to take the initial steps.

We can see that by mapping a digitalisation pathway, firms will gain greater clarity and confidence on the steps of data quality, regulatory compliance, automation and differentiation, where each stage delivers significant benefit.

Who inspires you, either inside or outside your organisation?

Globally our sources of inspiration come from our customers who provide us with ideas and ongoing feedback as well as looking at other sectors of financial services and how we can adapt new innovations to meet the needs of corporate services and trust providers.

Onboarding is a good example – challenger banks are now able to prove identity, check addresses and meet KYC and AML requirements in minutes, this was not happening or possible in our sector before.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

We believe that as an industry, we need to talk about data. Technology providers such as TrustQuay Viewpoint have an important role to play in this conversation, working in partnership with providers to help them define and achieve their goals. In 2022, we launched a Digitalisation Pathway to help firms gain greater clarity and confidence on best practice and the direction of travel. Last year, we launched a step-by-step improvement guide to help firms unlock the power of data integrity.

By working together, we believe the trust and corporate services sector will be able to move beyond the current issues and challenges that are holding back growth, and be able to realise the full benefits to margins, profitability, enterprise value and client service that digitalisation and automation bring.

THE DRIVE YOU DEMAND

We want to extend our warmest thanks to all our clients for their trust and support, which has enabled us to develop the high-quality services that have earned the Wealth Management Business Servicing The Principality of Monaco and the Alternative Investment Manager (Bank/Institutional) recognition at the WealthBriefing European Awards 2024.

Client-Centric Financial Innovation

Sérène El Masri - CEO (Monaco) & Philippe Lespinard

- Head of AM (London) Union Bancaire Privée, UBP SA

UBP is one of Switzerland’s leading private banks with over CHF 140 billion in assets under management as at 31 December 2023. It ranks among the best-capitalised banks with a Tier 1 ratio of 26.7% and a long-term deposit rating from Moody’s of Aa2 with a stable outlook.

Based in Geneva, UBP spans the globe. Spread across twenty locations in the world’s key economic and financial hubs, the Bank’s workforce comprises a vast array of nationalities and cultures. This international reach enables us to combine global expertise with local know-how.

Created via an external acquisition only five years ago, UBP Monaco has been steadily developing its offering to become a sector leader in the principality.

UBP’s Alternative Investment Solutions (AIS) team, based principally in London, is an innovator in alternatives and offers discretionary and advisory mandates for institutional and private investors, single-fund solutions, and funds of hedge funds. By becoming a “partner of choice for alternatives”, UBP stands apart from many of its peers with the team’s capability to provide customised mandates for all strategies.

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

Winning awards for both our Monaco branch and our Alternative Investment Solutions team is recognition of an attribute that we believe differentiates UBP – deploying innovative solutions adapted to our clients’ needs.

The ability to achieve this effectively requires two key ingredients: a closeness to our clients and a solution-oriented asset manager.

Our personal approach is embodied by our Monaco branch. Our proximity to our clients allows us to understand their unique situations, identify their needs and then add value via constant financial innovation and a range of unique services.

Winner

• Wealth Management Business - The Principality of Monaco

• Alternative Investment Manager (Bank/Institutional)

Our AIS team exemplifies this financial innovation. Always looking to anticipate and then stay ahead of trends, the AIS team provides a best-in-class offering to institutional and private clients through mandates and funds.

What role did your colleagues play?

This double accolade also illustrates another key attribute of UBP’s success: our integrated business model encourages close collaboration between our teams. Being mid-size, UBP is large enough to offer broad and institutional services, yet it maintains a size that allows employees to be familiar with their colleagues throughout the organisation. This plays a vital role in facilitating the exchange of ideas between Wealth Management and Asset Management, which, when combined with a flat management hierarchy, is conducive to our agile development of innovative and relevant solutions.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

UBP’s primary aim is to provide the best services to our clients. This means continued investment in Asset Management, creating an optimal environment for collaboration, and attracting and retaining the most skilled professionals.

What position would you like your firm to hold in its sector in five years’ time?

Our ambition is not to become the biggest bank by size, but to be regarded as the best bank for both private and institutional clients, specifically for clients with complex wealth situations, who demand exceptional financial strength, absolute discretion, innovative and high-performance investment and financing solutions, and the agility and flexibility to quickly adapt to their requirements.

VAR Capital - Asset Managers To Global Families

VAR Capital is a multi-family office and an asset manager that provides services to UHNW clients and companies across three key areas: investment management, debt solutions and corporate advisory services.

Our investment team manage liquid portfolios with a primary focus on capital preservation, and investment in single line securities, saving clients multiple layers of fees. Our investment strategy has a few unique features. Firstly, in an increasingly complex world where unprecedented technological innovations are disrupting value, our thematic approach provides an alternative to traditional strategies by seeking to capture sources for growth through long-lasting and sustainable trends. Our event-driven strategies exploit temporary stock mispricing, which can occur before or after corporate moves, such as financial restructurings or mergers and acquisitions.

The debt solutions team assists clients considering illiquid opportunities, mainly property development projects, with lending and asset financing from both our own funding line and institutional lenders. The relationships we have harvested with over 100 banks and private lenders enable us to accommodate the most complex borrowing requirements and negotiate the best terms on behalf of our clients.

Our team’s extensive experience allows us to deliver both transactional and structuring services within the scope of corporate finance and direct private equity investment. Initial steps include advising clients on deal-flow and valuation, after which we would take a hands-on approach in negotiation and due diligence, project managing legal, tax and accounting advisors.

Winner

• Use of Social Media

• Specialist Investment Manager with AuM up to £2 Billion (Highly Commended)

VAR Capital Ltd.

VAR Capital has grown into a thriving business with over £1bn AuM, c. £300m growth since 2020, and from three staff in 2014 to in excess of twenty today, with plans to expand to international locations.

VAR Capital is extremely proud to have been awarded the STEP Investment Team of the YEAR 2020/21 and WealthBriefing Private Investment Office 2022 for consistent outperformance and diligent risk controls. VAR has also been named in the list of 1000 fastest growing companies across Europe in all categories for two years in a row. Only c.250 companies across Europe managed to get in the list twice.

We are delighted to have won the award for Use of Social Media and believe our winning formula is being ahead of the times by using LinkedIn not just to publish articles like many companies do in our industry, but to connect with our audience. VAR Capital's founders have taken a different approach by sharing personalised stories and day-to-day happenings at the company. This strategy has resonated well with their followers and has led to significant growth in their LinkedIn presence as well as growing brand awareness. The effectiveness of our LinkedIn strategy can be seen in the significant growth in our page following, unique visitors, and page views. Within a few months, our page following increased by 30%, from approximately 2000 to 2700.

We also experienced 4000 unique visitors and 10,200 page views, representing a growth of 200%. The founders' posts have gained tremendous recognition, with total views of their posts increasing by approximately 5850% in the last year. The engagement on their posts has also increased by 6470%.

REVOLUTIONISING CLIENT LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT

Wealth Dynamix enables every wealth management firm to be truly client-centric by digitising the entire client lifecycle, from acquisition and onboarding through to ongoing relationship management and servicing

One solution that does it all

Any type of client, anywhere in the world

Digital-first, omnichannel delivery platform

360-degree prospect, client and group views

Pre-defined & automated workflows

Embedded compliance supports regulatory adherence

Intelligent, actionable insights via role-based dashboards

A single source of truth for your client data

*Studies undertaken by Wealth Dynamix show firms can benefit from an 80% reduction in the man hours spent on complex processes, from onboarding and reviews, to complaints handling and amendments of client legal structures.

80% improvement in process efficiency*

Taken Inspiration From Clients To Be The Best

Steve D’Souza Director of Direct Sales UK, MEA, and USA Wealth Dynamix

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won?

Our Client Lifecycle Management (CLM) platform is used by Wealth Managers worldwide and is accepted as the best on the market.

The proof is - we have won this award in Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the UK.

We have built the software over the past 11 years, we can deploy it in the cloud as well as on premise, and we cover all the lifecycle from Prospecting through to Probate. There are many point solutions. However, you need a solid base of CRM and CLM to make your operations more efficient and therefore drive down cost.

"Our

solution helps firms reduce onboarding times from 15 days to 1 day and resulted in 60% improvement in the efficiency of complex processes."

We cater to a wide range of Wealth Management & Private Banks (WM&PB)

firms, from boutique operations to large global institutions.

Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

Our team's deep domain expertise sets us apart. Our staff all have executive-level experience – from well-known financial institutions to ex-private bankers and those with a background in change management.

When we say we have walked in your shoes, we mean it.

This allows us to tailor our solutions to the specific challenges faced by different client segments. We understand regional nuances and translate them into features that empower truly client-centric wealth management.

What sort of challenges did you surmount to reach this level and how have you been able to succeed in such fast-moving circumstances?

Wealth Management is fundamentally an industry centred on clients, and the industry continues to put these at the heart of how it operates. However, we still see firms where inertia is king. So, the challenge is how to overcome this inertia and make it easier to adopt digital, workflow, and CRM technologies.

Our experienced team have had to deal with the myths that abound. These include that technology damages client relationships, self-service becomes a compliance barrier, or that CRM is just a ‘big brother’ tool.

We have shown repeatedly that these are invented barriers to change, perpetuated by lack of understanding. All the RM’s that we have worked with have seen clear benefit from being able to see everything in one place and having a clear process for activities such as reviews and onboarding.

Who inspires you, either inside or outside your organisation?

I am inspired by the founders of Wealth Dynamix who took a need for MiFid Compliance over a decade ago and have grown the company to over 180 people, $1Tr under management and clients in over 30 countries across the world.

Furthermore, our clients inspire us to make our solution better.

Our clients are at the heart of everything we do, guiding us towards innovation and success. All our prospects and new clients get the benefit of that focus in a feature rich solution geared entirely for the WM & PB industry.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years?

"The Wealth Management industry needs to get its act together. So many processes are still manual, and this drives cost into the servicing of clients. This in turn means inefficient firms are being acquired by larger and larger firms. These larger firms in turn without technology become inefficient due to their size. Someone needs to break the cycle and technology can make this happen."

We see several innovative technologies that can help, like Microsoft CoPilot in the AI space. However, the Wealth management industry needs to learn how to run before it tries to fly. We believe we can facilitate a truly nimble Wealth management company to leapfrog the competition. How? You need to give me a ring and I will tell you how.

We Believe That Every Advisor And Their Clients Deserve To Live The Wealthiest Possible Life

Yevgeni Agerd Founder & CEO WELREX

What was the winning formula of your firm/you that explains why you won? Please describe how your colleagues made a difference?

Let me respond literally with an attempted equation!

(WELREX team’s ‘deliver the result’ culture + translating changes in the external environment into strategic choices + absolute return approach to investing + operations bringing to life what marketing is talking about + technology ensuring things are done in a smart way + strict discipline with money coming in and out of the business) divided by (regulatory + geopolitical + macroeconomic headwinds).

Who inspires you, either inside or outside your organisation?

I’m delighted to work with a team of senior industry figures - with deep functional experience throughout their careers - who bring their wealth of expertise to the table every day. Their commitment to the life of a bootstrapped start-up has been amazing!

Outside the organisation it’s been truly inspirational to follow the work of Dominic Monkhouse. Dominic runs an influential business podcast – The Melting Pot - and publishes practical books on how to build and scale top teams.

Where do you see the wealth management industry and your part of it going in the next five years? What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?

Wealth management is on the verge of seismic transformation due to the exponential technologies that are changing the way we live and do business. Big trends like the emergence of platforms that make self-employment so much easier are manifestations of

• Innovative Use of Artificial Intelligence

• Most Promising New Entrant Winner

these vectors. ‘Hyper personalisation’ is also accelerating, based on technological changes that uproot business models and challenge the raisons d’etre of many firms.

Customer experience expectations are rising at an increasing pace due to the fintech revolution in retail finance. ‘Friendshoring‘ (as opposed to offshoring, a trend which is passing together with globalisation) is surely a direction of travel for the international structuring of wealth. Above all, due to the proliferation of low-quality data, making sense of excessive and often inaccurate information will continue to gain priority.

But the central role of top-notch offline human relationships is going nowhere in our opinion. Despite being widely predicted, the internet didn’t eradicate printed media. We predict that professionals who can harness technological progress will gain market share against those who don’t see the need to participate. At the same time, the market is large enough to accommodate many competing ways of doing wealth management business internationally. Ultimately, time will be the main arbiter of the accuracy of these forecasts.

To stay ahead we have recently implemented Behavioural Finance profiling, Machine Learning and AI capabilities within the WELREX platform and are working on boosting our credibility through strategic tie-ups with more established firms who see the need for a digitally assisted wealth management marketplace of choice.

Listening to our customers and end clients, combining their feedback with what we see in the industry and decisively acting on the insights we gain, is at the heart of our competitiveness and a particular passion of mine. It will remain the overriding focus for all our future developments, as we seek to ensure we retain our competitive edge.

Great Support That Makes A Business Stronger

What sets you apart from your peers this year and why?

WIZE by TeamWork, the all-in-one Wealth & Asset Management solution, is one of the fastest growing WealthTech companies in Switzerland dedicated to external asset managers, family offices, private banks, fund managers, pension funds and securities traders. Part of the TeamWork Group, a 1,000+ employees Swiss company founded in 1999 and fully owned by its top management, we offer a unique 100 per cent web-integrated SaaS secured Cloud or on-premises platform including:

• Portfolio management system with model portfolios and rebalancing/ hedging capabilities; private equity module; risk and performance management (MWR/TWR, contribution/attribution);

• Order management system including FIX Straight Through Processing connectivity with 20+ trading rooms;

• CRM System with KYC and documents lifecycle management;

• Compliance System with AML; MiFID II and LSFin/FIDLEG/FinSA pre-trade checking; risk profiling & monitoring; full audit trail;

• Reporting system with white labelled customised multi-assets consolidated reports;

• Invoicing system including automatic fees calculation and controlling; profitability measurement; and

• Multi-custodian connectivity: 200+ automatic feeds; API connectivity;

• e-banking / Mobile App.

In Geneva, Zurich, Singapore, Luxembourg and Montreal, our team of 45 professionals aims at delivering best in class support and back-office business process outsourcing (BPO) services thanks to our extensive banking operations expertise gained by most of us in different banks and/or family offices. Trusted by over 100 clients representing 125+ billion AuM and 3,000+ users in 22 different countries, we allow clients to focus on their business while taking advantage of the platform’s power and scalability for an attractive all-in-one monthly fee.

Our focus: intuitive user experience, rich & performing functionalities, easy and

transparent pricing. We therefore think all these elements set us apart from our peers and make us an outstanding 12 years old fintech.

How have your colleagues contributed towards the success of your organisation?

WIZE by TeamWork is first of all a fantastic success story based on people. WIZE is born out of the meeting in 2010 between Philippe Rey-Gorrez – the founder of the TeamWork Group - and Cédric Baiker, an expert in IT banking solutions who had driven the development of the swiss “Newbanking” core banking package from 1996 to 2010. Realising that the market solutions dedicated to private banking and external asset managers (EAM) were abnormally expensive, not sufficiently functional, and mainly based on legacy technologies, it was clear that in a context of increasing regulation and financial transparency, there would be a growing need for the EAM community to rely on more sophisticated, functional and secure solutions that would enable them to respond efficiently to their business challenges and constraints. Cedric had spotted a gap and a really growing need for EAMs and Philippe decided to invest in this team of 4 since he believed in them. The development therefore started in 2010 from a white sheet with the latest available technologies and with absolutely no legacy. After two years and a huge investment in R&D, the first customer was signed in 2012. Since then, the WIZE by TeamWork team continuously grew to a team of 45 today and continued to be ahead of market trends, evolving constantly.

What do you hope will be the result of receiving this accolade? How does it help your business in this region?

We hope this accolade will be perceived by our clients and team members as a strong evidence that our collaboration during the last 12 years has produced a remarkable and scalable platform. We therefore see this accolade both as a recognition of the high quality work delivered but also as a good evidence for our prospects that they can feel in good hands with our WIZE by TeamWork platform and team.

Pierre Dupont Managing Partner WIZE by TeamWork

WINNER: Julius Baer International Ltd

WINNER: Julius Baer International Ltd

WINNER: IntellectAI

WINNER: Dawn Li Wan Po - Julius Baer International Ltd

WINNER: Alice Killingbeck - KPMG Law UK

The Twelfth Annual WealthBriefing European Awards Winners 2024

WEALTH MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY CATEGORIES (VENDORS)

Private banks and wealth managers need 24/7 risk vigilance.

But with millions of news items from thousands of sources and in multiple languages generated daily, how can they be sure to receive need-to-know alerts rather than irrelevant noise?

smartKYC’s latest product, smartEYE, solves all of these problems.

Watches the world’s news and social media commentary in real-time, 24/7 to deliver precise risk alerts as soon as they are reported.

Carries out automated news analysis ensuring alerts are risk-classified according to your risk framework, are specific to your client, and contain new (rather than repeat) information.

Is truly multilingual so you can be as confident of your adverse media monitoring in languages such as Russian, Arabic or Chinese, as you are in English.

With smartEYE, private banks and wealth managers get risk-relevant, real-time alerts about their customers that allows them to act decisively and quickly. Compliance teams no longer have to wait for a periodic refresh cycle. Instead, they receive adverse media trigger events in the form of precise alerts, as that news breaks. smartEYE represents the ultimate solution for perpetual KYC risk monitoring. smartKYC proudly sponsors this awards ceremony and we congratulate all the winners!

Discover smartKYC’s latest product, smartEYE www.smartkyc.com/smarteye/

Proud sponsors of this awards ceremony

WEALTH MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY CATEGORIES (VENDORS) (CONTINUED)

WINNER

Innovative Client Solution B2B

WINNER

Innovative Use of Artificial Intelligence

WINNER

Change Management Process/Best Implementation of a Technology Solution

Innovative WealthTech Solution B2B

WINNER

WINNER

Blockchain-Based Sourcing Solution

Chief Executive Officer

WINNER

Client Accounting

WINNER

Innovative WealthTech Solution B2C

WINNER

WEALTH MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY CATEGORIES (IN-HOUSE)

WINNER

Change Management Process/Best Implementation of a Technology Solution

Innovative Use of Artificial Intelligence

WINNER

Innovative Client Solution

WINNER

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CATEGORIES

COMMENDED

Specialist Investment Manager with AuM up to £2 Billion

Specialist Investment Manager with AuM up to £2 Billion

WINNER

WINNER

Specialist Investment Manager with AuM over £5 Billion

Specialist Wealth Manager with AuM up to £2 Billion

WINNER

Specialist Investment Manager with AuM between £2 - £5 Billion

WINNER

WINNER

Discretionary Fund Management (DFM) Offering

Investment Consultancy

Specialist Wealth Manager with AuM over £5 Billion

WINNER

WINNER

Private Investment Office

Multi-Family Office up to £1 Billion AuM

WINNER

COMMENDED

Private Investment Office

WINNER

Multi-Family Office over £3 Billion AuM

Alternative Investment Manager (Bank/Institutional)

WINNER

Multi-Family Office between £1-3 Billion AuM

WINNER

WINNER

Alternative Investment Manager (Independent)

WINNER

WINNER: Laserfiche

WINNER:

WINNER:

WINNER:

WINNER:

WINNER:

Lombard Odier

Lincoln Private Investment Office

Lombard Odier

Multrees Investor Services

Multrees Investor Services

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CATEGORIES (CONTINUED)

BRING YOUR VISION TO LIFE

Look ahead with confidence, by drawing on 330 years’ experience, expertise from across the Barclays Group, and access to a global network of specialists.

Influence tomorrow

ALICE KILLINGBECK

Huddleston Jones Specialists Sourcing Specialists.

At Huddleston Jones, sourcing talent is a small part of the journey we take with our clients.

Consulting industry leaders, our specialists identify human capital objectives to future-proof your growth.

SPECIALIST

WEALTH MANAGEMENT CATEGORIES

WINNER

Most Promising New Entrant

WINNER

International Finance Centre

WINNER

Consolidated Reporting

WINNER

Corporate Social Responsibility/Diversity

Most Innovative Wealth Management Model

WINNER

Use of Social Media

WINNER

WINNER

Marketing or PR Campaign

WINNER

Global Custodian to a Private Client Business

Most Promising Merger

WINNER

WINNER

Impact Investing

Philanthropy Offering /Initiative of the Year

WINNER

WINNER

ESG

Wealth Management Executive Search Firm (Europe)

WINNER

WINNER: NICE Actimize

WINNER: Ocorian

WINNER: Prism the Gift Fund

WINNER: Nykredit Private Banking

WINNER: Omba Advisory & Investments Ltd.

WINNER: Prometeia

WINNER: RBC Wealth Management

WINNER: Rawlinson & Hunter LLP

WINNER: Saffery Trust

WINNER:

WINNER: SG Kleinwort Hambros

Societe Generale Private Banking

WINNER: Stonehage Fleming

WINNER: VAR Capital Ltd

WINNER: Taranis SA

WINNER: TrustQuay Viewpoint

WINNER: Karrie Tilburn - TIARA Fintech Solutions Limited

LEADERSHIP AND INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES

WINNER

Leading Individual (Banker)

WINNER

WINNER

WINNER

WINNER

Outstanding Contribution to Wealth Management Thought Leadership (Individual)

Women in Wealth Management (Individual)

Chief Operating Office

WINNER

Leading Individual (Advisor)

WINNER

Outstanding Contribution to Wealth Management Thought Leadership (Company)

WINNER

WINNER Rising Star Under 30 Rising Star Under 40

WINNER

Chief Executive Officer

Chairperson

WINNER

Chief Investment Officer

WINNER

Lifetime Achievement

CHARLES-HENRY MONCHAU

SHEHREEN QUAYYUM

DAWN LI WAN PO

JOHN REED

JOSEPH WICKS

JAN MEYER

DAMIANO BAJ

HEATHER TIBBO

ALEX KHAN

BRUCE WEATHERILL

LEE PLATT

WINNER: Union Bancaire Privée, UBP SA

WINNER: WELREX

WINNER: WITHERSWORLDWIDE

WINNER: Union Bancaire Privée, UBP SA

WINNER: WELREX

WINNER: WIZE by TeamWork

18 JANUARY 2024 Miami Family Wealth Report Awards incorporating Latin America & the Caribbean

8 & 22 FEBRUARY 2024

WealthBriefing Swiss Awards

WealthBriefing WealthTech Americas Awards

6 & 21 MARCH 2024

WealthBriefing Swiss EAM Awards

WealthBriefing European Awards

2 & 30 MAY 2024 Family Wealth Report Awards

WealthBriefingAsia & Greater China Awards

27 JUNE 2024

WealthBriefing Wealth For Good Awards

3 OCTOBER 2024

WealthBriefingAsia EAM Awards

21 NOVEMBER 2024

WealthBriefing MENA Awards

5 DECEMBER 2024

WealthBriefing Channel Islands Awards