Europe

Advising a Chinese billionaire entrepreneur in the semiconductor industry on the implementation of a multi-jurisdictional succession and wealth preservation strategy ahead of a potential business sale and future liquidity event, including the establishment of a pre-sale trust structure for business interests, a separate trust and Singapore private trust company structure to hold personal wealth and post-IPO liquidity, and the optimisation of existing family office and fund arrangements. Our work includes coordinating with licensed trustees and the client’s IPO advisers, advising on pre-IPO asset transfers, governance arrangements for the private trust company, ongoing tax and regulatory considerations, and conducting a comprehensive review of the family’s global citizenship, residency and asset profile to future-proof long-term succession and wealth planning.

Advising an ultra-high net worth family whose family business and members are based in Hong Kong, and have overseas connections, including a number of European countries and the UK, on a variety of matters including updating the patriarch's will and letter of wishes which involved consideration of the succession of his German assets, preparing lasting/enduring powers of attorney for members of the family in the UK and HK, and updating the provisions of the patriarch's lifetime trust.

Advised a Hong Kong billionaire in relation to his international estate, tax and trust planning through liaising with his family offices which are operating in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and the US. The client is resident in Hong Kong, but his family members include US, Canadian and PRC citizens. The client holds assets in various jurisdictions including Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, the US, Canada, the BVI, other parts of Asia and Europe. We assisted on the client's succession planning, covering assets exceeding US$130 million across several jurisdictions.

Our team advised a cross border couple on complex estate and succession planning involving divergent domicile, citizenship and tax profiles, including addressing UK inheritance tax exposure, US estate tax risks and the absence of spousal exemptions, alongside assets spanning the US, UK and offshore jurisdictions. The work involved restructuring asset ownership, mitigating forced heirship constraints under Scottish law, and designing a coherent succession framework to provide for the surviving spouse while preserving long term inheritance for children (including from prior relationships), supporting family governance and the intergenerational transfer of significant business and property interests.

We advised a Brazilian born ultra high net worth individual on cross border estate and succession planning in light of anticipated reforms to the UK non dom regime, with a particular focus on mitigating inheritance tax exposure across a multi jurisdictional asset base. Our work included reviewing and restructuring offshore trust and corporate holdings ahead of new UK rules, developing tax efficient strategies for the preservation and transfer of wealth, and advising on carried interest and trust planning, culminating in a flexible, forward looking succession framework designed to support long term family governance and efficient intergenerational wealth transfer under the evolving UK tax landscape.

We acted for a group of co-investors on the creation of offshore structures, family offices, and trusts to hold UK and global assets. Our advice included jurisdictional reviews, Shariah-compliant planning, and charitable structuring, alongside DIFC wills for UAE assets.

We have acted for an international family office and its Monaco resident principal on complex cross-border estate, succession and governance planning, acting as a central coordinating hub for multi-jurisdictional advice across trust and corporate structures. Our work has included advising on the evolution and potential migration of key trust structures (including contingency “Plan B” arrangements), developing governance and control mechanisms to support succession across children from multiple relationships, coordinating interactions between Jersey and Australian structures (including beneficiary funding and entrepreneurial support), and advising on global incentivisation and investment platforms (including a Singapore investment company), reflecting our role as integrated adviser on long term wealth structuring, family governance and intergenerational planning.

Advised a UK‑resident ultra‑high‑net‑worth business owner on complex cross‑border inheritance and succession planning following changes to Business Property Relief, including the design and implementation of a bespoke trust and holding structure to preserve control of significant operating businesses while enabling tax‑efficient generational transfer. The work involved detailed residence planning to facilitate relocation alongside the restructuring of personal and corporate assets, and the creation of a robust succession framework incorporating tailored governance mechanisms to address sensitive family dynamics and ensure the long‑term stewardship of substantial business interests.

We acted for an ultra high net worth individual and her family office on complex cross border estate and succession planning, with particular emphasis on the design, establishment and ongoing funding of multiple bespoke trust structures for the next generation, including the use of income based planning to maximise tax efficiency. Our work also included the preparation of coordinated UK and US testamentary arrangements and the integration of trust planning with high value international asset holdings, delivering a cohesive framework for inheritance planning, wealth preservation and intergenerational transfer across jurisdictions.

Our team advised a US/UK dual‑national client on complex cross‑border estate and succession planning across assets in the US, UK, Europe and the Middle East, including the establishment of a Disabled Persons Trust to provide for a child with additional needs in a controlled and tax‑efficient manner, and the preparation of coordinated testamentary arrangements (including a worldwide will and DIFC will). Our work also involved reviewing and restructuring life insurance arrangements, advising on the governance and succession of an international consultancy business, and aligning estate planning with divorce proceedings and subsequent relocation to the UK, ensuring a cohesive framework addressing UK inheritance tax, US estate tax and wider cross‑border considerations.