Creating an effective estate and succession plan requires planning, preparation, execution and updating. In this process the tools to affect a successful plan will be dependent on various factors such as religion (Muslim, Christian, Hindu etc.), local laws (Common Law, Civil Law, Sharia Law etc.), recognisable tools such as Wills, trusts, foundations, and so on. One of the great challenges of today, is that we are in a transitionary phase in the way we own and access assets. This transition is leading to a greater and greater dependency on digital access to personal wealth which may also be stored in digital form. The result is that our estate and succession plan must adapt to this new way we engage with and record our assets. The danger is that if we do not carefully record and communicate the way we hold assets digitally, there is a considerable danger that these assets could be “lost” over time, as the connection to those assets (oneself), disappears.

Since its inception in 2011, Waterfield Advisors has carved a significant niche within the relatively youthful Indian independent wealth management sector, achieving remarkable growth that now sees it managing an impressive AUM of more than USD5.25 Billion across its network of 7 offices strategically located in India’s leading urban centres. The firm has built a robust team of 120 including 31 RMs and advisors, and counts over 200 HNW and UHNW families as clients, mostly from India, but which include a number of international clients as well. Hubbis enjoyed a recent discussion with the articulate Divij Chopra, a key figure who, in April 2023, quickly ascended to Managing Director of Global Client Origination only about six months after joining as an ED. In 2024, Divij has also assumed responsibility for the UHNW and single family office segment of Waterfield. Working closely in strategy and implementation with top-level colleagues at the company, Chopra believes Waterfield is poised to advance its standing as a leading Multi-Family Office and independent wealth advisory catering to the complex needs of India’s increasingly global uber-wealthy clients, including single-family offices, all seeking the bespoke and holistic wealth and advisory services Waterfield provides, and how they connect with the numerous wealthy Non-Resident Indians seeking to share in India’s buoyant investment markets. His observations and insights reveal an increasingly sophisticated matrix of client expectations and requirements that he believes Waterfield is uniquely positioned to fulfil.

Philip Story is the Head of Sales and Distribution for the EMEA region at Investors Trust, encompassing Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India. Investors Trust specialises in providing financial solutions and insurance-wrapped financial products to a diverse clientele that includes brokers, family offices, agents, and banks. These products are designed for offshore investment, offering tax-free savings options across multiple jurisdictions. Hubbis recently had the opportunity of catching up with Philip, who provided a deeper look into Investors Trust's innovative, flexible, and transparent strategy for assisting clients and intermediaries worldwide. He highlighted the company's commitment to delivering customized solutions and leveraging a network of top-tier local and international expertise. And he explained how this approach ensures individuals in varied situations can find the optimal solutions tailored to their specific needs.

Yann Mrazek, Managing Partner at UAE multi-services Platform M/HQ, is a committed and eloquent proponent of the UAE’s evolving wealth management market and the region’s progress in many key areas. Hubbis ‘met’ with him recently in Dubai to hear his latest perspectives on developing the wealth management proposition in the UAE and the broader region and to hear why he believes that Dubai and Abu Dhabi are achieving their objectives of cementing themselves amongst tier-one financial centres. He sees robust inward flows of HNW and UHNW individuals and families drawn to the region, he points to strong economic momentum in the Gulf, fast-expanding private wealth in the Middle East and the beginnings of a huge transition of assets and businesses to the next and younger generations, and he highlights rising geopolitical and political concerns around the world. He says that all these factors mean that the UAE is especially well placed for rapid growth ahead.

Paul Knox, Managing Director at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, based in Hong Kong, is an aficionado of prescience and prudent planning. He sees his role at the bank partly as a champion of rectitude on behalf of UHNW clients who are often taken aback by the sheer complexity of estate and succession planning in what is an increasingly interconnected and complex world of compliance and regulation. He sat as one of the expert panellists at the first Hubbis Digital Dialogue event of 2024, which focused the minds of delegates on the why, when and how of robust estate planning and structuring for HNW and UHNW clients and their families. Hubbis has distilled some of his key observations from what was a detailed and thought-provoking discussion.

I have just spent a week in India with Michael Stanhope of Hubbis. We had the good fortune to meet with 125 senior executives of some of Hubbis’ clients, all of whom are leading local State and commercial banks, international private banks, independent wealth managers, multi-family offices, asset managers, law firms and fiduciary services providers.

Investing in art has long been an intriguing but complex endeavor, offering a unique set of opportunities and challenges for those willing to navigate its waters. While the financial value of art has been established by the consistent performance of top-ranked artists, there are several factors to consider when delving into this world. And in the current climate of economic uncertainty, high net worth individuals (HNWIs) are increasingly turning to alternative investments like art and collectibles.

​​​​​​​The Nasdaq 100 is making all-time highs – led in part by the usual team of FAANG stocks – Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google (but do not forget the rest, and apologies to Bill Gates!). Many high-net-worth investors today have made significant fortunes by sticking to a buy and hold strategy in the US tech sector with the new focus on AI and the stocks that will benefit from this new paradigm.