HNW INSURANCE SUMMIT 2022 - Singapore

Based in Singapore, Benjamin is passionate about helping business owners, crypto investors and high net worth families craft holistic and tax-compliant solutions for asset protection, legacy planning, crypto-fiat integration, and liquidity management. Additionally, his forte includes assisting international clients separate business risks from their family fortunes, as well as in areas of art, emigration, family governance, and real estate. He has more than 20 years’ experience advising on a wide range of transactions spanning diverse jurisdictions. He is presently also a faculty member of Singapore’s Wealth Management Institute, lecturing on Trust Regulations and Practices. Benjamin was a recognised key lawyer in the 2020 Legal 500 Asia Pacific and served on the Law Society of Singapore’s Tax & Trust Committee for two terms. He was most recently the Head of Private Client at EY Law Singapore. Credentials include: MSc (Real Estate); LLB (Honours); Diploma in International Trust Management (Distinction); Diploma in Financial Management (ACCA); and Certificate in Life Insurance (SCI).

Peter Triggs is a Tax, Trust and Wealth Planning veteran with more than 30 years’ experience across Asia, The Middle East and Europe. He is now a Partner in 1291, (a wealth structuring and insurance business) lectures in Wealth Planning at the Wealth Management Institute in Singapore, and has his own consulting company. In previous capacitites, Peter served as: Managing Director, Head of Regional Wealth Planning, and Head of International Private Banking, DBS Private Bank in Singapore. Deputy CEO and Head of International Private Banking at Bank of China (Suisse) in Geneva. Managing Director, in various positions within Citibank Private Bank in London, Jersey, Geneva, Zurich and Singapore. His roles incluced Head of Citi Private Banking in Singapore and Malaysia and Head of Trust & Insurance in Asia. Prior to this, Peter was a Tax Principal for Deloitte in their London office. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a Chartered Tax Advisor in the UK, a Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and is qualified in Insurance and Investments in Singapore. He has an Honours degree in Mathematics and Philosophy from the University of Birmingham.

Zac has experience in all areas of international private client law including cross border tax, trust, estate, family, divorce and succession laws. Zac also has extensive experience advising in relation business family and family office governance and succession planning, and international private client regulatory laws, including the Common Reporting Standard, Mandatory Disclosure Rules, Economic Substance Rules and Beneficial Ownership Registers.

Woon Shiu has over 20 years of expertise in marketing, client development and professional training in family office structuring, trusts, high-net-worth life insurance and estate planning in Asia Pacific (especially China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia). Over the years, Woon Shiu has handled multiple landmark transactions, advising ultra-high net-worth individuals and founding members of banking conglomerates on matters relating to taxes, multi-generational endowment funds, planning of global assets, and much more. Woon Shiu is also an adjunct professor at the Wealth Management Institute (in Nanyang Technological University) and regularly lectures private bankers, lawyers and trust practitioners on wealth structuring and estate succession. He has also spoken as a guest lecturer at universities in China, and his views on family businesses are regularly featured in the Financial Times, Barron’s Asia, Singapore Business Times, China Daily and other renowned publications. Woon Shiu has advised numerous ultra-high net-worth families across Asia Pacific in the areas of strategic structuring of their estate and succession planning. He commonly engages multi-generation families, giving them advice on successfully establishing and implementing their desired family governance and philanthropic strategies. He holds a STEP certification and is a Solicitor in England and Wales, as well as an Advocate and Solicitor in Singapore. Woon Shiu is fluent in English and Mandarin – often lecturing in both languages – and is also conversant in Cantonese, Hokkien and Hainanese.

Lucia is responsible for the delivery of trust services and oversees a number of administration teams in Equiom’s Singapore office. Lucia has more than 15 years’ experience assisting family offices in senior roles, first from a corporate secretarial angle and later in her career in trust services. She has helped international clients from LATAM, Europe, China and ASEAN set up shop in Singapore, supporting their market entry and expansion in the region and beyond. For many years, she has guided the same families with family governance and their estate planning needs. Lucia holds a Masters in Law from the University of Bologna, a Master in Management and Corporate Governance, she is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, a Member of the Chartered Secretaries Institute of Singapore and ICA Certified Professional in Governance, Risk and Compliance. She is fluent in Italian and English.

Lee Wong is Head of Family Services, Asia at Lombard Odier. Lee is responsible for leading Lombard Odier’s wealth planning and family services proposition, which is a key component of the Bank’s growth strategy in the region. Before joining Lombard Odier, Lee amassed over 22 years of experience in the wealth management industry. She joined from Union Bancaire Privée in Singapore, where she was Head of Wealth Planning for South Asia and was responsible for leading a team advising high net worth clients on their family wealth transition, family governance, as well as philanthropic aspirations. Lee is a member of the MAS-EDB Family Office workgroup as well as the Wealth Management Institute’s expert panel on Family Offices. She is a regular trainer for Singapore Management University for IBF certification courses on wealth planning and family office. She is also a trainer for Wealth Management Institute’s family office advisor program. Lee holds a Bachelor of Laws from the National University of Singapore. She is a Chartered Trustee appointed by the Singapore Trustee Association.

Sim Mong Teck is the Founder and Managing Partner of Sim Mong Teck & Partners. He graduated from the National University of Singapore with an LLB (Hons) in 1989 and was admitted to the Singapore Bar in March 1990. His forte lies in private client work spanning a broad spectrum which includes Family Legacy Planning, Trust Advisory, Family Office, Conveyancing, Immigration and General Corporate Advisory. He has acted as counsel to numerous high net worth families from this region as well as North Asia. He is also a popular and sought-after speaker within the private banking, real estate and insurance industry. He is a Senior Member (by invitation only) of the Global – Asia Family Office Circle (GFO Circle). The GFO Circle is a platform set up by the Wealth Management Institute (WMI), supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Charmaine Leung has over two decades of experience in strategic marketing, business intelligence, consumer insights, and brand management in multi-national and regional organizations across Asia Pacific. In 2014, she made a career switch and became an independent consultant providing business and marketing solutions, and has since spent more time volunteering and working with seniors, low-income families, and ex-offenders recovering from addictions. As the Group Director of the Fund-Raising & Engagement Group (FREG) in the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), and Managing Director of Community Chest, Charmaine will be key in steering and growing Community Chest’s efforts in engaging the community to bring collaborative and sustained positive impact to the social service sector. She holds a Master of Counselling from Monash University and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Sociology and Japanese Studies from National University of Singapore.

John Shoemaker is Senior Counsel with Butler Snow in their Singapore office. John has more than 30 years’ experience in tax, legal & regulatory compliance, and is a common law lawyer with educational emphasis on taxation, trusts & estate planning. He also has extensive experience in ensuring multi-jurisdictional compliance for fiduciary product offerings (working with multijurisdictional outside counsel & adapting products for sale in relevant jurisdictions), including product management skills to direct complex products from concept to fully operational status.

Rohit Ganguli is the Head of Wealth Planning Asia at EFG Bank, he has two decades of experience working with clients to assist them in achieving their wealth planning objectives especially in relation to succession, legacy and asset protection needs. This often involves the use of trusts, foundations, corporate entities and other holding vehicles. Rohit is responsible for all aspects of the insurance activity in EFG in Asia. This involves supporting all insurance related discussions – including identifying life insurance referral opportunities based on clients’ wealth and liquidity planning needs, extensively interacting with external counter parties (such as insurance brokers and carriers) and also actively engaging with related stake holders within the bank. He manages all discussions around single family offices (SFO) and works closely with clients on the benefits and processes involved in the set up of SFOs. Rohit has a background in accountancy and also holds a Master’s degree in International Tax Law from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. He is a registered trust and estate practitioner (TEP) and holds a diploma from the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and is also certified with the Singapore College of Insurance. He has worked across geographies and has been with Big 4 consulting firms and MNCs prior to joining the bank.

Carolyn is Managing Director of Bordier & Cie Singapore and a pioneer of Malaysia's Private Banking sphere with over 20 years of experience. She was former Head of Maybank Private Malaysia, Wealth Management. Prior to joining Maybank Private, Carolyn was attached to CIMB Private Banking since its launch in 2002, with the last position held being Head of Private Banking in Malaysia. During the tenure, Carolyn had built and led teams to drive client relations, as well as expanded the Private Banking business by establishing presence in four new states - Penang, Sarawak, Sabah and Johor. She had also served at unit trust and mutual fund companies namely CIMB Principal Asset Management in Malaysia, and Templeton Management Limited, one of Canada's largest mutual funds, where she managed sales for the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Carolyn graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Hons) in Economics from the University of Toronto and has completed various Financial Planning courses.

Roger Chi is a Partner of 1291 Group Asia and oversees the development of the Singapore office. Roger has extensive experience working with family offices across Asia and the Middle East advising on cross border investments, succession planning, taxation, family governance, and private equity. Prior to 1291, Roger was a partner at Candareen Capital where he led their family Office advisory activities and was appointed a senior advisor to Sheikh Syed al Maktoun. Roger started his career as a venture capitalist at Brainrush Ventures - a San Francisco Bay Area venture capital firm, before joining a Monitor Company and a leading strategic consulting firm. Roger holds a MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science (BS) from the UC Berkeley.

Serge Hediger is Managing Partner of 1291 Group Europe and holds both a Master degree in Business Administration (MBA) and Law (LL.M.). He started in the insurance industry 20 years ago and advises UHNWI clients, their tax lawyers, private banks and asset managers. Since 2008, Serge has been a Board Member of the Liechtenstein Insurance Association. Prior to his engagement with 1291 Group Europe, Serge has been Group CEO of Valour Life Insurance in Liechtenstein and Ireland for seven years. Before he held various management positions with a listed Swiss Insurance Group. He is a trusted Expert in the field of asset protection, estate planning and regulatory issues related to Life Insurance. Serge regularly serves on task forces, which advise authorities on various topics.

Michael is a financial services tax partner with Deloitte Asia Pacific and is the firm’s Asia Pacific Financial Services Tax Leader. He has 35 years of tax experience; 27 years of which have been spent working in Asia having been based in Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Singapore. Prior to joining Deloitte, Michael had held senior tax roles with leading financial institutions and professional firms in Asia Pacific and academic appointments at the University of Melbourne and National University of Singapore. Michael advises on all areas of financial services tax (including indirect tax, information reporting, M&A tax and transfer pricing); and is a recognised industry tax expert. Michael works across all sectors including banking and securities, insurance and investment (and wealth) management. He is qualified as both a solicitor (Supreme Court of Victoria and High Court of Australia) and a Certified Public Accountant (Australia). Michael is an Accredited Tax Adviser: Income tax and GST (Singapore), a Certified Tax Adviser (Hong Kong) and a Trust and Estate Practitioner. He is a Fellow of the Taxation Institute of Hong Kong, an Associate of the Chartered Tax Institute of Malaysia and a member of the Singapore Institute of Directors. Michael holds a Master of Taxation from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Laws from the National University of Singapore. He is a member of the ASIFMA Tax Product Committee and a member of the AIMA Tax Committee in Singapore.

Nicholas Kourteff is an insurance industry consultant who works with premier insurance manufacturers and distribution partners to help High Net Worth customers achieve a lifetime of financial security and provide them with peace of mind. Nicholas is a qualified and accomplished executive with over 20 years experience in financial services. He brings a richness of expertise with strong connections in areas such as High Net Worth insurance distribution, bancassurance and financial planning. From 1994 he built a successful financial planning practice in Sydney, Australia with major Australian banks, prior to relocating to Hong Kong in 2000, where he specialized to bring needs based insurance and investment advice to the mass affluent and bancassurance markets. In 2007 he relocated to South East Asia to drive the growth of the then fledgling High Net Worth insurance market. As Wealth Planning Life Insurance Sales Manager, Nicholas pioneered Private Bancassurance together with specialist Insurance Brokers, Wealth Planners and Client Advisors to develop and grow the High Net Worth insurance landscape and bring best practices to South East Asia clientele. Nicholas holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Business in Applied Economics from the University of South Australia, and a Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance and Investment from the Financial Services Institute of Australasia. He also holds Hong Kong qualifications in insurance, MPF and the Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute.

Michael Wei is the Chief Partnership & Marketing Officer of Sun Life Singapore leading the sales and distribution strategy, strategic partnerships, brand marketing and communications.  He has experience and depth of High Net Worth (HNW) & Ultra High Net Worth insights gleaned from 20 years within the life insurance and banking industry as well as personally working with HNW individuals, families and corporates for over a decade.   Before joining Sun Life Singapore, Michael was the Senior Vice President in Citibank Regional Insurance, overseeing 17 markets across APAC & EMEA, where he was responsible for strategic planning, business management and digital innovation. Prior to his regional role, Michael was at Manulife Singapore, where he steered the HNW strategy as the Head of HNW Strategy & Solutions (Agency, FA, International Brokers).   Michael recently graduated from Stanford University Graduate School of Business in Stanford LEAD Professional Certificate in Organizational Leadership. He also holds a Bachelor of Science (Finance) from the University College Dublin and a Diploma in Information Technology from Nanyang Polytechnic.

Lee Sleight is Head of Business Development, Asia, and is responsible for designing tailored private wealth and succession planning solutions, working closely with Asia-focussed distribution partners, for UHNW clients and their families that protect, preserve and pass on their legacy to future generations. Lee has over 20 years’ experience in the wealth assurance industry across Europe, Asia and Latin America. Joining Lombard International Group in 2004, Lee successfully led the European Complex Case Structuring Team, where he built a unique track record, working in partnership with advisers to global UHNW families to offer Private Placement Life Insurance based solutions catering for their increasingly complex wealth and succession planning needs. Lee is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Born in the UK, Lee has lived in Germany since 2005 and worked in Luxembourg since 2001. A father of 3, Lee is also an avid trail runner and triathlete.

Michael has an extensive background in financial services in Asia, Europe and North America. He has been in Asia-Pacific since 1995 – first in Hong Kong for six years, then in Sydney and Singapore, returning to Hong Kong in 2007. Before setting up Hubbis in early 2009, Michael founded Pacific Prospect in 2002 and sold it to global business-to-business publisher Incisive Media in 2006, continuing to serve as Chief Executive Officer until October 2008. Prior to Pacific Prospect, Michael worked for nine years in financial markets publishing. He joined Euromoney Publications in 1993 as the publisher of a quarterly magazine, International Bond Investor. In 1995, Michael joined Thomson Financial Services (now Thomson Reuters) to conceive and launch Finance Asia magazine. While he was Managing Director of Finance Asia, Michael also started the Asian Debt Review, Asian Private Capital Magazine and started the Finance Asia Conference Business. In 1997, Michael founded FIA Limited. Born in North Wales, Michael was head boy of St David’s College Llandudno. He has a degree in Business Administration from Cardiff University. And is married with three children - Reanna, Garett and Tarryn.

Woon Shiu has over 20 years of expertise in marketing, client development and professional training in family office structuring, trusts, high-net-worth life insurance and estate planning in Asia Pacific (especially China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia). Over the years, Woon Shiu has handled multiple landmark transactions, advising ultra-high net-worth individuals and founding members of banking conglomerates on matters relating to taxes, multi-generational endowment funds, planning of global assets, and much more. Woon Shiu is also an adjunct professor at the Wealth Management Institute (in Nanyang Technological University) and regularly lectures private bankers, lawyers and trust practitioners on wealth structuring and estate succession. He has also spoken as a guest lecturer at universities in China, and his views on family businesses are regularly featured in the Financial Times, Barron’s Asia, Singapore Business Times, China Daily and other renowned publications. Woon Shiu has advised numerous ultra-high net-worth families across Asia Pacific in the areas of strategic structuring of their estate and succession planning. He commonly engages multi-generation families, giving them advice on successfully establishing and implementing their desired family governance and philanthropic strategies. He holds a STEP certification and is a Solicitor in England and Wales, as well as an Advocate and Solicitor in Singapore. Woon Shiu is fluent in English and Mandarin – often lecturing in both languages – and is also conversant in Cantonese, Hokkien and Hainanese.

Lee Wong is Head of Family Services, Asia at Lombard Odier. Lee is responsible for leading Lombard Odier’s wealth planning and family services proposition, which is a key component of the Bank’s growth strategy in the region. Before joining Lombard Odier, Lee amassed over 22 years of experience in the wealth management industry. She joined from Union Bancaire Privée in Singapore, where she was Head of Wealth Planning for South Asia and was responsible for leading a team advising high net worth clients on their family wealth transition, family governance, as well as philanthropic aspirations. Lee is a member of the MAS-EDB Family Office workgroup as well as the Wealth Management Institute’s expert panel on Family Offices. She is a regular trainer for Singapore Management University for IBF certification courses on wealth planning and family office. She is also a trainer for Wealth Management Institute’s family office advisor program. Lee holds a Bachelor of Laws from the National University of Singapore. She is a Chartered Trustee appointed by the Singapore Trustee Association.

Roger Chi is a Partner of 1291 Group Asia and oversees the development of the Singapore office. Roger has extensive experience working with family offices across Asia and the Middle East advising on cross border investments, succession planning, taxation, family governance, and private equity. Prior to 1291, Roger was a partner at Candareen Capital where he led their family Office advisory activities and was appointed a senior advisor to Sheikh Syed al Maktoun. Roger started his career as a venture capitalist at Brainrush Ventures - a San Francisco Bay Area venture capital firm, before joining a Monitor Company and a leading strategic consulting firm. Roger holds a MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science (BS) from the UC Berkeley.

Michael Wei is the Chief Partnership & Marketing Officer of Sun Life Singapore leading the sales and distribution strategy, strategic partnerships, brand marketing and communications.  He has experience and depth of High Net Worth (HNW) & Ultra High Net Worth insights gleaned from 20 years within the life insurance and banking industry as well as personally working with HNW individuals, families and corporates for over a decade.   Before joining Sun Life Singapore, Michael was the Senior Vice President in Citibank Regional Insurance, overseeing 17 markets across APAC & EMEA, where he was responsible for strategic planning, business management and digital innovation. Prior to his regional role, Michael was at Manulife Singapore, where he steered the HNW strategy as the Head of HNW Strategy & Solutions (Agency, FA, International Brokers).   Michael recently graduated from Stanford University Graduate School of Business in Stanford LEAD Professional Certificate in Organizational Leadership. He also holds a Bachelor of Science (Finance) from the University College Dublin and a Diploma in Information Technology from Nanyang Polytechnic.

Sim Mong Teck is the Founder and Managing Partner of Sim Mong Teck & Partners. He graduated from the National University of Singapore with an LLB (Hons) in 1989 and was admitted to the Singapore Bar in March 1990. His forte lies in private client work spanning a broad spectrum which includes Family Legacy Planning, Trust Advisory, Family Office, Conveyancing, Immigration and General Corporate Advisory. He has acted as counsel to numerous high net worth families from this region as well as North Asia. He is also a popular and sought-after speaker within the private banking, real estate and insurance industry. He is a Senior Member (by invitation only) of the Global – Asia Family Office Circle (GFO Circle). The GFO Circle is a platform set up by the Wealth Management Institute (WMI), supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Charmaine Leung has over two decades of experience in strategic marketing, business intelligence, consumer insights, and brand management in multi-national and regional organizations across Asia Pacific. In 2014, she made a career switch and became an independent consultant providing business and marketing solutions, and has since spent more time volunteering and working with seniors, low-income families, and ex-offenders recovering from addictions. As the Group Director of the Fund-Raising & Engagement Group (FREG) in the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), and Managing Director of Community Chest, Charmaine will be key in steering and growing Community Chest’s efforts in engaging the community to bring collaborative and sustained positive impact to the social service sector. She holds a Master of Counselling from Monash University and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Sociology and Japanese Studies from National University of Singapore.

Lee Sleight is Head of Business Development, Asia, and is responsible for designing tailored private wealth and succession planning solutions, working closely with Asia-focussed distribution partners, for UHNW clients and their families that protect, preserve and pass on their legacy to future generations. Lee has over 20 years’ experience in the wealth assurance industry across Europe, Asia and Latin America. Joining Lombard International Group in 2004, Lee successfully led the European Complex Case Structuring Team, where he built a unique track record, working in partnership with advisers to global UHNW families to offer Private Placement Life Insurance based solutions catering for their increasingly complex wealth and succession planning needs. Lee is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Born in the UK, Lee has lived in Germany since 2005 and worked in Luxembourg since 2001. A father of 3, Lee is also an avid trail runner and triathlete.

Rohit Ganguli is the Head of Wealth Planning Asia at EFG Bank, he has two decades of experience working with clients to assist them in achieving their wealth planning objectives especially in relation to succession, legacy and asset protection needs. This often involves the use of trusts, foundations, corporate entities and other holding vehicles. Rohit is responsible for all aspects of the insurance activity in EFG in Asia. This involves supporting all insurance related discussions – including identifying life insurance referral opportunities based on clients’ wealth and liquidity planning needs, extensively interacting with external counter parties (such as insurance brokers and carriers) and also actively engaging with related stake holders within the bank. He manages all discussions around single family offices (SFO) and works closely with clients on the benefits and processes involved in the set up of SFOs. Rohit has a background in accountancy and also holds a Master’s degree in International Tax Law from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. He is a registered trust and estate practitioner (TEP) and holds a diploma from the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and is also certified with the Singapore College of Insurance. He has worked across geographies and has been with Big 4 consulting firms and MNCs prior to joining the bank.

Nicholas Kourteff is an insurance industry consultant who works with premier insurance manufacturers and distribution partners to help High Net Worth customers achieve a lifetime of financial security and provide them with peace of mind. Nicholas is a qualified and accomplished executive with over 20 years experience in financial services. He brings a richness of expertise with strong connections in areas such as High Net Worth insurance distribution, bancassurance and financial planning. From 1994 he built a successful financial planning practice in Sydney, Australia with major Australian banks, prior to relocating to Hong Kong in 2000, where he specialized to bring needs based insurance and investment advice to the mass affluent and bancassurance markets. In 2007 he relocated to South East Asia to drive the growth of the then fledgling High Net Worth insurance market. As Wealth Planning Life Insurance Sales Manager, Nicholas pioneered Private Bancassurance together with specialist Insurance Brokers, Wealth Planners and Client Advisors to develop and grow the High Net Worth insurance landscape and bring best practices to South East Asia clientele. Nicholas holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Business in Applied Economics from the University of South Australia, and a Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance and Investment from the Financial Services Institute of Australasia. He also holds Hong Kong qualifications in insurance, MPF and the Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute.

Based in Singapore, Benjamin is passionate about helping business owners, crypto investors and high net worth families craft holistic and tax-compliant solutions for asset protection, legacy planning, crypto-fiat integration, and liquidity management. Additionally, his forte includes assisting international clients separate business risks from their family fortunes, as well as in areas of art, emigration, family governance, and real estate. He has more than 20 years’ experience advising on a wide range of transactions spanning diverse jurisdictions. He is presently also a faculty member of Singapore’s Wealth Management Institute, lecturing on Trust Regulations and Practices. Benjamin was a recognised key lawyer in the 2020 Legal 500 Asia Pacific and served on the Law Society of Singapore’s Tax & Trust Committee for two terms. He was most recently the Head of Private Client at EY Law Singapore. Credentials include: MSc (Real Estate); LLB (Honours); Diploma in International Trust Management (Distinction); Diploma in Financial Management (ACCA); and Certificate in Life Insurance (SCI).

Zac has experience in all areas of international private client law including cross border tax, trust, estate, family, divorce and succession laws. Zac also has extensive experience advising in relation business family and family office governance and succession planning, and international private client regulatory laws, including the Common Reporting Standard, Mandatory Disclosure Rules, Economic Substance Rules and Beneficial Ownership Registers.

Michael is a financial services tax partner with Deloitte Asia Pacific and is the firm’s Asia Pacific Financial Services Tax Leader. He has 35 years of tax experience; 27 years of which have been spent working in Asia having been based in Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Singapore. Prior to joining Deloitte, Michael had held senior tax roles with leading financial institutions and professional firms in Asia Pacific and academic appointments at the University of Melbourne and National University of Singapore. Michael advises on all areas of financial services tax (including indirect tax, information reporting, M&A tax and transfer pricing); and is a recognised industry tax expert. Michael works across all sectors including banking and securities, insurance and investment (and wealth) management. He is qualified as both a solicitor (Supreme Court of Victoria and High Court of Australia) and a Certified Public Accountant (Australia). Michael is an Accredited Tax Adviser: Income tax and GST (Singapore), a Certified Tax Adviser (Hong Kong) and a Trust and Estate Practitioner. He is a Fellow of the Taxation Institute of Hong Kong, an Associate of the Chartered Tax Institute of Malaysia and a member of the Singapore Institute of Directors. Michael holds a Master of Taxation from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Laws from the National University of Singapore. He is a member of the ASIFMA Tax Product Committee and a member of the AIMA Tax Committee in Singapore.

John Shoemaker is Senior Counsel with Butler Snow in their Singapore office. John has more than 30 years’ experience in tax, legal & regulatory compliance, and is a common law lawyer with educational emphasis on taxation, trusts & estate planning. He also has extensive experience in ensuring multi-jurisdictional compliance for fiduciary product offerings (working with multijurisdictional outside counsel & adapting products for sale in relevant jurisdictions), including product management skills to direct complex products from concept to fully operational status.

Lucia is responsible for the delivery of trust services and oversees a number of administration teams in Equiom’s Singapore office. Lucia has more than 15 years’ experience assisting family offices in senior roles, first from a corporate secretarial angle and later in her career in trust services. She has helped international clients from LATAM, Europe, China and ASEAN set up shop in Singapore, supporting their market entry and expansion in the region and beyond. For many years, she has guided the same families with family governance and their estate planning needs. Lucia holds a Masters in Law from the University of Bologna, a Master in Management and Corporate Governance, she is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, a Member of the Chartered Secretaries Institute of Singapore and ICA Certified Professional in Governance, Risk and Compliance. She is fluent in Italian and English.

Carolyn is Managing Director of Bordier & Cie Singapore and a pioneer of Malaysia's Private Banking sphere with over 20 years of experience. She was former Head of Maybank Private Malaysia, Wealth Management. Prior to joining Maybank Private, Carolyn was attached to CIMB Private Banking since its launch in 2002, with the last position held being Head of Private Banking in Malaysia. During the tenure, Carolyn had built and led teams to drive client relations, as well as expanded the Private Banking business by establishing presence in four new states - Penang, Sarawak, Sabah and Johor. She had also served at unit trust and mutual fund companies namely CIMB Principal Asset Management in Malaysia, and Templeton Management Limited, one of Canada's largest mutual funds, where she managed sales for the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Carolyn graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Hons) in Economics from the University of Toronto and has completed various Financial Planning courses.

Serge Hediger is Managing Partner of 1291 Group Europe and holds both a Master degree in Business Administration (MBA) and Law (LL.M.). He started in the insurance industry 20 years ago and advises UHNWI clients, their tax lawyers, private banks and asset managers. Since 2008, Serge has been a Board Member of the Liechtenstein Insurance Association. Prior to his engagement with 1291 Group Europe, Serge has been Group CEO of Valour Life Insurance in Liechtenstein and Ireland for seven years. Before he held various management positions with a listed Swiss Insurance Group. He is a trusted Expert in the field of asset protection, estate planning and regulatory issues related to Life Insurance. Serge regularly serves on task forces, which advise authorities on various topics.

Michael Wei is the Chief Partnership & Marketing Officer of Sun Life Singapore leading the sales and distribution strategy, strategic partnerships, brand marketing and communications.  He has experience and depth of High Net Worth (HNW) & Ultra High Net Worth insights gleaned from 20 years within the life insurance and banking industry as well as personally working with HNW individuals, families and corporates for over a decade.   Before joining Sun Life Singapore, Michael was the Senior Vice President in Citibank Regional Insurance, overseeing 17 markets across APAC & EMEA, where he was responsible for strategic planning, business management and digital innovation. Prior to his regional role, Michael was at Manulife Singapore, where he steered the HNW strategy as the Head of HNW Strategy & Solutions (Agency, FA, International Brokers).   Michael recently graduated from Stanford University Graduate School of Business in Stanford LEAD Professional Certificate in Organizational Leadership. He also holds a Bachelor of Science (Finance) from the University College Dublin and a Diploma in Information Technology from Nanyang Polytechnic.

Lee Sleight is Head of Business Development, Asia, and is responsible for designing tailored private wealth and succession planning solutions, working closely with Asia-focussed distribution partners, for UHNW clients and their families that protect, preserve and pass on their legacy to future generations. Lee has over 20 years’ experience in the wealth assurance industry across Europe, Asia and Latin America. Joining Lombard International Group in 2004, Lee successfully led the European Complex Case Structuring Team, where he built a unique track record, working in partnership with advisers to global UHNW families to offer Private Placement Life Insurance based solutions catering for their increasingly complex wealth and succession planning needs. Lee is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Born in the UK, Lee has lived in Germany since 2005 and worked in Luxembourg since 2001. A father of 3, Lee is also an avid trail runner and triathlete.

Roger Chi is a Partner of 1291 Group Asia and oversees the development of the Singapore office. Roger has extensive experience working with family offices across Asia and the Middle East advising on cross border investments, succession planning, taxation, family governance, and private equity. Prior to 1291, Roger was a partner at Candareen Capital where he led their family Office advisory activities and was appointed a senior advisor to Sheikh Syed al Maktoun. Roger started his career as a venture capitalist at Brainrush Ventures - a San Francisco Bay Area venture capital firm, before joining a Monitor Company and a leading strategic consulting firm. Roger holds a MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science (BS) from the UC Berkeley.

Peter Triggs is a Tax, Trust and Wealth Planning veteran with more than 30 years’ experience across Asia, The Middle East and Europe. He is now a Partner in 1291, (a wealth structuring and insurance business) lectures in Wealth Planning at the Wealth Management Institute in Singapore, and has his own consulting company. In previous capacitites, Peter served as: Managing Director, Head of Regional Wealth Planning, and Head of International Private Banking, DBS Private Bank in Singapore. Deputy CEO and Head of International Private Banking at Bank of China (Suisse) in Geneva. Managing Director, in various positions within Citibank Private Bank in London, Jersey, Geneva, Zurich and Singapore. His roles incluced Head of Citi Private Banking in Singapore and Malaysia and Head of Trust & Insurance in Asia. Prior to this, Peter was a Tax Principal for Deloitte in their London office. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a Chartered Tax Advisor in the UK, a Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and is qualified in Insurance and Investments in Singapore. He has an Honours degree in Mathematics and Philosophy from the University of Birmingham.