Jersey Finance to ‘Map the Future’ of the private client world at annual London conference

Friday 13 March 2015

Stephanie Flanders has been announced as a keynote speaker at this year’s Jersey Finance Annual Private Client conference in London, where she will also moderate two panel discussions addressing the challenges that face the private client world and explore how the private wealth management landscape is evolving.

Taking place on Wednesday 13 May at 8 Northumberland Avenue, the conference, entitled ‘Mapping the Future’, will feature a number of keynote speakers. Stephanie Flanders, Chief Market Strategist for the UK and Europe for JP Morgan Asset Management, will give an insight into the changing investment landscape, while Philip Marcovici, a legal expert and consultant on tax and wealth management, will discuss the ongoing global drive towards transparency and information exchange.

Stephanie was previously an editor and presenter for the BBC on television and radio, an FT columnist and reporter for the New York Times. An award winning journalist, she also wrote speeches and advised the US Treasury Secretary in the Clinton administration. Philip consults regularly with governments, financial institutions and families in relation to tax and wealth management, and is an expert on information exchange and cross-border data flows. An adjunct lecturer at the Singapore Management University, Philip, now retired from the practice of law, was the founder and CEO of LawInContext, the interactive knowledge venture of global law firm, Baker & McKenzie.

During the first of two panel debates at the conference, experts including Colin Powell (States of Jersey), Richard Hay (Solicitor, Stikeman Elliott) and George Hodgson (Deputy Chief Executive, STEP) will examine international information exchange models in more depth, including the impact of increasing demands for enhanced client due diligence, money laundering, and tax reporting on the private client industry.

The second panel, which will include Nick Jacob (Partner, Wragge Lawrence Graham and Co), John Riches (Partner, Withers Bergman) and James Campbell (Partner, Bedell Group) will explore how jurisdictions are responding to increased reputational sensitivities where wealth management is concerned and how the industry is adapting in terms of structures, operational models and technology.

Geoff Cook, CEO, Jersey Finance, who will provide an introduction at the event, said: “The global private wealth management landscape is evolving at a fast pace, driven by the emergence of new regional markets alongside an increasing political focus on transparency, information exchange and tax policy – particularly so in a UK election year. Against this backdrop, it’s important that private client professionals have accurate, robust and impartial information to help them make their decisions and plot a safe path for the future.

“To that end I’m delighted that we have such an impressive line-up of experts at this year’s event whose insights will undoubtedly help clarify issues practitioners face on a daily basis, and reflect the high legislative, regulatory and cooperative standards that Jersey adheres to.”

Jersey Finance’s Annual Private Client Conference takes place on Wednesday 13 May 2015 at 8 Northumberland Avenue, London, starting at 12.30 pm and finishing at 7pm, with a drinks reception afterwards. Media partners for the conference include Accountancy, E-Private Client, Familia, Spears and Trusts and Trustees. For further information and to book places please visit www.jerseyfinance.je.