BFI Masterclass - Trusts in Focus: The Role of a Trust and the Trustee Within a Family Governance Framework

Trusts can be an effective tool for implementing a family governance plan, asset protection and tax planning. Families must understand their relationship with the trustee and their rights and responsibilities when establishing such a trust. This session will explore how a trust can be structured to support a broader family governance plan. We will review recent contentious trust cases, examining breakdowns in relationships among family members or between the family and the trustee. We will also discuss the role of a trustee and how to balance trustee discretion with the family's broader aims. The session will feature a live case discussion focusing on common issues families or trustees may encounter in trust administration.

Invitation is open to family members/principals only.

Date:
Time:
Venue:

Thursday 12 September 2024
3:00pm to 5:30pm
SMU

Stephanie Lim Pierce
Managing Associate - Mishcon de Reya

Stephanie specialises in cross-border succession and wealth structuring for high net worth and ultra high net worth international individuals and families, with a focus on UK tax and cross-border estate planning. Her extensive expertise encompasses UK property structuring, cross-border estate and wealth planning, the creation, tax treatment and governance of trusts across multiple jurisdictions, the preparation of Wills covering assets in multiple jurisdictions, and UK residence and domicile intricacies.

An integral member of Mishcon’s Luxury Assets Group, Stephanie also leads the Mishcon Women in Wealth Group, dedicated to supporting female wealth holders and their advisers. She holds the STEP Advanced Certificate in UK Tax for International Clients and is an affiliate member of STEP. Recognised as a leading professional, Stephanie has been featured in the Private Client Global Elite Directory for Singapore since 2023 and is acknowledged as a Recommended Lawyer for Private Wealth and Family Law by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific for 2023-2024.

In addition to her professional practice, Stephanie sits on the Women in Business Committee for the Singapore British Chamber of Commerce and on the Education and Events sub-committee for STEP Singapore.

Vincent Sim
Managing Associate - Mishcon de Reya

Vincent advises high net worth individuals and families on tax and family succession planning. His expertise lies in crafting tax-efficient holding structures through the use of trusts, private trust companies, and family offices. His advice extends to intricate multi-jurisdictional tax issues, governance issues, disclosure and reporting obligations, immigration planning, and structuring charitable activities. With a focus on the Asia Pacific region, Vincent possesses a keen understanding of the region’s tax regulations.   

Vincent’s professional achievements have been recognised with a listing in the Private Client Global Elite Directory 2022/23 for Singapore. He is also acknowledged as a Recommended Lawyer for Private Wealth and Family Law by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific for 2023-2024. 

Prior to joining Mishcon, Vincent was a structuring lawyer at Credit Suisse where he formulated and implemented bespoke trust structures for regional ultra high net worth individuals and their families.

Ruth Beavan
Wealth Planning Director - Sequent Group

Ruth joined Sequent Group almost 10 years ago from a New Zealand law firm where she worked as a lawyer in the Private Client team. She is an executive director of Sequent (Singapore) Limited and a member of Sequent Group’s Wealth Planning team, working closely with families and their trusted advisers to develop and oversee the administration of complex asset holding structures from a tax and legal perspective.  

Ruth has lived and worked in New Zealand, Switzerland and Singapore assisting families and private individuals in multiple jurisdictions with cross border wealth structuring, succession planning and family governance.

Ruth has been awarded a Master of Laws from King’s College London. She also studied at the University of Auckland and graduated with conjoint Bachelor of Laws degree (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts degree. Additionally Ruth is serving as a member of the Executive Committee of the Singapore Trustees Association.

Sequent Group is a global independent firm that specialises in providing fiduciary services to successful entrepreneurs and families. Sequent administers the full range of client asset classes, including bankable/financial assets, shares in family operating business, real estate, artwork and other collectable assets.

Professor Yip Man
Professor of Law
V3 Group Professor in Family Entrepreneurship
Singapore Management University

Yip Man is a Professor of Law at the Singapore Management University, Yong Pung How School of Law. In recognition of her research on family wealth, private trusts and family disputes, she was appointed the V3 Group Professor in Family Entrepreneurship on 1 July 2023.  

She is also the co-head of the Trusts, Wealth and Philanthropy Initiative housed under SMU Centre for Commercial Law in Asia and a co-convener of the biennial conference series, ‘Modern Studies in the Law of Trusts, Wealth Management and Philanthropy’. She is regularly invited to present her research at international conferences organized by leading institutions. 

Her research has been cited by the Singapore Court of Appeal, the Singapore High Court, and the High Court of England and Wales, as well as in international treatises and journal articles.