Guernsey Trusts and Private Wealth Forum 2023

Registration is now open for the Guernsey Trusts and Private Wealth Forum on Thursday 6 July.

Widely recognised as the leading trusts and private wealth event in the Guernsey calendar, it consistently delivers the latest insights on key topics and trends in the sector.

This year's programme will feature topical panel discussions delivered by experts in their fields, on issues including:

• Tax and planning considerations around mobile families
• Preparing for MONEYVAL – Practical advice for trustees
• Next generation structuring – Trends and challenges
• The correction of mistakes – What trustees need to know
• When investments go wrong and trustees are in the line of fire
• A case round up for the year

The event will close with a networking reception with drinks and canapés.

Keynote speaker announced

The forum's keynote address will be delivered by Rt Hon Lord (David) Blunkett.

Lord Blunkett has served in public life for over 50 years. From leader of England’s fourth largest city to Home Secretary at the time of 9/11 he has taken on some of the most challenging roles in politics.

Few senior politicians have experienced quite so many ups and downs, and none have achieved high office having been blind since birth.

Event pricing

Tickets for the full day conference are £160pp.

Colleagues of our sponsors and speakers receive a 20% discount - please get in touch with Eleana Miller for the discount code. 

For half-day ticket options please also get in touch with Eleana Miller.  

Forum Agenda

9:00am - 9:25am | Registration and coffee

9:25am - 9:40am | Welcome from Mourant and Chair's opening remarks

9:25am - 9:30am | Welcome from Mourant
9:30am - 9:40am | Chair's opening remarks

• Gilly Kennedy-Smith | Mourant

9:40am - 10:20am | Case round up: A year in review

Speakers 

• Jeremy Wessels | Mourant
• Justin Harvey-Hills | Mourant
• Hannah Mantle | Forsters

10:20am - 11:00am | Tax and planning considerations around mobile families

Speakers

• Gilly Kennedy-Smith | Mourant
• Rachel Guthrie | Mourant
• Mark Savage | BDO

11:00am - 11:25am | Coffee break

11:25am - 12:05pm | Preparing for MONEYVAL – Practical advice for trustees

With MONEYVAL visiting Guernsey in Q1 of 2024 the financial services sector is preparing to put its best foot forwards for the assessment. Immediate Outcome 4 looks at preventive measures implemented by financial institutions and as part of the onsite MONEYVAL will interview industry participants to understand the effectiveness of anti-money laundering, counter terrorism and proliferation financing controls in place across the industry.

Given the significance of the fiduciary sector to the financial crime risk profile of the Bailiwick it is important that the sector is ready to share with assessors how well they manage those risks and how effective their controls are.

This session will give practical guidance for trustees on preparing for such an interview and sound principles to which all should adhere to ensure they are effectively managing such risks on a day to day basis.

Speakers

• Sally Rochester | Mourant Consulting
• Manus Carvill | Mourant Consulting

12:05pm - 12:45pm | Next generation structuring – Trends and challenges

A panel of private client practitioners who are rising leaders in their respective areas of practice will identify some of the significant new structuring trends that are emerging in the private wealth space, discuss the resulting challenges for settlors, trustees, beneficiaries, family offices and other stakeholders, and offer practical advice on how to approach those challenges and manage areas of difficulty, by reference to examples they have seen.

Speakers

• Alexander Hawkins | Mourant
• Siena Gold | Harbottle & Lewis
• Nicola Kendall | Saffery Champness
• Alice Vink | Fieldfisher

12:45pm - 1:45pm | Lunch

1:45pm - 2:25pm | The correction of mistakes – What does a trustee need to know?

The ability to apply to the courts in Guernsey and elsewhere to set aside mistaken transfers of assets into trust or mistaken decisions of trustees has proved important. Typically, the mistake is a tax mistake and having it set aside can be a more attractive remedy for the settlor and beneficiaries than potentially costly and uncertain litigation against advisers.

In this panel session, we discuss what trustees need to know about the jurisdiction and what lessons can be learnt from recent court decisions.

Speakers

• Gordon Dawes | Mourant
• Richard Manyon | Payne Hicks Beach
• Charlotte Henshall | Payne Hicks Beach
• Mark Lindley | Boodle Hatfield

2:25pm – 3:05pm | When investments go wrong and trustees are in the line of fire

Our expert panel will traverse trustees' powers to invest and their concomitant duties and obligations, as well as how trustees can best protect themselves and navigate relevant considerations in light of directions from settlors and beneficiaries, suitability and diversification considerations and governance provisions.

If trustees find themselves in conflict as a result of investments which have gone awry, the panel will consider lessons for trustees, apparent from the Court's approach to such litigation.

Speaker

• Sandra Duerden | Mourant
• Peter Gillis | Stephenson Harwood
• Kevin Boscher | Ravenscroft
• Natasha Newell | Stonehage Fleming

3:05pm - 3:30pm | Coffee break

3:30pm – 4:10pm | Keynote speaker

Speaker

• Rt Hon Lord (David) Blunkett

4:10pm - 4:20pm | Thank you from the Chair

• Gilly Kennedy-Smith | Mourant

4:20pm - 6:30pm | Drinks and canapés

Thank you to our sponsor