The Thirteenth Annual WealthBriefing European Awards 2025

Ausaf Abbas founded Coombe Advisors to provide strategic, business and financial advice to a network of clients and associated businesses, with a focus on family offices, the wealth management industry and growth-oriented companies. Prior to that, Ausaf had a 25-year career at Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, where he held various senior management positions in both investment banking and wealth management. His international experience includes 13 years based in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo, and extensive experience managing wealth businesses across the MENA region. His broad range of interests include acting as senior advisor to a real estate investment banking firm and serving as a director of SEO London and Tara Arts, two charities focused on education and Asian theatre.

Pierre is Managing Partner at WIZE by TeamWork, the all-in-one Wealth & Asset Management solution, which is one of the fastest growing WealthTech companies in Switzerland dedicated to External Asset Managers, Family Offices, Fund Managers and Banks.

He brings the judges panel an extensive banking operations & IT expertise acquired in his current role since 2020 but also during the 9 previous years while heading business development of Bank Lombard Odier global custody & reporting services which he joined after 10 years as Private Banking Client Executive at IBM Geneva.

Both Swiss and Belgian, used to work in multi-cultural and multilingual environments, his motivation has been during his whole career to understanding customer's pains, translating those to experts who are able to solve them and setting the right level of expectations on both sides.

Steve is a founding director of Investment & Wealth Management Consultants (“IAWMC”) who provide a full spectrum of consulting services, from strategic advice through to delivery for wealth managers, private banks, family offices, asset managers, software vendors and service providers.

Steve has over 30 years’ experience in the Financial Services’ industry and has held senior positions in the Wealth Management sector as Operations Director for Schroders Private Bank and Head of Product Development for State Street's Wealth Manager Services division. In addition, he has worked at The Bank of New York
where he managed their enterprise level global banking relationships and at Citisoft Consultants where he was Head of European Business Development.

Steve is a regular keynote speaker at Wealth Management events and is often quoted in the press. He also serves on the judging panel for a number of prestigious industry awards covering the UK, Channel Islands and Switzerland and has been included in the Top 100 Most Influential People in Service Provision for Alternative
Investment Firms for the past 3 years.

By utilising his extensive network of contacts and market knowledge, Steve is able to add value to start-up & scale up Fintech companies and private equity organisations.

Dr. Alexander Kern is an advisor specializing in providing strategic guidance to Family Offices & Sovereign Wealth Funds. Building lasting legacies through a blend of expertise in Private Equity, Venture Capital, and unbiased counselling.
Over 17 years of senior-level expertise across diverse asset classes and a track record of managing firms with several billion AUM.

Key Areas of Expertise:
-Fund and SPV Development to optimize financial structures.
-Private Equity, Venture Capital, and Alternative Investments.
-Corporate Finance Services
-Shareholder Management and Investor Relations.

Academic and Research Background:
Holding a Ph.D. in Corporate Finance from the University of Aix-Marseille, Dr. Kern's academic journey includes research stints at Harvard University and the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Keith has been a partner advising financial services firms for over 35 years, leading businesses for EY, CapGemini and Capco.  He led EY’s Wealth Management and Private Banking business for over 10 years and continues to advise organisations in this sector.  He is currently advising a range of fintechs and other start/scale ups on strategy, distribution, partnerships and funding.  He is also a trustee and adviser to several philanthropic and charity bodies.

Antoine is Head of Business developement of Taranis, a swiss asset management firm. He spent 14 years at UBP in London. He started his career there in 2007 in Hedge Fund advisory and moved to Private Banking in 2010. Antoine developped a strong network amongst family offices, HNWI and EAM.
He holds a Master in Finance and Econometrics from University Paris Pantheon Assas (Paris II)

Philippe is a Managing Director at Reyl Intesa Sanpaolo, based in Geneva. Philippe is in charge of the operations within the Asset Services business line and more specifically for the Fund Representation Solutions department. This service enables foreign fund managers to raise assets in Switzerland in full compliance with the local
regulations.

Philippe has over 30 years of leadership experience in the Banking and Financial Services’ industry and has held a variety of senior management roles in companies in Switzerland and abroad, having previously served as Country Manager, Sales and Marketing Manager, Chief Operating Officer, Chief financial Officer and Relationship
Manager.

He has thus acquired a wide range of experience that allows him to have a 360° vision of all business lines of an international banking group.

Both Swiss and Italian, Philippe is completely comfortable operating in multicultural and multilingual environments and holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a Marketing Manager diploma.

With over 20 years of experience in the wealth management industry, Ross Whatnall serves as the Co-founder of GSB, which he established alongside his wife, Alison Whatnall, in 2021. Ross began his career at HSBC, gaining valuable expertise in Private Banking before relocating to the UAE in 2013, where he held client advisory roles. His extensive experience has shaped his understanding of the financial needs of high-net-worth individuals.

Together with Alison, Ross built GSB with a vision to provide personalised wealth management services. Under their leadership, GSB has flourished into a leading wealth management firm recognised for its commitment to delivering innovative and ethical financial solutions tailored to clients’ unique objectives. Their shared commitment to excellence has also resulted in GSB becoming a Certified B Corporation,™ a testament to their dedication to sustainability in finance.

Ross is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) and holds qualifications from leading institutions, including the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), the CFA Institute, and the London Institute of Banking & Finance (LIBF). His expertise spans investment management, wealth structuring, and navigating global financial markets.

Ross continues to lead GSB with a focus on purposeful wealth creation, ensuring the firm’s values align with the growing demand for socially responsible investment practices.

Ian is an experienced board and executive advisor/partner to wealth and asset managers; family offices, software firms and fin-techs helping to achieve and accelerate their path to be future ready and well positioned ahead of the next wave of industry and competitive disruption. Ian provides industry, strategic, client centric and modern technology assessment, focus and implementation insights, drawing on my extensive network and wide-ranging business and technology model approaches and change experience to optimise growth, resilience and performance. Ian is recognised as a trusted advisor, having supported a range of firms both as an independent advisor, partner and as an executive of major technology and business consulting brands including EY,IBM, PwC and Orbium ,a software platform integrator, sold to Accenture in 2019 where he then held a wider European wealth industry business and technology transformation advisor role across key markets and clients, until 2023, when he became an independent board advisor and partner.

Matthew joined JM Finn in March 2022 as a Business Manager in our Investment Management Team. Prior to joining JM Finn, Matthew spent 16 years with Bordier UK, where he was an Associate Director with responsibility for the company’s operations, including dealing and CASS. Matthew is a Chartered Member of the CISI, has a degree in Classics from the University of Bristol and holds both the Investment Operations Certificate (IOC) and the Investment Management Certificate (IMC).

Mike is advisor to families, venture capital houses, start-up and growth business (as Board Adviser/NED). He is an investor, Co-Founder and formerly group chief operating officer of wealth manager and multi-family office Artorius. Mike was the architect behind the model that delivers a multi-jurisdictional client-centric wealth-planning proposition. Mike was previously a partner at accountancy firms RSM and Baker Tilly. Prior to this he has years’ experience in financial services and banking with KPMG, Santander and UK mutual societies. He also helped found a Saudi family office and managed a substantial private equity portfolio.

Matthew is a partner and Head of the Private Wealth Team. He has an extensive private client practice and has specialist expertise in a number of areas. His particular expertise includes dealing with complex tax planning, trust and estate issues for both UK and international high net worth individuals and trustees. Matthew deals with complex high-level estate and succession planning with particular emphasis on entrepreneurial clients and family businesses. Furthermore, he has developed a strong contentious probate, trust and disputed wills practice.

Worthy of particular note, Matthew is registered as a will draftsman in the Dubai International Financial Centre’s (DIFC) Wills and Probate Registry where he is authorised to draft and advise on the production of DIFC compliant wills.  Matthew was the first non-Dubai based solicitor to be awarded this title.

Matthew offers pragmatic, practical and personable advice. He is consistently praised by clients and intermediaries for his care and attention and excellent advice. Matthew is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

James Fleming has enjoyed a long career in banking and finance. He is currently a Non-Executive
Director and adviser to several small companies across the Wealth Management, Debt Advisory and
Commercial Real Estate sectors. Previously James was Head of International Private Banking at
Coutts & Co and then Chief Executive and Vice Chairman of Arbuthnot Latham & Co Limited. More
recently, he was Chief Executive of Sandaire, the Multi-Family Investment Office that was sold to
Schroders in December 2020. James started his career with Hambros Bank.

Elizabeth has dedicated her entire career, of over 30 years, to advising private clients and provides holistic advice on wealth preservation, succession planning & family wellness. 

Elizabeth is the CEO & Founder of Legacy Wealth Advisors Pte Ltd which provides independent succession planning and investment services to support families to ensure a smooth transition of wealth to the next generation. Legacy Wealth Advisors was awarded Independent Wealth Manager, South East Asia at the WealthBriefingAsia Awards 2024 and Most Promising New Entrant at the WealthBriefingAsia Awards 2022. 

Elizabeth is also Managing Director of The Life Academy Pte Ltd, which provides bespoke family wellness programs and empowerment coaching to ensure harmony through generations and to prepare the next generation for being future wealth owners. 

Elizabeth is an independent non-executive director of British & Malayan Holdings Ltd, an SGX listed company established since 1924 and a pioneering member of the Singapore Stock Exchange. 

Previously, Elizabeth has held senior managerial positions including Managing Director, Head of South East Asia, Rothschild Wealth Management and Director, Rothschild Trust for 12 years until 2016. Elizabeth has been covering Asia & Australia for over 20 years. The industry awarded Elizabeth Banker of the Year in 2000. 

Elizabeth is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, a member of the Singapore Institute of Directors and an Ambassador for WealthiHer and Ladies Finance Club. Elizabeth, a UK citizen and Singapore permanent resident, is married with three children.

Martin heads the Schroder Wealth Management (US) team specialising in international wealth management for US clients residing in the US, UK and elsewhere. Prior to joining Schroders, Martin was managing director and head of Americas at the Royal Bank of Canada Wealth Management International in London, and before that head of private wealth management at Kleinwort Benson. A stockbroker by training, Martin has over 30 years’ experience in advising clients and working in partnership with clients’ other professional advisors. He is also a Registered Investment Advisor with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and sits on the expert panel for the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Mark Hussein is the UK CEO of HSBC Life and Head of UK Insurance at HSBC. Mark has spent more than two decades in a variety of financial services roles, with the majority working for HSBC Group. He was appointed CEO, HSBC Life (UK), and Head of UK Insurance in November 2015. He is responsible for the Life manufacturing business and General Insurance Partnerships across HSBC, First Direct and M&S Bank.

Between two tenures at HSBC, Mark spent three years with Kleinwort Benson as Head of Private Wealth Management UK and the Channel Islands. This gave him responsibility for both Private Banking and Private Fiduciary Services in the UK, Channel Islands and Internationally. He was a member of the Kleinwort Benson group regional executive committee and sat on the board of Kleinwort Benson Trustees.

Sean is the Founder and CEO of Greengage. He has extensive experience in financial services, having worked in various executive management positions. He founded Greengage after working at the first bank in the world to offer crypto products to clients, Falcon Private Bank, where he served as the COO and Interim CEO of the London operation until leaving to establish Greengage.  

 Prior to that he held management positions at Clariden Leu, a division of Credit Suisse, and Zurich Financial Services. Mr Kiernan has an MBA from the University of St. Gallen and a BSc from Georgetown University. 

Robert is a Partner at London & Capital and leads the US Family Office, a team of 31 professionals managing c. $2bn of client assets. He is widely considered to be one of the leading experts in advising US-connected families, individuals and Trusts on the management of their international wealth. As a result, he is regularly asked
to speak on the challenges of managing money within the complex tax regime of the US.

He specialises in advising on the structure, asset allocation and coordination of international wealth. And in doing
so, works with a wide network of leading private client professionals in the UK, Europe and America.

Between 2016-2022, Robert has been named ‘Top Recommended’ for international clients in the Top 50 Ultra
High Net Worth Wealth Manager section of the Spears 500 index.

Robert acts as a Trustee for the London & Capital Foundation and also as a Trustee for the Roald Dahl
Marvellous Children’s Charity.

He lives in Hampshire with his wife and three children.

Shehreen has over 17 years of experience working with ultra-high net worth clients and their families. Prior to joining Barclays Shehreen held progressively senior roles at RBC Wealth Management in London, HSBC Private Bank (UK) Ltd and HSBC Bank Canada.  Shehreen works exclusively with UK based clients with complex multi-jurisdictional requirements.  In 2024 Shehreen has been awarded ‘Women in Wealth Management’ by Wealth Briefing Europe and shortlisted for ‘Woman of the Year’ award by Citywealth Magic Circle.  She has been rated ‘Top Recommended for UHNW clients’ consistently year over year by Spears magazine.  Shehreen has a Bachelor of Commerce(Hons) from McMaster University (Canada) and holds several industry accreditations.

Combining both an in-depth knowledge of marketing strategy and business development, Matthew has sat on senior management teams and led significant business growth. His deep experience with HNW/UHNW clients, knowledge of wealth management and expertise in marketing strategy to improve brand awareness, client experience and business development are extensive. Until recently he was Managing Director, Head of Business Development & Marketing at Close Brothers Asset Management having previously held senior management positions at Deutsche Bank, Coutts and Credit Suisse.

Billy is a headhunter and the Chief Executive of Stephenson Executive Search (SES), a multi-award-winning executive search firm focusing on appointments in the financial services and legal sectors.

Billy focuses on C suite and senior appointments in the private banking, wealth management and family office sectors and works across management, investment, distribution and operational functions. He operates at board level and his clients include FTSE 100, FTSE 250, AIM listed and private companies. Billy is a former investment advisor, he is a Chartered Fellow of Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments, a Freeman of the City of London and serves on the board of a charity.

In 2021, SES was awarded Best Wealth Management Executive Search firm at the WealthBriefing Awards, Boutique Recruitment Specialist of the Year in the Innovation and Excellence awards and the company is part of the Race Fairness Commitment.

Bruce is a chartered accountant with over 40 years financial services experience, previously a partner in PwC, latterly as Global leader of their Wealth Management practice and the key driver of their bi-annual Wealth Management Report. Bruce is now CEO of Weatherill Consulting providing advice on client centricity and wider strategic matters to wealth managers. He is the author of The Value of Trust: the quest by Wealth Managers for Trusted Advisor status and a number of other thought leadership reports. Bruce is chairman of ClearView Financial Media and Ten Lifestyle Group Plc as well as a non-executive of a number of companies including , The Wisdom Council and ComPeer.

Debbie Wills currently heads the Wealth Management & CMPS business for SCB Europe. Based in London, Debbie leads a team which services both Private & Priority clients who are advised from UK, Jersey and Dubai.
Debbie has had a distinguished career of over 30 years in banking and has been with the Bank for more than 20 years.

Having joined the FM business in Corporate FX sales, she then went on to lead the product team in Jersey, servicing offshore retail clients. Given her in-depth knowledge and experience, she has held a variety of roles within the bank and in diverse leadership positions.
As a senior leader, she is well-respected within the industry and is an authority on the Bank’s Wealth Management business.

Prior to joining the bank, she was with RBC for 11 years working in corporate sales.
As a strong business leader, Debbie enjoys leading global teams, building new business lines and thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic & challenging work environment.
She is also passionate about mentoring women & high- performance teams and a member of our D & I Council.

Outside of work, Debbie is a regular runner, enjoys skiing and is passionate about fitness.