JUDGES

Aisha Alli

Head of Research, Spear's

Annamaria Koerling

Managing Partner, Delfin Private Office

Annamaria Koerling (TEP, MA (Cantab), FCSI, ASIP) co-founded Delfin Private Office seven years ago with a mission to provide strategic, actionable, institutional-quality advice to those stewarding substantial wealth. The multi-disciplinary team at Delfin specialises in advising families and the offices that serve them on their target operating models and works with them to ensure that this aligns with their investment approach and arrangements. She specialises in advising families on complex, cross-border matters and offers ongoing support as a board member or member of their investment committees. Her three decades of experience enables her to offer the ‘whole of the market perspective’.

Billy Stephenson

Managing Director, Stephenson Executive Search

‘Our business has thrived, and our focus is on appointments in the family office, wealth management and asset management sectors,’ Stephenson Executive Search founder Billy Stephenson told Spear’s. ‘We partner with clients and help them across the whole of their business, appointing CEOs, CFOs and heads of divisions. ‘Supporting the continued drive for diversity is critical,’ he continued. ‘It is always our policy to present the best possible candidate, and we work hard to make sure that our selection pool is representative of the total population.’ The firm, he said, is a signatory of the Black Talent Charter and has ‘committed to help promote black talent in the UK’. Stephenson, a former Credit Suisse private banker, founded his firm in 2012. In addition to traditional recruitment services, it also provides high-level board reviews, advice on governance and non-executive hires.

David Allison

Director, FLiP

A director at Family Law in Partnership, David Allison has represented a range of HNW individuals and their partners from many different backgrounds. He focuses on the financial aspects of divorce, especially international marriages and unmarried couples, both same-sex and mixed. He was one of the first lawyers in the UK to be trained in collaborative practice and is a Resolution collaborative specialist. ‘Generally I think clients come to me because they know that my focus is on settlement, and as a practice we’re known for resolving things constructively,’ he said. Despite the constructive deal-making approach, Allison is not afraid to enter into litigation when required, as seen in the Xanthopoulos v Rakshina case of 2023, one of the most widely reported cases of the year. David is chair of the International Academy of Family Lawyers’ gender identity and sexuality committee. He was named Lawyer of the Year – Family Law at the 2023 Spear’s Awards.

David Sherborne

Barrister, 5RB

David is a leading barrister in the field of media and communication, specialising in privacy, confidentiality and defamation, as well as matrimonial and sports law. He is particularly well-known in the industry and press for his extensive reputation management practice, as well as his ground-breaking pre-publication injunction work. Although the majority of the high net worth individuals, world politicians, entrepreneurs, blue-chip companies and other influential organisations David has acted for are confidential, his representation of the following clients is a matter of public record: Diana, the late Princess of Wales; Benazhir Bhutto, Cherie and Tony Blair, Donald and Melania Trump, Chelsea Clinton, Sheikh Abdulla Al-Khalifa, Sir Paul McCartney, Michael Douglas, Jude Law, Kate Winslett, Sienna Miller, Kate Moss, Kelly Hoppen, David Walliams, Frankie Boyle, Sir Elton John and David Furnish, the Spice Girls, Paul Weller, Amy Winehouse, Harry Styles, Cheryl Cole, the Beckhams, Paul Gascoigne, Ashley Cole, Don King and Mike Tyson.

Dawn Register

Partner, BDO

Dawn Register is the head of tax dispute resolution at BDO, working in the London office, and makes a specialism of disputes involving high net worth individuals. She said, ‘I started off as purely a private wealth person. Because of where BDO is in the market, we get a lot of owner managed business disputes. My core, more than 80% of what I do, is high net worth individuals.’ Register is highly regarded within the tax advice industry and as a qualified mediator, she makes a practice of mediating with the HMRC itself, sparing her clients the publicity of a court appearance wherever possible.

Deborah Eaton KC

Barrister, 1KBW

Deborah Eaton of 1 King’s Bench Walk, the KC at the top of many lists when children law matters are at stake, covers everything from abduction to the length of time parents spend with their children or the country they live in. She is instructed by the pre-eminent solicitors in the country and trusted with the most complex and consequential of cases. Her areas of expertise include internal and external relocation – in K v K [2011] she helped to shape the way international relocation cases are dealt with – as well as parental alienation, substance abuse, mental health and education issues.

Duncan Gourlay

Director, Weatherbys

Duncan Gourlay takes the time to get to know his clients. ‘You are very much made to feel part of the family,’ says Gourlay, who heads Weatherbys Private Bank’s Scottish operations. ‘They relish the personal level of service we provide.’ The affable Scotsman juggles his time between visiting clients across Scotland and England, and working from Weatherbys’ base in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. Gourlay says the bank endeavours to ‘resolve problems, or come up with solutions, about a range of different things. It could be about buying a house for their children, or finding the right sort of cash-flow plan for them.’ He joined in 2013 after a four-year stint at Barclays.

Edward Devereux KC

Barrister, Harcourt Chambers

‘He is intellectually creative, always alive to appeal points and an excellent advocate in international children law,’ says a peer – a senior family solicitor – of Edward Devereux. At one point, Devereux was the youngest family lawyer to be appointed KC in the last 20 years. The Harcourt Chambers barrister’s reputation is clear from his superb CV, not least his involvement in 75 reported cases, including some of the most significant family law cases of recent years. He has appeared before the UK Supreme Court (on 11 occasions), the Court of Justice of the EU, the European Court of Human Rights and the US Supreme Court. Prominent clients include Rocco Ritchie, Sophie Turner and Archie Battersea. Among many other publications, he was the editor of Dicey, Morris & Collins (a leading legal textbook). He contributed the chapters on domicile and residence, children, legitimacy, legitimation and adoption, and mental incapacity.

Edwin Smith

Editor-in-Chief, Spear's

Edwin Smith is the Editor-in-Chief of Spear's, the multi-award winning media brand for high-net-worth individuals. His writing has also appeared in the Telegraph, Guardian, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, Spectator, Esquire, Wired, Private Eye and other national titles. He is a regular commentator on the world of private wealth in the national press and provides analysis to private banks and law firms.

Gideon Benaim

Partner, Simkins

Gideon Benaim is a Simkins reputation law partner and head of the firm’s reputation protection team. Benaim’s clients include some of the wealthiest business people in the world, as well as very high-profile figures from arts and entertainment. Early in his career he worked on Naomi Campbell’s 2004 case against the Daily Mirror that established the right to privacy in English law, and has been involved in some of the reputation world’s landmark rulings. In 2018 Benaim won Case of the Year at the Spear’s Awards in recognition of his landmark battle on behalf of Sir Cliff Richard in his case against the BBC and the South Yorkshire Police. The High Court ruled that the BBC infringed on the singer’s privacy in its reporting of a police raid on his home in 2014.

Hugh Wigzell

Partner, Farrer & Co

Hugh Wigzell, a partner at Farrer & Co who qualified as a solicitor in 2012, is a residential property specialist focused on high-value conveyancing, also acting for banks and borrowers in secured lending transactions. According to the firm, Wigzell has extensive experience in acting on the sales and acquisitions of new-build properties – including some of London’s most iconic developments – and often represents buyers based outside of the UK. Recent examples of his secured lending work include representing a private bank in the refinancing of a property valued at £45 million owned by an off-shore structure, securing a loan of £22.5 million.

James Liffen

Partner, Mishcon de Reya

James is a Partner and Head of Mishcon de Reya's Residential Property team specialising in residential conveyancing. He is experienced in dealing with complex deals involving shared ownership, auction sales, portfolio purchases, tenancy and planning issues. That said, his comprehensive background means that he is an expert in handling straightforward sale transactions and purchase and refinancing transactions. James also has a lot of experience working with lenders on joint venture schemes and completing high value loans on residential properties. James' clients are predominantly high net worth individuals. For this reason he often deals with other Private client teams across the firm such Tax and Family, as well as Corporate.

Jonathan Conder

Partner, Stephenson Harwood

Jonathan Conder, partner at Stephenson Harwood, joined the firm in 2022 after a long-standing tenure at Macfarlanes, where his role was dedicated to developing the firm’s international tax and trust offering. ‘I act for individuals, trustees and families where there is a cross-border element,’ he says. ‘The bulk of my practice is for people whose homes, assets or families are partly in one jurisdiction and partly in one or more others.’ When it comes to changing jurisdiction, he says that clients are driven by reputation and disclosure as much as price. ‘There is a flight to quality,’ he says. ‘I’d rather get the client to pay a bit more to be in a jurisdiction with a higher reputation that is accepted by the global financial community.’

Justice Mostyn

Former High Court Judge

Lottie Geaves

Sales Director, Almacantar

Lottie is Sales Director for Almacantar, a property investment company specialising in large-scale, complex developments in Central London, with the potential to create long-term value through development, repositioning or active management. With over a decade of experience in the luxury property market, she oversees sales for The Bryanston, Almacantar’s newest landmark development and one of the most prestigious developments in prime central London. She is responsible for creating and managing a best-in-class global sales and marketing campaign, targeting the highest echelons of global wealth, as well as crafting an unforgettable customer journey and handling complex negotiations. Lottie previously worked at Savills, selling some of the Home Counties’ finest country houses and estates. She nurtured long-standing relationships with domestic and international UHNW clients from appraisal to completion and was responsible for developing bespoke sales and marketing campaigns for clients.

Lucy Barber

Partner, Forsters

Partner and head of residential property Lucy Barber manages a high-profile, highly successful and well-regarded team at Forsters. Her senior position within the market is well established; she is regularly sought for comment by the leading broadsheet press, including the Guardian, Financial Times and Sunday Times. Barber advises on high-value property sales and purchases, refinancing, enfranchisement, and landlord and tenant matters. Notable clients include the Crown Estate and the Phillimore Estate, as well as a number of high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. Her clients require a high degree of technical expertise and deep insight into the issues associated with complex transactions.

Mark Borkowski

Founder, Borkowski

For over four decades, Mark Borkowski has stood as one of the UK’s most sought-after advisors on crisis and reputation. His expertise has consistently proven invaluable, and he navigates high-profile individuals and brands through complex media storms, safeguarding their reputations during times of crisis. As the founder of Borkowski PR, Mark has cultivated more than your typical PR agency; it has evolved into a sanctuary for individuals and brands grappling with the relentless scrutiny of the twenty first century news cycle. Iconic figures like Jimmy Page and Terry Gilliam have turned to Mark, trusting him to protect their legacies with the same fervent dedication he extends to emerging talents. His reach extends beyond celebrity circles, with Mark regularly advising Britain’s top legal minds, seamlessly integrating PR strategies into high-stakes legal battles.

Mark Somers

Partner, Somers Partnership

Martina Lindman

Vice President, Blackstone

Matthew Brunsdon-Tully

Barrister, 1GC

As part of 1GC Family Law, Matthew Brunsdon-Tully has a strategic approach to cases combined with in-depth procedural knowledge, and a great deal of experience of working with clients at all stages of their legal process. This understanding of how cases will likely play out is crucial to positioning his clients for successful outcomes. Brunsdon-Tully was heavily involved in the case of MacLeod v MacLeod [2008] in the Privy Council, which changed the law on nuptial agreements, laying the groundwork for the successful appeal in the Radmacher v Granatino [2010] (also known as: G v R (Pre-Nuptial Contract)) case. This has given him a deep understanding not just of nuptial agreements, but also their potential strengths and weaknesses in litigation.

Morag Ofili

Barrister, Edwin Coe

Tax barrister Morag Ofili leads the private wealth tax disputes offering at Edwin Coe. With a focus on advising high-profile individuals and international families, she has provided her expertise across a gamut of tax-related issues including commercial fraud, conduct/fairness proceedings against HMRC, insolvency-based disputes, professional negligence, failed tax planning and cross-border tax investigations. Prior to joining Edwin Coe, Ofili cut her teeth at Big Four firm EY then later served as managing associate at Mishcon de Reya and Harbottle & Lewis. She also spent time at the criminal bar where she specialised in corporate and financial crime.

Nick Dogilewski

Partner, Exeter Partners

Nick Dogilewski, managing partner of Exeter Partners, has been providing consultancy, human capital services and exclusive executive search with a global reach for nearly 20 years. His client base mainly consists of investment banks, wealth management boutiques and family offices. The successful entrepreneur took over his father’s recruitment business, revamped it, steered it through a financial crisis and has now run it for many years. Dogilewski’s expertise in finding and training talent has attracted many high-calibre clients, including leading Tier 1 banks, boutique investment houses and family offices. Exeter Partners takes pride in its practice of ‘trading on discretion’, has a successful track record and aims to give clients true confidence in their choices.

Ross Elder

Managing Partner, Lincoln Private Investment

Ross Elder is the driving force behind Lincoln Private Investment Office, which looks after about 150 families with minimum investments of £3 million. Lincoln was set up alongside a group of existing clients who sought to create an independent wealth management firm, and these founding principles still apply today. The firm focuses on looking after the current client base rather than searching for the next bit of business, eschewing any form of advertising or marketing to rely on word-of-mouth endorsements. ‘We’ve been extremely fortunate in that we’ve continued to perform well and deliver what our clients say is good service,’ said Elder, who won the Spear’s HNW Manager of the Year Award in 2023.

Rupert Phelps

Adviser

Rupert Phelps has had a storied career. Having risen to the rank of Captain in the Life Guards, he began to make his way in the City with Merrill Lynch, which he has described to Spear's as 'an aggressive American bank with an international presence, a meritocratic culture and excellent training'. Phelps is now an independent and valued adviser to a number of single family offices. With an encyclopedic knowledge of the people involved in the high net worth financial industry he consults on stewardship, strategy, philanthropy, governance and succession planning. He also chairs the Gull's Egg Luncheon, which raises significant sums for charity each year.

Salamander Davoudi

Co-founder, Tancredi

Former Financial Times journalist Salamander Davoudi co-founded the Tancredi Group in 2015 to offer a bespoke communications service with a ‘results-driven’ approach, acting for corporates, private equity firms, luxury brands and private individuals. ‘Clients consider me to be their Praetorian Guard,’ Davoudi says. Her decade at one of Britain’s most respected newspapers – reporting on European businesses as well as from the paper’s Washington DC bureau – often informs her work, giving her a richer perspective than those who have never worked for ‘the other side’. When it comes to crisis communications, Davoudi adds that the firm’s philosophy is to grasp the issues as quickly as possible and develop a strategy to ensure the accurate representation of facts in the media and by third parties.

Sara Mansoori KC

Barrister, Matrix Law

Saskia Arthur

Partner, Boodle Hatfield

With a client base including domestic and foreign national HNWs, their families and their private offices, Boodle Hatfield partner Saskia Arthur acts on all major property matters, including sales and purchases of high-value residential property, landed estates and commercial farming operations. She also advises on issues connected to the day-to-day management of large properties. ‘My aim is to make any transaction – often involving the most expensive residential properties, land and estates in England – an effortless experience for my clients,’ she said. ‘I react quickly and keep things simple and to the point. When issues arise, I pride myself on finding solutions that meet my clients’ requirements.’

Simone de Gale

Founder, Simone de Gale Architects

Simone is the CEO and director of Simone de Gale Architects, whose portfolio consists of super-prime residential, mixed-use schemes, luxury retail and commercial projects in Central London and Internationally. Simone is ranked on the Spear’s 500 Index as a Top Recommended architect, ‘Architect of the Year’ UK Women in Construction Awards, previous RIBA Honorary Treasurer and Board Trustee, CEO and named inventor of next-gen patented materials technology BASL, developed with UK Ministry of Defence. The company is developing an international portfolio, with two masterplan projects in Tbilisi, Georgia. The company is expanding further international projects; in Turkey, India, Croatia, the Caribbean, as-well-as developing business opportunities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Thomas Van Straubenzee

Global Head of Private Office, Knight Frank

Thomas has worked in the London property market for the last 20 years. Having qualified as a chartered surveyor with Strutt & Parker, he set up VanHan - a property agency - with his business partner Rory Penn. VanHan specialised in high-end residential and commercial real estate and completed nearly one hundred deals for high net worth individuals. In 2018, the UK's most eminent property agency, Knight Frank, acquired VanHan and made Thomas and Rory proprietary partners and joint heads of their new Private Office team. Thomas is well known in the market a invariably acting with total integrity and discretion and was the recipient of the 2023 Spear’s Award for Property Adviser of the Year. Thomas is interested in music, wildlife and conservation. He is strongly committed to his family charity 'The Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund' which supports 51 schools in Uganda.

Timothy Bishop KC

Barrister, 1 Hare Court

Tim Bishop KC of 1 Hare Court is known within the profession as one of the top specialists in high-value financial remedy cases. A speed-dial contact for London’s magic circle firms, Bishop’s reported cases include complex offshore cases featuring claims involving children, and high-profile matrimonial cases with keen media interest. One example is the financial settlement case between Petra Ecclestone and her ex-husband, James Stunt, which involved dividing assets rumoured to reach £15 billion. Whatever the case, peers often commend his ability to maintain a calm head, as well as his highly accessible manner with clients.