STEP Arabia Annual Conference 2024

Faizal is a UK qualified lawyer and for many years has worked and advised, and is a trusted advisor to institutions, corporates and families across the Middle East, Africa and India. Faizal specialises in banking and finance and has advised corporates, family offices and families including on their international investment and holding structures.

Nina is the Managing Director of Ocorian Corporate Services (DIFC) Limited, a company established in the DIFC and overviewed by the DFSA. Nina has been leading the firm’s operations in the Middle East for the past 14 years and is responsible for its growth and operations with a special focus on developing its private and corporate client offering and ensuring outstanding delivery of client services. Nina is the Managing Director of Ocorian Corporate Services (DIFC) Limited, a company established in the DIFC and overviewed by the DFSA. Nina has been leading the firm’s operations in the Middle East for the past 14 years and is responsible for its growth and operations with a special focus on developing its private and corporate client offering and ensuring outstanding delivery of client services. She started her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Mauritius and headed the operations department of a banking financial institution for 2 years.

Paul is a Director of Private Wealth at VG in Jersey, Channel Islands. With more than 30 years’ experience in international legal and financial spheres, he is well-respected as a key advisor, relationship partner and trustee to ultra-high net worth and high net worth families across the world. With vast experience of international structures, Paul acts in a number of different capacities for private families and corporates as Director, Non-Executive Director and Trustee. He also acts as Homme d’Affaires to families who rely on his global experience and technical expertise. An expert in South African wealth, tax, and structures for expatriated and currently resident families, Paul initially qualified as an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa and in his early career he worked as a State Advocate and consultant to governments.

Leonie is the head of tax and advisory at Sanctuary, a boutique private client advisory firm based in Dubai. She has extensive experience of advising wealthy individuals, their families and family offices on their tax and financial affairs including structuring multi-jurisdictional assets and businesses, succession planning and UK taxes. Leonie also heads the Family Office and Fiduciary teams providing advice and services to family offices, trusts and foundations. Recently much of her advice has focussed on the possible consequences for clients of the proposed new tax legislation in the UK and also how they could be impacted by UAE corporate tax. Prior to joining Sanctuary Leonie was a partner in PwC, London, and moved to PwC’s Middle East firm in 2013 to concentrate on advising families from the UAE and the wider GCC region.

As Head of Family Office, Paul has divisional responsibility for the Family Office team. Paul specialises in establishing and administering trust and fiduciary structures for high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals and their families from around the World, with particular focus on the UK and the Middle East. A graduate of Nottingham Trent University with a BA (Hons) degree in Business Studies, Paul is also a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. He was also named on Private Client Practitioners’ list of Top Private Client Professionals under 35 in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and on Citywealth’s Future Leaders of Jersey list in 2013 and has been on the Leaders list since 2015.