Private Wealth Planning in Focus Across Asia

The evolving challenges facing families, fiduciaries and advisers in the region were under the spotlight at our two exclusive private wealth roundtables in Asia this June.

Bringing together leading practitioners, the first event, ‘Managing Trusts in the Real World’, was co-hosted with Fairway Group in Singapore on 2 June. Led by Yiow Chong Tan, Director – South East Asia at Jersey Finance, and Dominique Burnett, Managing Director of Fairway Singapore, the session also featured Joe Moynihan, Chief Executive Officer of Jersey Finance.

Discussions explored the practical realities of managing trust structures in an increasingly complex environment. Across Asia, substantial intergenerational wealth transfers, the growing use of cross-border structures, and increasing sophistication in private wealth planning are all shaping the way families and advisers approach long-term wealth management.

A key theme explored during this session was that trust disputes are rarely driven by legal drafting alone. Participants considered how governance, communication, family dynamics and trustee decision-making can all influence the resilience and effectiveness of trust structures over time. The roundtable also examined real-world issues facing trustees, practitioners and families, drawing on learning points from recent trust dispute cases.

Following our event in Singapore, we hosted a private wealth roundtable in Kuala Lumpur on 10 June in partnership with Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill. Entitled ‘Protecting Wealth in an Uncertain World’, the event brought together professionals from across the private wealth ecosystem, including family office, legal, fiduciary, governance, tax, immigration, investment and banking experts.

The Malaysia roundtable focussed on the changing nature of wealth preservation. Traditionally, families have looked to succession planning, governance, tax considerations, political stability, asset protection and investment diversification as core components of long-term wealth planning. However, participants noted that technology is now influencing not only how wealth is created and managed, but also how it is protected.

Discussions covered a broad range of topics, including cybersecurity, data privacy, digital assets, AI, geopolitical risk, next-generation attitudes towards family wealth, and the role of philanthropy in developing future leaders and identifying potential successors. The session also explored how Islamic principles can support wealth preservation and long-term stewardship.

Guests noted the growing sophistication and momentum of Malaysia’s private wealth landscape. The introduction of the Single Family Office Scheme by the Securities Commission Malaysia is accelerating interest in wealth structuring and long-term succession planning, while Malaysia’s vibrant capital markets continue to create significant new wealth.

With many first-generation entrepreneurs now focussed on preserving and transitioning wealth, and with Malaysia’s established position as a global leader in Islamic finance, participants noted the significant opportunities for the continued development of private wealth, family office and Islamic wealth management services in the region.

The discussions reflected the increasing complexity of private wealth planning across Asia, as families and advisers seek structures that are robust, adaptable and capable of supporting long-term objectives across generations.

To learn more about Jersey’s private wealth offering and how Jersey supports clients in South East Asia, or to find out about our upcoming events, please contact Yiow Chong Tan.