Welcome to the Alternative Residency, Citizenship and Private Client Tax Planning Forum – Dubai


Location: The Al Massa Ballroom, The H Hotel, One Sheikh Zayed Road, PO Box, 125511, Dubai.
Date: 25th September 2024.
Time: 8 am – 5 pm


In Events

About The Sovereign Group

Sovereign is a leading independent provider of corporate, private client and retirement planning services. We currently manage over 20,000 structures for a wide variety of clients – companies, entrepreneurs, private investors or high net worth individuals (HNWIs) and their families – and have assets under administration in excess of £20 billion. Our Private Client Services providing wealth protection, property ownership structuring, residence and immigration, trustee services, tax and succession planning to internationally mobile families and entrepreneurs.

Why Choose Sovereign?


With offices in over 26+ global locations, we offer our clients a comprehensive range of programmes across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
The MENA region is home to expats from all over the world looking to secure better futures for themselves and their families.

We have the knowledge and expertise required to offer the full range of programmes including:

  • Residency by Investment Programmes
  • Financially Independent Visa Programmes
  • Business Establishment Programmes
  • Tax Residency Programmes

Event Schedule


08:15 Welcome Coffee, Registration & Networking

09:00 Welcome from Hosts

09:05 A Holistic Approach to Alternative Residency, Citizenship and Private Client Tax Planning

09:20 Establishing Residency in the UAE and Middle East

09:40 Establishing Residency in Bahrain

10:00 Tax & Exchange Control Laws for Non Resident Indians in (NRIs) in the UAE

10:30 Refreshments/ Break

10:50 Discussion: Middle Eastern governments have noted the increased demand for alternative residency solutions, the significant opportunities and benefits they create locally and have responded accordingly.

11:20 Establishing Residency in Mauritius

11:40 Establishing Residency in the United Kingdom

12:00 Discussion: The benefits of business migration and how it can also lead to alternative residency, tax residency and/or citizenship

12:30 Lunch Break

13:30 Discussion: In recent years there have been a lot of amendments to and closures of European programmes. Does this mean the end of European programmes or is it simply a sign of progression and maturity within the sector.

14:00 Establishing Residency in Cyprus

14:20 Establishing Residency in Greece

14:40 Discussion: The importance of Residency, Tax Residency, Citizenship and private client structuring planning and how, when planned and implemented correctly, they provide a solid foundation upon which to build flexible, tax efficient international wealth management strategies.

15:10 Refreshments/ Break

15:30 Establshing Residency in Portugal

16:00 Establishing Residency and Citizenship in Malta

16:20 Discussion: Changes to the UK domicile and non domicile landscape, new UK Government reforms to the UK fiscal policy with the showcasing of tax planning and private client solutions.

16:40 Etablishing Residency in Gibraltar

17:00 Closing Remarks & Networking

Residency and Citizenship Planning Services


Acquiring an alternative or second residency or citizenship provides families with a broad spectrum of lifestyle, business, investment and tax benefits and has become an increasingly popular choice for expats and UAE residents.

Residency and Citizenship (RC) planning options are however continuously evolving, with the creation of new government programmes, the incorporation of additional options and benefits within existing programmes and the removal of programmes no longer considered beneficial to the economy or society.

This combined with the fact that no two clients’ requirements and objectives are the same, means RC planning must be approached holistically, not from the mindset that one or two solutions fit all.

The Sovereign Group monitors the market to ensure we are fully knowledgeable in and provide access to a comprehensive range of residency, citizenship, and tax residency solutions. Our extensive network of offices, experienced local teams and professional service partners ensure that we are best placed to assist clients with the identification, development and implementation of the most suitable overall strategy for their needs.

Speakers


Host: Bianca Beck, Marketing Manager – Middle East

Host/ Mediator: Ceri Pratley, Residency and Citizenship Services

Ceri Pratley – Host


Ceri Pratley – Host


Ceri has over 25 years of experience working within the international wealth management sector. Based in Asia since 2000, Ceri is a qualified member of the Personal Finance Society (PFS) and the Investment Migration Council (IMC).

Ceri is responsible for the planning, development and implementation of the Group’s residency and citizenship (RC) programme offerings. Working alongside Sovereigns’ professional service representatives, partners and clients to determine, based on their requirements, the most suitable RC programme. Combined with Sovereign’s range of individual, corporate, and international wealth management products and services to deliver all-encompassing tax-efficient residency, citizenship and wealth management solutions.

James Swallow – UAE & The Middle East


James Swallow – UAE & The Middle East


James has spent over a decade in the GCC region in the corporate field and has built solid relationships with trusted partners, global organisations, and other professionals within the legal profession. Jim is focused on bringing more businesses and private clients to the Middle East by assisting clients to establish and maintain their presence.
Originally from the UK, Jim holds a Degree from Edinburgh University and lives with his family in Abu Dhabi but regularly travels to Dubai and across the region. Jim is building on his excellent reputation and the reputation of Sovereign PPG in the Middle East by bringing integrity, transparency and security to ensure foreign investors have the confidence to expand into the region.

Nabil Khoury – Bahrain


Nabil Khoury – Bahrain


A native Arabic speaker, Nabil graduated with a law degree from the University of Damascus in 2008 and obtained a postgraduate degree in International Business Law from the UK in 2018 and obtained LLM. Master’s in laws (International Tax, Wealth & Risk Management) from Texas A&M University – USA in 2020.

As Managing Partner of Sovereign Trust Consultancy (Bahrain) W.L.L. since 2011, Nabil is responsible for our Group’s operations in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia Eastern Province, Kuwait, Jordan, and Lebanon.

Nabil regularly participates in regional conferences, forums and exhibitions across the region as an expert in Bahrain company structures as a route for obtaining residency. Nabil advises clients on the current tax treaties and legal frameworks to ensure they receive the best possible advice.

Anas Al Adawi – Bahrain


Anas Al Adawi – Bahrain


Anas manages the sales team in the Bahrain office. He has lived and worked in Bahrain since 2006 and joined the Sovereign Group’s Bahrain office in 2013. Whilst his focus is on Bahrain, Anas travels extensively to develop business opportunities in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and Turkey.

Fluent in English and Arabic, Anas has more than 10 years of experience in company setup and registration in the region with a focus on onshore, offshore and free zone companies. More recently he has been instrumental in the setting up and marketing of our nominee shareholder structure which was recently introduced in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Shelley Wren – Portugal


Shelley Wren – Portugal


Shelley has over thirty years of experience in investment advisory working with high-net-worth investors. Shelley works closely with Sovereign’s Wealth Management and Retirement Planning teams and is able to make recommendations according to clients’ needs and objectives to guide them through the complexities of acquiring international investment property, using trusts, foundations, funds and companies worldwide, to structure, develop and maintain individuals’ assets for secure wealth succession planning. Shelley can also advise clients on their Non Habitual Resident and Golden Visa applications to ensure maximum tax benefits for our clients.

Sebastien Philipona – Malta


Sebastien Philipona – Malta


Sébastien’s unique combination of corporate knowledge and entrepreneurial drive allows him to offer valuable insights. He is focused on assisting fellow entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals in relocating, setting up companies in strategic locations like Malta and other tax-friendly jurisdictions, and navigating residency and citizenship by investment programmes.

Simon Denton – UK & Gibraltar


Simon Denton – UK & Gibraltar


Simon has over 34 years of experience and expertise in international tax planning, trustee, corporate services, fiduciary and the market entry industry.

His career started with The Consult Group in the Principality of Andorra before joining the Gibraltar offices, the HQ of Sovereign in 1990. As Managing Director of Sovereign Trust in Gibraltar, he served 2 terms as Chairman of the Association of Trust & Company Managers and was a member of the Gibraltar Government Financial Sector Legislation Committee.

Moving to London in 1996 to establish Sovereign’s UK subsidiaries, he continues to be the Managing Director of these two companies.

Simon has been a Director of The Sovereign Group, was the Chairperson of the UK Chapter of The Offshore Institute, is still the Vice President of The Royal Society of Fellows, continues to be a member of The Institute of Management, is the founder and Chairman of International Professionals Association Ltd, and is a regular lecturer and speaker at tax planning and financial services conventions throughout the world.

Laurence Lancaster – UK Tax


Laurence Lancaster – UK Tax


Laurence (LLB, LLM, TEP) is a non-practicing UK barrister, specialising in UK private clients and pension taxation. His typical clients are high net worth individuals who require tax mitigation strategies and tax advice. His specialist areas include advising on individuals’ UK residence and domicile status; UK tax treatment of trusts and other structures including close companies and life insurance policies; UK’s pension tax regime; taxation of UK residential property; estate planning; and double taxation treaty advice. As Head of Tax for The Sovereign Group, he helps devise internal tax policies and strategies with a particular focus on UK tax compliance.

 

Marcel Cremer – Greece


Marcel Cremer – Greece


Marcel is an Attorney-at-law, admitted to the Athens Bar Association and the managing partner of Cremer & Partners law office.

Marcel mainly focuses on corporate, commercial and contract law, leases, structuring, and real estate/property law, with a diverse portfolio of clients, including entrepreneurs, investors, and executives. Marcel has become a trusted advisor to high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) seeking to secure Golden Visas and pursue immigration by investment opportunities in Greece. He offers comprehensive legal guidance on property acquisition, tax planning, and cross-border transactions. His prior involvement in international real estate investments provided a strong foundation for his later work in Greece.

He is fluent in Greek, English, French and Italian and has basic communicational skills in German, Spanish and Russian, enabling him to effectively serve a diverse and international clientele.

Dani Van Vuuren – South Africa & Cyprus


Dani Van Vuuren – South Africa & Cyprus


Dani joined Sovereign Trust (Limited) in 2022 and cultivated a robust knowledge of the offshore industry with a specific focus on foreign residency and citizenship as well as the offshore structuring of trusts and companies for South African individuals and businesses.

Dani is a Certified Financial Planner and has an undergraduate law degree, specializing in financial planning law, as well as a postgraduate degree in financial planning law.

As an avid bibliophile and writer, Dani regularly contributes to articles and has been interviewed by local journalists and radio personalities to share her insights on fiduciary services with the South African community. Dani lives in Cape Town and travels throughout the country meeting with clients and hosting workshops to her vast network of intermediaries.

Ratnah Tanakoor – Mauritius


Ratnah Tanakoor – Mauritius


During Ratnah’s tenure in private banking in the wealth division, she had the opportunity to deal with the South African market and considerable exposure to high-net-worth professionals, managing their asset portfolio in investment and security.

Ratnah joined Sovereign in 2022 and as a Business Development Manager has been instrumental in providing invaluable assistance to clients seeking to acquire a residency permit and citizenship across jurisdictions and assisting offshore clients with their corporate structuring, wealth management and financial planning. Bilingual in English and French, currently learning Portuguese and Spanish, Ratnah excels in identifying business opportunities and expanding market reach. Her bilingual capabilities, soft leadership certification from Duke University and master’s in business administration and finance assist her in driving sales in the Mauritius office.

Dr Anup Shah – India


Dr Anup Shah – India


Dr. Anup Shah is a Partner of Pravin P. Shah & Co., a boutique Advisory Firm based in Mumbai, India.

Dr. Shah provides essential advice to clients on M&A Deals, International Estate Planning / Migration Strategies, International Tax, Foreign Investments, US Estate Planning Law and Capital Market Regulations.

Dr. Shah has handled Estate Planning assignments in several destinations, including the UK, DIFC, ADGM, Jersey, Isle of Man, Guernsey, South Dakota/Nevada USA, Mauritius, Singapore, Switzerland, etc.

Contact the Author
Get in Touch

Please contact us if you have any questions or queries and your local representative will be in touch with you as soon as possible.