The Legal Evolution of Women’s Rights in the UAE
International Women’s Day is the perfect opportunity not only to reflect on the progress that has been made toward gender equality in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but also to celebrate the UAE’s position in leading the way to recognising gender equality in all aspects of local society. As a lawyer who has been based […]
The case for Art as an alternative investment strategy
Art has recently gained attention as an alternative investment option as investors look for ways to diversify their portfolios in the face of increasing economic threats and improve risk-adjusted returns. Traditionally, investors have diversified their portfolios by allocating a portion to stocks, bonds, and cash. However, this approach has become less effective in recent years […]
Sparkle x GSB: A friendship built on smiles
Last month, we were delighted to see that our support of The Sparkle Foundation arrived safely in Malawi — hundreds of smiles in new uniforms. Over the past year, we have supported Sarah Brook and The Sparkle Foundation as part of our community impact initiative.
New Mass Affluent: Who are these investors, and why does the traditional model not work for them?
The Middle East has long been established as a global private banking hub because of the national wealth and high density of High-Net-Worth, and Ultra-High-Net-Worth individuals gathered across the region. The number of HNWI and UHNWI continues to trend upward in the region. This is happening during the largest intergenerational wealth shift in history, as the […]
Venture capital: Seeking out and supporting future industry leaders
Fun, variety, and excitement. If these words strike a chord when it comes to investing, perhaps venture capital is for you. What is venture capital? Venture capital (VC) is a form of private equity and financing that investors provide to start-up companies and smaller businesses that are believed to have long-term growth potential. VC generally comes from investors, investment […]
Why set up a Family Investment Company (FIC) and how does it work?
Family Investment Companies The recent U-turn by UK Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng on abolishing the 45% top rate of UK Income Tax, and confirmation that the rate of Corporation Tax will remain at 19%, reinforces the stark contrast between personal and corporate tax rates in the UK. Tax is one of the reasons that individuals are […]
Making the most of your money when exchanging currencies
Currency exchange, a facility or a service? The topic of exchange rates and currency conversions has been particularly prominent thus far in 2022, with a hugely volatile foreign exchange market seeing large fluctuations in staple currency pairs such as GBP/USD and EUR/USD. Those of us who typically only deal in the most established currencies or […]
Corporate Branding: How financial services can use Purpose to change the world
Coined by management consultancies as the “North Star”, Purpose is arguably the most critical governance imperative since, well, audited accounts. The issues surrounding sustainability are complex. While governments, corporations, and activists agree on its importance, the tangible actions needed to combat growing social and environmental challenges remain unbalanced, subjective and piecemeal. Thankfully, movements championing business […]
Social Impact: How current global circumstances are affecting the Charity Sector
We all know and accept that the world is in a state of constant change and evolution. Those born in the sixties learnt to use slide rules and log tables in maths, and computers were something we didn’t see until our teens. Since we were born, we have seen human endeavour reach the moon and […]
ESG: Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) and what they mean for UK Investment Property
ESG is a set of standards defined by three broad pillars that can be used to guide a company’s operations – environmental, social, and corporate governance. The first pillar is focused on green and sustainability efforts, the second on a company’s relationships with those it works with and the communities where it operates, and the […]