Saffery Champness, the UK-based accountancy firm, has added three senior recruits to its family office team, with a particular focus on the Middle East region.

The trio are Lisa Vizia, Philip Radford, and Francoise Bougourd.  Previously, they worked for a bank-owned trust company, Saffery Champness said in a statement.

Vizia and Bougourd will create a family office team that will continue to manage the establishment, administration and operation of private family office structures. Radford will continue with relationship management and administration for international, UK private and corporate clients.

Vizia began her fiduciary career in 1986 and is a member of both the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and the Institute of Directors, and is appointed to the board of directors of Saffery Champness.  In previous work, Radford worked in bank-owned trust companies since 1994, before becoming senior trust manager at Saffery Champness.  Bougourd is STEP qualified with over 23 years experience in the trust and financial services industry and will join as a trust manager.

In other related news, Saffery Champness recently appointed Julian Hedley as a new partner in its media and entertainment group.  He is the ninth partner in the group.

Saffery Champness currently has 58 UK partners, more than 400 staff and administers assets in excess of £12 billion (around $19.2 billion).

WealthBriefing has recently carried an organisation profile of Saffery Champness. To view the report, click here.