The Institute, with which this news service is exclusive media partner, will host an inaugural European conference at the University of Oxford in September.

Ultra-high net worth families rarely live, invest, own businesses or plan for future generations within neat geographic or professional boundaries. Their lives increasingly span jurisdictions, generations and disciplines, creating opportunities and challenges that cannot be addressed by investment management, tax planning or estate planning alone.
 
That growing complexity will be at the centre of the inaugural UHNW Institute’s European Conference on 24 September at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, bringing together leading practitioners and academics to explore how the wealth management industry must evolve to serve increasingly complex and internationally connected families.
 
Originally established in North America, the UHNW Institute is an independent, nonprofit organisation seeking to set standards and elevate and advance the wealth advising and family office industry for the benefit of UHNW families. It’s Ten Domains of Family Wealth™ is a seminal framework for advisors to complex family wealth.  
 
Its expansion into Europe reflects both the increasingly global nature of family wealth and the Institute’s belief that the profession will benefit from greater collaboration across countries, disciplines and advisory traditions.

The Oxford conference will introduce European practitioners to the Institute’s research, frameworks and practical tools while also creating a forum for exchanging ideas among leading advisors, family office professionals, academics and other experts. It will also explore the increasingly complex human dimensions of family wealth, including succession, governance, family dynamics, and preparing the rising generation. An additional panel will examine the globalisation of capital and clients through the lens of transatlantic deal-making and the tie-ups between North American, UK and mainland European wealth managers, including multi-family offices. 

Joining academic and practitioner perspectives
The Oxford setting will also allow the conference to connect academic research with the practical realities facing families and advisors.

The conference features a talk by Oxford Professor, Dr Bridget Kustin about the Ownership Project, a multidisciplinary research initiative exploring how private capital owners, family businesses, and family offices drive environmental and social impact.  

Oxford Professor Ludovic Phalippou, professor of financial economics at Saïd Business School and a researcher and thought leader will address the topic of private equity. 

Attendees will be welcomed by Dr Jonathan Reynolds, deputy dean at Saïd Business School and introductory remarks at the conference will be delivered by Jamie McLaughlin, CEO of JH McLaughlin & Co, and a co-founder and board member of the UHNW Institute.

From technical expertise to integrated advice
A central theme of the conference will be the changing nature of exceptional advice to wealthy families.

UHNW families require deep technical expertise, but technical expertise alone is not enough. Advisors increasingly need to understand how investments, tax, estate planning and risk intersect with family dynamics, governance, succession, decision-making, communication and preparation of the rising generation.

The programme will explore these human dimensions of wealth alongside the technical and organisational challenges facing families and their advisors.

Among the Institute’s foundational contributions is its Ten Domains of Family Wealth™, which provides a common framework for understanding the breadth of issues that can affect a wealthy family. Rather than viewing these areas as separate professional silos, the Institute emphasises the need to understand how they interact and how advisors can work together to deliver truly integrated advice.

Jennifer East, founder of ONIDA Family Advisors and a member of the UHNW Institute’s International Advisory Board, said: “Launching the UHNW Institute’s European community at Oxford is an exciting step forward. The conference reflects the Institute’s leadership in advancing a model of exceptional advising, combining technical excellence with a deep understanding of the human dimensions of family wealth.”

Wealth management is becoming increasingly global
The conference will also examine another powerful force reshaping the industry: globalisation.

Wealthy families increasingly hold assets, businesses, residences and family connections across multiple countries. At the same time, the firms serving them are becoming more international.

A panel on the globalisation of capital and clients will examine transatlantic deal-making and the growing number of investments, acquisitions, and strategic relationships among North American, UK and mainland European wealth managers and multi-family offices.

Gregg Robins, founder of Robins Advising and a member of the Institute’s International Advisory Board, said: “The Institute’s international expansion, and this conference in particular, underscore the forces driving our industry. A growing international community will broaden the perspectives that inform the Institute’s work and strengthen its ability to advance the quality of advice provided to UHNW families around the world.”

An international community
The conference is an important step in the Institute’s development beyond North America, with the recent launch of its International Initiative. Its International Advisory Board, chaired by Laurent Roux of Gallatin Wealth Management, includes Jennifer East, Gregg Robins, François de Visscher, Cynthia Lee and David Werdiger.

The goal is not simply to export a North American approach to Europe. Rather, the Institute hopes to create a genuinely international exchange in which different professional traditions, regulatory environments and approaches to family wealth can inform one another and contribute to higher standards globally.

Continuing the conversation
Speakers scheduled to participate at the time of writing include:

Jennifer East, founder, ONIDA Family Advisors; International Advisory Board, UHNW Institute
Gregg Robins, founder, Robins Advising; International Advisory Board, UHNW Institute
Rhian Anwen-Hamill, managing partner, RAH Partners; director of Family Enterprise, London Business School
Russ Haworth, head of Family Governance, Transition and the Next Generation, Charles Park Family Office; Advisory Board, UHNW Institute
Christian Kent, partner, Ardea Partners International LLP
Farah Khushabi, director of psychology, Dallington Associates
Bridget Kustin, senior research fellow, Saïd Business School; Director, Ownership Project
Andrew Malcolm, managing partner, Spencer House Partners
Jamie McLaughlin, founder & CEO, J H McLaughlin & Co; Board of Directors, UHNW Institute
Tom McCullough, partner, Corient; head of Thought Leadership & Strategy, UHNW Institute
Ludovic Phalippou, professor of financial economics, Saïd Business School
Jonathan Reynolds, deputy dean, Saïd Business School
Laurent Roux, CEO & founder, Gallatin Wealth Management; chair, International Advisory Board, UHNW Institute
Andrew Wingfield, partner, Proskauer Rose
Samie Zare, managing director, EMEA FIG, Jefferies

The speaker list is subject to final confirmation.

Formal conference sessions will run from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm on 24 September, followed by a cocktail reception and dinner. The evening programme is designed to continue the discussion in a more informal setting, giving participants the opportunity to explore the day’s themes with speakers and fellow practitioners.

WealthBriefing’s sister publication, Family Wealth Report, is the exclusive media partner of the UHNW Institute, and WealthBriefing will attend the conference. PURE Insurance is supporting the event as an educational partner.

Attendance is intended for experienced professionals working with UHNW families. Those interested in attending should email info@uhnwinstitute.org with a brief expression of interest in the Institute and the conference.

Registration closes 1 September.