Withers, the international law firm, has strengthened its Asian wealth planning practice with two appointments for its Singapore branch.

 

Philip Munro and Fernando Gandioli join the Asian team as partners; both have been working with the firm for the past few years. Gandioli specialises in US and international tax and estate planning for HNW individuals, trusts and estates, while Munro, a member of the funds, investments and business tax team, focuses on estate planning, tax issues for entrepreneurs and their families and fund vehicles for private clients. 

 

The appointments comes as the region continues to enjoy an increase in the number of high net worth individuals, up 10 per cent from 2011 to 3.68 million at present, according to the 2013 World Wealth Report by Capgemini and RBC Wealth Management. 

 

Withers has been aggressively expanding its talent base in Asia in the past months, marked most recently by the opening of an office in Singapore and the relocation of Erik Wallace from London to Hong Kong as partner.