General themes
Artificial intelligence in all its various use cases is such a major theme that it will be on view throughout the year. Digitalisation of the wealth management value chain remains a dominant area. The same applies to cryptocurrencies, digital assets and the use cases for blockchain technology. 

Private market investing has become an important topic and investment houses are increasingly developing private wealth management offerings. By varying degrees, governments are making it easier for mass-market investors to gain access. There have been concerns as to how prudent that is. We intend to keep watch on issues such as liquidity, fees, client education, credit market exposures, tokenization, and more. 

“Protecting the client” – we have carried many stories and guest articles about cybersecurity, physical security, reputation management, family law, using trusts and other structures, and lasting powers of attorney. The world is a volatile place; private bankers and their clients travel a good deal, for example. This creates risks.

Regarding family offices, we continue to track developments, including their increased professionalisation and expansion into new markets. We also intend to closely watch regulatory developments, and how jurisdictions such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Singapore, to give just three, try to attract FOs.

January 2026
The beginning of year is typically a chance to make forecasts on what wealth managers think clients should do with their money. Ideas about asset allocation are important. However, we also want to hear ideas about the form in which assets are held – this is the asset “location” side of the matter. In recent years there has been a great deal of activity in areas such as private markets (private equity, credit, real estate and venture capital); gold markets, cryptos, and more. Governments’ tax policies also affect the asset location equation. Again, we are keen to hear views. Another topic – besides one for all year round – is the private markets area. As discussed above, we want to delve into the details of how private banks, wealth advisors, trusts and family offices are managing private market exposures, what their level of financial capabilities are, risks, tolerance for fees, etc. Also, what "alternative investments" might have fallen off the radar, been neglected, etc? How is the hedge fund industry doing overall and how is the use of these funds changing?

February
Compliance as a cost and even potential competitive advantage. Onboarding clients can take a long time, and various scandals and developments add to pressures. What can and should be done to handle this? We are eager to talk to experts about tracking sources of wealth, and monitoring risks. Technology plays a big part. What is happening around training, handling suspicious transactions, etc? We can examine the extra-territoriality of regulations today, and how this creates traps for the unwary. 

March 
Talent management and development. We aim to talk to firms, business schools and other establishments about how the sector keeps pace with demands for talent, how this is changing, what sort of specific skills are in demand – and what might be less so. This also affects compensation, aligning interests, alternative approaches to recruitment, etc.

April
One area we intend to look at is how external asset managers and non-bank wealth management firms are continuing to develop in jurisdictions such as Singapore, Switzerland and the Gulf region of the Middle East. In the past we have looked at regulation and custody. This year, we would like to examine how modern technology affects EAMs' operations, and what new specialisms they develop to stand out from the crowd.

May 
How are wealth managers progressing in their treatment of female clients, clients from different age, ethnic and other categories that go beyond the traditional image of the sector. There are opportunities for business development heads and business strategists, consultants, etc, to discuss how the sector is, so it says, moving with the times, and where matters need to improve. This can also touch on the recruitment and talent management agenda (making teams more representative).

June
Before the summer vacation period, a look at luxury and concierge – talking to those firms advising people and working with them for example in aviation, yachts, vacation/second homes, certain experiences, collectibles, and more. 

July 
Jurisdictions – which ones are growing and attracting more HNW clients/firms and which ones need to act. Given the tax policies of several countries such as the UK and France, there are plenty of stories about people seeking new destinations, or to diversify. Away from the marketing spin around some financial centres, we would like to identify which places that might be overlooked and are worth more attention. It would be good to have comments about the risks as well as opportunities in certain IFCs. 

August
No specific topic

September
Protecting the client: In addition to year-round coverage opportunities, we want to explore the extent to which this sort of protective aspect (physical, cyber, legal, reputational, medical, educational, family dynamic, etc) of the private advisor role is changing and evolving. Some shocking attacks on high-profile figures and geopolitical dramas keep this in frame. Another, different angle is helping clients with conditions such as cognitive decline or, to take a different case, very young people who inherit/receive payments before the age of financial responsibility. 

October 
Taxes – a chance to talk to experts about how the tax treatment of wealth around the world is changing, where there is real change (for better or worse), strategies for handling tax compliantly, etc. 

November
Philanthropy articles: how using structures such as foundations is changing and how political and cultural controversies have affected giving to education charities (fallout from student protests, etc), and trends in giving. As taxes rise in some countries, such as the UK, has this affected philanthropy? What is the role of the philanthropy advisor today, and how is it changing?

December
To be decided.