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Ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWIs) inevitably have cross border aspects to their affairs. They own assets in and/or have connections to multiple jurisdictions around the world and as such, in advising them, an awareness of international succession law is vital.

The most common stereotype about the next-gen members of a family business is that they are arrogant and overconfident and expect everything to come easily to them. But the reality is that these Gen Y and Z members become overwhelmed with self-doubt over joining the family business.

Tests faced by wealthy family businesses in the Gulf are usually related to a stock market crash, loss of an investment or, at worst, the sudden death of the family patriarch. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought about a new and unprecedented challenge.

When the outbreak was announced the immediate concern for wealthy families, or private clients as we refer to, was the health and safety of the family patriarch since they were now of an advanced age which placed them in the vulnerable and high-risk category.

The Arabian Gulf as we know it did not exist more than 50 years ago, as far as world maps were concerned, and while the region emerged in wealth due to oil and gold, the wealth was concentrated in tribal families.