In the lead up to Rockwills Estate Planning Forum: Professional Series 2018 happening on 3-4 October, we sat down for a chat with Rockwills Singapore CEO Lee Chiwi.
Estate planning is an important topic that is not discussed as much as it should be. With individuals increasingly investing internationally across jurisdictions and in non-traditional assets including cryptocurrencies and digital assets, it is timely for these issues to be brought into focus, he said.
Multi-faceted aspects
The theme of the two-day forum is “Professionals at the Crossroads”. It signifies two underlying matters that are posed to the professional adviser.
First, has he arrived at a point in his relationship with his client that he should be discussing deeper issues? Should the client be concerned about making more money or should they be taking stock of what they own and their family circumstances?
Secondly, is the professional adviser, while successful in his core areas of expertise, poised to deal with the multi-faceted aspects of family business succession and estate planning? It could take the skill sets of many professional persons to grapple with the various issues that the client has to confront with while handling the succession of his estate.
Founders’ legacies
A strong cast of specialist speakers and leading experts on different subject matters, including law, tax, private banking, and real estate, have been brought together. The first day will comprise Singapore focused topics, while the second day will focus on International topics.
Attendees will hear from Dr Doreen Tan, Founder and Co-Chairman, Best World International, on the topic of “Founders’ legacies – What’s on their minds?”
Dr Tan’s keynote speech will set the tone for the forum, said Mr Lee. “They’ve achieved success. So what’s next? What are their aspirations? Advisers will get a better understanding of what’s on the minds of such successful and high net worth individuals.” Best World has a market cap of $720 million.
Beyond insurance
This forum is a great opportunity for financial advisers to enhance their knowledge on estate planning and succession planning to move beyond their core expertise of insurance.
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Other than knowledge, it is also an important professional networking event. The forum welcomes not just financial advisers but professionals from all industries to join this event for learning, sharing and networking. Anyone with client relationships, including financial planners, bankers, and lawyers, will benefit from this forum where some 200 attendees are expected, he said.
Whether an adviser is starting or further along the journey of estate planning, they will walk away from the event with confidence to bring ideas to their clients for discussion. “There are many financial advisers in the market, this will help advisers get into the space as the trusted adviser to their clients,” he said.
An adviser showing the way
While Mr Lee was called to the Bar of England & Wales as a Barrister-at-Law in 1986 and admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor of Singapore in 1988, and has worked for some 16 years in various law firms in Singapore, advisers need not be overwhelmed by their lack of legal knowledge because they do not have to worry about execution.
The adviser’s role is to identify and deal with the macro issues in succession and estate planning that their clients face. Advisers can work with professionals like Rockwills to work out the solutions.
Should how old your client is determine how he invests?
Rockwills is equipped to provide the necessary support services in the areas of succession and set up the structures for distribution and management of wealth.
It is therefore important for advisers to get an understanding of the multi-faceted aspects of family business succession and estate planning, so they can “hold the hands” of their clients to communicate the ideas and processes, and this forum will help them to do just that.
Asia Advisers Network is official media partner of the forum.
Register here for the Rockwills Estate Planning Forum before 14 September to get 20% off the conference fee.