We are thrilled to announce that we have been awarded the Best Trust and Fiduciary Company with Headquarters outside the MENA Region accolade at the annual WealthBriefing MENA Awards for Excellence 2021.

The awards are designed to recognise outstanding organisations in the MENA region grouped by specialism and geography, which the prestigious panel of independent judges deemed to have 'demonstrated innovation and excellence during the last year'.

Each of these categories is highly contested and is subject to a rigorous process before the ultimate winner is selected by the judges. The recognition gives clients reassurance in the solidity and sustainability of the winner's business and operating model.

Nina Auchoybur, Managing Director - UAE, and Leevyn Isabel and Lynda O'Mahoney, both Business Development Directors based in our UAE office, collected the award at the gala dinner on 10 November.

The WealthBriefring MENA Awards are part of a global programme run by WealthBriefing and its sister publications WealthBriefingAsia and Family Wealth Report, encompassing all of the world's major wealth management centres.

On receiving the award, Nina said: "We're delighted to gain recognition for our services here in the UAE. As a trust services provider we've showcased that we're able to work collaboratively with other partners in the industry to establish a brilliant and innovative product in Shariah compliant foundations. They have grown at a phenomenal pace in the UAE and there are expected to be around 400 by the end of the year, with estimates suggesting 50% have been put in place by Muslim families. These families need the support of an experienced structuring and administrative partner to really understand their needs and to enable them to pass on the benefits of their assets in full accordance with their wishes."

Commenting on the firm's triumph, Grant Barbour, Managing Director - Private Client added: "We're proud to be recognised as an outstanding provider of trust and fiduciary services. Our enduring relationships and intimate knowledge of our clients' business together with our technical expertise and multi-jurisdictional knowledge, mean we can provide a proactive service to our clients, alerting them to risks and opportunities and finding the best solutions to solve what can be complex challenges. The award is therefore testament to our Private Client team's exceptional level of client service and dedication both within the Middle East and Africa, and across our other offices in key international financial centres."

The judging panel commented: "These awards were independently judged solely on the basis of entrants' submissions and their response to a number of specific questions, which were answered by focusing on the client experience rather than purely quantitative performance metrics. That is a unique, and I believe, compelling feature. These awards recognise the very best operators in MENA wealth management, with 'independence', 'integrity' and 'genuine insight' the watchwords of the judging process - such that the awards truly reflect excellence in MENA wealth management."

ClearView Financial Media's CEO, and Publisher of WealthBriefing, Stephen Harris, extended his congratulations: "The organisations and individuals who triumphed in these awards are all worthy winners, and I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to the winners and to those who have put so much work into each winning submission."

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