Roy Saunders

Founder and Chairman, IBSA

Since qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1967, Roy Saunders has accumulated a wealth of commercial experience working independently in commercial property, international tax, advertising and other industries. He is the Chairman of IFS, a boutique international tax practice based in central London. Academically, he is known throughout the world for his many books and publications, the foremost being his red book, International Tax Systems & Planning Techniques published by Sweet & Maxwell. Roy has also taught an MA Course on International Taxation at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies at the University of London.

Roy is very proud of the fascinating client base of entrepreneurial individuals that he has built up at IFS. He feels strongly about the role that ethical tax structuring plays in the growth of an economy, and that this needs to be better understood by the public at large. Roy founded the IBSA to enable business professionals around the world to discover new business relationships and promote best practice by creating sustainable business structures compliant with international transparency, corporate governance and social responsibility.

Jimmy Sexton

Founder & CEO, Esquire Group, Dubai

Jimmy has been advising clients throughout the world on international tax matters for over 15 years. Widely recognised as an expert in international taxation, Jimmy often speaks throughout the world at such organisations as the U.N., eBay, and the American Chamber of Commerce, and is regularly quoted and published by such media outlets as CNN, The Washington Post and Forbes.

From his base in Dubai, Jimmy regularly travels throughout the Middle East, Europe and the Americas, meeting with clients, speaking and overseeing Esquire Group’s global operations.

Jimmy’s area of expertise include: International taxation, Wealth Structuring, Expatriation, Citizenship & Residency Planning, Corporate Structuring and Investment Funds.

Jimmy is an instrument rated private pilot, avid snowboarder and fitness enthusiast.

Annelise Peers

Chief Investment Officer, Investec

Aliasghar Kanani

Tax Partner, LE/AX Avocats

Aliasghar Kanani is a tax partner with LE/AX. His favorite field of activity is Swiss and International corporate tax law, which covers varied topics, such as international tax planning for multinationals and SMEs, group and financial restructurings. He also advises high net worth individuals on Swiss and international tax planning aspects, as well as non-profit organizations.

Following his graduation in Swiss Law, he obtained a Master of Advanced Studies in business law (MBL). In order to complete this Master degree, he wrote a thesis on “Merger and its tax treatment”. He completed an LL.M. in International Taxation, during which he specialized in Swiss and International Business taxation and wrote a thesis on “IP restructurings”.

Aliasghar Kanani teaches corporate taxation at the High School Arc, Bachelor in Business Law www.he-arc.ch/gestion/bachelor/droit-economique/, member of the University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland (HES-SO), as well as at the CAS in taxation of SMEs at the University of Neuchâtel, Law Faculty www.unine.ch/droit/home/formations/formation_continue/cas-en-fiscalite-des-pme.html. In addition, he is a regular speaker at the University of Lausanne, for WEKA Business Media AG and various organizations of which he is an active member. He is also the author of various publications on tax law, in particular in specialized magazines such as Tax News International (TNI) in the USA and for various professional associations.

He has been an active member of the Tax Law Commission of the Association International of Youngs Lawyers (AIJA, www.aija.org), for which he has been the annual national reporter since 2009. He received the Past President Award for his 2009 national report on "Thin capitalization regulations and similar tax limitations on leveraged buy-outs". Finally, he is a member of the International Tax Specialist Group (www.itsgnetwork.com), the International Business Structuring Association (www.theibsa.org) and the Private Client Dining Club (www.pcd.club), as well as the Geneva Bar Association (www.odage.ch) and the International Bar Association (www.ibanet.org). Aliasghar Kanani is fluent in French, English, Hindi/Urdu and Gujarati.

Rupert Morris

Partner, Walkers

Rupert Morris is a partner and head of Walkers' Private Capital and Trusts Team in the Channel Islands.  Based in Guernsey he has almost 15 years' practice as a private wealth specialist focusing on private client advisory and structuring work.

Rupert also has significant experience since qualifying as a Guernsey Advocate in 2010 as a contentious practitioner, appearing before the Guernsey courts at all levels, particularly in respect of Beddoe, Public Trustee v Cooper and Saunders v Vautier applications as well as applications to vary the terms of trusts.

He is recognised as one of the leading lawyers in his field in Guernsey, sits on the STEP Worldwide Council and is the Chair of STEP's Guernsey branch.

Rupert is instructed by many leading fiduciaries, financial institutions, government departments and UHNW individuals in respect of all aspects of local and cross-border advisory and structuring work, impact investment, charitable structures, and regulatory matters including investigations and dawn raids.

Adam Cloherty KC

Barrister, XXIV Old Buildings

“Extraordinarily intelligent [and] extremely responsive”, Adam has a broad commercial chancery practice acting in and advising on commercial and private wealth disputes both at home and abroad. He is “a top-notch advocate”, “great on his feet and on paper”, who “impresses sources with his courtroom advocacy skills”. Adam’s cross-disciplinary approach across Chambers’ main fields of practice means his commercial nous is frequently brought to bear in the private wealth sphere, while his deep knowledge of equitable, trust and corporate principles is widely sought out in commercial matters.