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  1. Awards & Events
January 22, 2024

Who won at the Spear’s Awards 2023? The complete list of winners revealed

The great and the good from the private client world gathered at the Landmark London for an evening celebrating excellence

By Spear's

The Spear’s Awards 2023 was a who’s who of the private client world as the great and the good gathered to toast another extraordinary year.

The annual ceremony, held in the grand ballroom of the Landmark London, attracted some of the biggest names in wealth management, private banking, property and more.

Click here to register for updates on the Spear’s Awards 2024

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A total of 18 winners were recognised for their incredible achievements over the last 12 months, in categories including School of the Year, HNW Wealth Manager of the Year and Private Client Accountant of the Year.

Among the honourees were Entrepreneur of the Year award winners G.P. Hinduja & Family, who were represented by Shalini Hinduja.

The night’s biggest winner was J.P. Morgan Private Bank, which took home both the Private Bank of the Year – International award and the inaugural Grand Prix award for Private Client Firm of the Year. Charlotte Bobroff, the bank’s executive director and head of UK consumer and retail, was named UHNW Wealth Manager of the Year.

The awards were co-hosted by Spear’s editor-in-chief Edwin Smith and special guest Michael Portillo

As co-host Edwin Smith, the editor-in-chief of Spear’s, noted in his opening remarks, what sets the Spear’s Awards apart is its commitment to impartiality and excellence.

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‘Several months ago we assembled the deepest, most impressively credentialed judging panel that the industries represented here today could provide,’ he said of the rigorous judging process. ‘It included barristers, the head of investing data analysts ARC, the head of STEP, the head of the Independent Schools Association, a host of former winners, and genuine authorities on the worlds of wealth management, private banks and family offices.’

The judges, together with the Spear’s Research Unit, reviewed hundreds of submissions and the quality of the winners reflects the exceedingly high calibre of the nominees overall.

Recipients of the Spear’s Awards 2023 are in excellent company. Previous award winners include Sir Richard Branson, telecoms entrepreneur Strive Masiyiwa and high-profile family lawyer Catherine Bedford.

The ceremony, co-hosted by Michael Portillo, was presented in association with AP Group, August Collection, Aranyani, Blackstone, SilverBell Global, St. James’s Place Private Clients and Thuso, with drinks provided by Blackeye Gin,

Read on to discover the full list of finalists and winners and click here to join the waitlist for the Spear’s Awards 2024.

Spear’s Awards 2023: finalists and winners

HNW Wealth Manager of the Year
in association with August

Learn more about the finalists for HNW Wealth Manager of the Year

Ross Elder collected the award for HNW Wealth Manager of the Year

WINNER: Ross Elder, Lincoln Private Investment Office

Read the full profile on Ross Elder, winner of HNW Wealth Manager of the Year

Jim Barrett, Julius Baer

Bandish Gudka, LGT Wealth Management

Josh Matthews, MASECO Private Wealth

Charles Sanford, LGT Wealth Management

UHNW Wealth Manager of the Year
in association with Aranyani

Learn more about the finalists for UHNW Wealth Manager of the Year

Charlotte Bobroff, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, was named UHNW Wealth Manager of the Year

WINNER: Charlotte Bobroff, J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Read the full profile on Charlotte Bobroff, winner UHNW Wealth Manager of the Year

Alison Bishop, Goldman Sachs

Nicholas Hornby, Cerno Capital

Harinder Hundle, Hundle

Khaled Said, Capital Generation Partners

Private Bank of the Year (UK)

The award for Private Bank of the Year (UK) went to Weatherbys Private Bank

WINNER: Weatherbys Private Bank

Read the full profile on Weatherbys Private Bank, winner of Private Bank of the Year (UK)

EFG Private Bank

Hampden & Co

HSBC Global Private Banking (UK)

SG Kleinwort Hambros

Private Bank of the Year (International)
in association with Blackstone

Learn more about the finalists for Private Bank of the Year (International)

J.P. Morgan Private Bank was recognised with the Private Bank of the Year (International) award

WINNER: J.P. Morgan Private Bank

No two UHNW clients are the same. It’s a cliché, but it also happens to be true. Creative entrepreneurs need assured advisers who understand their clients’ goals and requirements. And that’s a principle under- pinning the way J.P. Morgan Private Bank goes about its business. The institution prides itself on the ‘highly personalised and goal-oriented’ experience it provides to an eclectic mix of international UHNWs.

In a year where uncertainty and volatility produced only tepid results for many wealth managers, J.P. Morgan has managed to excel through what the bank calls a ‘laser focus’ on client outcomes. In 2022, its US private bank reported full-year revenues of $6.2 billion – an all-time record, $1.1 billion higher than the previous year and around double the figure from six years ago.

‘The firm is not growing by accident,’ said one Spear’s judge of J.P. Morgan’s barnstorming success, which saw it take home our gong not just for the International Private Bank of the Year but also the inaugural Spear’s Grand Prix for the leading private client firm of the year. ‘It’s an incredibly impressive organisation.’

The bank has lofty ambitions. A target for the following decade, set in 2021, will see the firm strive to facilitate $2.5 trillion in financing for green initiatives and other sustainable development. It also remains at the forefront of technological innovation in private banking, with its new ‘investment preference’ screening software, OpenInvest, helping clients to tailor their ESG investing around themes that matter most to them.

Summing up the personalised support provided by the bank, one judge said: ‘Quite often, banks dealing with UHNWs find an excuse not to give them institutional-level advice or pricing. This one doesn’t.’

HSBC Global Private Banking

LGT Private Banking

Lombard Odier

Family Office Services Provider of the Year
in association with AP Executive

Learn more about the finalists for Family Office Services Provider of the Year

Schroders Family Office Service took home Family Office Services Provider of the Year

WINNER: Schroders Family Office Service

Read the full profile on Schroders Family Office Service

Evelyn Partners

Highvern

JTC Private Office

Ocorian

Raffles Family Wealth Trust

Stonehage Fleming

Taylor Wessing Private Wealth

Lawyer of the Year (Family Law)
in association with SilverBell Global

Learn more about the finalists for Lawyer of the Year (Family Law)

David Allison, of Family Law In Partnership, was named Lawyer of the Year (Family Law)

WINNER: David Allison, Family Law In Partnership

A director at Family Law in Partnership, David Allison was commended by our judges for his work on the landmark case Xanthopoulous v Rakshina, on behalf of entrepreneur Alla Rakshina. The case was voted the most interesting case of the past 12 months by 73 per cent of attendants at recent conference of family lawyers. This view was shared by the Spear’s judging panel, with one member saying of Allison: ‘He was a consummate professional in what has seemed to be visceral litigation.’

Allison is also known for his mediation work and settling of cases outside of court. Our judges also noted his expertise in matters relating to same-sex relationships.

Ros Bever, Irwin Mitchell

Peter Burgess, Burgess Mee

Mark Irving, Harbottle & Lewis

Kate Landells, Withers

Caroline Park, Hughes Fowler Carruthers

Simon Pigott, Levison Meltzer Pigott

James Stewart, Penningtons Manches Cooper

Lawyer of the Year (Tax & Trusts)

Lawyer of the Year (Tax & Trusts) went to Jonathan Conder, of Stephenson Harwood

WINNER: Jonathan Conder, Stephenson Harwood

Jonathan Conder was brought into Stephenson Harwood as a partner in 2022 to grow its private wealth team alongside fellow industry heavyweight James Quarmby. Within a year, Conder and his colleagues have significantly grown the department, adding new clients (including several billionaires) and promoting the company at conferences.

Our judges particularly commended Conder’s in-house development scheme, which is helping to advance the careers of people from a wide range of backgrounds. As the tax firm’s private wealth team looks to cement its place in the US market, Conder is also engaging with American firms, hosting events in London and Miami.

Damian Bloom, Taylor Wessing

Robert Brodrick, Payne Hicks Beach

Stuart Crippin, Seddons

Jonathan Riley, Fladgate

James Ward, Kingsley Napley

Lawyer of the Year (Reputation)

Gideon Benaim, of Simkins, was awarded Lawyer of the Year (Reputation)

WINNER: Gideon Benaim, Simkins

The consequences of the recent backlash against so-called ‘Slapps’ (strategic lawsuits against public participation) are an issue ‘bigger than any other in this field – yet few have managed to take a stand on it’, noted one of the judges.

A notable exception to this has been Simkins partner Gideon Benaim, who has raised his head above the parapet to question the wisdom of what many (quietly) believe amounts to an ill-defined restriction of the right of an individual to defend their reputation. ‘It’s a genuine affront to constitutional principles, and the work Gideon has done on it is highly relevant,’ said one judge.

John Kelly, Harbottle & Lewis

Helen Morris, Kingsley Napley

Nigel Tait, Carter-Ruck

Polly Wilkins, Kobre & Kim

Private Client Accountant of the Year
in association with St James’s Place Private Clients

Learn more about the finalists for Private Client Accountant of the Year

Dawn Register, of BDO, was named Private Client Accountant of the Year

WINNER: Dawn Register, BDO

Read the full profile on Dawn Register, Private Client Accountant of the Year

Mark Stokes, Deloitte

Michael Lewis, EY

Gavin Shaw, KPMG

School of the Year
in association with Thuso

Learn more about the finalists for School of the Year

The British School of Brussels was crowned School of the Year at the Spear’s Awards 2023

WINNER: The British School of Brussels

Established in 1969, the British School of Brussels welcomes 1,350 students across 70 nationalities. Expertly helmed by principal Melanie Warnes, the school has prided itself on taking a ‘unified, holistic approach’ to education where students are selected on the basis of their attitude to learning rather than academic attainment.

The school came under the spotlight in 2022 when it welcomed more than 50 Ukrainian students after they were forced
to flee the conflict in the country. In a highly competitive category, our judging panel felt that this ‘values-driven’ ethos
made the British School of Brussels stand out from the crowd.

Benenden

Brighton College

Charterhouse

Dulwich College (Singapore)

Pembroke House School

Sevenoaks School

Wycombe Abbey

Property Adviser of the Year

WINNER: Thomas van Straubenzee, Knight Frank

‘He has a phenomenal soft-spoken gravitas and is unflappable around very HNW clients,’ said one industry peer of Thomas van Straubenzee. The co-chair of Knight Frank’s Private Office has developed a reputation for being a go-to adviser for billionaires seeking super-prime residences. Our judges felt he and his clients were benefiting from his commitment to discretion. He has ‘kept his head down and bought himself immense loyalty’, noted one judge.

He joined Knight Frank when it acquired VanHan (which he founded with current colleague Rory Penn and Giles Hannah, now of Binghatti). Penn tells Spear’s van Straubenzee is ‘the best person in the industry’.

Becky Fatemi, Sotheby’s International Realty

Marcus O’Brien, Sotheby’s International Realty

Chris Jones, Warnerheath

Roarie Scarisbrick, Property Vision

Ollie Marshall, Prime Purchase

Mark McAndrew, Strutt & Parker

Dora Zhao, JLL Residential

Super Prime Development of the Year

The team behind The Bryanston was awarded Super Prime Development of the Year

WINNER: The Bryanston

Read the full profile of The Bryanston, winner of Super Prime Development of the Year

Knightsbridge Gardens

Park Modern

The Broadway

Private Client Service Award

Charities Aid Foundation accepted the Private Client Service Award

WINNER: Charities Aid Foundation

Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) has one overarching goal: ‘to accelerate progress in society towards a fair and sustainable future for all’.

Our judges commended CAF for a year of milestones. Its dual-qualified donor-advised fund has now generated $1 billion in charitable contributions since it was established in 2000. The organisation also launched an ‘Impact Accelerator’ service combining advisory, grant-making and social investment expertise in one programme. One judge pointed to CAF’s innovative partnership with The Sunday Times in producing the Giving List, which celebrates the work of philanthropists in Britain.

Evelyn Partners

Neon Century

Private Client by Bupa

Tanya Baxter Contemporary

Viavi

Future Leader in Private Client Services

WINNER: Priyanka Hindocha, Stonehage Fleming

Lorna du Sautoy, BDB Pitmans

Joshua Moger, Payne Hicks Beach

Tahir Ebrahim, BDO

Henry Sands, SABI Strategy Group

Emma Hosking-Williams, EY

John Davies, Farrer & Co

Keir Waddell, Strutt & Parker

Private Client Innovation of the Year

Ceri Griffiths, Willow Brook Lifestyle Financial Planning, was awarded Private Client Innovation of the Year

WINNER: Ceri Griffiths, Willow Brook Lifestyle Financial Planning

Read the full profile on Ceri Griffiths, winner of Private Client Innovation of the Year

Diana Hamade Attorneys at Law

Hundle

Meum

R360 Global

The Soke

Victor – Alto

Y-Tree

Grand Prix Private Client Firm of the Year

WINNER: J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Weatherbys Private Bank

Schroders Family Office Service

Charities Aid Foundation

Ceri Griffiths, Willow Brook Lifestyle Financial Planning

Boodle Hatfield

Hughes Fowler Carruthers

Impact Award

Read the full profile on James Chen, winner of the Impact Award

Dr Graeme Mackenzie accepted the Impact Award on behalf of James Chen

Entrepreneur of the Year

GP Hinduja & Family, accepted by Shalini Hinduja. Read her interview with Spear’s

G.P. Hinduja & Family, joint winners of the Entrepreneur of the Year award, were represented by Shalini Hinduja

The 2023 Spear’s Awards are presented in association with:

AP Group

August Collection

Aranyani

Blackstone

SilverBell Global

St. James’s Place Private Clients

Thuso

With drinks provided by: Blackeye Gin

To find out more about The Spear’s Awards 2023, click here.

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  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
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