The Spear’s Awards 2024, in association with ADGM, recognized a dynamic group of leaders and innovators at a dazzling ceremony.
Hosted at Raffles London at The OWO, the event—dubbed the ‘Oscars of the private client world’—brought together top professionals from wealth management, private banking, real estate, and other industries serving high-net-worth individuals.
With awards spanning 18 categories, the evening celebrated outstanding achievements and set the benchmark for excellence in the private client sector.
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Take a closer look at some of the winners celebrated on the night of the awards – and why they impressed the judges
Lawyer of the Year – Family Law in Association with Silver Bell Global
Winner: Colin Rogerson, Mills & Reeve
In an especially tightly contested category, Colin Rogerson was recognised for his demanding and important work on adoption, surrogacy and fertility. Our judges called him ‘a real expert’ in the niche but developing practice of fertility law, adding that his work and knowledge in this area is complemented by deep expertise in high-value cases and cross-border issues. He has acted in a number of reported cases involving parental orders or international children law, often coordinating with wealth managers, tax advisers and private client lawyers.
Lawyer of the Year – Tax & Trusts
Winner: Camilla Wallace, Wedlake Bell
Elected senior partner at Wedlake Bell in late 2023, Camilla Wallace helps her clients navigate life-changing events, advising on the tax implications of exiting a business, planning for relocation or succession, setting up family trusts and more. Our judges noted the ‘diversity in her clients’, which include Premier League footballers, heads of state, artists and business owners. Wallace is a ‘fantastic strong role model’, one judge added, with another noting her contributions in mental health and pastoral care within her firm and across the legal profession.
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Private Bank of the Year – International in Association with ADGM
Winner: Goldman Sachs
put signi cant investment into its private wealth o ering in recent years. With a global platform and advisers all over the world, the bank is able to manage wealth and assets across multiple geographies, supporting both entrepreneurial UHNW clients as well as those with an established source of wealth.
In 2024 the bank increased its focus on its alternatives offering, citing client demand for new sources of returns and portfolio diversification. Managing more than $400 billion across private equity, private credit, real estate and other parts of the alternative investment landscape, it has developed a range of solutions, from commingled strategies focused on hard-to-access third-party managers to co-investments alongside Goldman-managed and external private equity strategies. Serving a mix of UHNWs and institutions – company founders, C-suite executives, investors and philanthropists – Goldman has proved it has proved it has real staying power.
Family Office Services Provider of the Year in Association with ADIO
Winner: Stonehage Fleming
With clients that include some of the world’s wealthiest families, Stonehage Fleming is a multi-family office providing advice through the lens of financial, social, intellectual and cultural capital. This translates to solutions around wealth, trusts, asset management, philanthropy, strategic decision-making, family governance, succession planning and more. Our judges called it ‘a superb firm’, going through a transition and yet consistently providing ‘the highest-quality service to its impressive client base’ – including families that span generations and jurisdictions.
Lawyer of the Year – Reputation
Winner: Nigel Tait, Carter-Ruck
Carter-Ruck managing partner Nigel Tait is a recognised industry leader in the reputation management and privacy law space, well known for taking on publications in the UK and internationally and for his ability to secure public apologies on behalf of clients. Called ‘the consummate claimant lawyer’ by one of our judges, Tait has kept pace with the emergence of AI and other technologies, advising clients on the steps they can take to protect themselves and their online reputations. ‘He knows how to operate,’ our judging panel concluded.
Private Client Accountant of the Year
Winner: Paul Ayres, BDO
BDO’s high client satisfaction score brought Paul Ayres to the attention of our judges. Ayres, head of private client services for BDO in the UK and chair of the firm’s global private client services unit, has quickly made his mark in the latter role, developing existing and new divisions, including family office, sportspersons and entertainers and Asia advisory services. All this while ‘still finding time to look after his clients’, one of our judges remarked. Ayres is noted for providing a nuanced understanding of international tax legislation.
Property Buying Agent of the Year
Winner: Roarie Scarisbrick, Property Vision
Roarie Scarisbrick received effusive praise from our judges, who noted usive praise from our judges, who noted that ‘he’s somebody who stands out head and shoulders’. Over the past year he has helped clients acquire around £400 million in property, from ats in London to large family houses, country houses and commercial property. ‘There have only been 10 deals above £10 million, and he did five of them,’ one of our judges said. Equipped to provide clear and fast advice on valuation and negotiation strategy, Scarisbrick is also ‘very professional’, our judges agreed. ‘Clients love him.’
Future Leader in Private Client Services
Winner: Rosalind Hetherington, Fladgate
Rosalind Hetherington was one of a number of lawyers to join Fladgate in early 2024, having been brought in from Maurice Turnor Gardner to bolster the rm’s private wealth disputes o ering. She has since gone from strength to strength, demonstrating ‘characteristics that tend to come a little later in your career’, a member of our judging panel said.
Our judges added that she came across as ‘very composed’, ‘calm under pressure’ and ‘settlement-focused’.
A partner in the making, Hetherington works with international UHNWs who o en have complex multi-family dynastic trusts or complex multinational estates. For example, she successfully acted for the respondent in a long-running dispute over the estate of the late Sheikh Saud Mohammed al-Thani, a member of the ruling family of Qatar.
She has also acted for charities in the regulatory context.
Private Client Innovation of the Year
Winner: MEUM Group
Founded by a quartet of lawyers in 2023, MEUM was launched with a goal to ‘transform the traditional model of delivering professional services to ultra-high-net-worth individuals, their businesses and their investments’.
The firm brings legal advice, financial management and non-regulated services under one roof, and has developed a tech-driven platform that allows clients to access needed expertise, and advisers to collaborate with their peers. Areas covered include art and luxury assets, philanthropy, commercial and intellectual property, corporate and nance and dispute resolution.
MEUM has simplified the onboarding process – for advisers and clients – and has navigated constraints over o ering regulated and non-regulated services. It’s something that is ‘very innovative to be implemented in a multi-disciplinary rm’, our judges said. ‘I’m surprised I haven’t heard of more companies doing the same,’ one added.
Super Prime Property Development of the Year
Winner: The Peninsula Residences
‘Truly stunning’, ‘world-class’, ‘private and elite’. Our judges were hugely impressed by The Peninsula Residences, the ultra-luxe branded residences that are the jewel in the crown of The Peninsula London, which opened in 2023. The 24 apartments of between 1,700 sq (one bedroom) and 5,500 sq (four bedrooms) of living space, as well as access to a range of amenities. The development ‘lives up to the international reputation that The Peninsula has’, one of our judges said. ‘Ideal location, with amazing facilities and incredible apartments.’
Grand Prix – Private Client Firm of the Year
Winner: UK Sotheby’s International Realty
UK Sotheby’s International Realty has had a ‘seismic impact’ on London’s property industry, achieving impressive results for its clients and wresting market share from its competitors. George Azar took control of the firm in 2023 and hired some of the city’s top selling agents – including Property Broker of the Year Becky Fatemi and Spear’s Awards finalist Marcus O’Brien; implementing an ‘if you kill, you eat’ model; and setting high targets for agents. Sotheby’s has also introduced new offerings, including a property buying arm.
This feature is published in Spear’s Magazine Issue 94. Click here to subscribe
