Welcome to the Alternative Residency, Citizenship and Private Client Tax Planning Forum – Dubai

Ceri has over 25 years of experience working within the international wealth management sector. Based in Asia since 2000, Ceri is a qualified member of the Personal Finance Society (PFS) and the Investment Migration Council (IMC).

Ceri is responsible for the planning, development and implementation of the Group’s residency and citizenship (RC) programme offerings. Working alongside Sovereigns’ professional service representatives, partners and clients to determine, based on their requirements, the most suitable RC programme. Combined with Sovereign’s range of individual, corporate, and international wealth management products and services to deliver all-encompassing tax-efficient residency, citizenship and wealth management solutions.

A native Arabic speaker, Nabil graduated with a law degree from the University of Damascus in 2008 and obtained a postgraduate degree in International Business Law from the UK in 2018 and obtained LLM. Master’s in laws (International Tax, Wealth & Risk Management) from Texas A&M University – USA in 2020.

As Managing Partner of Sovereign Trust Consultancy (Bahrain) W.L.L. since 2011, Nabil is responsible for our Group’s operations in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia Eastern Province, Kuwait, Jordan, and Lebanon.

Nabil regularly participates in regional conferences, forums and exhibitions across the region as an expert in Bahrain company structures as a route for obtaining residency. Nabil advises clients on the current tax treaties and legal frameworks to ensure they receive the best possible advice.

Shelley has over thirty years of experience in investment advisory working with high-net-worth investors. Shelley works closely with Sovereign’s Wealth Management and Retirement Planning teams and is able to make recommendations according to clients’ needs and objectives to guide them through the complexities of acquiring international investment property, using trusts, foundations, funds and companies worldwide, to structure, develop and maintain individuals’ assets for secure wealth succession planning. Shelley can also advise clients on their Non Habitual Resident and Golden Visa applications to ensure maximum tax benefits for our clients.

Simon has over 34 years of experience and expertise in international tax planning, trustee, corporate services, fiduciary and the market entry industry.

His career started with The Consult Group in the Principality of Andorra before joining the Gibraltar offices, the HQ of Sovereign in 1990. As Managing Director of Sovereign Trust in Gibraltar, he served 2 terms as Chairman of the Association of Trust & Company Managers and was a member of the Gibraltar Government Financial Sector Legislation Committee.

Moving to London in 1996 to establish Sovereign’s UK subsidiaries, he continues to be the Managing Director of these two companies.

Simon has been a Director of The Sovereign Group, was the Chairperson of the UK Chapter of The Offshore Institute, is still the Vice President of The Royal Society of Fellows, continues to be a member of The Institute of Management, is the founder and Chairman of International Professionals Association Ltd, and is a regular lecturer and speaker at tax planning and financial services conventions throughout the world.

Marcel is an Attorney-at-law, admitted to the Athens Bar Association and the managing partner of Cremer & Partners law office.

Marcel mainly focuses on corporate, commercial and contract law, leases, structuring, and real estate/property law, with a diverse portfolio of clients, including entrepreneurs, investors, and executives. Marcel has become a trusted advisor to high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) seeking to secure Golden Visas and pursue immigration by investment opportunities in Greece. He offers comprehensive legal guidance on property acquisition, tax planning, and cross-border transactions. His prior involvement in international real estate investments provided a strong foundation for his later work in Greece.

He is fluent in Greek, English, French and Italian and has basic communicational skills in German, Spanish and Russian, enabling him to effectively serve a diverse and international clientele.

During Ratnah’s tenure in private banking in the wealth division, she had the opportunity to deal with the South African market and considerable exposure to high-net-worth professionals, managing their asset portfolio in investment and security.

Ratnah joined Sovereign in 2022 and as a Business Development Manager has been instrumental in providing invaluable assistance to clients seeking to acquire a residency permit and citizenship across jurisdictions and assisting offshore clients with their corporate structuring, wealth management and financial planning. Bilingual in English and French, currently learning Portuguese and Spanish, Ratnah excels in identifying business opportunities and expanding market reach. Her bilingual capabilities, soft leadership certification from Duke University and master’s in business administration and finance assist her in driving sales in the Mauritius office.