The conference, which was previously held in Dubai, took place at the Hyatt Regency in Riyadh and explored key issues faced by Saudi and international family businesses, such as next-generation trends, governance, and succession planning.

Prominent speakers included Hassan Zawawi - Partner, Alzawawi Law Firm, Daniel Pacic - Managing Director, Ogier, Dan Toft - Senior Executive Officer, Praxis, and Alia Haskouri - Associate Director, Private Client Services, JTC Group. They participated in a panel discussion on the preparedness and aspirations of family enterprises and the next generation of family business leaders, which was moderated by Faizal Bhana, Jersey Finance’s Director—Middle East, Africa, and India.

Mr. Bhana said: “This insightful conference served as a valuable platform for in-depth discussions on the changing needs and emerging trends within family businesses in the dynamic environment of the Middle East, topics explored in our joint research on Saudi Arabian family businesses.

We were delighted to sponsor this important two-day conference in Riyadh, which reinforced Jersey’s position as a leading international finance centre for the Gulf region. Jersey’s expertise in cross-border planning, wealth management and Shari’a-compliant finance, as well as our regulatory excellence, all of which make Jersey a natural partner for family enterprises in the Middle East.”

Earlier this year, MONEYVAL, the Council of Europe’s permanent monitoring body for upholding the highest effectiveness levels in international standards for combating money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism, issued their assessment of Jersey’s capability to combat financial crime. The report is a strong endorsement of Jersey’s capabilities as a jurisdiction in combatting financial crime and reflects its commitment to upholding the very highest standards on the global stage.

Jersey has been a leading international finance centre for over 60 years, with a forward-thinking and sustainable approach. It is at the forefront of banking, corporate services, fintech, funds, investment management, private wealth, and specialist areas, including Islamic finance and philanthropy.

This story was also covered in Zawya.