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The ancient religious trust known as the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf is coming back into vogue in Dubai. Not only are waqfs a way for families to set up charitable foundations and launch their charitable funds, they are also popular among family business principals who want to organise their inheritance in confidence.

This emerging trend, along with law changes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), could be a big boost for smoother succession planning.

Last Christmas came early for millions of Americans when US president Donald Trump signed a $1.5 trillion Republican tax reform bill into law. “You all just got a lot richer,” Trump told wealthy friends at his private Florida club after endorsing the first major overhaul of US tax laws in 21 years.

Hardly a tactful quip, but when has Donald Trump fretted over tact? Analysts say the president may be $15 million personally better off.

Jan van Bueren and Thomas Ming, of UBP’s FOSS Family Office Services Switzerland, outline one of the key elements to look out for when establishing a single-family office; its location

When families consider setting-up their own single-family office (SFO), they often overlook the matter of the jurisdiction in which that family office should be. This is actually an essential element that deserves serious thought.

There are quite a few questions that need answering before deciding on the jurisdiction for a SFO:

Warren Buffett famously said: "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it”. These days, given the influence of social media and direct consumer feedback, the smallest issue can have widespread consequences for businesses. Not surprisingly, a survey by the Reputation Institute revealed that reputation is a top priority for 65% of business leaders. However, only 16% felt their organisation had the capability to manage their reputation comprehensively.