Perhaps related to unsettled politics and radical groups in various countries, Kidnappings of foreign nationals worldwide have increased by more than 60% in the past five years.The risk of a kidnap and ransom (K&R) situation is a very real risk for some families, particularly those with high public visibility, who hold a position of power, or who live abroad or frequently travel internationally. It could prove vital for families to examine the issue and have a plan in place.
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The first in-depth exploration from our global family business survey, “women in leadership” shows that family businesses believe in the value of women in leadership overall, not only women family members.
Estate planning and wealth management involve the founder’s goals, family and assets. Unresolved substance use disorders (SUDs) will undermine the best plans and intent in all three areas. However, trustees and attorneys frequently overlook clients engaging in addictive behavior because they are unaware of the symptoms of the disease, don’t know what to do or don’t believe it’s their role to become involved.
Some data security disasters make news because they involve household names -- Target Stores, Sony Online Entertainment and Home Depot, among others. While other data breaches make headlines because they reveal embarrassing information -- e.g., Ashley Madison.
Knowing what Wealth Managers find crucially important when structuring insurance solutions for their clients can help you differentiate yourself amongst this highly influential group of trusted advisors. The insights in this article can help you strengthen your referral network and increase your pipeline of UHNW business.
The volume of information in businesses is doubling every two years, creating significant challenges for businesses of all types and sizes, including family offices. Besides the cost of storage, the information in records and data can pose risks that may surface in audits and litigation. One way to successfully tame the rising tide, is to implement a Records and Information Management (RIM) program. This article discusses the benefits of implementing the proper records management system in order to minimize risks and liabilities at the family office.
Sidney Reso, president of Exxon Company International, was kidnapped from the driveway of his home and ultimately murdered in 1992. Edward Lampert, one of the nation’s wealthiest investors, was kidnapped in the parking garage of his offices in 2003 and was released after promising $5 million to his kidnappers. These are only a few examples, but events such as these have led to an increased use of executive protection services by wealthy families in order to better protect and safeguard themselves, their loved ones, and their property.
CWP Management, Inc., is a busy family office based in Chicago, Illinois. They look after the financial affairs of 10 households and 31 family members across 3 generations, but an ageing IT infrastructure was weighing down on its president’s time and budget. When disaster struck and their data center was compromised, CWP used the opportunity to migrate to a secure, hosted cloud desktop.
EY teamed with Kennesaw State University and surveyed the world’s largest family businesses with a focus on seven success factors: succession; women in leadership; governance; communication and resolving conflicts; branding; corporate social responsibility, philanthropy and sustainability; and cybersecurity.
Cloud computing continues to transform the way businesses work. But not all clouds are equal. We’ve collected the key features of cloud computing for family offices into a straightforward checklist and added explanations of what they are and how they matter to family offices. We’ve also highlighted what to look out for when a family office is ready to make a decision.