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One area of concern arises from large or multi-engine jet aircraft owners and operators — or their counsel — who focus solely on the potential civil liability risks. These parties often seek to minimize potential civil liability by creating a sole-asset company to own and operate the aircraft, which is in turn owned by the individual or the operating company that is the “real” aircraft operator.

In his seminal guide to combat strategy, “The Art of War,” Chinese military general Sun Tzu wrote, “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” Great advice, except many companies tend to confuse tactics with strategy. They know strategy is important, but they consider it an exercise — something performed quickly, sometimes even haphazardly, without assembling the baseline information necessary to develop an effective growth strategy.

With great wealth, comes great responsibility, and given the complexity of risks faced by the high net worth individual, even greater due diligence is required to protect against financial loss and emotional distress.

The Internet has brought incomprehensible changes to our world over the last 20 years. Technology is so prevalent in our society that whether or not you personally shop online, use apps, or conduct web-based banking, you could find yourself a victim of a cyberattack. This issue of Abbot Downing Perspectives “Cyber (In)Security” addresses how we reached the point where high profile breaches are somewhat commonplace, best practices for prevention and detection of attacks, and steps to take if you’ve been hacked.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This paper discusses the current global market conditions and provides insight into the best approach to navigating the current volatile market, while identifying the latest market movers and shakers, and assessing the next move for investors in the equities, currencies, fixed income and oil markets.