Heroes Work Here: Abigail Tipton

Tell us a little bit about yourself

After taking a year off in 2010 and heading off around the world with my backpack I decided Jersey was no longer the place to be. I was very grateful to be offered the opportunity to transfer to the Geneva office.

What inspires you?

Strong women both inside and outside of the business world – knowing what you want to achieve and having the ability to do it.

What piece of advice would you give your 20-year-old self?

Don’t be scared of new opportunities.

Can you tell us a bit about what you do in your spare time?

I love to spend time with friends and have a definite weakness for shopping! I’ve also discovered a passion for walking during lockdown and have discovered more of Geneva since being in lockdown than previously! I’m also taking this time to try and improve my French skills.

If you could have dinner with one person, who would it be, and why?

David Attenborough – I love his series which are so amazing. I think he would have lots of interesting stories to tell

What single achievement are you most proud of?

In 2017 I ran a half marathon. Before 2014 I had never ran more than to the bus! I was very proud that I was able to complete the race in a solid time and it was even better as I did this with my family.

What is the last thing you think about at the end of the day?

I am a definite over thinker so this could be anything to what I’m going to eat the next day to wishing I’d said something different during the day….at the end of the working week its usually hoping that someone is going to suggest going for a glass of wine!

Do you travel for work? If so, where do you go?

I travel a lot to the Middle East and to London on a regular basis. Travelling to the Middle East is a great experience to meet people from other cultures and learn all the customs. Succession planning is a hot topic in the Middle East and it certainly makes a difference to be able to go and meet the whole family to really understand the dynamic of families and what everyone is expecting and needing from ZEDRA.

How do you think the industry will change in the next 5 years?

Tax regulations will get tighter in jurisdictions levelling out the playing field on which jurisdictions people will favor. Exchanging information between jurisdictions is already underway making clients rethink their structuring so that everything is much simpler and more transparent.

What are the responsibilities of your job?

I manage a book of around 100 clients, of which are 90% of those are based in Kuwait. On a day to day basis I manage their structures and work with them to ensure that their structure is continuing to be run in the most efficient way and that their assets are being used to maximise returns for future generations. Its also a big part of my role to advise clients on how they wish to structure new investments to ensure that these are done in the most effective and compliant way.

What jobs and experiences have led you to your present position?

Coming from Jersey it was an easy path to take into trust administration, but I certainly didn’t think that I would now be working on the Middle East team out of the Geneva office. Working within the teams I did and working my way up through the business gave me the advantage when there was a role available in the Geneva office. Now I know the trust business from the bottom up which, as well as giving me 16 year’s experience in the business, enables me to work with other teams on projects to ensure that ZEDRA has the most efficient processes enabling myself and the relationship managers to be able to do their jobs more effectively.

What makes ZEDRA unique in the industry? What does ZEDRA offer clients that our competitors don’t?

The team in the Geneva office has such a wide range of experience, nationalities and cultures it puts us in a great position to be able to understand our client’s backgrounds and needs. We have offices in all the major offshore and onshore jurisdictions meaning that we are very well placed to be able to offer a worldwide service to our clients.

For more information, please contact Abigail Tipton