Member Profile
Jonathan 'Jon' Needham
Head of Trust and Succession Planning | Societe Generale Private Banking
Office Location: Guernsey
Jurisdiction
Guernsey, Jersey
Top Specialisms
Family Governance and Business
Trusts & Trusteeship
Trusts: Contentious
Connect
Professional Biography
I have worked in Wealth Management and Private Banking for over 35 years and am an Associate of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment and Member of the Institute of Directors. I joined SGPB Hambros, now Kleinwort Hambros, in 2005 in the Channel Islands from KBL Brown Shipley in Jersey where I was CEO having previously held senior positions with other large private banking institutions. In addition to working in Channel Islands my career in finance has extended to the UK, Spain, Africa and France. In 2010 I was appointed Group Head of Wealth Planning and Fiduciary Services for SGPB Hambros Group. The following year I was appointed as Global Head of Trust & FIduciary Services for Societe Generale Private Banking and in then in 2018 moved to Paris to take up a role in the Group’s Head Office. I returned to Jersey at the end of 2022. I have sat on the Board of SG Kleinwort Hambros Trust Company CI Limited since 2006 as both an executive and non-executive director and have also chaired the Trust Audit & Risk Committee between 2019 and 2022. In 2013 I was recognised by ePrivateClient as one of the UK’s 50 Most Influential Private Client Practitioners. I specialise in multi-generational planning and I am generally recognised for my practical and clear advice specifically in relation to family governance, family dispute resolution and prevention and planning sustainable wealth transitions for the next generations.
Question : What drew you to specialise in private client law/ wealth advisory?
Answer: The diversity and challenge of working with a multi-cultural client base but more importantly being able to influence and provide clients with good and sustainable outcomes
Question : For lawyers entering private client law, what are key skills you think are essential?
Answer: Practical clear advice which is solutions based and client focused
Question : With the evolving landscape of the private client world, what are recent trends or shifts you are excited to explore?
Answer: Succession planning and family dispute avoidance and resolution strategies remain a key are of interest and focus for me. I also strongly believe that a family's social legacy is as important as their financial one and is key to building sustainable wealt
Question : Where is your favourite place to take a peer for a cocktail or coffee?
Answer: Claridges is one of my favourites.