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John Westwood features on list of industry influencers

While the industry has seen much change over the 35 plus years that John has been involved, he says that Blacktower’s insistence on and adherence to a strict set of guidelines and adoption of the highest levels of transparency has helped raise standards amongst international financial advisers across markets.

John says the most significant change he has experienced during his career as part of a global wealth management firm was in 2008 when the financial collapse brought about unprecedented business challenges. The meltdown required Blacktower’s expert management of client expectations as markets and product providers failed, whilst, as Managing Director, he had to simultaneously ensure that the business remained buoyant and secure.

Kirsten Hastings, editor of International Adviser, said that the publication decided to “shine a light” on the movers and shakers who have helped quicken the pace of change in the financial services industry by forging ahead with innovation or leading by example.

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice, investment recommendations or investment research. You should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this communication is correct, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions.

Other News

Women experience large shortfall in pension contributions

Women looking at a computerA new study has highlighted the issue of the gap between women’s pension pots and those of men. The size of the difference? According to the research, by the end of her working life the average woman could potentially end up £47,000 worse off than men in terms of what’s in their pension pot.

The study, carried out by Zurich, looked at 250,000 pension plans, making it one of the largest studies of workplace savings. It looked at pension plans broken down by age, gender, and the contribution rate of employers and employees.

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Expats Can Take Advantage of Tax Changes in Murcia and Andalucía

Goals for 20182018 has brought good news for many expats tackling the idiosyncrasies of finance in Spain and, especially for those who want to manage their legacy planning successfully.

This is because British and other EU citizen expatriates in Spain have received a boost in relation to succession tax laws.

Under the Spanish regional system, expats in Spain (but not those from outside the EU or EEA) can avoid costly Spanish state succession rules on passing; instead they are able to take advantage of kinder regional laws, such as those just implemented by Murcia and Andalucía.

In these areas, if you have Spanish assets but have not quite yet become a fully-fledged expat or indeed if you have Spanish property but still reside full-time in the UK; your heirs, wherever they may live, are entitled to the full range of succession tax reliefs offered by the region in which your assets are invested. Sometimes this may be as much as 99% succession tax relief or, in some cases, total exemption.

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