Showcasing ‘best of breed’ in the Channel Islands region, the awards have been designed to recognise outstanding organisations grouped by specialism and geography which the prestigious panel of independent judges deemed to have ‘demonstrated innovation and excellence during the last year’.

Each of these categories is highly contested and is subject to a rigorous process before the ultimate winner is selected by the judges. It is this process that makes WealthBriefing Channel Islands awards so prized amongst winners.

The WealthBriefing Channel Islands Awards are part of a global programme run by WealthBriefing and its sister publications WealthBriefingAsia and Family Wealth Report, encompassing all the world’s major wealth management centers.

Participants around the world recognise that winning awards is particularly important in these challenging times as it provides clients with reassurance in the solidity and sustainability of the winner’s business and operating model.

Commenting on her award, Heather said: “Successful leadership is wholly dependent on a talented, collaborative, empathetic and committed team, supporting one another in the pursuit of shared goals. Day after day our team exemplifies that ethos in the service of our clients, and it is a genuine privilege to work alongside them. This is an award in which we all share equally.”

Stephen Harris, ClearView Financial Media’s CEO, and publisher of WealthBriefing, was first to extend his congratulations to all the winners “Every category winner and highly commended firm has been subjected to rigorous and independent judging process and be rightly proud of the success they have achieved this year.

“We have seen a marked increase in entrants and interest in all our global awards programmes and WealthBriefing Channel Islands is no exception. These awards are so beneficial as they give organisations and individuals the opportunity to clarify their strategic thinking, have it independently validated, be recognized internally and externally and to celebrate in style with their peers.

I offer my congratulations and best wishes for the future to all winners and highly commended firms – they are all worthy recipients who join the elite list of wealth management professionals who form the global elite of WealthBriefing Channel Islands winners”.

Winners and highly commended companies were announced on 3rd December 2025 at The Royal Yacht Hotel.

The winners were selected by an independent panel of judges, with Heather awarded the top prize for leadership, in recognition of her commitment to delivering innovative solutions to clients in the region and championing service excellence.

Commenting on the award win, Heather said: “The Middle East remains an absolutely critical strategic market for Crestbridge, with our team having built exceptional knowledge and deep relationships in the region over the years. It is a market I have become particularly close to and I am therefore delighted and honoured to accept this Award. I am, however, also proud to lead such a highly skilled team that understands the nuances of the market and is committed to supporting the increasingly complex and sophisticated ambitions of families in this dynamic region.”

Stephen Harris, CEO of ClearView Financial Media’s and publisher of WealthBriefing, added:

“Every category winner has undergone a rigorous and independent judging process and should be rightly proud of their achievements this year. I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all winners and highly commended firms. They are all worthy recipients and now join an elite group of wealth management professionals who represent the very best of the industry across MENA and beyond.”

Read WealthBriefing MENA Awards 2025 Acclaim.

In this interview Heather Tibbo discusses her recent award win and gives insight into leading an award-winning team.

What was your winning formula, that explains why you won?
My philosophy has always been to place an emphasis on people and relationships. That means bringing together a highly driven, passionate team that can demonstrate impressive technical understanding, but that is also acutely client-focused.

Instilling a culture where we are collectively empowered to put the client at the centre of everything we do has been critical to our shared success over the past ten years, when we have grown from being a small boutique team to a major force serving the needs of global and influential families.

Please describe how your colleagues have made a difference?
Our team ethic is at the core of what we stand for – we work in a truly collaborative, supportive, open and honest way, and place real value on providing professional development opportunities and nurturing a working environment that is both enjoyable and rewarding.

I firmly believe that it is because of that focus on our shared strengths as a team, at all levels, that we are able to deliver such high quality, tailored, flexible solutions to our clients, with a true relationship management focus.

What are you going to do to remain competitive and stay ahead?
We’ve managed to achieve consistent growth in both scale and stature over the past ten years – but we are under no illusions that the sector remains highly competitive and increasingly complex. As an independent and privately-owned business though, we believe we are in a strong position to approach the future with confidence, being agile and ready to adapt to the shifting needs of families. We also recognise that the best way to provide the best service is to look after our own people, and we do that by offering market-leading professional development opportunities and supporting wellbeing.

With that in mind, our relationship-driven approach is going to remain critical – as the world becomes more sophisticated and as client needs become more bespoke, actively listening to families and being ready and able to respond to their needs quickly and  effectively will be a real differentiator for us. We are a driven, independent-spirited team and are passionate about what we do, and I believe that will continue to resonate with families.

Where do you see the wealth management industry, and your part of it, going in the next five years?
There’s no doubt that the future of the family office space is going to be defined by the shifting demands of the NextGen – and those needs will be increasingly diverse and sophisticated. In particular, international mobility is set to be increasingly important as families become more geographically spread and multi-jurisdictional in their approach, whilst the more purpose-driven approach of the NextGen is going to increasingly embed concepts such as philanthropy, impact investing and seed funding in family frameworks. Digital integration and the adoption of AI is also likely to become more and more important in terms of how the NextGen operates and communicates.

For all those supporting families, these are fundamental shifts, and it will be those who possess deep technical cross-border expertise, who are agile, who are proactive in listening to clients, and who have developed strong relationships with their clients who will be successful.

This article was published in Acclaim magazine.

CEO Heather Tibbo as well as Directors Daniel Channing and Laura Parkes have all been included in the latest Private Client Global Elite directory, published this week by international legal publishing group Law.com.

Launched in 2017, the directory is collated through peer recommendation and serves as a highly respected point of reference for the world’s top private client and trust​ and estates litigation talent, as well as rising stars within the industry.

Commenting on the recognition, Heather said:

“This year marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of Crestbridge Family Office Services as an independent and privately owned business. What is not changing however, is the shared dedication and commitment we have as a team to providing clients with first-class service, and that is reflected in our strong representation in this year’s directory of elite private client practitioners.”

This marks Heather’s sixth consecutive year of inclusion in the prestigious list, which is compiled by the specialist private wealth publisher. Selection is determined by a number of criteria, from achievement and contribution, to those helping to shape the industry’s future.

In 2023 Heather took on the role of CEO at Crestbridge Family Office Services to continue to shape the firm’s next chapter as a privately-owned, independent business.

Heather commented: “ I would like to thank eprivateclient for my inclusion in this list which is, above all else, a reflection of the dedication and commitment of our team.

As we begin 2024 from our new offices in the heart of St Helier, we look forward to working alongside our clients and partners, exploring new and exciting opportunities together.”

Held in Jersey this week (7th December), the Awards celebrate excellence, knowledge and best practice across the private wealth sector in Jersey and Guernsey. Winners are selected by an independent panel of judges.

In particular, the Award recognises the firm’s creative use of communications to mark its milestone anniversary. Entitled REFLECT10NS, the campaign recognised the success and growth the firm has seen since it was established in 2013, while also focusing on its future journey and aspirations.

It aimed both to engender a sense of pride internally amongst the team, while also communicating to external stakeholders the importance it attaches to listening to clients to help improve future performance and first-class client service.

The Awards, which were held in Dubai last week (16th November), celebrate and recognise excellence, knowledge and best practice across the private wealth sector in the Middle East and North Africa region, with winners being selected by an independent panel of judges.

This award serves to underline Crestbridge’s proposition in the Middle East market, where it has developed strong relationships built up over a number of years, with the team supporting the global and increasingly complex objectives of a growing number of families based in the region.

Crestbridge Family Office Services CEO Heather Tibbo commented on the award win:

“Gaining recognition through this award is a reflection of our unique proposition in the Middle East, a rapidly evolving market where we have earned a leading reputation thanks to our team’s ability to understand the dynamics, needs and demands of our clients.

“It is testament to our team’s knowledge of the domestic landscape, of our Islamic Finance capabilities and of our global reach – and it is fitting that this award comes as we celebrate our tenth anniversary this year, as we look forward and continue to enhance our proposition both in the Middle East and beyond.”

Jersey-based Danielle is included in the ePrivateClient NextGen Leaders List, published this week. The list recognises and celebrates rising stars from across the private client landscape in the UK and Crown Dependencies. In compiling the list, the publication considered a number of factors, including individual achievements over the past year, and career progression.

Danielle was also featured in the publication’s Channel Islands NextGen Leaders List earlier this year.

Danielle has 13 years’ multi-jurisdictional experience in the finance industry. She provides oversight to a large team administering structures that hold investment portfolios, financing vehicles and commercial and residential real estate for high profile international families, many of thern require Islamic Finance expertise.

Danielle holds the ICSA Diploma in Offshore Finance and Administration, the CISI Islamic Finance Qualification, the STEP Advising Family Businesses and Family Business Governance Qualification, the CISI Sustainable and Responsible Investment Certificate and is working towards the TGCI Diploma in ESG.

The latest recognition maintains a successful twelve months for Danielle, who was also named Winner of the “Rising Star Under 40” Award at the 2022 WealthBriefing European Awards and was a Gold Winner of the 2022 Citywealth Powerwomen Awards in the “Woman of the Year – Rising Star” category.

Paul Hunter, Managing Director of Crestbridge Family Office Services, which is celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year, said: “Crestbridge Family Office Services can demonstrate a strong track record in both attracting and supporting talent, and Danielle is a perfect reflection of that.  Although she is recognised as a NextGen Leader, she is already supporting highly complex family office requirements and, as a senior member of our team, is contributing to our shared success and driving our growth strategy. I’m delighted for Danielle, whose approach and commitment mirror our collective values.”

Crestbridge Family Office Services, which is not part of this transaction, will continue to operate independently and provide its private client, trust and fiduciary services whilst remaining privately owned. It will continue to support its clients and their advisers with the same commitment and dedication they have experienced over the last ten years.

Having joined Crestbridge ten years ago to establish Family Office Services, Heather Tibbo now takes the reins as Chief Executive Officer with Paul Hunter as Managing Director. They will continue to be supported by the current team of Family Office Services professionals ensuring continuity of services and relationships.

Chief Executive, Heather Tibbo, said:

“Over the last ten years, Crestbridge Family Office Services has demonstrated a clear focus on its specialism for families and ultra-high net-worth clients and advisers. I am excited about the future for our business, our people, and the continuing opportunity to grow and develop our array of services, delivering excellence to our clients and advisers whose interests I firmly believe are best served by our remaining independent.”

Sophie won Gold in the ‘Business Development Manager of the Year’ category, with the accolades being presented at an Awards ceremony held in London this week (20th June).

Now in their eighth year, the Awards recognise the best brands across the private wealth landscape and champion the individuals and teams driving positive change and demonstrating best practice across the marketing, business development, public relations and communications sectors.

Sophie, who joined Crestbridge in January this year, has built a career as a business development specialist over the past ten years, working across the trust and company service provider sector in Jersey to support strategic business goals. As well as working with colleagues to facilitate the onboarding of new clients, Sophie also supports the team’s marketing efforts and is a champion for the business’ client relationship-driven approach. She holds the STEP Diploma in International Trust Management and the ICA International Diploma in Anti Money Laundering.

Commenting on Sophie’s success, Daniel Channing, Director, Crestbridge Family Office Services, said: “In a highly competitive market, it’s imperative that we effectively communicate how we differentiate ourselves.  I’m delighted for Sophie – she has contributed to our business development strategy this year and her efforts, along with those of our wider marketing and business development team, have proved pivotal in cementing our positive reputation.”