The ePrivateClient Channel Islands Top 35 Under 35 lists the top 70 future industry leaders – 35 men and 35 women – working across the private client sector in Jersey and Guernsey. This is the third occasion on which Daniel has been included in this prestigious list.

Judges considered a number of factors in compiling the list, including individual achievements over the past 12 months and career progression. It is the fifth year the list has been published.

Daniel, who was promoted to Manager at the beginning of the year, has over fifteen years’ experience in the offshore trust business and joined Crestbridge in 2017 with a private wealth and family office background. Over the past four years, he has looked after a number of UHNWI relationships across multiple jurisdictions and with diverse assets and structures.

In particular, he has been heavily involved with the set up and administration of a particular family office structure based in Jersey and has led a number of technical transactions. An ICSA Affiliate, Daniel also holds the CISI Islamic Finance Qualification and oversees the professional development of other members of the team.

Recognition in this list marks a successful first half of the year for Crestbridge, with Co-Group Head of Family Office Services Heather Tibbo being included in ePrivateClient’s 50 Most Influential at the start of the year, and Director Danielle Cottignies winning a Gold at the Citywealth Powerwomen Awards and the award for ‘Rising Star Under 40’ at this year’s Wealthbriefing European Awards.

What do you think gave you the competitive edge this year?
Our focus has always been on listening to clients and colleagues to develop bespoke, tailored and appropriate best-in class solutions, and that’s definitely shone through over the past two years of disruption as we’ve looked to adapt and respond to a rapidly changing environment.
We’ve also placed a focus on managing and motivating the team. That’s been really important, especially with remote working rapidly become the norm. We’ve been agile in our approach, ensuring that colleagues are supported and engaged, being flexible to their needs. Ultimately, our people are our key differentiator, and I’ve been fortunate to have played a part in delivering our learning and development program and our return to work and agile working policy in response to the pandemic.

Describe how your colleagues make a difference to your organisation?
Our combined success is really all about investment in our people and supporting each other – recognising and respecting our strengths, enabling career progression, offering training to open up new skills development opportunities and embedding new technologies to help us support clients. Again, remaining agile has been a fundamental part of our mutual success – it encourages us to work together and ensures we are ready to respond to the changing needs of clients.

Please describe the challenges you needed to surmount to reach your standard?
Keeping the team motivated and engaged was a significant challenge over the past year or so, given the shift to remote working. Finding creative ways to bring together the team remotely was critical. From a client perspective, face to face meetings were of course not possible either, and we adopted a flexible, creative approach to keep in touch with them. The key was to be proactive and we are actually now seeing an appetite for hybrid means of communication, both in person and virtually, to suit client needs.

How did your firm react to the pandemic and what lasting changes do you expect from this period. What might not last?
We were highly responsive to the pandemic – our technology infrastructure was already in place and able to accommodate agile working. A major and lasting outcome, though, has been the heightened focus on colleague support and staff wellbeing. Those are areas where I think we will definitely see a lasting legacy.

What do you see as the prospects for wealth management in general?
The world is definitely becoming more complex and the coming years will undoubtedly bring increased layers of complication, in a regulatory and legislative sense and in terms of geopolitical disruption. This greater complexity will mean that listening to client needs will become more important than ever, particularly as they
move into areas like crypto currencies and digital assets, and as families focus more on succession and legacy planning and the needs of the next generation.

Whom do you look to for inspiration and ideas?
Our belief in the value of mentoring is really important, and I’ve been very fortunate to have had a mentor who has vast amounts of industry experience and is extremely well respected. Getting that sort of advice and guidance has been inspirational and instrumental in terms of my own progress.

What do you hope will be the result of receiving this accolade?
Recognition through these awards is essentially recognition for the team as a whole. To know that we are doing the right thing collectively for clients is really pleasing.

Tell us about the impact of your training.

Firstly, my appetite. I’ve always enjoyed my food, but the amount I’m burning through at the moment is unbelievable. I’ve also noticed that the mood I bring to training and sparring is absolutely key to my performance. If I’m not 100% focused, or my confidence is a little lower, the effect is amplified in the ring. Proof, if it were needed, of the mind’s control over the body, and something I’ll need to be on top of on the night when that bell goes.

What has this experience taught you?

The importance of resilience and tenacity. I’ve always considered myself to be fairly resilient, but a punch in the face before I’ve even had my breakfast has put that to the test. It’s pretty unnatural to walk towards danger, and your instinct instead is to say “ouch” and hope it will stop. But in the ring that won’t happen. The punches just keep coming unless you respond, and you can’t afford to stop and inspect the damage.

What advice would you give someone thinking of doing a tough physical challenge for charity?

Easy. Just do it! You’re much more likely to regret not doing it than if you just jump in with both feet.

Describe your fighting technique in one line

This is tricky as in the ring I’m still very much a work in progress. Assuming everything goes to plan though, I am aiming to be agile and make good use of my reach. I am hoping my long arms will be a big bonus, and I can punch from outside my opponent’s range.

To sponsor this challenge and support Kidney Research UK, please click here.

Danielle won Gold in the ‘Woman of the Year – Rising Star’ category at the Awards. The results were announced at an event in London last week (3 March).

The Awards, now in their eleventh year, are designed to recognise individuals and companies leading the way in maximising the potential of women in wealth, champion women in the wealth sector, highlight the female leaders of today and tomorrow, and create a platform for best practice to have a positive social influence on the sector.

What inspired you to take on this challenge?

I have always kept active. My main sporting interest is Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) racing and over recent years that’s been my main focus for training. Although there are SUP races locally in Jersey, they are relatively small scale so attending larger races relies on being able to travel to places a bit further away – like France, Spain and the US.

With travel having been slightly more challenging due to the pandemic, though, I was looking for something else to work towards. This boxing event is being run by the gym I already train at, Transform Together, and the coaches were so encouraging when I said I was thinking of taking part.

Which charity are you supporting and why is it so significant to you?

I am fighting to raise money for Kidney Research UK. Paul (Pablo) Hunter, Group Co-Head of Family Office Services, suffers from kidney disease and has recently undergone kidney transplant surgery. Whilst Pablo has been incredibly stoic throughout, as his colleagues, we have all seen the huge impact this has had on Pablo’s life over the last few years as his treatment has escalated, attending regular dialysis appointments whilst on the waiting list for a suitable donor.

Knowing that this surgery was essential for Pablo’s life to return to some degree of normality and that some don’t get the transplant they so desperately need, I have chosen a charity that will provide benefit to others in Pablo’s situation. My hope is that through fundraising like this, treatments can be developed for those with kidney disease whilst research can also be undertaken with the aim of curing or ultimately preventing kidney disease.

How have you been training and preparing yourself for the event?

The training currently involves three boxing sessions per week, each an hour long, including a combination of technical and fitness training. The technical training is really starting from scratch – I’ve never boxed before – so I’ve been learning the  basics really, how to stand and move around and what the various punches are. Alongside that I am also continuing with three personal training sessions a week, which are predominantly strength based and part of my existing training plan, as well as a group training session which tends to be more cardio based.

As the weeks go on, I will also incorporate one-to-one pad work sessions and then we will eventually move on to sparring to start getting us used to hitting and – more importantly – being hit! We will all also be focussed on nutrition and how we are fuelling up for training and in the lead up to fight night, some will be wanting to achieve a goal weight whereas others will be more focussed on maintenance. It’s certainly a lot of preparation and disciplined hard work.

How important is having support on fight night?

A few family members and friends are understandably unsure whether they want to see me get punched in the face.  On the flipside, there may be a few who would willingly pay to see that! From my point of view, as this is an entirely new sport and challenge for me, having support will be important – I would hope that people will come along to see how much work goes into getting in the ring to fight, both physically and mentally.

In addition, there is also a wonderful spirit among the training group already and, having attended the last fight as a spectator, I know that everyone there watching, no matter who they are there to see, will be hugely supportive of all the fighters and the fighters of each other. I’m looking forward to it!

Tell us about the impact of your training.

Firstly, my appetite. I’ve always enjoyed my food, but the amount I’m burning through at the moment is unbelievable. I’ve also noticed that the mood I bring to training and sparring is absolutely key to my performance. If I’m not 100% focused, or my confidence is a little lower, the effect is amplified in the ring. Proof, if it were needed, of the mind’s control over the body, and something I’ll need to be on top of on the night when that bell goes.

What has this experience taught you?

The importance of resilience and tenacity. I’ve always considered myself to be fairly resilient, but a punch in the face before I’ve even had my breakfast has put that to the test. It’s pretty unnatural to walk towards danger, and your instinct instead is to say “ouch” and hope it will stop. But in the ring that won’t happen. The punches just keep coming unless you respond, and you can’t afford to stop and inspect the damage.

What advice would you give someone thinking of doing a tough physical challenge for charity?

Easy. Just do it! You’re much more likely to regret not doing it than if you just jump in with both feet.

Describe your fighting technique in one line

This is tricky as in the ring I’m still very much a work in progress. Assuming everything goes to plan though, I am aiming to be agile and make good use of my reach. I am hoping my long arms will be a big bonus, and I can punch from outside my opponent’s range.

To sponsor this challenge and support Kidney Research UK, please click here.

Elliott is now a manager within the Family Office Services team where he supports UHNW individuals, families and trusted advisors. Having worked for Crestbridge for four years, Elliott explained what he enjoys about his role and why Crestbridge stands out for him as a place to build a career.

What has been your career path to date?

My university degree in Finance and Accountancy was the first step on my career path and it really helped me to secure a trainee position in large financial services organisation when I returned to Jersey. After a few years, I moved within the same business, to a role that included both accounting and administration responsibilities. It provided me with an excellent opportunity to develop my skillset in both areas, but I was particularly keen to pursue the accountancy element and so at that point I started studying for my ACCA qualification.

After completing my qualification, I took a short break to travel which was a great time to reflect on my career and I decided to move to Cayman for work. Thanks to my previous professional experience, plus my qualifications, I was able to secure a great employment opportunity and spent two and a half years working in Cayman. I then returned to Jersey and spent a further two years working for a large global services provider before an opportunity arose to join the Crestbridge team. Crestbridge had an excellent professional reputation and I’d also heard good things from friends about the company, so I jumped at the chance.

I love working at Crestbridge and I feel lucky to have be able to expand my experience and understanding of different sectors including private equity, secondary debt, markets, hedge funds and fund of funds in the time I’ve been with the company. Around three years ago, I transferred to a role in the Family Office Services team to support the accounting function. The role is extremely interesting and varied and involves working across different asset classes such as stock portfolios, real estate, super yachts and sometimes fine art and jewellery.

How has Crestbridge supported your career goals and progression?

There’s a fantastic training and development programme and a great deal of support for career development at Crestbridge. As well as professional qualifications there are a range of courses and programmes that support soft skills development. I was lucky to be able to undertake the Crestbridge management development programme which has really helped to reinforce my management skills and support my team and colleagues.

In addition to the training side, there’s a terrific management team at Crestbridge and that’s been key to my own development. I think when you have good relationships with colleagues at all levels, and you feel supported, you have more confidence to step up and take on the tasks at the next level so that you can progress professionally.

What will be your next professional development or career decision?

I’m delighted to have recently been promoted to manager within the Family Office Services team. I think my next focus will be to work on consolidating my position, working with the colleagues that report to me and helping them to progress, but also expanding my own knowledge of the business at a more strategic level, to understand how the business is looking to develop its services and people. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of this role.

Do you have any advice for people considering their own professional development in 2022?

Have the confidence and drive to undertake some kind of professional qualification. In doing so, it shows that you have commitment and can apply yourself, alongside your day-to-day responsibilities. If I hadn’t had my ACCA qualifications, I don’t think the opportunity to work in the Cayman Islands would have presented itself; it really does help to open doors!

If you like the sound of what Crestbridge has to offer, why not check out the vacancies we’re currently offering. Click here to find out how you could make the next step in your career with Crestbridge.

Tell us about the impact of your training.

Firstly, my appetite. I’ve always enjoyed my food, but the amount I’m burning through at the moment is unbelievable. I’ve also noticed that the mood I bring to training and sparring is absolutely key to my performance. If I’m not 100% focused, or my confidence is a little lower, the effect is amplified in the ring. Proof, if it were needed, of the mind’s control over the body, and something I’ll need to be on top of on the night when that bell goes.

What has this experience taught you?

The importance of resilience and tenacity. I’ve always considered myself to be fairly resilient, but a punch in the face before I’ve even had my breakfast has put that to the test. It’s pretty unnatural to walk towards danger, and your instinct instead is to say “ouch” and hope it will stop. But in the ring that won’t happen. The punches just keep coming unless you respond, and you can’t afford to stop and inspect the damage.

What advice would you give someone thinking of doing a tough physical challenge for charity?

Easy. Just do it! You’re much more likely to regret not doing it than if you just jump in with both feet.

Describe your fighting technique in one line

This is tricky as in the ring I’m still very much a work in progress. Assuming everything goes to plan though, I am aiming to be agile and make good use of my reach. I am hoping my long arms will be a big bonus, and I can punch from outside my opponent’s range.

To sponsor this challenge and support Kidney Research UK, please click here.

Highlighting achievements, contribution and promotions of key individuals, the annual list identifies those who are at the forefront of driving forward progress in the private client space.

Heather, who has now been included in the list for the past four consecutive years, has over 25 years’ experience in the UHNW sector, working with UHNWIs, their families and institutions to provide a comprehensive range of cross-border family office services to families and corporate clients. As well as being responsible for the Family Office Services business, Heather is also a member of Crestbridge’s Executive team with input to the strategic direction and expansion of the business.