Spear’s Review

‘A lot of what we do is the sort of thing you can’t announce,’ says the half-Danish, half-English Frederick Bjørn, who currently leads Payne Hicks Beach’s Scandinavian initiative. His UHNW clients value discretion, and his work reflects that.

One recent success he is willing to discuss involved restructuring the holdings of a family with hundreds of millions in assets. ‘We were really at the forefront of succession planning for three or four generations of family members. Coordinating the tax, trusts and family governance was an incredibly fulfilling project,’ he says.

Bjørn has a particular focus on UK-based Scandinavian clients and notes many are relocating to Switzerland and Italy. ‘For many people, the direction of travel [from the UK] seems to be one way – and that’s out.’ He adds that his Danish background has been invaluable in understanding his client base: ‘It’s really important to understand the nuances that come with a client base, from their appetite for advice to the fees and type of structuring they prefer.’

Adviser Profile

Frederick is a partner in the private client department and a member of the firm’s management board. He advises a broad range of UK and international clients on personal tax, trusts and succession planning. His practice focuses on advising entrepreneurial and business families on long‑term structuring, family governance and estate planning. He also advises on pre-arrival, pre-departure and residence planning, trust taxation and asset structuring. Frederick has a strong international practice, particularly in Scandinavia and matters with a US angle. A published author and regular speaker at industry conferences, he is consistently recognised by Chambers and The Legal 500 UK as a leading tax and trust adviser.