Spear’s Review

Success will naturally follow if the service ‘puts the client at the centre of everything you do’. That is the mantra Charlie Hoffman lives by, and which has helped grow the value of his book to over $20 billion. 

HSBC’s private banking arm embodies Hoffman’s philosophy by placing the client at the centre of everything. Around them sits a dedicated inner circle: an investment team, a credit advisory team and global solutions advisers – each providing direct access to the wider investment bank and its wealth planning specialists. Threading it all together is HSBC’s international reach, which clients can draw on across every touchpoint.

‘Clients are becoming more and more international, so they need that seamless service across multiple jurisdictions. There aren’t many banks which are both international and can book their clients seamlessly – whether it’s in Switzerland or Luxembourg or Singapore or the Channel Islands,’ he tells Spear’s. ‘It’s very hard to find; we do have the platform which allows that and therefore is very appreciated by our client base.’

Hoffman is a two-time Spear’s Award winner for UHNW Wealth Manager of the Year, taking the title in 2022 and 2025.

Read next: Charlie Hoffman on building a $20 billion client book – and never settling for less than the extra 1 per cent

Adviser Profile

As a Spear’s UHNW Wealth Manager of the Year, it’s no surprise that Charlie Hoffman is leading the way as the adviser of choice for UHNW families who are largely based in or have links to the UK.

Charlie runs a small team that helps him look after each and every relationship. While small and select in client number, the book of business exceeds the books of some entire private banks in terms of assets under management. Charlie’s approach to client service is akin to a virtual family office – focusing, with specialists around them, on succession, planning, wealth management, lending and banking.

‘I have kept to our mantra over the years,’ says Charlie. ‘Keep the client at the centre of everything that you do and you will have the best outcome for client, bank and long-term relationship.’

The intrinsically international nature of HSBC and its clients means Charlie looks after client relationships that he might manage not just through the UK platform but also through that of Hong Kong, Switzerland, Singapore or the Channel Islands for example. ‘A global presence for private banks,’ he points out, ‘is pivotal for firms that want to both grow their client base and serve their clients to the best of their capability.’