Exactly what it says on the tin – news snippets, forthcoming events and information from the business world. DQ HOSTS ‘INVALUABLE’ GLOBAL TAX CONFERENCE A prestigious conference for senior figures in financial services businesses has been held at the Villa Marina. Leading offshore law firm, DQ Advocates, hosted its Global Tax Enforcement conference. Eleven guest speakers will addressed a range of matters from transparency initiatives to tax enforcement and data privacy. The event was designed to provide practical and commercially relevant guidance to financial services businesses which deal with international tax, fraud and criminal investigations. Sinead O’Connor, Head of Regulatory and Compliance Services for DQ Advocates, explained: ‘This event sought to provide a clear insight and advice for our clients and local industry into the main business issues of the day; something we strive to do on a regular basis. ‘It provided background on global tax enforcement, as well as guidance on the best practices and strategies to adopt before and after you are contacted by foreign tax or criminal authorities. ‘Whether your work involves a business’ clients or related parties, in this era of heightened cross-border enforcement it is imperative companies in the industry are ready to meet the challenges ahead.’ Among the speakers, DQ welcomed tax dispute and investigations expert Gary Ashford, Chief Executive of the Isle of Man Finance Agency Michael Crowe and London-based partner Emily Osborne, recently named Rising Star of the Year at the Chambers High Net Worth Awards. DQ also introduced Filippo Noseda of Mischon de Reya, who has appeared as an expert before the Council of Europe and the EU data protection authorities in connection with the introduction of the OECD’s Common Reporting Standard (CRS) and the EU’s Beneficial Ownership Registers. FURTHER EXPANSION AT UTMOST WEALTH SOLUTIONS Mike Foy Utmost Wealth Solutions, the specialist international wealth management brand, has announced further expansion that is creating additional development opportunities at its Isle of Man operation. Utmost Wealth Solutions’ parent, the Utmost Group of Companies, has confirmed the acquisition of Generali Worldwide in Guernsey, now rebranded Utmost Worldwide. The new addition to Utmost Wealth Solutions means that assets under management at the brand have more than trebled over the last two years to £31bn. The Isle of Man offi ce, Utmost Limited, currently employs around 200 staff and provides support services throughout the group of companies. As one of the fastest growing international financial services brands in its sector, Utmost Wealth Solutions is building a formidable force in the international market for specialist cross-border wealth management solutions. 48 | Mike Foy, Chief Executive of Utmost Group Isle of Man said: “This latest acquisition is in line with the ambitious growth plans the Utmost Group announced last year and which we continue to pursue. While the Group’s expansion includes other jurisdictions, it creates growth for the Isle of Man offi ce and development opportunities for the staff based here. The Isle of Man offi ce is a key element in the ability to deliver effi ciencies across the Utmost Group of Companies. In particular, we are recognised as a centre of excellence for the provision of Group IS services. These are exciting times at Utmost Wealth Solutions and we look forward to working with our new colleagues.”