Photo caption: Top row L-R: Matt Gilligan, Hannah Bisson, Sophie Hart, Tom Kimber, Natasha Southam
Bottom row L-R: Paul Taylor, Lana So Wan Yuen, Adonis Zachariou, Naro Zimmerman
We are pleased to introduce STEP’s global Next Gen Working Group, a new sub-committee of STEP’s EDI Committee, which aims to bridge the gap between established STEP members and students/prospective members by fostering an environment that encourages learning, networking and the professional growth of younger members.
It will support the growing number of Next Gen initiatives run by STEP branches and regions to identify and share good practice.
Below we introduce the members of the working group and they tell us why Next Gen is important to them.
Matt is an Associate Director at Saffery Trust in Guernsey. He has been involved with STEP Guernsey in various roles for over 14 years, initially as a Student Liaison Officer (while still being an active student) and more recently as the Vice Chair of the branch. He was the founder of the Next Gen committee in Guernsey, which helped frame subsequent global committees. He was instrumental in establishing this global Next Gen Working Group and is immensely proud to be the inaugural chair.
‘One of the reasons I wanted to establish the Next Gen committee in Guernsey was to bring back those that we had “lost from local events” post sitting their STEP exams. We could see our student numbers in Guernsey were high, but struggled to see these names and faces at some of our lectures and social events. We also wanted to make a safe environment for those rising through the ranks to converse with their peers and learn from other next gen practitioners in the industry. Personally, I also wanted to make a pathway for these young and inspiring individuals to get involved with STEP at the senior board level and I am delighted that this year my colleague Lily Simmons decided to put her name forward to join the main committee after sitting on the Next Gen committee a year prior (the system works!).’
Hannah is a Director at Trident Trust in Singapore. She moved to Singapore from Guernsey nearly seven years’ ago and now very much considers Singapore her long-term home. She is a member of the STEP Singapore branch and also sits on the branch’s External Relations Sub-Committee.
‘It is quite simple – the Next Gen are the future: our future clients; our future colleagues and the future of our industry. So I believe it will be invaluable for our Next Gen’s interests to be represented and voices heard – both globally and locally. I am excited to be a part of this working group as I have personally benefitted a lot over the years from the training, support and opportunities made available to me from being part of the STEP community. Through this working group, I hope to ensure we can evolve and adapt to the changing needs of the Next Gen so that STEP continues to be a relevant, beneficial and encouraging environment for new and prospective members now and in the future.’
Sophie is a Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys in Geneva, Switzerland. She is a member of the STEP Geneva branch committee and for the purposes of this global Next Gen Working Group, represents Switzerland more generally.
‘I am super passionate about STEP Next Gen – I launched the initiative in Geneva at the start of 2024, as there was a clear hole in the market for it. We have launched a targeted social forum for Next Gen professionals to meet, network and build business interests organically together. The Next Gen community in Geneva is vast and there is little dedicated to enhancing a social network for Next Gens, which is 100% a vital part of career development. The STEP Geneva Next Gen initiative is aiming to bridge that gap by introducing the opportunity for Next Gens to connect in a dedicated environment.’
Tom is Senior Manager – Head of Corporate Services at FFP in Dubai. He serves on the STEP Arabia branch committee as Membership Secretary.
‘The important role for the Next Gen Committee in the GCC is to bridge that gap from Student to Full Member status, adding depth to the pool of suitable service providers. STEP Arabia has historically had very few student members, but this is starting to change as the jurisdiction matures. I think there is an important role for STEP to play in upskilling the local workforce, to service the ever-increasing succession planning requirements for families across the GCC. Ultimately the more competent and qualified advisors we have on the ground, the better it is going to be for community as a whole.’
Natasha is a Senior Associate at Seddons Solicitors in London, UK. She is the current Chair of STEP London Central.
‘I am proud to be an active member of the STEP community and highly value the knowledge building and networking opportunities that it provides to its members. I am really encouraged that STEP takes the succession plan for both STEP as an organisation, and the private client industry generally, so seriously. The Next Gen are the future of the industry, and it is important that they are fully represented in all regions so as to shape the future of the private client world. I am excited to be involved with this positive endeavour and to represent the views of the England and Wales region for the global Next Gen Working Group.’
Paul is a partner at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, practising out of Ottawa and Toronto in Canada. Paul is on the board of STEP Canada and is Chair of the STEP Canada National Conference as well as being on the editorial board of the STEP Canada national publication STEP Inside and a member of the programming committee. Paul was previously Chair of STEP Ottawa and has served in numerous other local and national roles.
‘I am lucky to be a member of a branch (Ottawa) that truly supports younger TEPs and student members in being part of its operations. I am also lucky to be part of a firm (BLG) with strong mentors who pushed me to get more involved in STEP as a junior lawyer and paved the way for me to be in leadership positions as my practice developed. I realise, however, that not all branches necessarily have that mentality (or are the right mix of vibrant enough to be growing but small enough to naturally have roles open for more junior practitioners). Also, not all Next Gen practitioners have that level of support in their firms or networks. Accordingly, it is incumbent upon STEP, for its current and future health, to take active measures to encourage strong practitioners from the Next Gen to be active in all levels of the organisation.
‘STEP Canada has benefitted immensely from consistently having Next Gen members on its board. As some of our branches are smaller and growing, we tend to always have a few members on the board who are Next Gen. This has both kept STEP Canada vibrant and engaged with its members, as the Next Gen members often go on to more senior roles in the organisation.’
Lana So Wan Yuen is Associate Director Client Services at Axis Fiduciary in Mauritius. She was appointed to the STEP Mauritius branch committee in June 2024 and serves as Branch Secretary.
‘Joining the Next Gen Working Group will allow me to contribute my perspectives on both platforms with a view to align the objectives of the local branch with those of STEP globally. I am excited about the opportunity to collaborate with professionals worldwide, to drive initiatives that resonate with young professionals in the trust and wealth management space.’
Adonis is an Associate at Elias Neocleous & Co in Cyprus, representing this jurisdiction on the STEP Next Gen Working Group. Adonis is an Affiliate Member of STEP, currently studying the STEP Diploma.
‘STEP Next Gen is crucial in fostering a community for young professionals and the next generation of wealth successors. It provides a platform for knowledge sharing, leadership development and collaboration, equipping future leaders to effectively navigate the complexities of wealth management and succession planning.
‘For Cyprus, STEP Next Gen will play an important role in raising awareness among the new generation of practitioners and successors about the importance of proper trust and estate planning, especially in a jurisdiction that serves as a key hub for international business and wealth structuring. By making these topics more accessible and relevant to the next generation, we aim to encourage best practices and support the sustainable growth of this critical sector in the region.’
Naro is Deputy Head of Private Client Services for JTC’s Caribbean offices. He is based in Cayman and is a member of the STEP Cayman Islands branch committee. He represents the Caribbean region on the Next Gen Working Group.
‘I see STEP Next Gen as crucial for personal and regional growth, offering a pathway for individual advancement while driving immeasurable benefits for the STEP Caribbean branches to ensure the fiduciary industry in these centres continues to thrive. By building a skilled, adaptable and resilient workforce, the Caribbean region can achieve sustainable growth and continued prosperity.’
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