Compared to other companies in our field our clients never actually question our invoices. This might be due to our believe that we see in our clients a relationship rather than a fee center and that it is not always about the money... but about success! Success with a project, being able to find and purchase the jewel in the crown, selling an asset at its peak, or just simply reconciling the books at the end of the month.
Keeping fees simple, we prefer to discuss the volume of anticipated work with the clients at the outset and to agree on a flat fee which is then paid on an annual basis. We realize that for some clients this helps the coffee industry as our working hours get stretched but as mentioned above, we believe in long lasting relationships and the pleasure of being part of achieving success together.
As trustees and directors responsible of our client's entities, our duty is to ensure that the assets held in them perform in the best interest of the beneficiaries or beneficial owners and that they are administered properly with all decisions fully documented and accounted for.
For tasks where we aren't specialists we seek advise and assistance from those who are and those who are in the relevant jurisdiction. In a complex world we believe that an in-house advisor is limited to the know-how he has and as such to limit the danger of partial or wrong guidance it is best practice to obtain this knowledge commodity from a third party such as a lawyer, tax advisor, banker, investment manager or payroll agent.
For a boutique company our aim is to remain small enough to stay flexible and responsive to our clients with whom we built up a close relationship. Our philosophy is to provide immaculate quality service which many famous Swiss companies stand for and which our clients know they can rely on, full transparency and this at a cost which is competitive with all markets around the world.
The nature of our business means that we share many of the challenges and values of our clients, many of whom have long established and successful family businesses of their own. Because we understand the dynamics of the family business we are able to help our clients safeguard their business for the enduring benefit of future generations. We know how important it is to leave a lasting legacy.
Allina Family Office is a traditional boutique family office created in January 2012 based on a small number of wealthy families who desired a more client oriented, agile and bespoke service which an institutional trust company can’t provide due to its nature of fragmented layers of decision making where decisions take too long to be made.
Our clients are entrepreneurs who have all succeeded in their respective businesses and who have entrusted us the administration and/or management of their affairs which are structured through trusts and companies.
We are part of the management of their existing operating businesses where we are actively involved in the day-to-day operations, be it on the legal/compliance side where we draft and execute board resolutions and business contracts, on the financial side where we act as treasurer in the financial department checking that all accounts receivables are collected and accounts payable are paid in time, run monthly reports and prepare the annual budget, or on the operational side where we are part of the decision making to ensure that the companies can deliver what is in the best interest of the clients.
With 20 plus years’ experience as an entrepreneur, Michael is responsible for the strategic development and vision of the company. He also keeps a close eye on the internal management of the establishment.
Languages: English and German
Thomas is the backbone of the family office with more than 10 years in the field of wealth planning and structuring, having previously worked in Geneva for Lloyds TSB, Caversham SA and the Louvre Group. Thomas is currently a Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). He holds an MSc. Hons in Banking & Finance from the University of Sterling, UK and a Bachelor degree in International Relations and Political Sciences from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. In his spare time he enjoys his family and a variety of outdoor activities.
Languages: English, German, French, Hebrew and Italian