Why I Do This Work
People often ask why I left a large financial institution after 12 years in senior roles. The answer is uncomfortable but true: I was depressed.
For years I kept telling myself "this is just how corporate life is. Push through." But my body was telling me something different.
In early 2023, I admitted I needed help. Started therapy. Started asking hard questions I'd been avoiding:
"Why am I doing this work?"
"Does this align with my values?"
"Am I making a difference that matters?"
The answers were uncomfortable. I was spending most of my time enforcing controls I didn't believe in, managing processes that added little real value to the organisation or our clients.
After 20 years in global finance, I knew the game inside out. And I realised: I don't want to play it anymore. Not because the work was hard, but because the work felt meaningless.
The Moment it Clicked
In 2020, I led a project that fundamentally shifted how I think about operational work.
We had an issue in our global trust business. Four separate periodic review processes. Nobody had looked at the end-to-end flow in years. Staff were drowning. But - and this is crucial - there was no better risk outcome from all that work.
My mandate was to simplify without increasing risk.
Here's what I did:
I cut through the bureaucracy. Merged 4 separate processes into 1. Right-sized review frequencies. Eliminated 30% of check steps that couldn't justify their existence. Asked the one question nobody else was brave enough to ask: "Do we genuinely need this step?"
Result: Four months of work. 2,000 hours saved annually across the business. Zero increase in regulatory risk.
That's when I realised: This is the work that matters. Sustainable controls. Intelligent design. Doing what's necessary to manage risk, and nothing more.
Why Trust Companies
When I left my previous job, I had choices about where to focus my experience. I kept coming back to trust companies.
Trust companies represent what banking should be - fiduciary duty as a legal obligation, not just marketing. Long-term relationships. Protecting family wealth across generations. That's meaningful work.
But they're also struggling. Regulatory costs rising 5–15% year-on-year. Talent retention crisis. Technology debt. Margin compression. The economics are becoming unsustainable for many firms.
Most trust company leaders I speak with don't lack good ideas. They lack bandwidth for execution.
They're trapped in day-to-day operations. Leadership capacity is maxed out. And they can't afford to get it wrong when making changes.
That's where I come in.
My Principles
I operate on a clear set of principles that guide everything I do:
Outcomes Over Outputs
I don't measure success by activity or billable hours. I measure it by results: reduced costs, strengthened controls, faster processes, better outcomes for your clients.
Execution Over Strategy
Consultants love to recommend. I focus on implementation. Strategies are worthless if they sit in a PowerPoint. I work to get things done.
Sustainable Over Heroic
I don't believe in short-term fixes or hero leadership. I build systems and capabilities that last beyond my engagement, with knowledge transfer so your team can run them independently.
Ethical Over Expedient
I won't recommend a control that looks good to a regulator but serves no real risk management purpose. I also won't cut corners on compliance. Sustainable control means doing what actually matters.
Hands-On Over Remote
I work inside your operation, not from a consulting office. I'm in the trenches with your team, understanding the real constraints and complexities.
Why Work With Me
Authentic Regulatory Credibility
I'm not a consultant who studied regulation. I've lived it. I've managed teams through HKMA inspections, MAS enforcement actions, and major regulatory change. I understand how regulators think because I've been at the table with them.
Cross-Jurisdictional Expertise
Most advisors are deep in one market. I've operated across Hong Kong, Singapore, Luxembourg, Jersey, and London. I understand how regulatory expectations differ, how best practices translate across markets, and where you have real flexibility vs. where you don't.
Proven Track Record
I don't talk about potential. I talk about results: 2,000 hours saved, 30–40% headcount optimisation on targeted processes, successful regulatory remediation programmes.
You Get the Person, Not a Junior Team
When you engage me for interim leadership or consulting, you get me - not a junior analyst who's never run an operation. This is personal.
I Understand Your Real World
I've sat in your chair. I know the pressure of regulatory scrutiny, the complexity of managing across multiple jurisdictions, the reality of talent shortages and margin compression. I'm not naive about what's possible.
Cultural Bridge
I speak Western regulatory language fluently but understand Asian business context. This matters when you're trying to satisfy regulators whilst actually running a business effectively.
Ready to Transform Your Operations?
Whether you need interim leadership to navigate transition or change, operational consulting to strengthen controls and reduce costs, or regulatory support to prepare for or manage scrutiny - I can help.
I'm based in Hong Kong and serve trust companies, family offices, and EAMs across Asia.
Let's start with a conversation. I typically begin with a 20–30 minute call to understand your specific challenges and determine if we're a good fit to work together.
No obligation. No pitch. Just a genuine exploration of how I might help.