I started my career as a wealth planner in private banking, before switching to practising law. Although I truly enjoyed that chapter, I missed the long-term, personal relationships at the heart of private banking. This realisation ultimately led me to Mercier Van Lanschot, where I now combine both worlds in my role as Head of Wealth Planning. 

 

At its core, wealth planning is about one thing: unburdening our clients of their worries and concerns regarding their estate and family. Life is complex enough, and exploring the financial and non-financial implications of estate planning requires you to look at wealth from your clients' perspective. That means looking beyond the assets and understanding how clients want to use them, whether that’s supporting their children’s education, funding a new business venture or consolidating. In this sense, we give time to our clients’ wealth by listening to their concerns and helping them get the most out of it for generations to come. 

 

At the end of the day, our clients want to preserve and create wealth for themselves and their families. For many, passing on wealth from one generation to the next is a significant moment. In some cases, they’re transferring a large part of their life’s work, which connects them emotionally to their estate and often prompts them to seek reassurance from us. Equally, younger generations often have many questions, and we make sure to bring them into the process as early as possible to address everyone’s concerns. 

 

My background as a lawyer is valuable in this context because I can quickly spot issues in contracts, and it’s also helped me develop active listening skills. For example, when a client was preparing a will and asked for our opinion, we took a comprehensive view, and I noticed that their understanding of their matrimonial agreement differed from how it would apply in an inheritance context. They were grateful that I had gone the extra mile and helped them avoid potential issues they weren’t even aware of!