Simon Morgan TEP, Director and Head of Private Clients at Vistra Jersey, has been re-elected worldwide Chair of STEP. 

STEP is the global professional association for practitioners who specialise in family inheritance and succession planning. Founded in 1991, and with more than 20,000 members, STEP is widely recognised by employers, policymakers and the public.

This will be Simon’s second term as Chair, and is effective from 1 January 2020.

‘I’m excited and honoured to be reappointed,’ Simon said, ‘It’s been a privilege to work with STEP, not just with the Board and Council, but with the many hundreds of volunteers who serve on our branches, regions and central committees. 

‘During the last year, STEP CEO Mark Walley and I have been working on a number of projects to move the Society forward.’

‘We’ve made good progress in a number of areas, notably in strengthening our professional standards, and on the member journey, to ensure members undergo a logical progression through membership whatever stage they have reached, or wherever they are based. We’ve also been ensuring our governance is fit for purpose across the globe, as the Society continues to grow. I look forward to continue collaborating with the leading firms and people who represent our industry around the world.’

Simon has been in the international fiduciary business since 1982, working in Jersey and the Cayman Islands. He has been a member of STEP since 1994, is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Financial Services (London Institute of Banking & Finance), and was named in the CityWealth Honours list and Who’s Who Legal as one of the world’s leading practitioners in his field.

Prior to his election in 2018, he held numerous leadership roles within STEP, serving as chair of the largest branch, STEP Jersey, joining the worldwide Council in 2013, and the Board in 2017, where he served as deputy chair.

STEP CEO Mark Walley said, ‘Simon has been unstinting in his work for STEP being actively involved for almost 20 years before he took over the office of chair. We warmly welcome his re-election, and look forward to his second year with us. I would also like to recognise Simon’s huge support to me personally in my first year as STEP CEO, on top of his other STEP and business commitments.’

Vistra, a leading global trust, corporate service and fund administration provider, is a STEP Employer Partner, and is delighted with the reappointment. Vistra’s CEO Alan Brown said, ‘We offer our congratulations to Simon, and are pleased that he will continue his excellent work at STEP which drives a very positive impact across the trust industry.’

STEP’s Board of Directors is responsible for the high-level strategic direction of the Society, and its members have legal authority and responsibility for the organisation. Board members are elected by members of STEP’s worldwide Council.

Other Board members from January 2020 include Assad Abdullatiff TEP, Nancy Golding QC TEP, Ian Huddleston TEP, Anthony Pitcher TEP, Amanda Simmonds TEP, Patricia Wass TEP and STEP CEO Mark Walley.

For further information, please contact Joanna Pegum from STEP on +44 (0)20 3752 3700 [email protected] or Kate Chan from Vistra on [email protected]

About STEP

STEP is the global professional association for practitioners who specialise in family inheritance and succession planning. STEP works to improve public understanding of the issues families face in this area and promotes education and high professional standards among its members. STEP members help families plan for their futures, from drafting wills to issues surrounding international families, protection of the vulnerable, family businesses and philanthropic giving. Full STEP members, known as TEPs, are internationally recognised as experts in their field, with proven qualifications and experience.

Find out more at www.step.org

About Vistra

Ranked in the top three corporate service providers globally, Vistra is a versatile group of professionals, providing a uniquely broad range of services and solutions. Our capabilities span across company formations to trust, fiduciary, private client services, and fund administration. Vistra employs over 4,500 employees across 45 jurisdictions. For more information, please visit www.vistra.com.