About Us

Graeme W Briggs is the Founder and Chairman of Asiaciti Trust. He is an Australian Chartered Accountant who has been directly involved in the international tax planning and international trust services industry since 1971. Over the past 45 years he has developed extensive experience in international tax and corporate planning with particular specialisation in international or foreign trusts, asset protection and estate planning, wealth preservation planning, international investment structures, captive and international life insurance. He is a member of the International Tax Planning Association, the International Fiscal Association, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), and was a founding Senator of the Offshore Institute.

Jerome Briggs joined Asiaciti Trust in 2013 following a career in private equity and investment banking with a number of major international firms. He is responsible for the overall leadership, operations and strategy of Asiaciti Trust. Jerome holds an MBA (Honours) from IMD in Switzerland and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from the University of Melbourne.

Sebastien Hayoz joined Asiaciti Trust in October 2016. He has a law degree from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland and worked in a Geneva Law Firm before joining the trust and fiduciary industry. In his previous positions, Sebastien was Head of Private Clients Services in Geneva for international trust companies. Sebastien is a member of STEP.

Cara Briggs is an Australian Chartered Accountant with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne. Cara initially joined Asiaciti Trust in 2004 as the General Manager of Asiaciti Trust Hong Kong. She later spent two years with a major Swiss Private Bank as a Wealth Planning Consultant before returning to Asiaciti Trust Singapore in June 2009. Cara has over 14 years of professional experience in private client trust and fiduciary services, as well as tax consulting services with ‘Big 4’ accounting firms in Australia. Cara is a member of STEP.

Joseph McBurney has over 20 years’ experience in the trust and fiduciary industry in Europe, the Caribbean and Asia, with a focus on private clients. Prior to joining Asiaciti Trust in March 2015, he was Head of Trust for an independent trust company in Singapore and General Manager of an office in Geneva. Joseph is a member of STEP.

Halyn Chai has more than 13 years of professional experience in corporate, private trust and private funds fiduciary services. Halyn joined Asiaciti Trust in November 2009 and she is a member of STEP.

Desiree M. Tan has more than 8 years of experience in the trust and fiduciary industry. Prior to joining Asiaciti Trust, Desiree was the Head of Sales and Brand Ambassador at an independent global trust firm where she was responsible for developing long-term commercial relationships with professional intermediaries and private clients, relating to corporate and global trustee services.

Cally Ching, who joined Asiaciti Trust in early 2016, commenced her professional career as a tax professional with a Big 4 accounting firm in Hong Kong. Subsequently Cally worked for 18 years with two international trust companies assisting both private and corporate clients to structure family trusts, corporate trusts, and corporations for inbound/outbound investments between Hong Kong and China. From 2007 to 2010, Cally was based in Shanghai and was responsible for developing and managing BPO services and international trust services in the China market. Cally is an Australian CPA, a Certified Tax Adviser in Hong Kong, and a member of the Taxation Institute of Hong Kong.

KS joined Asiaciti Trust in August 2018. He is a qualified New Zealand lawyer and a member of STEP with over 25 years’ experience in the private banking, wealth management and fiduciary services industry with major global financial institutions and independent trust companies in the Cook Islands, Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand.

Lesley Katoa is General Manager of Asiaciti Trust Cook Islands & Nevis, having joined the company in 2004 as Finance Manager. Lesley, a Cook Islander, is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand. Prior to joining Asiaciti Trust, Lesley worked for 5 years with a Big Four accounting firm where she gained experience in client accounting and financial management.

Angela Pope is a New Zealand lawyer and Legal Counsel of Asiaciti Trust Pacific Limited, resident in the Cook Islands and is a member of STEP. She is admitted to practise law in New Zealand and the Cook Islands. Prior to joining Asiaciti Trust in May 2010, Angela worked in New Zealand in private legal practice specialising in trust law and succession planning.

Tine Ponia is a New Zealand lawyer and Legal Counsel for Asiaciti Trust Pacific Limited, and is a full member of STEP. She is admitted to practice law in New Zealand and the Cook Islands. Prior to joining Asiaciti Trust in April 2013, Tine worked in commercial litigation in New Zealand and had significant experience in the Cook Islands offshore trust industry.

Georjean Nicholas is Legal Counsel for Asiaciti Trust Pacific Limited and has a law degree from Otago University, New Zealand. Prior to joining Asiaciti Trust in May 2018, Georjean worked in private legal practice in the Cook Islands and had substantial experience in the Cook Islands financial services industry.

Laurence Black joined Asiaciti Trust in late 2012. He has over 30 years experience in the offshore finance industry. Laurence has been based in the Middle East for the past 22 years and has extensive experience in cross border planning, the establishment of international trusts and company formation. Before joining Asiaciti Trust he held a number of senior positions within the Trust & Fiduciary industry and more recently was Head of Fiduciary Services, MENAP for a major international financial institution in the Dubai International Financial Centre. Laurence is a full member of STEP Worldwide and was the founding Chairman of STEP Arabia.

Dominique Burnett is a Chartered Secretary with an MSc in Corporate Governance from Bournemouth University. Prior to joining Asiaciti Trust Europe, Dominique spent five years with Asiaciti Trust New Zealand and two years with Asiaciti Trust Singapore as Director, Client Services. Dominique entered the private client services industry in 2000 and has also gained private client, trust and company management experience in her native Jersey, London and Geneva. 

KS joined Asiaciti Trust in August 2018. He is a qualified New Zealand lawyer and a member of STEP with over 25 years’ experience in the private banking, wealth management and fiduciary services industry with major global financial institutions and independent trust companies in the Cook Islands, Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand.

Richard Broad joined Asiaciti Trust in February 2019. He holds a law degree from the prestigious Victoria University of Wellington. Prior to joining Asiaciti Trust, Broad was the Head of Legal, Personal Client Services at Perpetual Guardian New Zealand. Additionally, he has worked at law firms in London and Wellington; specialising in trusts, estates, property, commercial law, companies and finance. A STEP member since 2012, Broad sits on its Disciplinary Panel and the Auckland District Law Society Trusts Committee. He is also the Convenor of the N.Z. Law Society Auckland Standards Committee no.4.

Marlee Martiz-Lee has more than 20 years’ experience in the corporate, trust and fiduciary services industry. She has a Law degree from the University of Panama, post graduate studies in International Fiduciary Administration by the International Banking Institute and the Latin American Banking Federation, as well as a Foundation Certificate on Trust Administration for Civil Law Practitioners by STEP. She is a member of the Panama Bar Association, and currently holds a seat at STEP’ s Panama Branch Committee.

Carmel joined Asiaciti Trust in February 2015. She brings a wealth of experience in the offshore industry spanning 24 years at managerial and executive level in the private sector of Samoa’s International Finance Center. She holds a law degree from the University of Canterbury and is admitted to practice in the High Court of New Zealand. Carmel is a member of the Law Society of Samoa.