Wealth that crosses borders needs a structure that holds.

Not always. A single-family office makes sense when a family's assets, companies and heirs span several jurisdictions and need one governing structure, often alongside a DIFC or ADGM foundation. Many GCC families achieve the same control with a foundation, registered wills and an independent adviser coordinating their custodians. We map which structure fits before recommending either.

Both DIFC and ADGM foundations are common-law vehicles purpose-built for UAE family wealth. DIFC foundations sit under DIFC regulation and are typically chosen by families with significant Dubai-based operating businesses. ADGM foundations sit under ADGM regulation, with a slightly broader settlor toolkit and a faster registry. The right answer depends on residency mix, asset location, beneficiary citizenship, and whether you need a corresponding common-law trust alongside it. We map the trade-offs before recommending one. Skybridge advises across DIFC, ADGM, and UAE onshore: our office is in Dubai (Deira), but our work crosses all three regimes.

Yes, in almost every situation. Without a registered will, UAE courts can apply Shariah inheritance principles by default to a non-Muslim estate, which often does not match the deceased's intent. Non-Muslim residents can register a DIFC Wills Service Centre will or an Abu Dhabi Judicial Department non-Muslim will, both of which apply the testator's home-jurisdiction rules. We coordinate this alongside your wider succession structure rather than as a standalone act.

Tailored portfolios is the investment-allocation mandate: where capital sits, how it's diversified, and how it's reported. Private wealth is the layer above that: the legal and ownership framework that holds the portfolio (succession, asset protection, exit readiness, cross-border compliance). Many clients engage both: the structure first, the portfolio inside it.

Yes. We routinely sit alongside existing professional advisors. Our role is the cross-border structural layer that sits above any single jurisdiction-specific advice. We don't replace your UK solicitor or your KSA accountant: we make sure the picture they're each working from is the same picture.

We design structures that account for Shariah inheritance principles where applicable, coordinating with qualified Shariah advisors so the civil-law and Shariah layers work together rather than against each other. This is structured as an option, not the default.

At minimum annually. Earlier when triggered by regulatory changes (CRS, beneficial-ownership updates), life events (marriage, birth, relocation, divorce), or material changes in asset composition (a sale, a new business, a new residency).

Private wealth engagements scale with situation complexity rather than capital size. We discuss fees openly during your initial consultation, typically structured as a fixed fee for the structuring engagement plus an annual retainer for ongoing review. Investment-management fees, where applicable, are separate and disclosed before any commitment.