Citywealth Leaders List, 60 seconds interview – Álvaro Aznar Azcárate, Birketts
This week’s 60 seconds Citywealth Leaders List interview is dedicated to Álvaro Aznar Azcárate, Partner, International Private Client & Spanish abogado at Birketts
Tell Citywealth readers a bit about your role.
I am a partner in the International Private Client team at Birketts. The team advises clients on international estate planning and cross border estate administration, in addition we have Sharia law and Spanish law desks.
I am qualified as a Solicitor (England and Wales) and a Spanish lawyer (abogado) so I advise clients in both legal systems. A big part of my role is ensuring that the advice that the clients receive in foreign jurisdictions is coordinated and meets their specific needs, supervising junior colleagues and meeting clients and prospective clients.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I am not a human being until I have my second coffee in the morning which is within less than 5 minutes from the first one. Checking emails on my phone, reading the press. I try to go for a run in the gym before coming to the office. I tend to be in the office every day, it’s nice to be in the office and see colleagues it also prevents me from raiding the fridge at home. During my lunch breaks I like stepping out and just walk around St Pauls. I tend to do the more complex work after lunch. I am normally home around 7 or 8 pm if I don’t have to go to an event after work.
Tell us about some recent, interesting client instructions/requests you have received.
All my cases are different which is nice. I have been recently asked to advise a client who has assets in different countries as to the applicable law to her estate, whether one or multiple wills is the best course of action and how her estate will be taxed. Other matters include applying for a grant of representation with a South American Will. Administering a Spanish estate where the deceased died leaving no will and two of his beneficiaries died shortly after him and the number of beneficiaries has exponentially multiplied, of course most of them live in different corners of the world. Other matters involve assisting young Spanish families in the UK with their estate planning here in the UK and explaining that in plain Spanish or dealing with Spanish property transfers in English divorce proceedings.
What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?
Uncertainty I would say is the key challenge; some clients do not know whether they want to stay or move depending on changes on taxation and other issues happening around the world. At the moment, the best thing we can do with clients is advising them as to what the position is now with the caveat that things may change in the not-so-distant future and if changes are needed, to be ready to act fast.
What is your proudest professional achievement?
There are a few but I think that the proudest was completing an estate file of a very young professional who was survived by his also very young wife and toddlers. The estate was quite substantial and there were assets in 3 jurisdictions. The matter was stressful due to the complexity of assets held and the fact that there was a foreign will without appointing executors. There were different advisors working in the matter, coordination was really important. The widow and I stayed in touch after the matter ended, and she often tells me about her kids and her life in a new country.
What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?
Empathy and emotional intelligence (sense of humour is always a bonus).
Who do you most admire and why?
It may sound a cliché but my mother. She is a doer and is stronger than what she thinks she is, knows how to say no with a smile and always sees the good in people.
Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?
With work Madrid and Luxembourg, but for pleasure I went to Sri Lanka in February, it’s a magical place.
If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?
My family was involved in the food and wine industry; I think that I would very much enjoy working in that environment or working in an art gallery.
When I was younger, I wanted to be a spy, I seriously cannot see myself as spy these days.
How do you relax after a long day?
I recently joined pottery, I find it very relaxing unless I have to throw things at the wheel, trust me it’s not a Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore moment, last time, I was covered in clay, it can be quite stressful so I am mainly working with shapes and moulds.
I also enjoy drawing with very waxy crayons (like a 6 year old), cooking when my husband lets me and a nice glass of wine the weekends.
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