Citywealth Leaders List, 60 seconds interview – Robert Morse, The Private Office
This week’s 60 seconds Citywealth Leaders List interview is dedicated to Robert Morse, Senior Partner at The Private Office. He is specialising in family office services and complex financial planning. Robert advises clients on intergenerational wealth and the interaction between personal and corporate structures, helping them navigate complexity and achieve their long-term goals.
Tell Citywealth readers a bit about your role.
I am a Senior Partner at The Private Office (TPO), where I focus on our Family Office team and support clients with more complex planning needs, particularly those involving intergenerational wealth and the interaction between personal and corporate structures.
I am privileged to work alongside a bright, dynamic team of exceptional financial planners, paraplanners and investment specialists, helping clients navigate complexity and achieve their long-term goals.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I’m not sure there is such a thing as a typical day.
I usually start with an hour or two in the gym two or three times a week, which helps set me up for the day ahead. From there, I could be meeting clients, working from our Leeds or London offices, or catching up in my home office overlooking Bolton Abbey on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.
Whatever the location, most days involve collaborating with colleagues on client cases, speaking with clients and, inevitably, working through far too many emails.
Tell us about some recent, interesting client instructions or requests you have received.
Two recent examples spring to mind.
The first involved a couple in their late thirties who had realised significant wealth through stock options in an AI company. We helped create the financial infrastructure around their new circumstances, bringing together banking, legal, tax and wealth management solutions that reflected both their personal goals and the opportunities available under the new FIG regime.
The second involves a musician for whom we are restructuring pension arrangements ahead of the changes due next April. This is likely to include taking pension commencement lump sum benefits and potentially facilitating the purchase of property by his trading company from his pension scheme.
What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping them to overcome them?
Complexity and taxation are among the biggest challenges many of our clients face.
We begin by taking the time to understand what is truly important to them and then build a financial plan that reflects those priorities. From there, we work to simplify complexity and, alongside trusted professional advisers, create structures that are both efficient and sustainable, helping to minimise future tax liabilities while supporting their broader objectives.
What is your proudest professional achievement?
Being a founding partner of TPO.
Looking around at the talented people I have worked with over the years and seeing their personal and professional development has been incredibly rewarding. There are few achievements that provide greater satisfaction than helping others succeed.
What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?
Do what you say you are going to do.
Leadership starts with integrity and consistency. If people are going to follow you, they need to trust your word. That means thinking carefully before making commitments and then delivering on them.
Who do you most admire and why?
My dad.
He taught me the value of hard work, integrity and treating people well. ‘A workman is worthy of his hire’ Those lessons have shaped both my personal and professional life and continue to influence how I work with clients and colleagues today.
Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?
Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia on Canada’s east coast.
It is an extraordinary part of the world, with stunning landscapes, wonderful people and a pace of life that encourages you to slow down and appreciate your surroundings. It was lovely to meet family, who live in Alberta – as PEI was half way for each of us.
If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?
Something outdoors.
I’ve always enjoyed being active and have a deep appreciation for the countryside, so I would love to think that I would have found my way into conservation, farming or a role connected to the natural environment.
How do you relax after a long day?
I am very lucky and am looked after so well at home and can normally enjoy a good meal and maybe something not too taxing on TV.
After a busy day, I enjoy switching off, getting outside in the summer and spending time with family.
Key Takeaways
- Robert Morse is a Senior Partner at The Private Office, focusing on family office services and complex financial planning.
- He assists clients with intergenerational wealth and navigating the complexities of personal and corporate structures.
- Recent cases include financial planning for wealth from AI stock options and restructuring pension arrangements for a musician.
- Morse values integrity in leadership and admires his father’s teachings on hard work and respect for others.
- In his free time, he enjoys outdoor activities and family time, finding balance after busy days.
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