Citywealth Leaders List interview: 60 seconds with James Hender, Saffery 

Date: 21 May 2025

Karen Jones

This week’s 60-second piece is dedicated to James Hender, partner at Saffery.

Tell Citywealth readers a bit about your role.

I lead the UK private client team in our London office, where I provide lead advisory services and act as a trusted adviser to high-net-worth UK individuals and their families. I support my clients to navigate complex financial, tax, and succession planning matters, always with a focus on building long-term relationships and delivering tailored, strategic advice.

I also sit on the firm’s Management Board and have an overall responsibility for how Saffery faces the market.

What does a typical day look like for you?

There’s really no such thing as a typical day! I commute from just south of Bath to London in the mornings, usually three to four times a week, and use the time to prepare for the day ahead.

My days are a mixture of client meetings, team leadership and firm management. To break my day, I always set aside time to exercise either going for a run or in the gym, or walking our dog on days that I am at home.

What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?

As most of my clients have generated their wealth themselves, they are new to world of private client professional advice. They are often thinking through asset protection for the first time. Introducing them to the right team to look after them and then ensuring that they have the right strategies in place, is essential.

Navigating generational change is an ongoing challenge for many of my clients. This has always been the case, but the recent announcements in the BPR/APR rules have brought this into focus. Clients now need a plan for dealing with the potential IHT due and they need to bring forward discussions with their family, which they have been putting off for years.

It is important to align business needs and the personal planning, ensuring key stakeholders are protected, and helping families make informed decisions to pass on their legacy to future generations.

Tell us about some recent, interesting client instructions/requests you have received.

Most of my recent new clients have focussed on business ownership, succession planning, and guidance on how to pass wealth and business interests down to the next generation.

As well as identifying the most tax-efficient way to do this, we also have to ensure this aligns with each family’s values. With this often comes navigating the family dynamics that occur naturally with these conversations, whether that’s through managing expectations or encouraging open communication. It’s a reminder that it’s not just about structuring the transfer of assets but working with families to make the best decisions for the long-term.

What is your proudest professional achievement?

It’s a privilege to have been named Accountant of the Year at the Citywealth Magic Circle Awards 2025. It’s not only a wonderful recognition of our team’s hard work, but a reflection of our continuous commitment to supporting our private clients in achieving their ambitions.

What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?

To truly listen. Not just to a select few either, but to a wide range of voices across the firm. You never know where the next great idea or insight will come from, and often it’s the unexpected perspectives that lead to the most impactful outcomes.

I make sure that I have conversations with colleagues who approach things very differently from me, which more often than not leads to a more well-rounded solution because of those diverse perspectives. Leadership is not always about having the answer but creating the space for the right answer for a particular issue.

Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?

I travelled to Cervinia, Italy for a family skiing trip. There is something glorious about being in the mountains with the alpine air, the breathtaking views, the charm of the mountain villages, and of course experiencing it all with my family.

If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?

I’d most likely be doing something connected to my degree in Classics. I’ve been fascinated by the ancient world since I was young, and I could easily see myself being a tour guide among the ruins of ancient Greece or Rome.

How do you relax after a long day?

I have three wonderful daughters who keep me busy after work and school. When I am not doing that, relaxation usually involves being outdoors and often sorting out a woodpile. There is mindfulness to be had in chopping logs and making kindling.