In November 2023, I went on an enlightening journey to China, visiting the bustling metropolis of Shanghai and the Zhejiang Province. This trip offered me an interesting perspective on the evolving landscape of China, marked by its less international ambience and the impact of various socio-economic factors. A shift away from internationalism One of the […]

Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) was founded in 1991 and has since grown into a globally recognised organisation with 22,000 members across 200 countries. Its members include lawyers, accountants, financial planners, and other professionals who advise clients on trusts, estates, and inheritance planning issues. STEP 2023 Asia conference was held in Hong Kong […]

Inflation is a hot topic at the moment. While cash inflow is stable or decreasing, cash outflow is increasing dramatically – some items have doubled or tripled their price in the last two years! So, what can we do to handle the situation, or at least, survive? I’ve stepped into different shoes to understand people’s […]

In December 2022, Tanya and I were fortunate to visit India for a few weeks. It was a ‘business mixed with pleasure’ trip. The three ‘must dos’ were: Glad to say we accomplished all three and came back home happy and safe. The business agenda KFT GS has been a founding partner of KFT since […]

The struggle with staying focused on ‘must do’ tasks can be a life-long problem for many people. But successfully dealing with the issue leads to further happiness, life satisfaction, and freedom. We certainly have no difficulty focusing on things that we love to do that require hardly any effort, such as reading, watching TV, shopping, […]

AGN International is a leading worldwide association of independent accounting firms that focus on tax, audit, and advisory. Comprising around 1.3 billion revenues, 14,000 people, and 500 offices in 80 countries, Gilligan Sheppard is the only firm in New Zealand to play an active role in the association, and our tax expert Richard Ashby is […]

As professional service providers, Gilligan Sheppard is invited to play a role in many of our client’s lives, by assisting them to resolve business and family issues. Many of these situations with our clients are delicate and memorable, and we count ourselves lucky be a part of their journey. Reminiscing on these experiences has given […]

After five weeks of level-four lockdown, followed by seven weeks of level-three, I was asked to write an article for our newsletter. To be honest, I couldn’t summon enough positive energy to write something encouraging or cheerful. Nor could I pretend to know more than anyone else on how to cope with the current situation. […]

After one and a half years of Covid, the world is still living behind locked borders. With the majority of big events being postponed, the 2020 Olympics finally took place in August 2021, a year later. Albeit without an audience of course. Due to technology, we have been able to streamline the games and keep […]

Quite often, a company holding a family business may need to improve its ownership structure; this can mean transferring shares from ‘individuals’ into ‘trusts’. Common situations where this occurs: Succession planning – when the controlling individuals bring family members together in an attempt to make a viable business across generations. Risk protection – when the […]