The establishment of Charles Park Family Office’s presence in Dubai through our partnership with AES International represents more than a geographic expansion – it reflects a deliberate approach to serving families operating across international boundaries.
This partnership brings together two organisations with highly complementary capabilities: AES International’s deep regional expertise and local infrastructure, combined with Charles Park Family Office’s international family office experience and established professional service relationships.
Why AES International
Sam Instone has built something exceptional with AES International. Over the years, AES has established itself as the trusted adviser to leading entrepreneurs, business leaders and families across the UAE and wider Middle East. What began as fiduciary-led wealth management has naturally evolved into family office advisory as client relationships have deepened and family wealth structures have matured.
This evolution matters. AES’s position within the regional ecosystem – advising the individuals and families who are building and running the businesses that define the Middle East’s economic landscape – provides insight that cannot be replicated from outside the region.
When establishing Charles Park Family Office, engaging with Sam and AES was an early priority. The complementary nature of our propositions was immediately apparent.
A Combined Offering
AES brings robust local infrastructure, regulatory knowledge, banking relationships and genuine understanding of how wealth operates within the Middle East context. Charles Park Family Office contributes international family office structuring expertise, succession planning experience, and established relationships across the global professional services landscape.
Together, this creates a platform capable of supporting several distinct family profiles:
UHNW families relocating to Dubai who require both immediate operational capability and long-term strategic guidance as they establish family office structures in a new jurisdiction.
International families repositioning existing structures who need local expertise whilst maintaining continuity with their established adviser relationships and governance frameworks.
Established Middle Eastern families navigating succession planning, generational transition and the professionalisation of wealth management structures as family complexity increases.
The Professional Services Ecosystem
One of the critical challenges families face when establishing or repositioning family offices in any jurisdiction is assembling the right professional team. In Dubai, this challenge is compounded by the number of international, regional and offshore firms all competing within the same market.
Through Charles Park Family Office, families benefit from established relationships across leading international private client law firms, accounting practices, and specialist advisers. Understanding individual partner personalities, firm cultures and values enables us to help families assemble teams that reflect not only technical excellence but also cultural alignment and shared values.
This navigation capability, combined with AES’s regional relationships and operational expertise, ensures families are supported by professionals who genuinely understand their requirements and can work together effectively.
Why Dubai, Why Now
The UAE has systematically positioned itself as a serious jurisdiction for family office operations. The regulatory environment – particularly through the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) – provides common law frameworks with governance standards that meet international expectations.
Equally important is the operational substance. World-class banking infrastructure, sophisticated custody arrangements, and increasingly deep capital markets create an ecosystem capable of supporting complex, multi-jurisdictional wealth structures.
For families, this matters. Dubai offers not merely fiscal advantages but genuine substance – the infrastructure, talent and regulatory credibility required to establish family office operations that withstand scrutiny whilst providing the flexibility families require.
The strategic geography also cannot be ignored. For families with interests spanning Europe, Asia, Africa and the US, Dubai’s location and connectivity provide practical advantages that materially affect how business is conducted and relationships are managed.
Beyond Transactions: Building for Generations
The partnership between Charles Park Family Office and AES International is built on the understanding that families don’t merely operate in jurisdictions—they live in them. Establishing a family office is not a transactional exercise but the beginning of a multi-generational relationship with a place, its people and its institutions.
This requires advisers who understand both the technical requirements of wealth structuring and the human dimensions of succession, transition and stewardship across generations.
Our combined offering is designed with this in mind: providing families with the local expertise, international perspective and professional relationships required to build structures that serve not just immediate needs but generational objectives.
Looking Forward
The UAE’s trajectory – continued regulatory enhancement, infrastructure investment and commitment to positioning itself as a hub for global capital – suggests this jurisdiction will remain relevant across generational timeframes.
Our partnership positions Charles Park Family Office and AES International to support families seeking to establish genuine substance in the region, whether relocating or formalising existing structures or establishing new family offices.
For families considering Dubai, success requires more than understanding regulations and taxation. It requires thoughtful planning, the right partnerships and recognition that building genuine substance takes time, care and long-term commitment.
Charles Park Family Office, now operating in Dubai through our partnership with AES International, is positioned to support families through this journey.
For families exploring family office establishment or relocation to Dubai, Charles Park Family Office provides comprehensive advisory support. To discuss your requirements in confidence, please contact us directly.