Philip Marcovici

Philip Marcovici is retired from the practice of law and consults with governments, financial institutions and global families in relation to tax, wealth management and other matters.

Philip is on the boards of several entities within the wealth management industry, as well as of entities within family succession and philanthropic structures. Philip is actively involved in teaching in the areas of taxation, wealth management and family governance. Philip organizes and runs family retreats, and works with global families on the development of family constitutions and charters, and on family business and wealth governance strategies.

An excerpt from Philip’s book, The Destructive Power of Family Wealth, on family constitutions, can be found here: Excerpt on Constitutions and another on mobility in tax planning here: Thoughts on Mobility and Related Planning

Philip is a member of the adjunct faculties of Singapore Management University and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore (NTU). Philip is also a member of the Advisory Committee of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s Tanoto Center for Asian Family Business and Entrepreneurship Studies ( HKUST Tanoto Center ) and teaches for the Singapore Wealth Management Institute.

Philip is a Founding Advisor to the Responsible Family Business and Wealth Ownership program created by Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education and is one of the lecturers and facilitators for that course. See Responsible Family Business and Wealth Ownership

Philip runs training and strategic change programs for a number of the worlds’ top private banks.

Philip Marcovici has also been an honorary lecturer at the law school of Hong Kong University and at the Universities of Geneva, St. Gallen and Zurich. Philip has been an adviser to the Swiss Finance Institute and a lecturer on tax issues for the institute.

Philip has also taught at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and for the Tsinghua Kaifeng Family Heritage Centre in Beijing and has been a member of the curriculum review committee for tax, trusts and wealth planning for the Singapore Wealth Management Institute.

Historical Practice and Work Description

Philip was the founder and CEO of LawInContext (now called Baker McKenzie Link), the interactive knowledge venture of global law firm, Baker & McKenzie. Philip retired from his CEO role with the company as from the end of 2010, and from his Chairmanship of the company as from the end of 2011.

Philip was a partner of Baker & McKenzie, a firm he joined in 1982, and practiced in the area of international taxation throughout his legal career. Philip was based in the Hong Kong office of Baker & McKenzie for twelve years, relocating to the Zurich office of Baker & McKenzie in 1995. Philip has also practiced law in each of New York and Vancouver, British Columbia. Philip retired from Baker & McKenzie at the end of 2009.

Philip Marcovici is the former chair of the European tax practice of Baker & McKenzie and of the steering committee of the Firm’s international wealth management practice, of which he was one of the founders. Philip was also one of the founders of the Baker & McKenzie Asia-Pacific tax practice and was involved in a number of firm and practice group management functions.

Philip Marcovici’s legal practice involved advising multinationals, financial institutions and families on the international and domestic aspects of Canadian, Hong Kong and U.S. taxation, as well as on commercial issues relevant to cross-border transactions. Philip has also been active in advising clients on issues related to the use of trusts and insurance products. and has and continues to work with governments and international agencies on strategy and treaty negotiations. Philip developed and implemented the Liechtenstein Disclosure Facility, an arrangement between the Liechtenstein and UK governments. See LDF – HMRC Site

Publications, Presentations and Articles

The author of numerous tax and wealth management oriented publications, Philip is also the author of The Destructive Power of Family Wealth published by John Wiley & Sons –Amazon US Amazon UK . Philip is a member of the editorial board of WealthBriefing.

Philip is actively involved in speaking engagements worldwide on international taxation, wealth management, family governance and other topics.

Professional Affiliations

Philip Marcovici was, when in practice, a member of the tax sections of each of the American Bar Association and the Canadian Bar Association. He is also a past member of the executive committee of the Hong Kong Branch of the International Fiscal Association and was an active member of the Hong Kong Tax Discussion Group. During his early years in Hong Kong, Philip served as the President of the Harvard Club of Hong Kong and of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. Philip also chaired the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Governors.

Philip Marcovici is a member of, among others, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and was active with the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce. Philip has chaired the tax committee of the Swiss- American Chamber of Commerce and is a past member of its board. Philip is a member of the Public Policy Committee of STEP.

Education & Bar Admittance

Philip Marcovici holds law degrees from each of Harvard Law School and the University of Ottawa (magna cum laude) and is admitted to practice in Hong Kong, the State of New York, the Province of British Columbia (retired), Canada, England and Wales.