Independence at the Core of Trident Trust

In this interview, Sean Coughlan, our Singapore Managing Director, talks to Tom Burroughes, WealthBriefingAsia’s Group Editor, on the qualities that set Trident Trust apart from its peers and what the company has been doing to stay on the front foot in such a fast-growing but highly competitive region.

Trident Trust opened its Singapore office in 2010. Now numbering over 80 staff, the Singapore team has been named Best Independent Trust or Fiduciary Company in South-East Asia by WealthBriefingAsia a total of eight times. The team provides a full range of
trust, corporate and fund administration services.

Trident Trust is a leading global corporate, fiduciary and fund administrator, employing over 900 staff in more than 20 jurisdictions and across a footprint that spans Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East

What sets you apart from the peers this year and why?

We believe that independence is a core feature of our long-term success. As one of the very few privately held global businesses in our sector here in Singapore, we are fully independent and debt free. This is very important as we are not under the same financial pressures as other competitors may be. We are uniquely positioned to offer our clients a stable and personal relationship that will not be compromised by conflicts of interest, short term transactional and financial priorities or changes in ownership.

How have your colleagues contributed towards the success of your organisation?

The quality of our team is the foundation of everything we do. We have a deeply committed, hard-working and talented multi-lingual team who deliver dedicated and personal service, which is recognised in testimonials we receive from our clients.

What are you going to do to stay on the front foot in a fast-growing but also challenging region such as this?

We will continue to hire talent that has the right mindset and attitude, and who can identify themselves with our core values of reliability, responsiveness, attention to detail and personal service. As we continue to grow, we will ensure that we have all the right people sitting in all the right seats, from business development and onboarding to relationship management and administration. Our front office teams are supported by experts in the areas of accounting, compliance, operations and FATCA/CRS, and we continue to perform all our services in-house.

Have your differentiators become more important to your business? 

Yes, a big differentiator is that we remain privately owned, as we have been for the past 44 years. We have been successful in building long-term and stable relationships, and we have a deep-rooted commitment to our staff, clients and business partners. We feel that our international footprint and wide offering across multiple jurisdictions give us an advantage on competitors and are highly valued by our clients and partners.

Has morale amongst our colleagues held up well during the pandemic? What have you done to bolster their spirits?

Everyone has put in additional and conscious effort to stay connected to their colleagues through very regular team calls. Our team leaders played an important role in keeping staff motivated through such a long period of working from home. We also organised regular townhall sessions for all staff to keep everyone informed about how the business was doing, new developments and initiatives. We have invested in new office space in Singapore, which was designed around our staff.

Whom do you look for inspiration and ideas?

We maintain an active exchange with other group offices and other professionals in Singapore and internationally, such as law firms, accounting firms, tax advisors and family offices as well as regular exchange of knowledge and practical experience with other key players in the financial services industry.

What do you hope will be the result of receiving this accolade?

This recognition will surely help further increase our brand awareness within the region, and knowledge of our core service offerings of trust, corporate and fund services. This award is also a recognition of the quality of our service and reflects the strength of our business and Trident Trust Group as a whole. To have won this award again energises, encourages, and motivates us to do even better, and to keep providing the best service possible to our business partners and clients!