Q1: How did the business perform in 2025, and what drove its growth over the past year? How has the cost-income ratio trended this year, and what were the key factors influencing it? Looking ahead, what are your main priorities and strategic plans for 2026? 

2025 was a strong year of progress and strategic expansion for WRISE. Beyond delivering sustained business growth across our key markets, we achieved several milestones that reflect the strength of our client franchise, the scalability of our ecosystem model, and our disciplined execution. 

Our growth this year was driven by strong client acquisition, platform expansion driven by the successful launch of WRISE Capital, our corporate finance and advisory arm serving listed companies, family offices, and institutional clients, and strategic partnerships which saw the signing of a global partnership with CTF Life Bermuda, a first-of-its-kind collaboration in the EAM sector that integrates wealth, health, and legacy planning into a single, seamless platform.

By the end of 2025, WRISE will have approximately 450 full-time professionals across eight global locations, underscoring the scale and depth of our talent pool and the continued confidence in our long-term vision. 

Our strategy is clear and differentiated. We are elevating WRISE beyond traditional wealth management by building a 360-degree wealth ecosystem that unites advisory, capital markets, and technology-driven solutions. Our deep local insight and global expertise help us to deliver sustainable, future-ready solutions that preserve and grow prosperity across generations. 

As capital markets in China and Hong Kong experience a rapid rise, WRISE Capital is perfectly positioned to ride this resurgence. In Hong Kong alone, HK$107.1 billion ($17.7 billion) worth of IPOs was raised in just the first half of 2025, and the city’s stock market has grown by a further 26.6% year-to-date in 2025. WRISE will continue to capitalise on this momentum and create long-term value for our clients.

Q2: With artificial intelligence increasingly shaping the wealth industry, how has the firm leveraged technology and AI to transform processes and enhance value for both clients and the back office? What key technology upgrades were introduced in 2025, and what are your digital priorities for 2026 and beyond? 

Technology remains a cornerstone of WRISE’s business strategy, underpinning how we deliver value to clients and enhance operational resilience. 

In 2025, we strengthened our digital foundation through a series of AI-driven enhancements across both front and back-office functions. Operationally, we implemented AI-enabled cybersecurity software across our email and network systems to safeguard against evolving digital threats and adopted productivity tools such as Microsoft Copilot and Zoom to streamline collaboration and automate routine tasks. We also integrated our own private AI chatbot to handle internal knowledge and policy queries securely, accelerating workflow while maintaining strict data confidentiality. 

On the client front, technology remains integral to how we elevate our clients’ experience. We continue to blend data-driven intelligence with high-touch advisory, empowering our wealth managers to deliver more personalised, responsive, and transparent wealth solutions for our clients. Our integrated pricing engine aggregates competitive rates from leading investment banks, allowing us to structure bespoke investment opportunities with precision and agility. 

Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, our digital priorities will focus on advancing personalisation, strengthening cybersecurity, and deepening client engagement through intelligent automation and analytics. We see AI as a long-term enabler within our business, redefining how our wealth managers enhance their strategic client counsel, how our clients interact with their portfolios, and how we collectively build the next generation of digital-first private wealth management.

Q3: The private banking industry saw a plethora of leadership and structural changes in 2025. Looking into 2026, what are your key priorities for attracting and retaining talent across the front, middle, and back office? Are there plans for new hires in key markets?

The structural and leadership changes seen across the private banking industry in 2025 underscore the critical need for stability and strategic talent investment. Over the past 12 months, we have made several strategic hires, including the recent appointment of Darren Ng as our group chief financial officer, with over 20 years of experience.

Ng has held leadership roles at global banks, including HSBC, Standard Chartered and OCBC, Venture Capital/Private Equity-backed conglomerates, and was a founding C-suite executive for a global Web3 blockchain company and served as Group CFO at a Nasdaq-listed technology company. Experienced hires such as these strengthen WRISE’s financial leadership and governance, ensuring that our operations remain robust, compliant and aligned with long-term strategic objectives as we expand into new markets and scale our business. 

Looking toward 2026, our key priority is to solidify WRISE’s position as an employer of choice by viewing talent not merely as a resource but as a strategic driver of competitive advantage across our global entities. 

Our hiring priority for 2026 is focused on supporting our global expansion and deepening client relationships. We plan to continue recruiting wealth management professionals with strong local market expertise who can bring a blend of cultural understanding, regulatory insight, and relationship-building capabilities to deliver client advisory and operational excellence. 

To attract and retain talent in a highly competitive market, we offer comprehensive compensation structures such as equity incentives, performance-linked bonuses, and clear progression pathways. This combination of financial alignment and cultural investment strengthens loyalty, preserves institutional knowledge and ensures high productivity across our global footprint. 

Another facet of our talent and capability-building strategy is the WRISE Academy, which provides training programmes for independent wealth consultants and industry partners. Such programmes give young professionals crucial exposure to real-world management, while our educational institution partnerships support ongoing knowledge transfer.