Partner
A graduate of Southampton University, Christopher was working as broker liaison officer for a London based financial information provider before moving to France in 2003.
In preparation of this move, he studied for and passed the Chartered Insurance Institute’s (CII) International Certificate for Financial Advisers.
Once established in France he spent a number of years working at an International bank (BNP Paribas) in Nice, before changing course and working for ten years in high end real estate on the Côte d’Azur.
In 2019, Christopher was tempted by Robert Kent (founder and director of Kentingtons) to return to his roots; financial markets and advice.
“Being permanently interested by macroeconomics and International financial markets, throughout my career I have always worked closely with the wealth management industry. I was very impressed by Kentingtons overall philosophy for navigating the transition to becoming financially resident in France, as well as the fact that they are fully independent and transparent. We share the same values and hence it was an easy decision to join Kentingtons.”
In order to comply with the legal framework in France, Christpher passed the following French examinations. He must do 15 hours of training every year in order to re-qualify annually (IAS).
February 2020: Livret de Formation CIF (Conseiller en Investissement Financier)
April 2020: Livret de Formation IAS Niveau 1 (Intermédiaires en Assurance)
Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his family, walking (the dog!), socializing, eating out, finance and reading the newspapers.
Over the years, but particularly since Brexit, we have met a number of people who are prepared to bend all sorts of rules in order to avoid becoming French resident. Even though, in reality, they would prefer to spend most of their time in France, or at least to have...
With the costs of renting out property spiralling, with increasing property taxes, energy efficiency surveys and other costs, the Connexion has asked me to comment on the viability of property as an investment, thus buying to rent or 'buy-to-let'. Taxe d’habitation...
Considering the time of year, I was recently given the opportunity to discuss tax declarations, for the Connexion. Typically, I would politely decline such offers as my expertise lies in providing counsel rather than tax administration. While French accountants can...
At the time of writing (towards the end of May) financial markets are very volatile and the majority of global share indexes are sitting at their respective lows of the year. The S&P 500, for example (an index of the most important 500 US companies) is down by 20%...
In terms of specific policies, there are one or two proposed changes that I will touch on in the latter part of this article; but the fact is, Mr Macron’s manifesto was relatively light in detail, so we do not know exactly what he wants to implement. However, at the...
As we bid farewell to winter and welcome the arrival of March, it's an opportune time for a little spring cleaning. Though the origins of this term have multiple interpretations, one prevailing explanation suggests its association with the era of coal-burning...
The last few years we have seen great performance from stock markets and 2021 was no different, despite heavy market volatility. 2022 may be a different story, as far as market returns are concerned, as we saw Covid hit crazy numbers, albeit a less aggressive version,...
March is here and that means winter is over, so it is time for a little spring cleaning. We still use the term spring cleaning, although the history behind the expression has many versions, a popular one is that it came from when coal burning fire places were in use...
February is often associated with Valentine’s day, a romantic time of the year for couples, so this month I decided to explore the holy grail of romantics, that is to say, marriage. As in all aspects of life, the differences between the UK and France are numerous!...
You have no doubt all heard about the inflationary winds currently blowing through global economies, with rising energy prices arguably the most visible effect. The US is worst hit, with annual inflation to September running at around 5.4%. In the Euro area, the...
For years, wealth tax has been a cause of concern in France. It has often deterred many wealthy non-residents from considering French residency. We have seen many people resort to some extreme measures such as setting up trusts or foreign companies to avoid this...
When we shop, generally, the cost of the things we buy is evident. We see the object we want, assess the price, decide if we are happy, order or pay and walk away. Did you ever purchase a new TV and later, some money simply disappeared from your bank account; an...
Signup to the The Kentingtons Communi K. All things related to tax & finance in France.