Are You Struggling to Sort Out Your Existing Pension Plans Because..
You are too busy and don’t understand them.
The existing arrangement is with a company who are difficult to call or get information from which is easy to understand and the statements they send out are confusing.
Many of our clients think that because they have an existing pension or saving arrangement with a ‘big company’ it is being managed and looked after.
TAILORED & PERSONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES
Astra are a company not tied down to a restricted selection of products, our hand picked services are of our own choice to really provide the best services for our clients.
A SERVICE YOU CAN DEPEND ON
From investments to insurance, Astraasia has extensive expertise in providing independent financial planning for clients from all walks of life. Our team is focused on providing a personalised service that is designed to meet the requirements of our most sophisticated clients while being affordable and accessible to even our modest customers.
We have an international team with a wide range of experience making sure that we can give each of our clients a personalized service to suit their needs.
WHO WE ARE
Astra Financial Services is an independent financial consultancy with international presence in Europe and Asia. From pensions, investments, protection, estate planning to mortgage and property solutions, we offer tailor-made financial planning to private clients worldwide.
VISION STATEMENT
To be recognised as a leading, independent wealth management firm, offering tailor-made quality advice to expatriates worldwide.
MISSION STATMENT
To provide proactive and prudent advice, that will help our clients achieve financial well-being, allowing them to spend more time enjoying life's rewards.
OUR VALUES
At Astra we are dedicated to our five core values:
Trust: we believe strong and successful relationships are built on trust.
Integrity: we are committed to the highest standards of business ethics and good governance. Being a member of the Federation of European Independent Financial Advisers (FEIFA), we adhere to their Code of Conduct.
Expertise: we are a team of professionals, who are dedicated to education and the concept of lifelong learning. We value our talented workforce, encourage and reward them in contributing to the full extent of their potential.
Passion: we are passionate about delivering the highest possible standards of client, employee and partner care, all the time. We firmly believe that if you are passionate about what you do, then you will do it to the best of your ability.
Client Focus: we maintain focus on our clients’ needs by constantly seeking to understand their goals, priorities and values, and adapting as they change over time.
OUR CLIENTS
We serve affluent individuals and families at every phase of their personal and professional lives, from the initial stages of wealth accumulation, through retirement and estate planning. This can mean providing holistic financial solutions to support their desired lifestyle, or covering a specific area of interest.
Our clients are typically expatriates who need complex, personalised advice and access to an international range of financial products, to take advantage of their offshore status. Many of our clients may have unique questions with regard to their circumstances, where normally it is hard to get advice. This could, for example, be a situation where a client has a spouse of a different nationality, they possess assets in multiple jurisdictions and would need an internationally applicable investment strategy to preserve and grow their capital.
Our Partner Companies
We are not tied to anybody and work with various providers to make sure we have a suitable range of products that fits individual needs. We cooperate with both large multinational and boutique firms and we do a thorough due diligence on each provider, to make sure it is geared to living up to our and our clients’ expectations.
MEET THE TEAM
James Hartland
MANAGING DIRECTOR: ASIA
James has worked as a financial adviser since 1989 and brings experience and detailed knowledge of the financial services industry to Astra. James believes that listening to clients and trying to understand their needs and aspirations, is the key to helping them achieve their financial goals and dreams. During this time, like most industries, financial services has and continues to undergo radical changes. James spends time attending forums and discussions, to make sure Astra is best placed to continue to meet the ever-changing needs of our global clients.
Martin Kinsey
MANAGING DIRECTOR: EUROPE
Martin has been providing offshore financial advice since 2003 in the Middle East and across Europe and now helps and supports clients across the globe. He has obtained qualifications through the Chartered Insurance Institute and the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment. His extensive experience has enabled him to assist his clients in all aspects of financial planning. He is well-versed in providing bespoke financial and investment advice to senior, high net worth individuals in multi-national organisations. Martin is committed to developing the business by striving for excellence in every aspect of the client experience.
Adam Leighton
MANAGING DIRECTOR: EUROPE
Adam has been in financial services, starting in 1999 with the West Bromwich Building Society, where he studied for and gained his Financial Planning certificates. He has also worked as an adviser for the Royal Bank of Scotland and then co-owned the company Astute Finance, before joining Star Capital Finance in 2009. Adam is now a Partner in Astra Financial Services and is helping drive the business forward in Europe and beyond.
Adel Jones
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
A conscientious and result-oriented Wealth Management Consultant with over 7 years’ experience specializing in the areas of advisory management, risk assessment, tolerance valuation based on client needs and provision of complex financial planning services for high net-worth and affluent clients. She is an associate of the CISI (Chartered Institute For Securities and Investments) in International Wealth Management.
Don Valdez
INVESTMENT MANAGER
Experienced Trader with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry. Skilled in Investment Management, Strategic Planning, Market Research. Strong finance professional graduated from Ateneo Graduate School of Business and an Associate of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.
Andrea Balint
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
For the past 12 years, Andrea has been delivering great value to clients as a highly qualified financial advisor, helping them plan ahead for their short-term needs and long-term goals. She is an enthusiastic, client-focused financial advisor, a well-organized individual, able to keep multiple priorities in mind while aiming for the best outcome for her clients. With her strong attention to detail, she is able to recognize small financial inaccuracies & communicating clearly with the client about possible changes to their accounts. Andrea is absolutely dedicated to the financial well-being of those she works with, and closely monitors financial market trends in order to quickly inform clients and modify accounts when necessary.
She is responsible for extending business in Central and Eastern Europe and works mainly with high-net worth clients and well-established companies.
Florent Raimy
SENIOR ADVISOR
Florent has been in the financial and insurance industry since 2013. He started in Switzerland as an insurance broker, specialising mainly in life insurance. After a successful spell, he moved to Mexico City, providing the locals and the expat community financial planning. He believes in integrity and is truly passionate with his career. He joined Astra Financial Services in 2020.
Alan West
ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER
Alan comes from Derbyshire, England, and has been working in Central Europe for the past 17 years. He first trained as an accountant, before moving into financial services, whereupon he qualified in the UK, and had experience in the UK with Friends Provident and Royal Liver Assurance. Alan has a wide range of expertise, including sales, training, accounting, auditing, administration and compliance.
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Jason Truesdale
COUNTRY MANAGER
Jason has been working in the financial sector since 2002 and been providing offshore financial advise and support since 2008.
He has a wealth of experience in building investment portfolios for his clients and offering continued support so they can achieve individual financial goals.
He has worked in the CEE region for the last 9 years where he has built a solid foundation of clients across the region.
Conrado Capilli
ADMINISTRATION MANAGER: MANILA
Conrado is based in our Manila office in the Philippines. In his past career, he played a vital role as a Client Relationship Officer in a well-known landscape company in Dubai. At present, he holds the position of the Administration Manager, working closely with consultants, clients and life companies, ensuring the business accomplishes its goals on a daily basis. Conrado not only runs the office in Asia but also works closely with consultants in Europe and the admin staff in Europe to ensure the smooth running of the business.
Tomas M Koolhaas, MBA
ADVISORY - WEALTH MANAGEMENT
Tomas Marnix Koolhaas was born and raised in The Netherlands. During his university studies he gained international experience in China, Switzerland and Spain. After graduating he started working for a consultancy firm specialising himself in corporate governance within institutional financing. For the past twenty years he has been working in different advisory firms and in 2015 he made the switch to wealth management. As a financial adviser, he works with people from all walks of life and is highly respected by his clients.
On a personal level Tomas is involved in local start-ups and giving back to society by volunteering. During his time off he enjoys cooking, reading and spending time with the family. He is passionate about practicing and watching all kinds of sports. He and his wife love traveling and in particular over water. Their future goal is to sail around the world teaching their son about cultural diversity and environmental awareness.
Denis Korolev
SENIOR ADVISOR
Denis joined Astra in the Philippines in 2017. He is responsible for extending business in South-East Asia.
Denis has wide experience in financial industry and deep knowledge in financial services and banking products for private clients. He had worked as Head of Department in the Largest Russian Banks and got an expertise in wealth management, asset allocation and portfolio management.
Denis is always able to get the best solution for our clients based on their needs, demands and dreams about future.
Valerie Dalija
Admin Assistant
Valerie is an Administrative Assistant in Astraasia Ltd. Philippines office. A highly approachable individual who has a pleasant attitude and a willingness to make a positive mark. She is determined and with an extensive experience in supporting mid and senior-level managers by providing them with consistent clerical support.
Valerie holds a degree of B.S. in Industrial Technology from Rizal Technological University of Manila.
Sarah Hartland
Marketing Manager
Sarah was born in Dubai, raised in England & Spain. She is a nomadic and passionate digital marketing specialist with 7 years working and studying in the marketing industry.
She works with branding, design, lead generation, web building and design, copywriting, social media management, SEO and is dedicated to continue expanding her knowledge.
When she's not working, she dedicates her life to yoga and being in nature.
Jason Collins
Wealth Manager
Jason graduated in Business and Finance in London and has over 27 years' experience as an entrepreneur business owner in the UK and Czech Republic across different sectors. He has a wealth of experience in Sales, Marketing, Finance, Commercial Property Investments, Business Investments, Insurance Products and Financial Planning.
He is very client-focused, paying special attention to their individual needs and then advising the best solution for the preservation and growth of their wealth.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Leony Neeve
My husband & I have known James for decades and we initially met him when my husband worked in teaching in the UAE. During this time James met us regularly and set up various savings and insurance schemes to help us in the future. Neither my husband or I had a great knowledge of finance and James’s help was invaluable in making sure we made the right decisions with regard to our future.
I am a filipina and my husband was a UK passport holder. James made sure we had the right Wills and trusts in place should the unforeseen happen and took into account our different nationalities.
In 2013 my husband retired and we moved back to Manila to retire where we had a house. Shortly after moving my husband passed away leaving me with three fairly young kids. This was an overwhelming experience for me both emotionally and financially but I was fortunate to have my husbands family for emotional support & James to help me sort out my finances.
Having assets all over the world made things very complex but because James had set things up with a view to the future he was able to help me sort out everything with the help of my husbands brother & wife. I will be eternally grateful to James and his team for making sure that my finances are now properly arranged so that my kids and I can continue to enjoy the life that my husband would have wanted for us.
I would have no hesitation in recommending his services & advice.
Anthony
James has helped me with my personal financial planning over the last few years which has included freeing up my UK pension so I can access benefits earlier. I wanted an independent reliable financial adviser and wrote to the Citizens Advice Bureau and Watchdog. They sent my request for help to a number of people on their records and James was one of the first to reply. He has also been an expat himself for over 25 years so understands our situation and is able to discuss all aspects of our finances in a way which is easy for us to understand. So far all his advice and actions have cost me very little but I know I am now secure in my retirement and investments. He has also helped me re-write my Will.
James works closely with teachers working abroad and can help set up offshore savings plans and investments which are portable and tax efficient when you return to your home country.
The company James runs has offices in Asia and Europe so the best part about them is that they are able to continue to look after you and provide advise wherever you end up living or working.
Let me know if you are interested. I am sure he will be able to clarify the mysteries of the Malaysian tax regulations also and advise on reciprocity of our countries pension schemes. Finally I should add that
James is a really pleasant guy, easy to relax and get on with. His advice with me has always been right and delivered in a very non-pushy way. Those of us familiar with the recent changes in UK pensions and the National Teachers pension schemes and how much it has cost a lot of decent people will be pleased to know that he avoided me falling into those pitfalls.