Key Individuals

David Francis BA (Hons) FCIB FSI DTEP - Group Chief Executive Officer

David was educated in the UK, and joined the NatWest Group in 1987, where he specialised in Credit.

In 1996 David joined the bank’s Jersey corporate office, before joining Coutts (Jersey) Limited in 1999. There, David had responsibility for Coutts largest Offshore clients from a trust, investment and lending perspective including many high profile clients. During this time, the client base was grown significantly and David was appointed Senior Vice President in early 2004.

David left Coutts in late 2004 to become a shareholder at Horizon, David is now the largest shareholder in the Group.

David was President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Jersey from 2001 to 2003. David also served on the Jersey Banker’s Association Main Committee tasked with improving finance training in the island and on a steering committee for the Jersey Financial Services Commission.

David is married and a current member of Jersey RFC, The Victoria Club, The Oriental Club London, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and Securities Institute.

Martin Bowen ACIB TEP MIOD - Director

Martin joined the NatWest Group in England in 1974 and moved with them to Jersey in 1982. Having held a range of positions within the Jersey company, he moved to Switzerland in 1989 where he worked for the rebranded Coutts Group in both Lausanne and Geneva.

More recently he has worked for the Rothschild Trust group overseeing the set up of their Geneva office as well as having held Board level positions with the Geneva operation of the New World Group and helping other new Geneva companies with director level positions, such as Swiss Independent Trustees and Bedell Trust Suisse in their set up stages.

Martin joined Horizon in March 2007 to help set up the Geneva office of which he is the Managing Director.

A member of the Institute of Directors, Martin is also an active member of the Suisse Romande branch of STEP as well as having been associated with ITPA. He holds the IFS Trustee Diploma and is also an active member of the Consultative Commission of Swiss Foreigners (CCSE) in his home town.

 Julie McClafferty ACIS TEP - Director

Julie is originally from Scotland but lived and worked in Jersey, Channel Islands for twelve years prior to her move to Geneva in November 2003. She began her Trust career with a Jersey legal firm in 1993 before joining the Coutts Group in 1999.

Having transferred with Coutts to Geneva in 2003, she was appointed Vice President and undertook the management of the Trust administration team, with overall responsible for a variety of complex structures ranging across a number of jurisdictions. Whilst fulfilling her management role, she was also involved in the successful completion of a number of key projects and in the operational management of the business.

Julie joined the Horizon Group in December 2006 as a Director and was instrumental in setting up the Geneva office. Her main reponsibility is the development of the Trust business in Geneva with focus on client service and implementing standards of excellence.

An Associate member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, Julie is also a member of the Suisse Romande branch of STEP.

Kati Watson - Senior Trust Manager

Kati is from the north of England and started her career in tax, gaining the ATT qualification whilst working at UHY Hacker Young Chartered Accountants in Manchester. During her 8 years in the tax industry, Kati developed her skills and knowledge dealing with tax planning for a wide variety of HNWI’s, whilst keeping them constantly informed of the effects of new tax legislation.

Moving to Geneva in 2004, Kati worked for an independent Trust and Wealth Management company for 3 years as an Account Executive, providing Trust and Company administration and accounting services to a wide range of international clients, whilst also managing the office through a period of expansion. Kati joined the Horizon Group in October 2007 as Senior Trust Manager of the office in Geneva, and is responsible for the establishment and administration of Trusts and Companies to suit clients’ needs.

Kati is a member of the Institute of Taxation Technicians, and is currently studying towards STEP membership.