Asia
The Rise of Private Museums in Asia
State of the Art
The rise of the private museum (gallery? club?) in Asia is rich with patriotic and public benefits — and fraught with political problems. Josh Spero finds collectors wearing their art on their sleeves
Finding a Peaceful Haven in the Centre of Bangkok
Bangkok Without the Bang
Caroline Phillips on a peaceful haven hidden in the heart of one of the world’s most hectic cities
Goa Rediscovered
Got a Good Thing Goan
William Sitwell rekindles his love affair with Goa, 24 years after falling for it as a teenager, and finds plenty to admire in its modern, grown-up incarnation
The Secrets Beneath Hanoi's Metropole Hotel
Fancy Digs
Hanoi and its Metropole Hotel have undergone quite a renaissance — but reminders of the Vietnam War are never far below the surface, as Duncan Forgan discovers
Spear's Speaks to Modern-Day Butlers
Men for all Seasons
The popular image of the butler may be decidedly Victorian, but the modern-day version must have skills his predecessors would certainly never have required, says Sophie McBain
Developments in the Asian Wealth Management Industry
Are Asian entrepreneurs having their cake and eating it too? With the help of a developing wealth-management culture, they soon might be able to, says Angela Calnan of Collas Crill
Why Are So Many Chinese HNWs Moving to the UK?
Occidentally on Purpose
The UK is experiencing a sharp increase in the number of HNWs making the move from Eastern countries, particularly China. Chloe Barrow finds out why
Yue Minjun Brings His Smile-Screams to the Fondation Cartier, Paris
Josh Spero talks to Yue Minjun, the Chinese Contemporary artist and master of the cartoon-nightmare who is currently having his first major European retrospective at the Fondation Cartier in Paris
Spear's Advent Calendar: The Best of 2012
We are a traditional bunch at Spear's, which is why we are bringing you that emblem of Yuletide, an advent calendar
NYT: Chinese PM Wen Jiabao's family worth $2.7 billion
A review of corporate and regulatory records indicates that the prime minister’s relatives, some of whom have a knack for aggressive deal-making, including his wife, have controlled assets worth at least $2.7 billion
Unbillable Hours
Our specialists solve your HNW problems (gratis!)
Q
In this new anti-tax-avoidance era, when so many tax reliefs have been withdrawn, I've heard that investing in a Business Property Renovation Allowance scheme is one of the few remaining good opportunities for maxing your tax position. Is it true that you can get up to 100 per cent tax relief on the amount invested? And what exactly are these schemes? How do they work? What are the upsides? Downsides?
A
In this climate, it is a relief to see one potentially attractive tax allowance come through unscathed from recent criticism
Spear's Wire
- STEP: Switzerland introducing law to confiscate dictators' funds
- NYT: JP Morgan fined £3m for wealth management failings
- The Woolwich Attack Must Not be Used as an Excuse to Restrict Civil Liberties
- Breaking: Withers, Speechly Bircham abandon merger
- Harry Potter raises £150,000 in auction of first editions annotated by authors
