The firm is one of the most prominent players in what is sometimes dubbed the "golden visa" industry.

Henley & Partners, a prominent advisor to people seeking residency/citizenship-by-investment visas, has made a raft of senior executive changes, including naming its new CEO.

Dr Juerg Steffen has been appointed as new group CEO; Dr Christian H Kälin remains group chairman. Following a corporate re-organisation two years ago, Dr Kälin took on the additional role of interim CEO. He now relinquishes that function to focus on his chairmanship.

Peter Vincent, a senior security professional joining the firm from Thomson Reuters, has been appointed as a new member of the executive committee. Marco Gantenbein, previously managing partner of the Dubai office, has been named as group chief operating officer. 

Andreas Keller, previously MD of Weber Shandwick Dubai, joins as a new managing partner of the Dubai office and head of Middle East.

Dr Christina Federle and Stefan Kraus join the Executive Committee.

Dr Steffen is a Swiss lawyer and private banking executive who has served for the past few years as the firm’s COO. Prior to that, he set up and ran the firm’s Singapore office. 

Vincent was previously the general counsel of Thomson Reuters Special Services and assistant director for international policy of BORDERPOL. 

Gantenbein has over 20 years’ experience in the financial services and investment migration industry. Keller was previously MD for the global communications consultancy Weber Shandwick in Dubai, where he oversaw the agency’s international, regional, and local client portfolio. 

Federle, based in Dubai, is a German attorney-at-law with over 10 years of professional experience. Prior to joining Henley & Partners, she worked for many years in major commercial law firms.

Kraus previously served as the firm’s chief of staff. Prior to joining Henley & Partners, he worked for a private investment group and at McKinsey & Company, where he advised clients in strategic, operational, and organisational projects.

There are now eight senior professionals on Henley & Partner’s executive committee.

The firm’s business has grown as the market for “golden visas” has mushroomed, with recent new programmes entering the market from nations such as Montenegro and Moldova. The market has been controversial – a few days ago, the UK suspended its Tier 1 investor visa scheme to address potential compliance concerns. Canada suspended its programme in 2014.