Tim Maltin interviewed in Tatler on why reputation audits are essential for UHNW families

Our Managing Partner Tim Maltin interviewed by Tatler discussing why reputation audits are an increasingly important part of wealth preservation and risk management for ultra high net worth individuals and families.

As AI-powered search tools transform the way information is discovered and presented online, Tim explains that reputation management is no longer simply about responding to crises. Instead, many family offices are taking a proactive approach, treating reputation as a strategic asset that should be monitored and protected alongside security, succession planning and wealth management.

In the feature, Tim describes a reputation audit as a structured review of an individual’s or family’s public profile, examining everything from media coverage and social media activity to corporate records, litigation history and open-source intelligence. The objective is to understand what journalists, financial institutions, business partners and other third parties are likely to discover within the first few minutes of researching someone online.

He also highlights how advances in AI have fundamentally changed the reputation landscape. Modern reputation audits now extend beyond traditional search engines to include AI-generated search tools and summaries. As many UHNW families have international lives, businesses and assets spanning multiple jurisdictions, Tim explains that it is increasingly important to use VPNs to review search engine results pages (SERPs) from each relevant country, as online reputations can vary significantly depending on where someone is searching from. He adds that reputation management increasingly requires consideration of both SEO and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), reflecting the growing reliance on AI-generated answers rather than conventional search results.

The article also explores the growing risks posed by AI-generated misinformation, deepfakes and impersonation, and why strong digital hygiene remains one of the most effective safeguards. Tim emphasises that proactive reputation management, including sensible privacy settings, secure online practices and careful consideration of the information shared publicly, is now an essential component of overall risk management for wealthy families.

Read Tim’s comments in Tatler, here.