OCRA Worldwide is a member of the Estate and General Group which was established in 1935. From its origins in 1975, OCRA Worldwide has expanded and developed in to one of the world's largest independent associations of incorporators and administrators of companies and trusts in both Common and Civil Law jurisdictions.

Backed by our own multi-disciplined and multi-lingual teams of experienced professionals comprising accountants, lawyers, bankers, international tax and trade specialists and chartered secretaries, we are able to tailor make our products and services to the needs of our network of clients in more than 100 countries.

In addition to the Group's members' offices - employing over 250 professional staff - our members have correspondents in all the major international financial centres. Through our global network, we are able to arrange for the provision of international tax planning and corporate structuring advice, as well as outsourcing the provision of full administration, nominee and accountancy services, supported by the most sophisticated, up to date and secure information technology systems.

We also have a close working relationship with several highly respected, regulated independent financial advisers and aspire to providing our clients with a one-stop shop service to meet all their financial and commercial requirements.

Whilst we specialise in servicing SME's owner-managed businesses, high net worth individuals and expatriates, we also work closely with international accountancy and legal firms and their clients as well as many major international banks and financial institutions from all over the world. Many professional firms both in developed and developing world establish affiliate or intermediary arrangements with us and we are constantly seeking to develop by the appointment of such high quality professional firms.

Our established reputation of experience and expertise in the offshore services industry has also resulted in our working with several governments, drafting their national company laws and assisting in establishing their regulatory authorities to facilitate the provision of quality international financial services.

One myth that needs to be dispelled is the perception by many, that offshore centres are centres of unregulated and taxless tropical bliss. Offshore centres currently attract as much as half of the world's foreign deposits as company formations and mutual funds expand. Their laws are numerous, with sophisticated trust, tax and company law, their regulations strict and their professionals world-class. Mindful of the international regulations on the prevention of drug trafficking and money laundering OCRA Worldwide strictly implements our Risk Control Guidelines and balances thorough due diligence of all our corporate clients with a commercial appreciation of the practicalities of international business.

Although there has been a significant growth in the number of international financial centres over the past twenty years, there will be winners and losers. The winners will be those with legal, accountancy and investment related infrastructures, which are able to provide tax efficient and innovative financial products in a secure and well regulated fiscal environment.

We at OCRA Worldwide are committed to our motto of "Excellence in Global Corporate Services" and to providing all our clients with a discreet, personalised and high quality, fully integrated service which is cost-effective and strictly professional.

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Anthony St. John, Lord St. John of Bletso has been Chairman of the Estate and General since 1992. He was educated in South Africa and the United Kingdom. He received his BA and BSc from Capetown University, an LLB from the University of South Africa and an LLM (Masters of Law) from the London School of Economics.

Since 1978 Lord St. John has served as a sitting member of the House of Lords of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. He is a member of The House of Lords' European Union Sub-Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs, Trade and External Relations. Lord St. John has also been appointed an extra lord-in-waiting to her majesty the Queen. As a qualified lawyer Lord St. John has a professional interest in international taxation matters relating to international trade and investment and as Chairman of the Estate and General Group he regularly visits each of the offices around the world. Lord St. John works closely with the Board of Directors in relation to the international development of the group and takes a personal interest in client matters, particularly in respect of advising foreign governments who wish to establish offshore financial legislation. Lord St. John is a Registered Representative of the London Stock Exchange and is also a consultant to Merrill Lynch.