Deon Beachen is an Executive at ENS in the Private Clients practice, specialising in private wealth law for high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and multinational families. With extensive experience in both onshore and offshore estate planning, Deon delivers strategic legal solutions that preserve, grow, and seamlessly transfer wealth across jurisdictions and generations.

Deon is recognised for his ability to integrate sophisticated transactional insight with estate planning. He works closely with deal lawyers across corporate, finance, real estate, and intellectual property matters, ensuring clients’ wealth strategies align with complex transactions. His expertise in structuring, regulation, and cross-border planning enables him to deliver bespoke, tax-efficient solutions that protect personal and family interests while advancing broader commercial objectives.

He advises clients on the full spectrum of local and international estate planning, including:

• Structuring cross-border Wills and navigating multi-jurisdictional succession laws
• Designing tax-efficient wealth transfer and business succession structures
• Establishing and administering South African and offshore trusts
• Advising on exchange control matters with the South African Reserve Bank
• Resolving estate and trust disputes through litigation and alternative dispute resolution
• Pursuing curatorship applications through the High Court

Deon also counsels banks, wealth managers, trust companies, and family offices on legal, compliance, and regulatory matters, including fiduciary governance, cross-border structuring, and regulatory reporting. He frequently supports executors, trustees, and beneficiaries with international probate and estate administration, providing clarity and confidence in complex, multi-jurisdictional matters.

A sought-after speaker and published author, Deon has presented numerous seminars and workshops on estate planning, fiduciary structuring, and wealth preservation. He is a member of the Fiduciary Institute of Southern Africa (FISA) and the South African Institute of Tax Professionals (SAIT).

Education

• LLB (University of KwaZulu-Natal)
• Master Tax Practitioner (South Africa)
• Admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa