July Roundup

Family Office News Roundup – July 2025

Following a dynamic Q2 that saw family offices intensify their focus on private markets and operational resilience, July 2025 showcased a sector deeply engaged in execution and institutionalization. This month was defined by strategic shifts into liquid and illiquid alternatives, a continued boom in India’s family office sector, and a surge in M&A within the advisory space. Critically, the conversation moved from identifying risks to implementing concrete solutions, particularly around technology, governance, and talent acquisition. The sector’s evolution was marked by a shift towards a more holistic view of risk, moving past broad geopolitical concerns to address tangible cyber and physical threats. Simultaneously, the advisory landscape began to consolidate, with M&A becoming a key strategy for firms seeking to expand their services to this increasingly professionalized client base.

Key Topics and Insights

1. Strategic Investments & Portfolio Strategy

• Private Credit & Infrastructure: The shift towards private markets intensified, with family offices explicitly turning to private credit and infrastructure as alternatives to liquid markets and bonds. A BlackRock survey highlighted this as a key focus area (Citywire.com, CNBC.com).
• Hedge Funds & Liquid Alternatives: Hedge funds gained prominence for their flexibility in liquid markets. Some of Hong Kong’s wealthiest family offices are building out dedicated hedge fund teams, reflecting a demand for specialized liquid strategies (https://www.google.com/search?q=BusinessTimes.com.sg, AI-CIO.com).
• Direct Investing in Startups: Direct venture investment remained strong, particularly in India. M.S. Dhoni’s family office invested in a D2C insurer, and the Narotam Sekhsaria family office backed a drone maker and an agri-tech firm (EconomicTimes.IndiaTimes.com, https://www.google.com/search?q=BusinessTimes.com.sg).
• Digital Assets & Crypto: The adoption of digital assets continued, with a Thiel family office alum joining a crypto hedge fund and family offices using digital asset custody services (Bloomberg.com, AFR.com).
• Real Estate & Niche Sectors: Real estate remained a stable investment, with a Zara billionaire family office making a notable purchase of a Miami office tower (Bloomberg.com, StockTitan.net).

2. Governance, Talent, and Risk Management

• Governance & Succession: The theme of moving “from gut to governance” is a major focus for Indian family offices. Discussions centered on the critical role of investment committees and managing wealth across generations to prevent the loss of wealth over time (TradingView.com, Forbes.com).
• Talent & Compensation: The struggle to recruit and retain staff remains a central issue. News covered how much a single-family office employee can earn and the increasing use of long-term incentive plans to attract top talent (CNBC.com, InvestmentNews.com).
• Holistic Risk Management: The conversation around risk broadened from geopolitical concerns to include practical “cyber and physical risks,” underscoring the need for a comprehensive protection strategy involving legal, insurance, and technology solutions (FamilyWealthReport.com, Crain Currency).

3. Geographical Expansion & Hub Competition

• Asia’s Hub Race: The competition between Hong Kong and Singapore continued. A report highlights that Hong Kong “must raise its game” to attract multi-family office operators. Taiwan’s KGI Bank also opened a new Hong Kong branch focused on wealth management (SCMP.com, SCMP.com).
• India’s Booming Sector: India’s family office sector is rapidly growing, with a strong focus on global diversification. An expert noted that Indian family offices now go beyond just investing, getting involved in legacy and capital preservation planning (India Today, EconomicTimes.IndiaTimes.com).
• Middle East & Europe: A Global Family Office Investment Summit was held in Cannes, while discussions continued about how European family offices are reallocating capital to the UAE to drive growth and diversification (Barchart.com, EconomyMiddleEast.com).

4. The Evolving Service & Technology Ecosystem

• M&A and Consolidation: A key trend was consolidation in the advisory space. Aquiline Capital acquired SEI’s family office services unit, and firms in Geneva and London acquired multi-family offices in Singapore to expand their capabilities (PEHub.com, WealthBriefing.com).
• Digitalization & Tech Solutions: Technology is moving from a buzzword to a core operational tool. Eton Solutions secured significant funding for its family office ERP software, and a new “family office hub” was launched by Franklin Templeton and others (Yahoo Finance, WealthBriefing.com).
• Talent and Leadership Shifts: Key leadership changes included a former asset allocation, and risk to preserve and grow family wealth. <a href="https://andsimple.co/glossary/chief-investment-officer/" target="_blank">Read more</a>">CIO of Johns Hopkins joining Cherry Creek Family Offices and a former Disney CIO’s multi-family office pursuing a sale, indicating high-level talent movement and a demand for specialized expertise (AlternativesWatch.com, Citywire.com).

In Closing and Looking Ahead

July’s news demonstrates the family office sector is moving beyond theoretical discussions to active implementation. The strategic pivots towards private markets, liquid alternatives, and digital assets are concrete responses to market volatility. The sector is simultaneously professionalizing from within, as evidenced by a focus on robust governance models, meticulous succession planning, and a more institutional approach to talent acquisition. The advisory ecosystem is also evolving to meet these needs, with a trend towards consolidation and the development of specialized tech solutions.

Looking ahead, we can expect these trends to continue. The demand for skilled talent, particularly in fields like deep tech and AI, will likely drive further innovation in compensation and talent development. The competition among global hubs will intensify, pushing jurisdictions to offer even more tailored regulatory and investment frameworks. As family offices continue to institutionalize, the line between them and traditional institutional investors may blur, making them a more significant force in global capital markets and a key area to watch for future trends.