Building a family office to steward family wealth and values

There is a saying that goes, “If you have seen one family office, you have seen one family office.” Family offices are as different as the families they serve—one size does not fit all. For families who are seeking to coordinate and consolidate their investment management and planning, a well-structured family office can play a crucial role in the preservation and growth of wealth through the generations.

Just as every family is different, so too is what’s required of every family office. Since business families established the first family offices in the early 20^th century, their number has steadily increased, with the first decades of the 21st century seeing the most rapid growth. As they have multiplied, family offices have taken different forms, depending on a family’s needs.

At UBS, we partner with families across the world, helping them establish and manage family offices suited to their goals and circumstances. We offer you the benefit of our expertise in structure and governance, as well as operational best practices and strategy for managing and sustaining wealth across generations.

We have written this paper to guide you through some of the issues faced by family offices. After all, good planning has timeless benefits. Indeed, some of those original family offices formed over 100 years ago are still presiding over the founders’ legacies, continuing to serve their families well as they adapt to changing circumstances.