Do UHNIs Prefer Family Offices? Exploring the Shift
Do UHNIs Prefer Family Offices? Exploring the Shift
Aug 4, 2025
Do UHNIs Prefer Family Offices? Exploring the Shift
India’s ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNIs) are no longer content with traditional wealth management setups. As their wealth grows more complex, so do their needs. Enter: the family office — a structure that offers control, customization, and long-term planning across generations.
But is this shift measurable? Absolutely. Let’s explore how India’s wealthiest are embracing the family office model — with data to back it.
👨🏫 What’s a Family Office, and Why Does It Matter?
A family office is a private wealth management entity that handles everything from investments to philanthropy, succession, taxation, and legal structuring — all under one roof.
It offers something traditional PMS or private banks can’t: alignment with the family’s long-term mission. And increasingly, India’s UHNIs are realizing its strategic edge.
📈 The Growth Is Real
According to Campden Wealth & Edelweiss (2024), India has over 250 formal family offices — up from just 45 in 2015.
McKinsey India estimates that another 150–200 families are in the process of transitioning to a single or multi-family office setup in the next 2 years.
Globally, India is now the 4th fastest-growing market for family offices after China, the U.S., and UAE.
💸 Why the Shift?
Multiple drivers are pushing UHNIs toward the family office model:
₹500 crore+: Most Indian family offices are triggered once family wealth crosses this benchmark (EY Wealth Report 2023)
82% of Indian UHNIs say succession planning is a “top 3” concern (Knight Frank 2024)
76% want better governance and centralized control over disparate business assets (Julius Baer UHNW India Survey)
68% are seeking global diversification and real estate access via structured vehicles
🔄 From Event-Based Wealth to Intergenerational Planning
Startup exits, IPOs, and M&As are driving liquidity — and changing how wealth is managed.
For example, India saw 84 startup exits and 32 IPOs in 2023 alone, unlocking over $12B in new UHNI wealth (Tracxn India Deal Tracker).
Family offices are increasingly being created within 6–12 months of these liquidity events — especially by first-gen founders looking to secure multi-decade legacies.
🛡️ What They Handle
Family offices are becoming comprehensive platforms. Here’s how Indian offices structure operations (Campden 2024):
94% handle investment management (public, private, VC, PE)
81% provide estate planning and trust creation
68% oversee philanthropic giving or CSR
55% engage in international tax and residency structuring
34% manage personal assets like art, collectibles, and aircraft
👨👩👧👦 The Next Gen Is Driving the Change
A Bain India report found that 61% of next-gen family members want more say in digital investments and sustainability-aligned portfolios.
They are also more inclined to adopt wealth tech platforms and dashboards — making real-time reporting, multi-asset visibility, and performance tracking essential.
🧠 Beyond Just Capital — It’s About Intelligence
UHNIs don’t just want to preserve capital — they want insights.
As family offices mature, they are adopting tools to monitor:
New governance filings (ROC)
Board appointments and exits
Real estate moves across premium locations
ESOP monetizations and IPO proceeds
🔗 Powered by Affluense.ai
Affluense.ai is at the forefront of helping wealth firms discover emerging family offices, track liquidity shifts, and anticipate intent.
Whether it’s a founder setting up a new trust in Singapore or a business family consolidating holdings into a DIFC structure — we help you see it first.
👉 Want to track emerging family offices and UHNI trends? -> affluence.ai
Do UHNIs Prefer Family Offices? Exploring the Shift
India’s ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNIs) are no longer content with traditional wealth management setups. As their wealth grows more complex, so do their needs. Enter: the family office — a structure that offers control, customization, and long-term planning across generations.
But is this shift measurable? Absolutely. Let’s explore how India’s wealthiest are embracing the family office model — with data to back it.
👨🏫 What’s a Family Office, and Why Does It Matter?
A family office is a private wealth management entity that handles everything from investments to philanthropy, succession, taxation, and legal structuring — all under one roof.
It offers something traditional PMS or private banks can’t: alignment with the family’s long-term mission. And increasingly, India’s UHNIs are realizing its strategic edge.
📈 The Growth Is Real
According to Campden Wealth & Edelweiss (2024), India has over 250 formal family offices — up from just 45 in 2015.
McKinsey India estimates that another 150–200 families are in the process of transitioning to a single or multi-family office setup in the next 2 years.
Globally, India is now the 4th fastest-growing market for family offices after China, the U.S., and UAE.
💸 Why the Shift?
Multiple drivers are pushing UHNIs toward the family office model:
₹500 crore+: Most Indian family offices are triggered once family wealth crosses this benchmark (EY Wealth Report 2023)
82% of Indian UHNIs say succession planning is a “top 3” concern (Knight Frank 2024)
76% want better governance and centralized control over disparate business assets (Julius Baer UHNW India Survey)
68% are seeking global diversification and real estate access via structured vehicles
🔄 From Event-Based Wealth to Intergenerational Planning
Startup exits, IPOs, and M&As are driving liquidity — and changing how wealth is managed.
For example, India saw 84 startup exits and 32 IPOs in 2023 alone, unlocking over $12B in new UHNI wealth (Tracxn India Deal Tracker).
Family offices are increasingly being created within 6–12 months of these liquidity events — especially by first-gen founders looking to secure multi-decade legacies.
🛡️ What They Handle
Family offices are becoming comprehensive platforms. Here’s how Indian offices structure operations (Campden 2024):
94% handle investment management (public, private, VC, PE)
81% provide estate planning and trust creation
68% oversee philanthropic giving or CSR
55% engage in international tax and residency structuring
34% manage personal assets like art, collectibles, and aircraft
👨👩👧👦 The Next Gen Is Driving the Change
A Bain India report found that 61% of next-gen family members want more say in digital investments and sustainability-aligned portfolios.
They are also more inclined to adopt wealth tech platforms and dashboards — making real-time reporting, multi-asset visibility, and performance tracking essential.
🧠 Beyond Just Capital — It’s About Intelligence
UHNIs don’t just want to preserve capital — they want insights.
As family offices mature, they are adopting tools to monitor:
New governance filings (ROC)
Board appointments and exits
Real estate moves across premium locations
ESOP monetizations and IPO proceeds
🔗 Powered by Affluense.ai
Affluense.ai is at the forefront of helping wealth firms discover emerging family offices, track liquidity shifts, and anticipate intent.
Whether it’s a founder setting up a new trust in Singapore or a business family consolidating holdings into a DIFC structure — we help you see it first.
👉 Want to track emerging family offices and UHNI trends? -> affluence.ai