Family offices ‘kept captive’ by relationship managers turn to independent advisers, direct deals
The extent of this shift largely depends on a family office’s scale, say industry players
Singapore's family offices are increasingly taking a more active role in sourcing their own investment opportunities as the sector grows more institutionalized. This shift was highlighted at the Private Family Society's inaugural AI & Family Office Summit on October 5, co-founded by Anupum Khaitan and Sean Tan. Khaitan noted that family offices often face challenges when left reliant on relationship managers and private banks, which aim to monetize future transactions.
He observed that allocators are embracing a trend of "going direct" as they become more direct in their investments. However, he suggested that while direct investments rise, professional allocation to seasoned advisers remains crucial for maintaining investment oversight. Andrew Khoo, CEO of MUI Group, concurred, emphasizing that while direct deal flow will continue based on connections, third-party advisers will play a vital role in providing most investment opportunities.
Family office size significantly impacts this shift, with smaller operations typically relying on advisory models and larger, more institutionalized ones employing internal teams. Despite the trend towards AI, most opportunities for Asian family offices still lie in the U.S., creating an asset-liability mismatch for those with beneficiaries in Asia.
As of end-2025, Singapore had more than 2,000 single-family offices, all of which receive tax incentives.
Written by urgent.news from The Business Times - Companies & Markets's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
