Family Offices in 2026: Strategic Shifts

Introduction

Family offices are experiencing rapid expansion and professionalisation, reshaping how ultra-high-net-worth families steward capital, govern legacy, and engage with global opportunities. They have evolved into influential capital allocators, scaling AUM, expanding globally, and adopting institutional-grade operating models.

Scale and Reach: Family Offices as Global Economic Actors

The number of single family offices worldwide has surged—from roughly 6,000 in 2019 to over 8,000 today—with projections exceeding 10,000 by 2030 (Deloitte). UBS estimates global family office AUM surpassing $6 trillion, with North America remaining the largest by geography while Asia-Pacific leads in growth. This scale demands professional grade risk systems, investment processes, and governance frameworks. Multi-branch family office structures are becoming more common, enabling access to talent, partnerships and deal flow across jurisdictions.

Professionalisation and Governance: Boards and Outsourcing

Campden Wealth reports that nearly three-quarters of family offices now maintain formal boards, blending family members with external professionals. This shift from informal decision-making to structured oversight and management is part of a professionalisation journey that will grow further in strength. Outsourcing has grown significantly as part of this, including at the C-suite level, as family offices seek specialized leadership experience to strengthen governance and operational management.

Portfolio Strategy: Private Markets Dominate, Diversification is Key

UBS and Citi Private Bank data confirm that private equity has overtaken public equity as the largest allocation in family office portfolios. The data shows that family offices remain optimistic, favouring barbell strategies—core long-term holdings paired with opportunistic investments. BlackRock highlights 'mega forces' such as AI, energy transition, and demographic shifts as driving private market opportunities. Family offices are also adopting co-investment models and utilizing the secondary market to manage liquidity and vintage risk.

Technology and Cybersecurity: From Optional to Essential

Digital transformation is accelerating. Family offices are prime cyber targets, yet fewer than one-third have robust incident response plans. Best practice includes zero-trust architectures, vendor risk scoring, and integrated data platforms for real-time portfolio visibility. Cybersecurity is now a board-level priority, not an IT afterthought.

Values in Action: Sustainability and Reputation Capital

UBS also notes the growing adoption of ESG and impact investing, especially among next-gen leaders. Family offices are embedding measurable impact objectives into investment processes and reporting frameworks, aligning capital with values without sacrificing returns. This shift builds reputation capital alongside financial performance.

What Leading Family Offices Will Do Next

To stay ahead, leading family offices should prioritise the following:

• Institutionalise governance: Formal boards, investment committees, and enterprise risk frameworks
• Pursue diversification: Re-underwrite private equity exposures, expand geographically, and use secondaries for liquidity
• Modernise tech and data: Integrated platforms, vendor governance, and cyber resilience
• Establish core values: making them measurable alongside financial metrics
• Activate next-gen leadership: Structured development pathways and family charters.

The Takeaway

The successful family office of the future will resemble an agile, technology-enabled institutional asset manager.  Whilst balancing family intimacy with professional rigor.