Why do most UHNWs need a family office? The debate too often focuses on the financial and legal matters than underpin their desired lifestyle. The reality amongst the majority of the circa 10,000 family offices globally is the establishment is largely driven by the Principal’s emotional priorities (desire for greater discipline, focus, organisation, character and so on).

As such those priorities are unique to each individual, and how the family office operates reflects that.

Look at Johan H. Andresen’s Ferd family office, the late Paul Allen’s Vulcan family office or Gigi Pritzker and her husband Michael Pucker’s DNS Capital.

Just as everyone’s home or marriage is not the same, seeking to do business with them without understanding the dynamics at play, results in huge guesswork.