Wealthy families are shifting from traditional passive investments to direct investments in private equity, infrastructure, and impact sectors. Geopolitical instability and generational changes drive this move, with family offices prioritising control, flexibility, and long-term impact across diverse regions, adapting to a complex global environment.
The world’s wealthiest families are increasingly adopting direct investment strategies, reflecting a broader reevaluation of how capital is managed amid rising geopolitical uncertainty and evolving global power dynamics.
Recent developments, such as Brazil’s alignment with China, highlight Beijing’s expanding influence across Latin America and the Gulf region. This expansion occurs alongside a US administration that revives tariff threats and retreats from multilateral leadership roles. Concurrently, tensions surrounding Taiwan, ongoing instability in the Middle East, and strategic recalibrations across Europe contribute to a growing perception that traditional global certainties no longer apply.
In this context, ultra-wealthy families reconsider the governance and geographical allocation of their wealth, seeking greater control and flexibility in an unpredictable environment.
Family offices adapt to a new reality
Family offices, which manage investment, legal, and wealth transfer matters for families typically holding more than $75 million in investable assets, are at the forefront of this strategic shift. To address emerging demands, deVere Group, one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory and asset management firms, launched a dedicated Family Office last October. This service is designed to support families as they rethink governance structures, control mechanisms, and long-term objectives.
Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group, notes the transformation: “There’s a growing understanding that yesterday’s infrastructure — politically and financially — doesn’t serve the realities of today.”
He emphasises that this is more than a simple portfolio adjustment: “What we’re seeing isn’t a portfolio rebalancing. It’s a re-engineering of how wealth is stewarded in a world that no longer operates on inherited assumptions.”
Historically, family offices depended heavily on public markets and third-party asset managers, favouring passive investment strategies aimed at capital preservation. However, this model is evolving rapidly.
“Today, that model is being dismantled. Families are pulling capital out of institutions and reallocating it directly — into companies, infrastructure, and private projects they believe in and can influence,” Green explains.
Private markets and impact-focused investments take priority
Reflecting this trend, many family portfolios now allocate a smaller share to public markets. Instead, there is a growing focus on private equity, infrastructure, early-stage technology ventures, and climate-linked assets, especially within regions perceived as economically dynamic and politically stable.
“Families want to invest in what they understand and believe in,” says Green. “That means long-horizon commitments to sectors that matter — food security, clean energy, resilient supply chains — and to regions they believe will define the next era.”
This shift is propelled partly by the rising influence of the next generation within family networks. As leadership passes on, new voices advocate for capital to be used intentionally, not only for financial returns but also for social and environmental impact. Legacy, they argue, is now measured not only by wealth preservation but also by “impact, identity, and adaptability.”
Europe’s Strategic Response and the Need for Flexibility
While Europe faces structural and political challenges, efforts to modernise internal cohesion and strategic posture are underway. Policymakers focus on areas such as defence collaboration, green investment, and industrial competitiveness to strengthen the European Union’s position as a self-directed economic bloc. However, coordination remains complex and ongoing.
Despite regional efforts, wealthy families increasingly recognise that reliance on any single political system or jurisdiction entails risk. Structures heavily anchored to one geography are viewed as fragile in the current global climate.
This recognition drives demand for family office models prioritising flexibility, transparency, and cross-border optionality. Such models are designed to adapt to both generational changes and geopolitical shifts, allowing families to maintain control over their wealth in a complex environment.
Green summarises this evolving mindset: “What’s changed is that families are no longer building around the system. They’re building around themselves — around their values, their priorities, and the world they believe is coming next.”
He concludes, “The old model of inherited structures quietly ticking over doesn’t hold in a world defined by geopolitical fracture and generational change. Family offices are being rebuilt — not for preservation, but for control in a new global reality.”
deVere’s Family Office platform offers services including legal structuring, governance planning, investment coordination, and intergenerational education. These features underscore the desire among elite families to operate privately and directly, with maximum discretion and the ability to move capital freely across borders.
Himani Verma is a seasoned content writer and SEO expert, with experience in digital media. She has held various senior writing positions at enterprises like CloudTDMS (Synthetic Data Factory), Barrownz Group, and ATZA. Himani has also been Editorial Writer at Hindustan Time, a leading Indian English language news platform. She excels in content creation, proofreading, and editing, ensuring that every piece is polished and impactful. Her expertise in crafting SEO-friendly content for multiple verticals of businesses, including technology, healthcare, finance, sports, innovation, and more.
