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Family Office

Vulpes to increase investments in agriculture
May 12, 2012

Investment firm Vulpes Investment Management wants to raise up to $150 million (€115.9 million) to increase its agricultural investments across the world.

Investment firm Vulpes Investment Management wants to raise up to $150 million (€115.9 million) to increase its agricultural investments across the world.

The company wants to raise between $50 million (€38.6 million) and $150 million to expand its $35 million farm-focused fund Vulpes Agricultural Land Investment Company.

Berkshire shareholders reject annual succession plan update
May 9, 2012

Berkshire Hathaway investors are happy for succession plans at the company to remain a board secret, despite Warren Buffett’s age and recent prostate cancer diagnosis. 

Berkshire Hathaway investors are happy for succession plans at the company to remain a board secret, despite Warren Buffett’s age and recent prostate cancer diagnosis.

At the company’s annual general meeting at the weekend, shareholders rejected a proposal, tabled by labour union AFL-CIO, for formal annual updates on Berkshire Hathaway’s succession plans.

Read the full story at CampdenFB

Programme to boost next-gen financial knowledge
April 27, 2012

A new course to give very young next-gens, aged three and more, a good grasp of financial knowledge and leadership skills has been launched. 

A new course to give very young next-gens, aged three and more, a good grasp of financial knowledge and leadership skills has been launched.

Called Path2Responsibility, the programme has been developed by US-based multi family office Pathstone, in collaboration with the National Financial Educators Council.

Using interactive games, workbooks and family meetings, the course will target children from three years old through young adulthood, Steve Braverman, managing director of the family office, said in a statement.

Should family offices invest in private placements?
April 9, 2012

Numerous companies, especially in the technology and mining sectors, have recently raised money through private placements, with Twitter taking $300 million (€229.8 million) from Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. 

Numerous companies, especially in the technology and mining sectors, have recently raised money through private placements, with Twitter taking $300 million (€229.8 million) from Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.

But why are private investments proving increasingly popular? According to Simon Paul, director of UK-based multi family office Sand Aire, the reason is quite simple.

Jonathan Soros ‘to set up separate family office’
April 2, 2012

The son of billionaire investor George Soros is reportedly using part of his personal fortune to establish his own family office.

The son of billionaire investor George Soros is reportedly using part of his personal fortune to establish his own family office.

According to Reuters, which quotes sources familiar with the matter, Jonathan Soros will also hire David Kulsar, one of George’s senior employees.

"Jonathan wants to manage some of his own money so the [Soros Fund] family office has made that accommodation for him," a source said.

Read the full story at CampdenFB 

Fund focused on family businesses launched
March 31, 2012

March Gestion, the investment arm of Spanish bank Banca March, has launched a new fund focusing on family businesses.

March Gestion, the investment arm of Spanish bank Banca March, has launched a new fund focusing on family businesses.

Called the Family Businesses Fund, it will invest in listed companies where a family controls more than 25% of the shares and at least one family member is involved in the senior management. It will also look for firms where there is a "willingness to transmit the ownership" to the next generation, the company said in a statement.

Pay-day at the family office
March 29, 2012

How much are family offices paying their senior managers? Few seem to know, as family offices guard their confidentiality more so than most in the financial services sector. But a study by CampdenFO and executive search firm Sulger Buel & Company found that remuneration is becoming more transparent.

How much are family offices paying their senior managers? Few seem to know, as family offices guard their confidentiality more so than most in the financial services sector. But a study by CampdenFO and executive search firm Sulger Buel & Company found that remuneration is becoming more transparent.

Based on a survey of more than 25 family offices in the UK and Switzerland, the study found that pay varies considerably in terms of what type of family office the manager work for and where the family office is located.

Family offices looking to ‘get back to basics’ with property investments
March 28, 2012

Capricorn Investment Group, a large US-based multi family office, has joined a newly launched property investment club in a bid to “get back to basics”. 

Capricorn Investment Group, a large US-based multi family office, has joined a newly launched property investment club in a bid to “get back to basics”.

Stephen George, co-founder and chief investment officer of Capricorn Investment Group, said the family office is investing €25 million in the Family Office Real Estate Partnership, which was launched earlier this month.

Read the full story at CampdenFB 

Prime properties in Beijing and Shanghai to gain popularity
March 28, 2012

High net worth individuals investing in properties consider London and New York as the most attractive cities in the world, but Beijing and Shanghai are increasingly gaining popularity. 

High net worth individuals investing in properties consider London and New York as the most attractive cities in the world, but Beijing and Shanghai are increasingly gaining popularity.

That’s the main finding of a study by real estate firm Knight Frank and Citi Private Bank, which found that prime properties in London and New York are the most sought-after among the wealthy, followed by Hong Kong, Paris and Singapore.

Family offices and hedge funds
March 25, 2012

Hedge funds haven’t proved very popular between family offices in recent years, with underperformance, fee structures, huge volatility and redemption restrictions angering many wealthy investors. 

Hedge funds haven’t proved very popular between family offices in recent years, with underperformance, fee structures, huge volatility and redemption restrictions angering many wealthy investors.

According to a study by Campden Research, European family offices cut their allocations to hedge funds down to an average of just 3% in 2009, down from 8% one year earlier.