Family Offices

Rising costs and shifting trade patterns force Thailand's manufacturing evolution while Vietnam emerges as the new low-cost production hub of Southeast Asia

As private market investments gain popularity among family offices in Asia, forging deals with other peers is increasingly favoured over outsourcing to fund managers, according to Iu-Jin Ong, co-founder of the single-family office Augventive in Hong Kong.

Singapore-based Rumah Group is pioneering ocean investments through a dual strategy of patient capital and flexible financing, targeting SMEs in Southeast Asia with sustainable business models.

The Karan Thapar family office invests directly in private equity to align with its core businesses, focusing on mature companies. The Indian family office is also open to private equity funds that invest in international markets, particularly in sectors like deep tech.

Institutional investment appetite remains for quality deals but deployment is becoming more circumspect as refinancing challenges and market uncertainty take hold.

The family office of India’s Thermax Group is looking at a staggered increase in the allocation to Indian equities, citing unique growth opportunities and favourable valuations compared to developed global markets.

With its Islamic finance leadership, prime location for accessing Southeast Asian markets, and 20-year tax exemptions, Malaysia is mounting a serious challenge to established family office hubs like Singapore and Hong Kong.

The number of single family offices in Singapore is expected to rise after growing 21 per cent last year amid high cost and a tightening of its anti-money-laundering regime.

Mid-market private equity deals in Asia remain constrained by limited M&A activity and challenging public exits, driving investors toward more mature markets like the US and Europe, according to participants at a Hong Kong family office panel.

A leading India based single family office shares a fresh perspective on hedge fund investing, and how these traditionally high-risk vehicles can actually reduce portfolio risk through market-neutral strategies and careful geographic diversification, prioritising capital preservation over aggressive growth.

Leading family office executives have weighed in on the state of private market fees and performance, as recent data reveals growing investor dissatisfaction with private equity and real estate strategies across Asia Pacific.

US-China tariffs are the top risk for investors in 2025, according to Raffles Family Office. The potential economic fallout has prompted investors to prepare contingency strategies, including shifts in asset allocation and a focus on private markets.