Advisors as family 'Co‑Architects'
Thought leadership is pushing advisors to act as 'Co‑Architects' for multi‑generational family institutions—blending financial planning with governance, human capital and rising‑gen engagement rather than just managing assets. The shift reframes advisor roles for HNW clients and business‑owner families. (x.com)
J.P. Morgan’s 2024 Global Family Office Report found family-office clients seek guidance “on and off the balance sheet,” naming wealth transfer planning, stewardship, family governance and legacy as core advisory demands while flagging succession planning and governance as persistent unresolved gaps. (assets-global.website-files.com) Deloitte’s Family Office Insights surveyed 354 single‑family offices between September and December 2023 and reported those offices oversee an average assets‑under‑management of US$2.0 billion and associated families have average wealth of US$3.8 billion. (deloitte.com) The same Deloitte analysis showed 70% of surveyed family offices expected AUM to rise in 2024, nearly 80% expected total family wealth to increase, and private equity had overtaken public equity as the top asset class target—signals driving demand for integrated governance and succession advisory alongside investment management. (deloitte.com) Capital Group’s research projects roughly US$84 trillion in intergenerational wealth transfers over the next 20 years, and its Investor Generational Wealth Transfer Study found 62% of millennials and 55% of Gen Z indicated willingness to work with their parents’ financial advisors, while 38% of Gen X said the same—data that underpins the business case for advisors offering multigenerational engagement programs. (capitalgroup.com) Mercer’s 2025 guidance for family investors emphasizes establishing multi‑generational investment governance, setting clear roles and reporting, and involving external advisors to preserve capital across transfers—prescriptions that concretely expand the advisory remit beyond portfolio construction to governance design and reporting frameworks. (mercer.com) Heidrick & Struggles advertises family‑capital services spanning C‑suite and board succession, leadership development, compensation advice and governance guidance, reflecting a market where family offices are increasingly buying human‑capital and governance expertise in addition to investment advice. (heidrick.com) Northern Trust’s Institute offers dedicated multigenerational materials and client programs on family governance and “wealth briefings,” reinforcing institutional playbooks for structured family meetings and education that many firms now list as formal client services. (northerntrust.com)
