When Family Offices’ Long-Term Views Meet Near-Term Crises

Hello, it’s Devon Pendleton writing this latest edition of Family Office Focus from a frigid New York. Last month, my colleague Ben touched on how family offices are increasingly expanding their geographical footprints. This month we’re talking about a different kind of global diversification — through portfolios rather than their physical offices.

Ask any family office what makes them special as investors and most will tell you something about their privileged ability to take a long-term view. They don’t have an obligation to return X dollars to fundholders by Y date so they can be patient and ride out the hairy market gyrations that make other investors highly anxious. Many family offices manage wealth that accrued over generations and they likewise invest over generations.