Global family offices had a ‘defining year’ in 2025 amid heightened complexity, rising professionalism, and greater expectations from clients and regulators, according to Agreus Group.

It noted that, across global markets, growing political uncertainty, heightened cyber risk, greater influence from the next generation, and continued shifts in private markets had transformed how families operate, govern, invest, and plan.

Private markets remained a key driver of long-term wealth creation, with a Bank of America study finding that 43 per cent of family offices saw private equity as the strongest wealth generation opportunity going forward.

Direct and co-investment activity continued to rise as families sought greater control, transparency, and alignment in their private equity exposure, Agreus Group said.

This year saw conversations dominated by tech themes, namely artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and cybersecurity.

Family offices were starting to integrate AI into their operations, from research automation to workflow optimisation, with 57 per cent of family offices now using AI for aspects of investment research, according to the Bank of America study.

Meanwhile, direct AI investments had risen from 3 per cent in 2022 to 30 per cent in 2025.

However, opinions on AI remained divided, with some viewing it as the defining opportunity of the decade and others seeing it as a profound risk to privacy, cybersecurity, and global stability.

Cybersecurity has become a top concern for family offices, as they are prime targets for cyber threats due to the scale and sensitivity of the data they handle.

Agreus Group said this was where digital transformation had become essential, forecasting that family offices would view this as a defensive necessity in the year ahead.

This year also marked a ‘tipping point’ in talent professionalisation, the firm noted, with family offices increasingly turning to structured benchmarks.

This included family offices engaging with advisers to benchmark roles, define salary bands, and introduce long-term incentive plans, while the rise of private markets and long-dated investment strategies had pushed families towards compensation models that reward retention, performance, and continuity.

Agreus Group also highlighted a ‘quiet’ governance revolution that was underway, with a growing number of reports, roundtables, and industry discussions this year showing that governance was one of the most urgent priorities for family offices.

More families are therefore formalising their operating frameworks, introducing elements such as family constitutions, investment committees, independent board members, and defined decision-making hierarchies.

“This shift reflects a broader acknowledgment that good governance is essential for continuity, conflict reduction, and long-term stability, especially ahead of large-scale generational transitions,” said Agreus Group.

“With awareness rising and families increasingly seeking guidance, 2026 is likely to be the year we see significant improvements, as more family offices translate discussion into action and adopt governance structures that match their growing institutional sophistication.”

The firm also stressed the importance of succession planning, highlighting that it was now urgent, structured, and central to long-term sustainability as the Great Wealth Transfer begins.

“This is a golden era,” Agreus Group stated. “Family offices offer autonomy, variety, stability, and the chance to build something meaningful.

“But expectations for professionalism and adaptability have never been higher. 2025 marks the moment the family office truly comes of age.”

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