A family office is a privately held firm established to manage the financial affairs of a high-net-worth family or group of families. A single-family office (SFO) serves one family exclusively, while a multi-family office (MFO) provides similar services to multiple client families, sharing infrastructure and costs. Family offices typically manage a range of assets including public equities, real estate, private equity, venture capital, and direct company investments.
In Southeast Asia and Australia, family offices have become increasingly active direct investors in private markets — participating in venture capital, growth equity, and direct co-investments alongside institutional funds. They often move faster than institutional LPs, have longer time horizons, and may have lower return hurdles if wealth preservation is the primary objective. Family office mandates vary widely: some are highly diversified, others concentrate in sectors where the founding family built its wealth.