The Family Office Sherpa When Family Offices Split
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Oct 27, 2025 Families often split their single family offices for reasons like autonomy, values, and generational changes. Younger members seek independence, leading to potential disengagement from governance. However, such splits can strain investments and relationships. Shaun shares advice on planning separations to minimize chaos and warns of risks like loss of scale and admin burdens. Despite challenges, he highlights the positives of renewed energy and responsibility, and emphasizes viewing splits as a natural evolution that can strengthen family ties.
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Splits Can Be Evolutionary
- Family offices often fragment as members seek autonomy, different values, or post-liquidity independence.
- Splits can be evolutionary rather than purely negative and reflect natural growth across generations.
Disengagement Drives Departures
- Disengagement often stems from lack of inclusion in governance, purpose, and investment decisions.
- Younger members seek alignment with personal values and autonomy, driving many departures.
Build Exit Optionality Into Governance
- Plan exits in advance and embed contingencies in governance documents to reduce reactive decisions.
- Provide optionality to leave and return so choices remain calm and not emotionally driven.