Managing Asian Family Wealth: The Strategies Keeping Legacies Intact | The Business Times Podcasts

Navigating the complexities of Asia's rapidly expanding private wealth landscape requires adaptive strategies for cross-border governance, generational wealth transition, and managing risk in volatile markets.

‍

In this insightful conversation with Howie Lim at The Business Times, Stella Lau, Managing Director, Wealth Management Greater China, and Charlene Lin, Managing Director, Strategic Growth (North Asia and Southeast Asia), explore how ultra-high-net-worth families can protect their legacies and continue to thrive in today's volatile environment.

Key Takeaways

• Asian families think differently about wealth – It's not "my portfolio" but "our family's wealth for 100 years," keeping everyone together across generations. Regional nuances matter: Hong Kong families prioritize global diversification, Singapore families focus on multi-generational wealth, while Indian and Chinese entrepreneurs separate business from personal wealth.

• The shift from products to solutions is accelerating – Asian clients are transitioning from transactional purchases to comprehensive, solution-focused relationships, now willing to pay fees for independent advice that delivers long-term results.

• Professionalization of family offices is doubling – Currently, only 22% of family office heads are non-family professionals, but this number is expected to double over the next couple of years. Families are outsourcing specialized functions like CIO services while keeping other operations in-house, driven by the "3Cs": Control, Connection, and Convenience.

• Cross-border complexity demands expert navigation – With Common Reporting Standards creating automatic information sharing between governments, families with multi-jurisdiction assets must structure properly. Many legacy approaches no longer work under evolved regulations, requiring trusted advisors who understand each country's tax and succession rules.

• Impact matters as much as returns – The question has evolved from "what's my return?" to "what's my return AND what impact am I making?" Families increasingly prioritize unity, philanthropy, and meaningful societal impact alongside financial performance.

‍