Single Family Office Setup
We advise on the establishment and setup of single family offices — from legal entity formation through to governance documentation, banking, staffing and operational launch — designed for one family's exclusive use.
Setup Scope
- Legal entity formation & jurisdiction selection
- Regulatory status assessment & registration
- Banking & treasury setup
- Governance documentation & family charter
- Staff recruitment advisory & role design
- Operational systems & reporting setup
Our Advisory Services
Entity Formation
We advise on the optimal legal entity for the family office management company — jurisdiction, entity type, ownership structure — and coordinate with legal counsel for formation and registration.
Regulatory Assessment
Family offices may require regulatory registration depending on jurisdiction and activities. We assess the regulatory status of your family office and advise on registration requirements or applicable exemptions — including UAE, UK FCA and DIFC/ADGM frameworks.
Banking & Treasury Setup
Advisory on banking relationships for the family office entity — institutional banking, custody arrangements, payment infrastructure and treasury management — ensuring the office can operate professionally from day one.
Governance Documentation
Family constitution, investment policy statement, delegation of authority matrix, conflicts policy, family council charter — all governance documents produced to institutional standard before the office opens.
Staffing Advisory
Advisory on the first hire — typically a CEO or Chief of Staff — role design, specification, market compensation benchmarking and interview process design. Followed by the full staffing build-out.
Operational Launch
Setup of reporting systems, adviser onboarding, asset consolidation reporting and the first governance cycle — ensuring the family office is operationally functional from launch.
Built for Real Outcomes
Setting up a single family office is one of the most consequential institutional decisions a family makes. Done well, it creates a professional platform that will serve the family for decades. Done poorly, it creates a costly, under-governed entity that fails to deliver on its promise.
Our setup advisory begins with design — operating model, scope and governance — before any entity is formed. We believe the architecture must come before the bricks.
SFO Setup Jurisdictions
- UAE — ADGM Family Office regime, zero income tax
- DIFC — DFSA regulated, strong international reputation
- UK — FCA framework, established private wealth ecosystem
- Singapore — MAS family office regime, Asia gateway
- Switzerland — Established private banking ecosystem
- Cayman — For investment-vehicle-led family office structures
SFO Setup Checklist
- Operating model & scope defined
- Legal entity formed & bank account opened
- Governance documents complete
- Regulatory status assessed & filed
- First hire in place
- Investment mandate documented
- Reporting framework operational
Common Setup Mistakes
- Entity formed before operating model designed
- Regulatory status not assessed early enough
- Banking underestimated — 3–6 months to open
- Governance documents deferred until problems arise
- Over-hiring too early before scope is clear
How We Work
Design Phase
Operating model, governance structure and scope defined before any entity is formed.
Legal & Regulatory
Entity formation, regulatory assessment and banking setup — coordinated with specialists.
Documentation
All governance documents produced — charter, IPS, delegation matrix, policies.
Launch
Staffing, systems, adviser onboarding and first reporting cycle — operational from day one.
Frequently Asked
Ready to Set Up Your Single Family Office?
Our team guides family office setup from operating model design through to operational launch — across UAE, UK and beyond.