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Our case studies

A $1 billion+ family office with offshore trusts, preparing to transition to new management and requiring a stronger governance framework.
The family were seeking support in reviewing their existing investment proposition, process, team skillset, governance, documentation and technology platform to ensure the new leadership could follow strong practices in stewarding the family’s wealth.
We conducted a strategic review, evaluating their investment approach and recommending improvements, analysing and challenging the robustness of their finance, operations, administration and IT functions and exposing several gaps in governance and process. We then implemented formal decision-making, trustee reporting and investment policy statements. In turn, we strengthened compliance, governance, accountability, operations, procedure and job roles and objectives, as well as initiating a search for an integrated technology platform to give the family peace of mind that their assets were being robustly managed to the highest standards.

A third-generation family with substantial property assets looking to ensure wealth enhancement for the next generation.
Designing a long-term business vision and strategy to efficiently allocate family and group capital, including borrowings, for 20 years across existing business financial interests and opportunities.
We conducted detailed analysis of the existing businesses, gathering insights on existing activities, threats, opportunities and challenges. We developed a future-focused vision along with the human and financial resources strategy to deploy it (including manager search and modelling of risk-adjusted capital and long-term return assumptions), collaboratively developed with input from the family Chair and executive team. The result was a long-term allocation model with 20-year projections, along with buy-in for additional risk and flexibility for family members to invest individually in tax advantaged venture capital.

A family foundation which had been taken over by next generation trustees with no experience in philanthropy.
They wanted to have an independent review of the governance and grantmaking history of their foundation, and design an impact strategy which honoured their father’s passions and allowed them to pursue support of potential charitable organisations outside of the trust.
After a thorough review and strategy, we oversaw the liquidation of relevant assets and distribution of the grants to the chosen organisations, set up ongoing monitoring and reporting of impact metrics, and introduced a proper governance and review process. As a result, the late father’s legacy lived on as all five grantees were organisations he had supported, and they benefited with a grant total of over £1.5 million. Separately, we also focused on organisations severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, we engaged with shortlisted organisations to design programmes in alignment with the client’s objectives, presented the opportunities and helped the trustees to select their grantees.

A family needed independent advice in appointing a new wealth manager to deal with their changed circumstances.
Who to trust and where to start, perpetuating a ‘paralysis of inaction’. The family needed unbiased support in reviewing their balance sheet, developing contingencies and determining their investment objectives and appointing a complementary wealth manager.
We conducted a deep dive on the family’s multigenerational assets, reviewing both historic patterns and determining future facing requirements and appetites for key family members, and developed key roadmaps, strategies and defined objectives for investment going forward with appropriate risk protection. Concurrently we worked to understand their unique requirements for a new wealth manager and commenced a process with bfinance to review 40+ candidates. We organised a ‘beauty parade’ of four vetted finalists and assisted with the on-boarding of the chosen wealth manager. We continue to advise the family on an ongoing basis.

The Trustees of a family trust needed to sense check their investment strategy to ensure it was fit for purpose and would meet future needs.
Having not reviewed their strategic objectives for a decade, the family and their Trustees needed reassurance that their portfolios were appropriately invested and forecasted to improve returns.
We conducted a strategic review of their investment strategy, including reviewing their objectives, benchmarks and future needs, and analysing the exposure with their current spending pattern. We then modelled and stress-tested a revised asset allocation, calculating the impact of lower spending and reduced fees on the portfolio value over a 20-year horizon, which formed the recommended approach. The Trustees sought additional input on Investment Policy Statements and retained us to provide further strategic advice, including quantifying higher potential risks.

Please note that Acorn Capital Advisers does not offer tax or legal advice. You should take your own independent legal and tax advice.