David Bain
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Commentator on family businesses, business ethics & wealth. Founder of Family Capital. Tweets on other subjects...etc
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Articles by David Bain
Profile: Family office principal praises London’s investment ecosystem
A young entrepreneur who set up a family office in London four years ago is bullish on UK capital and reckons the country is one of the best places to invest, despite many concerns about the local business environment.
Person of the Week: Ton Goedmakers
Sometimes businesses get carried away with pronouncements on how good they are for society. How sustainable they are and how they care for their employees. Yes, many are, but few excel at these things as much as Vebego, the Dutch cleaning, care, and facility management business. Its CEO, Ton Goedmakers, can take a great deal of the credit for what makes Vebego special.
Non-dom, non-res market drives UK family office sector
Slow growth, higher taxes, and a deteriorating business environment in the UK aren’t ideal for family offices, but one part of the sector remains strong: non-resident, non-domiciled individuals and families setting up family office branches in London.
After the failure of Porsche co-investment, a Dutch family office buys manufacuting/healthcare groups
The family office of one of the Netherlands’ wealthiest dynasties has invested in a manufacturing business and a healthcare startup after scrapping a co-investment venture with Porsche.
Two heavyweights of the family office conference world go head-to-head
Tobias Prestel (left) and Anthony Ritossa People Tobias Prestel (left) and Anthony Ritossa It’s safe to say Tobias Prestel and Anthony Ritossa aren’t the best of friends. Now their animosity has reached the courts.
News Brief: A.P. Moller Holding opens an office in Singapore
A.P. Moller Holding, which controls Danish shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk and is owned by the billionaire Maersk family, is opening an office in Singapore, Bloomberg reports. Chetan Mehta, the firm’s head of growth investing, will lead the new office. The Danish investment company is looking to take minority stakes, typically €20 million to €80 million, from Series C startups to IPO-stage firms and beyond, Mehta said in the Bloomberg interview.
It doesn’t want to be called one, but Premji Invest is perhaps the world’s most dynamic family office
(photo: Wikimedia) Business (photo: Wikimedia) Celebrating its 20th anniversary, much of its success is down to its CEO, T K Kurien and investment guru Sandesh Patnam
Cousin of one of the world’s richest individuals sets up a family office
Ludovic Watine Arnault and French actress Isabelle Vitari during the French L1 football match between Paris FC (PFC) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris, France on May 17, 2026. Photo by Alexis Jumeau/ABACAPRESS.COM Credit: Abaca Press/Alamy Live News Business Ludovic Watine Arnault and French actress Isabelle Vitari during the French L1 football match between Paris FC (PFC) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris, France on May 17, 2026.
A mysterious US family office that’s doing big deals that no one knows anything about
These days, it’s pretty difficult not to know the owner of a family office, especially in the US. Even when they try to stay secret, they usually leave a trail that uncovers the owner. But a New York City family office has done just that, remaining very secretive despite doing tons of deals.
A new term has entered the family business lexicon: stealthy wealthy
Stealthy wealthy might just save us from AI, or at least give us hope. Coined recently, the term is in reference to family businesses, particularly 100% owned ones, making tons of money and with no intention of selling. These businesses are more common than one would expect and give us hope that AI might not take over the world – at least not quite yet.
Two old family businesses go big in fast-growing AI segment with $100 million-plus deal
Leif-Nissen Lundbæk, co-founder of Noxtua, and Susanne Stein-Pressl, managing partner of Manz, who is a member of the fifth generation of Stein family owners. Investment Leif-Nissen Lundbæk, co-founder of Noxtua, and Susanne Stein-Pressl, managing partner of Manz, who is a member of the fifth generation of Stein family owners. Two family businesses – one owned by the seventh generation and the other by the fifth – have bought a majority stake in one of the fastest-growing parts of AI: legal tech.
Person of the Week: Ivo Tzenov – building one of Eastern Europe’s most dynamic family offices
Outside of Bulgaria, Ivo Tzenov doesn’t have much of a profile – that should change. The internet entrepreneur is building one of Eastern Europe’s most dynamic family offices, investing in a host of startups and established businesses that are making a big impact worldwide. Not only that, he’s investing with some of the biggest names in the family capital sector.
The Great and the Good of the family office/foundation world back superhot rocks
Mazama's drilling site in Oregon Investment Mazama's drilling site in Oregon High-profile owners of family offices and a family foundation have come together to back a new energy initiative using so-called superhot rocks for large-scale power generation. The proven technology could be a game changer in the race to power data centres, as fusion energy remains years away and fossil fuels carry environmental risks.
Scions of richest Italian families backing a host of startups
Four family investment groups owned by some of Italy’s wealthiest families have backed a legal startup in an early round in what is a classic family office club deal among dynasties well known to each other. The investment groups have doubled up in numerous startup deals in the last few years.
Person of the Week: Pirojsha Godrej – a 4th-generation powerhouse in the making?
(photo: Godrej) People (photo: Godrej) Pirojsha Godrej has big shoes to fill. If he does, he might just become one of India’s most revered business executives.
Family offices behind Nobel laureates’ revolutionary laser fusion and defence technology
A group of family offices has backed a company founded by a Nobel laureate that uses laser technology to generate fusion energy and support the defence sector. Investors stand to make a fortune from the group, which listed last week through a special purpose acquisition company.
Person of the Week: John Davis – and his remarkable resilience
John Davis doesn’t know the word retirement, or at least he doesn’t appear to understand it. Now 74, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based academic continues to share his momentous wisdom on family enterprises with those lucky enough to attend his lectures or use his consultancy services.
An industrial dynasty’s investment group, a fourth-generation member of banking dynasty, and a cybersecurity investment
An obscure Swiss family office/holding group, owned by a third-generation dynasty, has recently backed a cybersecurity platform, with help from a board member who is a fourth-generation owner of one of Switzerland’s biggest banks.
Henry Kravis and why he favours the family office/permant capital model over PE funds
Is Henry Kravis going soft in his old age? Unlikely, but one of the leading pioneers of the private equity buyout world reckons owning a company is preferable to managing a fund these days.
Family offices turn their attention to Greenland
Popular with Donald Trump, Greenland is now attracting attention from family offices backing major mining initiatives for the territory’s lucrative rare earth deposits.
Billionaire trader’s family office and family dynasty back novel water group
A group of investors, including the family office of a billionaire proprietary trader and one of the Netherlands’ wealthiest family business dynasties, has backed a novel water technology company in a $20 million deal.
Klaus-Michael Kuehne and the sometimes awkwardness of being a German family business
German family businesses are undoubtedly dynamic. Despite recent difficulties, the country’s family business sector remains among the most impressive anywhere, helping keep it Europe’s largest economy and one of its most resilient.
Li Ka-shing-backed investment office cuts investments dramatically
Hong Kong billionaire tycoon Li Ka-shing, chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings company, speaks during a press conference to announce the company's annual results in Hong Kong, Friday, March 16, 2018. Li says he is retiring as chairman of his conglomerate just shy of his 90th birthday. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Investment
Scions of the Peugeot family build big portfolio through little-known investment group
Ninth-generation siblings of France’s Peugeot family, famous for making cars, are building a large investment portfolio that includes a stake in SpaceX through a little-known investment house based in Copenhagen and linked to a similar group in Luxembourg.
Hedge fund billionaire’s family office goes on biotech binge
Stanley Druckenmiller, investor and hedge fund manager, 2024. © Abramorama / Courtesy Everett Collection Investment Stanley Druckenmiller, investor and hedge fund manager, 2024. © Abramorama / Courtesy Everett Collection Perhaps because they are looking for a special elixir of life, billionaires have always liked investing in biotech companies, even if many of them fail to deliver investment results.
The explosion of family office lists
The Italian author Umberto Eco once said, “We make lists because we don’t want to die.” Well, that might help to explain why there are so many family office lists these days – the people and institutions behind them don’t want to die, at least in the metaphorical sense.
Andrea Bonomi, the financier who’s done most to unite family businesses and private equity
Perhaps it was always going to be an Italian that proved private equity and family businesses can prosper together.
Top Legal Professionals – Worldwide: Nominate Now
Another chapter in Family Capital’s hugely popular influencer rankings, this survey aims to find the Top 50 lawyers in the family capital world. Family Capital is seeking to compile a ranking of individuals worldwide who stand out as exceptional legal professionals at family offices, private investment offices, family-backed fund groups, and family-owned corporate venture groups. We are also looking for top lawyers at law firms that serve these groups.
The terrible blandness of today’s multi-family offices
Ely House (Classical Facade), Dover Street, Mayfair - the former offices of Fleming Family & Partners As a financial journalist in the early noughties, Fleming Family & Partners seemed like the ultimate glamorous place to deposit your money, or at least if you were rich enough to do so.
Bernard Arnault and Rupert Murdoch will prove that death determines succession
Arguably, the two most talked-about family business successions of the last five years have been Bernard Arnault at LVMH and Rupert Murdoch at News Corp. The latter looks to be settled, at least on paper, but the former has yet to be, as made blatantly clear in a series of media stories over the last week.
The billionaires and family offices crying over Aston Martin
Aston Martin, the iconic luxury sports car maker, recently announced it was borrowing even more money to dig itself out of a downward spiral of debt and dwindling earnings. Some in the know reckon this latest deal won’t work and the car maker will be sold cheaply to the Chinese. If so, it’s unlikely to make the plethora of billionaires and family offices that invested in the business happy.
Person of the Week: Peter Englisch – A family enterprise sage enters the next stage
Peter Englisch might be at the beginning of his career, or at least a new one, rather than at the end.
Beyond the Headlines: Highlighting Opportunities in the latest Construction Forecast Bulletin
Economic uncertainty, rising costs, planning challenges, skills shortages and geopolitical tensions have all contributed to a steady stream of cautious forecasts and downbeat headlines. Our own latest UK Construction Forecast Bulletin reflects these pressures, with the near-term outlook proving more challenging than many anticipated at the start of the year. But while the headlines focus on whether construction is up or down, the more interesting story is often found elsewhere.
Chad Williams and his very family business approach to building data centres
Liberated from private equity, Chad Williams is hiring senior staff to help him build a US data centre developer called QII, backed by his family office.
UK family office investment talent falls short compared with European counterparts
Despite having one of the biggest financial services sectors in the world, the UK is falling behind its European competitors when it comes to family office investment talent, according to FamCap’s latest investment professional survey for the region. Cultural and wealth differences are accelerating this trend.
Leopold von Schlenk-Barnsdorf – an inspiring example of next generation excellence
If Germany’s predominantly family-owned Mittelstand businesses want to thrive in the future, then individuals like Leopold von Schlenk-Barnsdorf represent their best hope of doing so.
AI fatigue among family offices proves an opportunity for real estate investing
Weary of AI and wary of private credit, family offices are rediscovering their love of real estate.
Swedish billionaire heir builds entertainment conglomerate with latest deal
Tom Persson (photo: Co_Made) Investment Tom Persson (photo: Co_Made) A private investment group owned by one of the heirs of Sweden’s wealthiest individual is quietly building an entertainment group and, as part of those ambitions, has just bought a music tech company used by many of the world’s top artists.
Is the one-person family enterprise far away?
Does the one-person billion-dollar company have relevance for family enterprises? Could a multi-generational family business one day be controlled by just one person, with no other employees? In theory, yes, but perhaps the irrationality, or at least the emotional capital of a family enterprise, makes them less vulnerable to such a stark future.
Xavier Niel’s family office contributes to one of the biggest crypto fundraisers ever
Xavier Niel’s family office and 17 other investors contributed to one of the biggest-ever fundraising efforts for a crypto-trading platform in the history of DeFi, valuing the Paris-based group at more than $2 billion.
Person of the Week: Dennis Jaffe – the sage of family enterprises
Few people in the world of family enterprise advice would disagree that Dennis Jaffe deserves the title of the sage of family enterprises. Some may even say the greatest sage in the field.
Two family offices co-invest – from beautiful locations
Nissen's family office (left) and Kirk Kapital's family office. Business Nissen's family office (left) and Kirk Kapital's family office. An eight-year alliance between two family offices, one of which is owned by one of Europe’s wealthiest families, continues to flourish. Maybe it’s helped by operating from beautiful locations.
Investors turn away from listed family-owned investment groups
The largest listed family-owned investment groups are struggling to attract investor enthusiasm, even as they continue to grow their holdings.
AI slop, LinkedIn and family offices
Last year, I wrote about how family offices had become ubiquitous. This year, or at least from an information perspective, they are becoming saturated.
From a family baking dynasty to legal tech and much more
A Munich venture/family office group with roots in an early-20th-century baking dynasty has backed a legal technology group that aims to deliver much greater efficiency to law firms. The investment is one of many innovative deals led by the third generation of the baking dynasty, who are also connected to some of Germany’s top family dynasties.
Person of the Week: Peter Leach – a family enterprise pro gets the recognition he deserves
Peter Leach was recently recognised as one of the world’s top family enterprise advisors by the Institute of Family Governance in New York. Few are more deserving of the accolade.
Omidyar Network offers a cautionary tale to family offices piling into impact-focused investments
A few weeks ago, family offices and other investors ploughed more than $100 million into a startup developing renewable energy systems in the ocean. A week later, a similar mix of investors backed an eco maker of building materials. Impact investments, particularly when it comes to saving the world, seem as popular as ever.
Snipers Alley – and family enterprise leaders
Snipers Alley, the allegory for when health issues begin to “pick off” individuals in their 60s, has really taken its toll on the family business world in the last few weeks.
University of Chicago’s business school hires top advisor for its family office initiative
The University of Chicago Booth School of Management’s continuing efforts to become an outstanding centre for education and research for the family office world have taken a further step with the hire of a heavyweight to its Family Office Initiative (FOI).
Stein Erik Hagen 1956-2026
Stein Erik Hagen, who died aged 69, built one of the most impressive family-owned holding and investment groups in Europe. He was also very appreciative of the importance of good family governance for the business he had built.
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