Family offices sit at the top of the wealth management industry. These privately held wealth management firms allow ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWI) to benefit from the professionalism of an institution that is customized to the family's specific needs and requirements.

Hong Kong is already one of Asia's main asset and wealth management hubs, with asset under management at the end of 2021 worth USD 4.6 trillion¹. Family offices will play an increasingly important role in the further development of Hong Kong's wealth management industry, with an official target to attract 200 family offices to the city by 2025.

At the 2023 Asia Futurists Leadership Summit, an expert panel “The Future Demand for Services by Family Offices” moderated by the Financial Services Development Council (FSDC) discussed the ways that Hong Kong can make itself an even more attractive destination for UHNWIs.

Enhancing regulations

The most significant supportive measure for Hong Kong’s family offices is the proposed family office tax concession regime that is currently under review by the Legislative Council. Under the new rules, profits from eligible transactions will not be subject to profits tax, as long as the entity is managed and controlled in Hong Kong.

“The benefits of this long-awaited tax regime will be to give tax certainty to Hong Kong and overseas UHNWIs managing their assets in Hong Kong via a family office. This kind of certainty is especially important due to the everchanging tax environment across the world,” said Rex Ho, Asia Pacific Financial Services Tax Leader, Mainland China and HKSAR Financial Services Tax Leader, PWC.

He highlighted how the new rules will be administratively user-friendly, with relatively low requirements to qualify for the exemption – minimum assets under management of HKD 240 million.

The other requirements do not set a high bar for family offices. These include having at least two financial professionals in the family office, a nominal spending requirement, and no requirements for the transaction to involve local assets. Furthermore, it will be a self-assessment regime.

Mr. Ho expects the tax regime bill to be passed in the first half of 2023.

Investing for good

Family offices play an important role in ensuring that an UHNWI is able to make a lasting impact among its family members and broader society.

“A family office is more than just about investing,” said Ronald Chan, Chief Investment Officer of Chartwell Capital Limited. “It’s also about passing on and enriching a family legacy, which includes educating the next generation on topics such as family governance, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy.”

Philanthropy, in particular, is a growing focus for Asia’s UHNWIs, as they allocate more of their wealth to good causes. Hong Kong has the potential to stand out in Asia as a philanthropy hub due to its high concentration of donors. The Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS) ranks Hong Kong as “doing well” in its Doing Good Index.

“Hong Kong has a high level of corporate and individual philanthropy and a vibrant financial services ecosystem, which are strengths,” said Kithmina Hewage, Senior Advisor at CAPS. “But we need to create a regulatory framework that better facilitates cross-border giving and leverages the potential that comes from Hong Kong's proximity with Mainland China.”

Filling the talent gap

In order for Hong Kong to realise its ambitions as a hub for family offices, the city will need to attract skilled professionals to manage these investment vehicles. This fits into a broader drive to bring people into Hong Kong, as shown by the recent launch of new talent that make it easier for eligible individuals to move to the city.

“Talent is the most important thing in the family office industry,” said Hao Gao, Director, Global Family Business Research Centre, Tsinghua University PBC School of Finance. He highlighted three kinds of professionals that are essential for a family office.

The first is the high-level CEO who is a generalist with a wide range of skills. They need to be familiar with the family’s particular needs, which requires both financial and non-financial expertise. They also have to have an understanding of the broader financial ecosystem so that they can outsource noncore activities to the right external parties.

The second category is investment professionals, who have knowledge of particular asset classes and how to invest according to the family’s risk appetite. The final category is the broad range of experts that a family office regularly needs to consult – including lawyers, tax experts, and philanthropic consultants.

By strengthening the local talent pool that can serve family offices, Hong Kong will be well-prepared to cement its position as Asia’s premier wealth management center for UHNWIs.

[1] Asset and Wealth Management Activities Survey 2021