Family Office Location: Why Recruitment and Talent are Critical

Choosing the right location for a family office has always mattered. For families establishing or reviewing the location of a family office, however, the decision should not be viewed solely through the lens of tax, regulation or personal residence. It also has direct implications for family office recruitment, access to talent and the ability to attract senior professionals with the right blend of technical expertise, judgement and discretion.

PwC’s 2026 Family Office Location Guide is a useful reminder of the complexity involved in choosing where to establish, relocate or expand a family office. The guide highlights eight key factors: access to professional services infrastructure, access to talent, regulatory framework, tax regime, immigration rules, living standards and connectivity, reputation, and political and economic stability. It also covers a range of jurisdictions including the UK, UAE (Dubai & Abu Dhabi), Switzerland, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Channel Islands, Luxembourg and the US, among others.

For families and their advisers, these are all important considerations. But from a recruitment perspective, one factor deserves particular emphasis: access to talent.

A family office is not simply a structure. It is a people business.

Whether a family office is based in London, Dubai, Singapore, Switzerland, the Channel Islands, Luxembourg, Hong Kong or elsewhere, its effectiveness will ultimately depend on the calibre, judgement, discretion and loyalty of the people employed within it. The best jurisdictional framework in the world will not compensate for poor hiring decisions.

The Location Decision Has Become More Complex

Family offices are increasingly global in outlook. Families may have residences in several countries, operating businesses in another, investment interests across multiple asset classes, and next-generation family members studying or working elsewhere. It is therefore unsurprising that many families are re-evaluating where their family office should be located — or whether a single location is enough.

The old model of one principal, one city, one family office is no longer universal. Larger and more sophisticated family offices may now consider a hub-and-satellite approach: perhaps maintaining a principal office in London or Switzerland, while adding a presence in Dubai, Singapore or another jurisdiction to support investment activity, family mobility or regional coverage.

This has obvious implications for governance, reporting lines, operating model and cost. But it also raises a more practical question: where can the family attract and retain the people it needs?

Access to Talent Is Not a Theoretical Issue

PwC rightly notes that, like any other business, a family office is “all about people”, and that its success depends not only on technical and management skills, but also on capabilities such as language skills, local knowledge, integrity and loyalty.

That may sound obvious, but in practice it is often underestimated.

The talent pool for senior family office professionals is relatively small. Individuals with genuine experience operating inside a single family office — rather than simply advising one externally — are not always visible in the market. Many are not actively looking for a new role. The best candidates are often discreet, well-remunerated and cautious about moving unless the opportunity, family, governance structure, family office objective and location are compelling.

This matters because family offices require a particular combination of technical competence and personal judgement. Few roles within a family office are neatly siloed. A CFO, Head of Family Office, Chief of Staff, Investment Director or General Counsel may need to deal with investments, trusts, tax, property, philanthropy, succession planning, governance, household matters, external advisers and family members — often within the same week.

That breadth is unusual. It cannot always be replicated by hiring from an institution whether that is a bank, accountancy firm, law firm or corporate environment, however strong the individual’s technical background may be.

Location Can Narrow or Widen the Candidate Pool

A family may favour a particular jurisdiction for tax, lifestyle or regulatory reasons, but the recruitment implications need to be considered at the outset.

Some locations have deep pools of relevant professionals, mature advisory ecosystems and strong connectivity. Others may offer attractive tax or residency advantages but have a thinner local talent market. In those situations, a family office may need to import talent, operate with a more remote model, or rely more heavily on external advisers.

That can work, but it must be planned. A candidate who is ideal on paper may not be willing to relocate. Immigration rules may be restrictive. Schooling, spouse employment, lifestyle, travel links and long-term career prospects may all affect whether a senior candidate will realistically move.

For example, Dubai and Abu Dhabi have become increasingly important family office centres, helped by international connectivity, favourable tax considerations and a growing professional services ecosystem. Singapore continues to attract families seeking an Asian base with strong infrastructure and regulatory credibility. London remains a major centre because of its depth of professional advisers, investment expertise, legal infrastructure and international talent pool, notwithstanding recent tax and political changes.

Each location has strengths. None is perfect. The correct answer depends on the family’s objectives, assets, governance needs and people strategy.

Reputation and Substance Now Matter

Another important theme in the PwC guide is reputation. Families are increasingly conscious that where they locate a family office sends a message. In an era of heightened scrutiny of wealth, tax transparency and international regulation, jurisdictional choice is not simply a private matter.

A location may be legally and fiscally attractive, but if it carries reputational risk, the family needs to understand that before making a decision. Equally, a family office must have genuine substance. That means real people, real decision-making, proper governance and appropriate local infrastructure — not merely an address.

This again brings the discussion back to recruitment. Substance requires credible professionals. A family office expected to manage complex cross-border assets, liaise with banks and advisers, oversee reporting, and support the principal family needs people capable of doing that work to a high standard.

The Recruitment Question Should Come Early

Too often, recruitment is considered only after the family has already selected the jurisdiction, agreed the structure and appointed advisers. By then, key assumptions may have become embedded.

A better approach is to ask, early in the process:

Can we hire the calibre of people we need in this location?

Will senior candidates relocate here?

What will compensation need to look like?

Do we need local expertise, international experience, or both?

Should we hire directly, outsource certain functions, or build gradually?

How will we retain key people once appointed?

These questions are as important as tax or regulation. In some cases, they may be the deciding factor.

Final Thoughts

Choosing a family office location is not simply a matter of selecting the most tax-efficient or fashionable jurisdiction. It is about identifying the place — or combination of places — from which the family office can best preserve wealth, manage risk, support the family and operate effectively over the long term.

The right people are central to that.

For families reviewing an existing family office location, or considering where to establish a new one, access to talent should sit at the heart of the discussion. Structures, regulations and jurisdictions matter. But ultimately, a family office succeeds or fails because of the people entrusted to run it.

This article is written by Paul Avon, Founder of True House Partners. Founded in 2105, True House Partners specialises in recruitment for single family offices worldwide. For more information, please visit our family office recruitment section of this website. For a confidential discussion, please call +44 (0)20 7846 0025 or email contact@truehousepartners.com.