Family Offices Plan to Increase Risk Exposure and Alternative-Asset Allocations, Ocorian Survey Finds

Family offices are substantially increasing their appetite for investment risk and shifting capital toward alternative asset classes, according to research published by Ocorian, a corporate and fiduciary services provider. The survey captured responses from family members and senior family office executives representing families with combined wealth of USD 119.37 billion across 16 countries and territories, including Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK, the US, Switzerland, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Mauritius, and Bahrain.

The findings reveal a decisive reallocation strategy within the family office sector. Approximately 75% of respondents indicated they expect their investment risk appetite to increase over the next 12 months, with 13% anticipating a dramatic rise. This shift is particularly pronounced in alternative assets. All respondents reported plans to increase private equity allocations over the next two years, with two-thirds targeting increases between 25% and 50%. Similarly, 96% expect to raise private capital allocations, 93% plan increased private debt exposure, 88% intend greater infrastructure investment, and 86% anticipate expanded real estate holdings.

The primary catalyst for this risk expansion is improved transparency around higher-risk asset classes, selected by 61% of respondents as the leading reason for their strategic shift. Additional factors driving increased risk appetite include falling interest rates combined with the outperformance of artificial intelligence and technology stocks (cited by 48%) and geopolitical instability concerns (cited by 46%). These motivations reflect a sophisticated reassessment of risk-adjusted returns in the current macroeconomic environment.

Notably, environmental, social, and governance considerations remain an important component of family office investment priorities despite the broader pivot toward alternatives and elevated risk exposure. This indicates that increased risk appetite is not displacing responsible investing frameworks but rather being implemented alongside them. The convergence of these trends suggests that family offices are pursuing simultaneous objectives: capturing alpha through alternative assets while maintaining alignment with long-term sustainability and governance standards.