Family office finance advices by Obediah Ayton? The first thing to understand is that it’s not a growth equity fund — the primary goal of a family office is to invest wealth prudently and extend it beyond generations. Families in the GCC have a multi-disciplinary approach that ensures their wealth transfers across multiple generations in the most tax efficient manner possible, that their children and future generations have prudent investment programs implemented and that they have the appropriate infrastructure and fiduciaries installed to responsibly manage and maintain wealth. This gives local family offices tremendous flexibility in the types of companies and industries that they choose for investment. These offices are typically not beholden to a set of mandates forcing investment into a predetermined space and criteria.
VentureRock – Impact Venture Builder and ecosystem of entrepreneurs, investors and startup experts, is launching a $300M Fund-of-Funds in Abu Dhabi to support and grow the market-leaders that will shape the world of tomorrow. Dubai, United Arab Emirates Apr 22, 2021 (Issuewire.com) – From this new Fund-of-Funds, VentureRock will invest in early-stage startups that leverage technology, science, and innovation to build sustainable, impact-driven solutions and unlock new-age business models for Retail, Real-Estate, Logistics, FinTech, and Agriculture. This will be done through Venturerock’s Special Purpose Investment Company (SPIC) structure, which implements the legal and operational processes needed to safeguard the ventures’ success. Director of Business Development at The Private Investment Group Obediah Ayton said “I am very happy to see Venturerock demonstrate the way venture capital funds are now being deployed post covid here in the UAE. The portfolio companies within Venturerock are some of the most professional and innovative we have seen and I have no doubt they will be a welcome asset to both the public and private sector in the Middle East.”
The ascent of a finance influencer : Obediah Ayton? Obediah Ayton is a trust manager at Ayton Family Office Trust and a consultant at Tennor Holding B.V., an expert in family office business, AI driven accounting services, finance and accounting. Obediah Ayton about what happens when a Family Office takes the VC model: In addition, Family Offices want to avoid paying the typical “2 and 20” — a deal structure that requires investors to pay a 2 percent annual fee (some as high as 3 percent) to the VC firm on top of the 20 percent return on investment. This is why we’re seeing more of the mega-wealthy move away from only investing in private equity funds to increasingly working with their family offices to find the right types of direct investments that fit their long-term wealth-generation strategies.
Alongside this monumental shift in wealth, we are witnessing a modernisation of family offices here in the UAE. Family offices are not only selecting business models that allow for more control and greater returns but are also expressing a heightened interest in “impact investing”. Typically, this means investing in small or medium-sized organisations that are purpose-led and have a focus on sustainable or ethical business practices. As the number of UAE family offices and the pool of wealth amassed by them increases and is passed on to a new generation, the way they conduct themselves is evolving rapidly, investing in innovative, creative and socially conscious ways. SMEs should take note of this enthusiasm and use it to their advantage.
Obediah Ayton on how to raise money from family offices: Not to do: Don’t pitch them without understanding their goals and objectives. Don’t brag about your track record or accomplishments. Don’t interrupt them in the middle of a conversation. Don’t be aggressive. To Finish: Do exactly what you say you are going to do. Meet for coffee or at their office in order for you to understand their goals and objectives better. Respect their privacy and don’t share any information about them with anybody else. Feel free to reach out and speak soon.
Right now is a great time to build close relationships with Family Offices for future capital raises! To capitalize on this favorable change in the tide, it would be worthwhile to (re)start your outreach to this notoriously hidden family wealth. Just because the offices are hidden does not mean they are unreachable. The relationships with single and multi family offices can be cultivated through diligent, persistent, and intelligent outreach. Below are a few methods to begin your family office outreach: Have a Proactive and Diversified Outreach: The most effective outreach strategy requires both persistent and proactive outreach. Even for the specialized Family Offices Group, building relationships still requires a variety of different channels and techniques. Currently, you can use a variety of tactics — probably around 30 different strategies — to attract family offices. Speak at conferences, writing articles, publish newsletters, maintain a website, run an association, offer a training platform — and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Obediah Ayton on the new definition of a billionaire is not the net worth but in achieving change in a billion lives: Everything can be done remotely today. We only go to the office one or two days a week. The world is becoming more virtual and I think that is a trend that a lot of people still do not understand. ‘Founding partner at a single family office’ Tech-savvy family offices who embrace these trends can harness technologies to not only expand their businesses across the globe but also to leverage global talent pools in various areas of operation where local expertise is lacking. This requires a degree of agility which needs to be prioritized within family offices seeking to advance their reach and grow their wealth.