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📩 Family Office Growth News | February 2026
Welcome to the 30th edition of Family Office Growth News.
This month hones in on how deals get closed, and how families keep decision-making clean as complexity grows.
In Founders & Fortunes, Ben Cotton breaks down what moves a transaction from interest to close, where momentum quietly breaks, and how misalignment inside investment teams shows up before anyone says “no.”
The Monthly Pulse is a deep dive into the UBS Family Office Solutions x Agreus Family Enterprise Governance Report, which puts numbers around a familiar strain point: oversight of family decision-makers.
Let’s dive in. ⬇️
🎙️ Founders & Fortunes: Ben Cotton
Ben Cotton is a London-based capital markets veteran who has helped raise more than $1 billion in investor commitments and now works with Family Offices through Seeker Capital and IANUA.
In this conversation, we explore:
What changes between early interest and real commitment
Where momentum breaks, even when the thesis makes sense
Why principal alignment and team incentives decide outcomes more than decks
How founders misread Family Office decision-making rhythms
The role trust still plays when stakes rise and timelines tighten
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🌍 February 2026 Monthly Pulse | UBS x Agreus Governance Deep Dive
Earlier this month, UBS Family Office Solutions and Agreus released the Family Enterprise Governance Report, based on input from 106 Family Office participants. The report was authored by Mark Tepsich, UBS Family Office Design and Governance Strategist, alongside Agreus co-founders Paul Westall and Tayyab Mohamed.
In the survey, respondents rated whether their governance is “effective” in three areas. The share who said “effective” was 44% for communication, 43% for joint decision-making, and 28% for oversight of family decision-makers.
A few takeaways that stood out:
A steady meeting rhythm matters. Families who hold regular non-financial meetings rate communication and decision-making higher. It reduces surprises and keeps investing meetings focused.
The rules matter most when people disagree. Who decides? How does a tie get broken? What happens when people cannot get on the same page? The language that counts is the language designed for those moments.
Investment committees need guardrails. An Investment Policy Statement matters. When the IPS is clear and current, there is less room for interpretation about priorities, risk, and roles.
Next gen gets ready through reps. Preparedness improves when younger members have a clear path to progress from observing, to responsibility, to earning voting authority.
One pattern I have seen in well-run Family Offices is separation by time horizon. What is needed soon sits in one lane, what is for the next chapter sits in another, and long-term capital sits in a third. That separation keeps conversations cleaner and makes it easier to decide who should weigh in.
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Thank you for reading.
💬 Where does governance friction show up most often in your world: committees, trusts, or communication cadence?
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Best,
Ryan Austin
Founder, Arondight Advisors
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer: This publication is created and distributed by Arondight Advisors and may not be construed as investment advice. This newsletter does not provide an analysis of any company’s financial position and is not a solicitation to purchase or sell securities in any company. Arondight Advisors is an investment research and marketing firm, and not a registered broker dealer.
