Insights
Long-form notes on the operating side of private wealth.
Writing categorised by the architecture it most relates to.
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Why Set Up a Family Office? Reasons That Hold Up, and Don't
Why set up a family office? The usual reasons sorted: those that need an office, those a lighter structure meets, and the one that is a warning sign.
2026 · GuideBuild vs Buy Family Office Reporting Without Vendor Lock-in
Build vs buy for family office reporting at €20–150M: where vendor lock-in hides, the contract clauses that keep your data and an exit, and a five-year cost test.
2026 · Wealth ArchitectureCross-Border Wealth Planning: Dubai, Portugal, Switzerland
Cross-border wealth planning for a family split across Dubai, Portugal and Switzerland: who owns which question, the treaties and CRS reporting, and who coordinates.
2026 · GuideFamily Office Excel and Email: Modernise Without a Big Team
Family office on Excel and email? What to keep in Excel, what to move, what to outsource and in what order, for €20M–€150M families without a big team.
2026 · GuideFamily Office Technology With an Independent Partner
Family office technology with an independent partner: requirements first, vendor selection with no referral fees, implementation oversight and a monthly close.
2026 · GuideFlat Fee vs AUM Financial Advisor: Real Cost at €5M–€50M
Flat fee vs AUM financial advisor: what 0.5–1% of assets costs a family with €5M–€50M over 10 and 20 years, the conflicts each model creates, how to negotiate.
2026 · GuideHow to Check if a Financial Advisor Is Independent: 5 Tests
How to check if a financial advisor is independent: the regulator registers, the MiFID II rules, the questions to ask in writing and the red flags that give it away.
2026 · Wealth ArchitectureFamily Office Advisory Firms for GCC Families in Europe
Family office advisory firms for GCC families with assets in Europe and Portugal: eight firms and PWA compared by licence, model, fees and offices.
2026 · Wealth ArchitectureFree Portfolio Review vs a Paid Second Opinion: Worth It?
A free portfolio review from a private bank is a sales process run by the product maker. What it cannot see, what a paid independent review finds, and when it pays.
2026 · GuidePrivate Banking Fees: Uncover Hidden Costs Across Banks
Private banking fees come in nine layers, from custody to retrocessions and FX spreads. How to collect, normalise and compare them across two to five banks.
2026 · Wealth ArchitectureSold My Company, Now What? The First 90 Days and Who to Hire
Sold your company, now what? The first 90 days: cash and the €100,000 deposit guarantee, tax residence before structure, and who to hire first, in order.
2026 · Founder's LetterHow to Evaluate an Investment Opportunity Before You Say Yes
How to evaluate an investment opportunity as a family: a founder's letter on residency moves, can't-miss deals and seven questions before saying yes.
2026 · GuideBest Places to Live in Lisbon for Families: A GCC Guide
The best places to live in Lisbon for families from the GCC, in eight steps: neighbourhoods, international schools, Gulf flights, community and residency.
2026 · Founder's LetterFinancial Education for Heirs: A Decade Teaching at Nova SBE
Financial education for heirs, from a decade teaching 2,000+ Nova SBE students: why it must be a standing subject at home, and what to teach.
2026 · Wealth ArchitectureGCC Family Office Rules, Sharia Succession and Islamic Funds
GCC family office rules in DIFC, ADGM, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain, how Faraid shapes succession, and what a Sharia-compliant fund must prove.
2026 · GuideConsolidated Reporting Across Multiple Banks: Step by Step
Consolidated reporting across multiple banks, step by step: one accurate view of investments, entities, property and private equity, and what it costs.
2026 · GuideFamily Office Software for European Families: How to Choose
Family office software for European families: Addepar, Masttro, Asora and Altoo compared for a small family office, with dated vendor facts and published prices.
2026 · ResearchFamily Office Conferences 2027: Wealth Events Guide
Family office conferences 2027 and wealth events from October 2026 to June 2027: verified dates, cities and organisers, who can attend, and which ones are worth it.
2026 · Investment GovernanceInvesting in the GCC in 2026: Resilience After the Iran War
Investing in the GCC in 2026: how the Iran war hit Gulf economies, why they held, and how a family keeps its Gulf exposure sized, governed and reported.
2026 · Wealth ArchitecturePortugal vs Dubai in 2026: Tax Residence, Banks, Entities
Portugal vs Dubai in 2026 for a wealthy family: residence tests, UAE 9% corporate tax, Portugal's tax-haven list, CRS, banks and entities, side by side.
2026 · GuideMoving to Portugal Checklist 2026: Banks, Entities and Tax
Moving to Portugal checklist for families with wealth: banks, CRS, entities abroad, IFICI and the Golden Visa in 2026, in order, up to the first IRS filing.
2026 · ResearchAI in Family Business: Who Is Exposed and How to Use It
AI in family business: which sectors are exposed, what 2025–26 data shows, and how founders and family offices put technology to work for faster, better decisions.
2026 · Wealth ArchitectureBest Private Bank for Succession: Top 10 for Legacy Wealth in 2026
The best private bank for succession in 2026? Ten banks built for legacy wealth, from Lombard Odier to BPI, and what no bank will do for your family.
2026 · Founder's LetterWhen Safe Havens Stop Feeling Safe
A letter on geopolitical risk, Western financial centres, and why wealthy families need independent oversight of their jurisdictional exposure.
2026 · Founder's LetterÀ La Poubelle With the Gstaad Guy: Why Social Media Misleads People About Wealth
A founder's letter on the false social-media image of wealth — where fortunes are really built, the weight founders carry, and why succession can't wait.
2026 · Wealth ArchitectureDo I Need a Family Office? Every Model and What It Costs
Do you need a family office? Private bank vs independent advisor vs multi-family office, and what single, multi and outsourced family offices cost a year in euros.
2026 · InterviewThe Interview: Private Wealth Advisory Explained — A Conversation with Pedro Souto
Pedro Souto on what private wealth advisory really is, why complex families lose control of their wealth, and what PWA's 2026 global-economy study means now.
2026 · ResearchThe Fragile Global Recovery: What the 2026 Consumer Sentiment Shock Means for UHNW Families, Founders, and Family Offices
A strategic private wealth advisory note on the 2026 global economy: consumer confidence, energy shocks, China-U.S. divergence, and what UHNW families should do now.
2026 · Wealth ArchitecturePrivate Wealth Advisory Explained: What It Is, Why It Matters, and Why Pedro Souto Built PWA
What private wealth advisory is, how to coordinate a private bank, lawyer and accountant, and why Pedro Souto built PWA as an independent operating layer.
2026 · Wealth ArchitectureBest Private Wealth Advisory Firms in 2026: How to Compare Advisors and Set Up a Family Office in 30 Days
A guide to the best private wealth advisory firms in 2026, how to compare advisors, and how UHNW families can build a family-office operating layer in 30 days.
2026 · Investment GovernanceInnovation vs Experimentation: Avoiding the Quick Buck Trap in Investing
A private wealth advisory perspective on why UHNW families must avoid trading experiments and build proper investment governance before capital is at risk.
2026 · Family GovernanceFamily Governance: How to Prepare the Next Generation for Succession
Family governance and next-generation planning are critical for UHNW families. How wealth education, business schools, and advisory prepare heirs for succession.
2026 · Wealth ArchitectureWho Oversees Your Banks and Advisors Without Managing Money?
Who can oversee your private banks, managers, lawyers and accountants without managing your money: private bank vs multi-family office vs independent oversight.
2026 · ResearchThe New Wellness Balance Sheet — What the 2026 PWA Research Report Means for UHNW Families
Wellness has become a critical operating signal for wealth owners. The 2026 data shows what family offices must govern differently.
2026 · Wealth ArchitectureWhat Is Wealth Advisory — And Why Most Wealthy Families Don't Actually Have It
Most UHNW families have banks, managers, and lawyers. Few have someone coordinating all of them. That gap is where wealth quietly erodes.
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