The family office sector in Singapore has seen remarkable growth, from 400 in 2020 to more than 1,650 by August 2024. This expansion reflects broader trends in the region, as Singapore also experienced the fastest asset under management (AUM) growth in Asia in 2023, with a 10% increase to SGD 5.4 trillion (USD 4.1 trillion), according to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
To support its development, WMI established the Global-Asia Family Office (GFO) Circle in 2021 with support from Economic Development Board (EDB) and Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The GFO Circle has since been an essential and trusted platform, offering a comprehensive suite of over 25 family office-focused education programmes and a regular series of engagement events tailored to the evolving needs of family offices such as legacy, leadership, investments, and social impact.
At this year’s GFO Summit, WMI announced that it has exceeded its target of 5,000 enrolments in family office education programmes, achieving this milestone ahead of the 2025 schedule. Additionally, the Global-Asia Family Office Circle has grown to 1,200 members strong, marking a significant accomplishment.
Ms. Foo Mee Har, CEO of WMI, remarked, “As we deepen our engagement with family offices, many have highlighted the importance of building capabilities in strategic investing to create resilient, multi-generational portfolios. Family offices have the distinct advantage of being able to leverage patient, flexible capital. The launch of Dalio Market Principles Program in Strategic Investing for Family Offices is our response to this critical need, equipping family offices with the skills to navigate and thrive in complex investment landscapes.”
This new Program is an extension of WMI’s longstanding strategic partnership with Ray Dalio. Earlier this year, WMI announced the Dalio Market Principles Online Program, a comprehensive online investment education programme grounded in Dalio’s 50 over years of investment expertise and research, aimed at equipping learners of all backgrounds with a deep understanding of the universal linkages driving market and economies.
Dalio Market Principles Program in Strategic Investing for Family Offices is built on this strong foundation and further teaches direct and actionable strategies tailored to the specific needs and challenges faced by family offices, including building family office investment teams, selecting investment managers and developing robust risk management capabilities. Family offices will benefit from a safe and trusted environment where they can learn to refine their own investment approaches, and stress-test them together with peers.
Ray Dalio commented, “I’m thrilled to join with the Wealth Management Institute of Singapore to announce the launch of the Dalio Market Principles Program in Strategic Investing for Family Offices. This course provides investment strategies that I used in building Bridgewater and in my own family office, delivered through WMI’s unique investor education platform. The course will focus on the timeless and universal principles driving markets and economies, investment skill development, and strategies tailored for the unique circumstances faced by family offices. I am especially thrilled to do the course here in Singapore because I have had an over 30-year wonderful relationship with Singapore and because I have my own family office here.”
