Guide on Corporate Governance for Family Offices

In an environment of increasing regulatory complexity and shifting global dynamics, the effective management of ultra-high-net-worth family assets demands a shift from ad hoc administration to institutional-grade governance.

We are pleased to publish our latest Client Briefing, Corporate Governance and Family Offices, authored by our partner Dr Parwis Tikrani.

This briefing presents a strategic framework for establishing purpose-built family offices that serve as strong platforms for wealth preservation and intergenerational transfer. Drawing upon extensive experience in cross-border wealth structuring, the analysis addresses the operational challenges inherent in managing global assets, offering a guide to best practices in governance, decision-making, and risk management.

Key highlights include:

• Jurisdictional Selection: A multidimensional assessment of established global hubs and specialised regional jurisdictions, weighing factors such as legal system quality, political stability, and regulatory proportionality beyond simple tax considerations.

  
  

• Governance Architecture: Best practices for structuring Investment Committees to balance family oversight with the objectivity of independent, domain-specific expertise.

  
  

• Next-Generation Stewardship: Strategies for preparing younger family members for future governance roles through structured mentoring and scenario-based workshops.

  
  

We invite you to read the full analysis on our Insights page or download the complete briefing below.

CRA Family Office White Paper.pdf

Download PDF • 21.09MB

How We Support Family Office Creation and Management

 Carsted Rosenberg Advokatfirma brings a uniquely integrated perspective to family-office establishment and long-term governance, combining senior leadership experience from global financial institutions and premier international law firms with deep technical banking, finance, legal, and wealth-management expertise. Our team has designed operating models for international family offices, overseen investment strategy and capital-allocation frameworks, and served on boards and investment committees. We draw on extensive experience advising on complex financing structures, cross-border transactions, and wealth-management environments, as well as on structuring investment platforms, trust arrangements, and succession frameworks for multi-generational families. This blend of real-world execution, legal insight, and investment discipline enables us to anticipate compliance, legal, governance, risk-management, and operational challenges while building resilient family-office structures capable of preserving capital, supporting entrepreneurial activity, and sustaining intergenerational legacy.

At the inception stage, Carsted Rosenberg helps designing the optimal legal and organisational structures that leverage international regulatory frameworks. Through detailed feasibility analyses and stakeholder workshops, we can align family governance principles, asset protection requirements, and investment mandates into a cohesive trust deed and operational charter.

During the creation phase, our trust-formation team navigates the complexities of regulatory approvals, trustee appointments, and custody arrangements, ensuring that strategic blueprints translate into tangible milestones. This process encompasses the establishment of IT systems, reporting platforms, compliance frameworks, and defined risk-appetite statements.

Once operational, Carsted Rosenberg provides ongoing governance and management support through its strengths in regulatory compliance, performance monitoring, and dispute resolution. The firm assists clients in forming investment committees, setting approval thresholds, and institutionalising transparent reporting and audit processes that safeguard capital, manage risk, and promote collaborative decision-making.At every stage, our commitment to client-first principles ensures that families are empowered with the governance knowledge, operational tools, and strategic insights required to sustain both growth and legacy across generations.

About the Author

Dr Parwis Tikrani is a Partner at Carsted Rosenberg Advokatfirma and a seasoned financial services executive with extensive international leadership experience at top management consulting firms and leading global financial institutions.

He advises global family offices, leveraging deep expertise in wealth management, investment strategy, governance, succession planning, and risk and compliance oversight. Parwis has a proven track record in shaping and executing business strategies that drive sustainable growth and long-term value while ensuring regulatory and operational discipline.

He brings significant experience from board and investment committee roles and has guided family offices from inception through operational build-out, providing counsel on investment structuring, portfolio management, jurisdictional considerations, and intergenerational wealth planning. His holistic approach integrates financial, legal, and operational insights, enabling family offices to achieve their strategic objectives while preserving and growing their wealth for future generations.

Further Information

For further information, please contact Dr. Parwis Tikrani, Partner by email on pt@carstedrosenberg.com or by telephone on +41 (0)79 701 8362