Family Office Investment Team
A family office investment team is the group responsible for sourcing, diligence, and monitoring of investments.
Definition
Definition The investment team includes the CIO and supporting professionals (analysts, associates, portfolio managers, specialists). In many family offices, this team is small and must cover a wide range: public markets, private funds, co-investments, manager monitoring, and reporting inputs. Their capacity limits influence how complex an investment can be. Allocator Context Lean teams prefer managers who are easy to underwrite and monitor: clear reporting, consistent communication, and predictable processes. They may rely heavily on trusted advisors and networks to validate managers, especially for new relationships. Decision Authority The team often runs diligence and makes recommendations. Authority varies: some teams have delegated authority; others must obtain principal approval, especially for first-time managers or illiquid commitments. Why It Matters for Fundraising A manager that respects team capacity wins. If you create unnecessary diligence burden, you slow the process and reduce the probability of close—regardless of strategy quality. Key Takeaways Team size is often small; capacity constraints are real Monitoring burden influences what is “investable” Recommendations depend on clarity and credibility Lower-friction managers convert faster