Updated:
Bessemer Trust
Bessemer Trust is a multi-family office headquartered in New York. The firm was founded in 1907 to manage the steel fortune amassed by Carnegie Steel partner...
Bessemer Trust
Bessemer Trust is a multi-family office headquartered in New York. The firm was founded in 1907 to manage the steel fortune amassed by Carnegie Steel partner Henry Phipps Jr. It remains privately owned by the Phipps family and advises wealthy families, foundations and endowments on investment, estate, tax and philanthropic matters while overseeing multigenerational wealth across offices in the United States and abroad.
General information
Firm type
Multi Family Office
Year founded
1907
AUM
$259 billion (Altss estimate)
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
1271 Avenue of the Americas 46th Floor, New York, NY, United States
Principals
George D. Phipps
Chairman
Marc D. Stern
CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Bessemer Trust?
George D. Phipps serves as Chairman. Marc D. Stern holds the role of CEO. Investment committees and sector specialists execute day-to-day allocations under this leadership.
How does Bessemer Trust source proprietary deal flow?
The firm seeds new managers and maintains long-standing relationships with technology and growth platforms. Historical examples include early commitments to LinkedIn in 2004 and Pinterest in 2011.
Is Bessemer Trust structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
It functions as a multi-family office that also seeds and backs independent investment platforms. Bessemer Venture Partners and Bessemer Investors originated as family-seeded entities.
Does Bessemer Trust participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The firm makes both fund commitments and direct investments. It has seeded Lindsay Goldberg and Bessemer Investors while also leading venture rounds in companies such as Twilio.
What investment stages does Bessemer Trust typically target?
Activity spans early-stage venture through growth equity and middle-market private equity. Portfolio examples include Series A rounds in 2009-2011 and later platform seeding in 2018.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The Phipps family fortune originated with Henry Phipps Jr.'s partnership in Carnegie Steel. The family has owned and directed the firm continuously since its founding in 1907.
Does Bessemer Trust maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?
The firm advises clients on philanthropic planning and makes its own donations. Named recipients include the Environmental Defense Fund and Family Promise. Governance of client philanthropy remains separate from firm operations.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on family offices?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: