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HELM Financial Advisors
Tom Gores' family office manages wealth from Platinum Equity and the Detroit Pistons, deploying capital across private equity, real estate, and sports.
HELM Financial Advisors
HELM Financial Advisors serves as the single-family office for Tom Gores, who established Platinum Equity in 1995 and grew it into one of the most active private equity firms specializing in complex carve-outs. Gores' wealth originates primarily from Platinum's carried interest and balance-sheet returns across a portfolio that has completed more than 450 acquisitions. His personal net worth was estimated at $9.6 billion by Forbes in 2025. The office manages a portfolio spanning direct private equity co-investments alongside Platinum Equity funds, opportunistic real estate holdings in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, and his trophy sports asset — the NBA's Detroit Pistons, which Gores purchased in 2011 for $325 million. HELM has also backed media ventures, including the now-defunct Flutter Entertainment acquisition vehicle. The office's geographic focus mirrors Platinum's deal network, concentrating on North American control investments with selective European exposure. With Platinum Equity managing roughly $48 billion in assets, HELM operates in tight coordination with the firm's Los Angeles headquarters. Gores' brother Alec and other family members hold roles across the broader Gores organization. In January 2024, Gores consolidated his sports holdings by acquiring the NBA G League affiliate Motor City Cruise and relocating it to Detroit, deepening the organization's regional footprint. Total investment professionals dedicated to the family office are not publicly disclosed. The office's structural differentiator is a hybrid posture rarely seen in single-family offices: an active private equity principal who co-invests his personal capital alongside institutional LPs in his own firm's flagship funds. This creates a permanent alignment of interest that permits Platinum to raise larger vehicles while giving HELM a continuous proprietary deal pipeline inaccessible to third-party allocators.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
—
Corporate office
—
Principals
Tom Gores
Principal
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at HELM Financial Advisors?
Tom Gores serves as the principal decision-maker for HELM's investment portfolio. He founded Platinum Equity in 1995 and built the firm into a global buyout platform managing roughly $48 billion. HELM's investment committee is not publicly documented, but the office's mandate originates directly from Gores' personal portfolio allocation strategy.
How does HELM source its proprietary deal flow?
HELM derives the majority of its deal flow from Platinum Equity's origination network, which generates thousands of potential transactions annually. Because Gores co-invests personal capital alongside Platinum's institutional funds, HELM participates in deals that have already passed the firm's internal screening process. This creates a proprietary pipeline for the family office that external investors cannot replicate.
Is HELM structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
HELM is a single-family office dedicated exclusively to Tom Gores' wealth. Unlike multi-family offices that take outside capital, HELM does not solicit third-party investors. Its investment posture resembles a direct co-investment platform, with capital deployed alongside Platinum Equity funds in control buyouts and opportunistic situations.
Does HELM participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
HELM's primary investment vehicle is direct co-investment alongside Platinum Equity's flagship funds. The office occasionally participates in other private equity fund commitments and special-purpose vehicles, but co-investment represents the core deployment mechanism. This structure allows Gores to avoid double fees while maintaining exposure to Platinum's full deal pipeline.
What is HELM's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?
HELM principally co-invests alongside Platinum Equity, though the office has the flexibility to back external managers when attractive. Given Gores' controlling role at Platinum and the firm's internal sourcing capabilities, outside co-investments are infrequent. The office prioritizes opportunities where it can bring Platinum's operational turnaround expertise to bear.
How is HELM related to the Detroit Pistons?
Tom Gores acquired the Detroit Pistons through his family office structure in 2011 for $325 million. HELM manages the Pistons as a portfolio asset, with all basketball operations and holding-company functions flowing through the family office's oversight. In January 2024, Gores expanded his sports holdings by acquiring the Motor City Cruise, the Pistons' NBA G League affiliate.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
Tom Gores' wealth originates from Platinum Equity, the private equity firm he founded in 1995. Platinum specializes in acquiring non-core divisions from large corporations and transforming them into standalone entities. The firm has completed over 450 acquisitions and manages roughly $48 billion in assets, making Gores one of the wealthiest private equity founders in the United States.
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.
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