Elite Summit 2026
Fairmont Le Montreux Palace | Montreux, Switzerland | November 18-20, 2026
European family offices are operating in an environment defined by both significant complexity and genuine opportunity. After a period of elevated inflation, interest rate adjustment, and geopolitical disruption, the investment landscape across Europe is beginning to stabilize in some areas while presenting new and evolving challenges in others. For private wealth leaders, the ability to navigate this environment effectively, while managing generational transitions, regulatory change, and the growing expectations of next-generation principals, is one of the defining tasks of 2026.
The Elite Summit 2026, taking place November 18-20 at the Fairmont Le Montreux Palace in Montreux, Switzerland, provides a focused and exclusive setting in which European family office leaders can examine these challenges and opportunities alongside peers and carefully selected solution providers. The following outlines the key themes shaping the European private wealth agenda heading into the second half of the year.
The European Central Bank's rate-cutting cycle, which began in 2024, has continued into 2026, providing some relief for fixed income portfolios and improving the financing environment for private equity and real estate. However, growth across the Eurozone remains uneven, with Germany and several other major economies continuing to face structural headwinds related to energy costs, industrial competitiveness, and demographic pressure. For family offices with significant European exposure, managing the divergence between stronger and weaker economies within the region is an ongoing portfolio management challenge.
...of European family offices reported increasing their allocation to private markets in 2025, with private credit and infrastructure cited as the two fastest-growing asset classes within alternative portfolios. (Global Family Office Report, 2025)
The regulatory environment for family offices operating across European jurisdictions has become increasingly complex. The EU's Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive, evolving sustainability disclosure requirements under SFDR, and the expanding scope of anti-money laundering regulations are placing greater compliance demands on family office operations teams. For smaller single-family offices in particular, the cost and resource requirements of maintaining regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions is a growing concern.
European family offices with internationally diversified portfolios are managing heightened currency volatility and geopolitical risk across multiple fronts. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine, shifting trade relationships between the EU and major global partners, and the implications of U.S. trade and foreign policy for European markets are all factors that are influencing asset allocation decisions and risk management frameworks. Many family offices are reviewing their geographic concentration and hedging strategies in response to this environment.
The generational transition of wealth is a pressing and immediate challenge for a significant number of European family offices. The priorities and investment philosophies of next-generation principals frequently differ from those of the founding generation, and the absence of formal governance structures and succession plans is a risk factor that many families are only beginning to address in a structured way. The cost of getting this transition wrong, in terms of both financial and relational capital, is well documented across the industry.
Family offices have become increasingly attractive targets for cybercrime, given the concentration of high-value assets and often limited internal IT security infrastructure compared to institutional investors. The professionalisation of family office operations is bringing greater attention to cybersecurity frameworks, data governance, and operational resilience, but many organizations are still in the process of building the capabilities required to manage this risk effectively.
Private credit has emerged as one of the most significant growth areas within European family office portfolios over the past two years. As banks have pulled back from certain lending markets in response to regulatory capital requirements, direct lending, mezzanine financing, and specialty credit strategies have offered family offices attractive risk-adjusted returns with lower correlation to public market volatility. The asset class has matured considerably in Europe and is now accessible through a wider range of fund structures and manager relationships than was the case even five years ago.
European infrastructure investment, including energy transition assets, digital infrastructure, and transportation, represents a significant and growing opportunity for family offices seeking long-duration, inflation-linked returns. The EU's continued commitment to its Green Deal investment agenda and the broader energy transition are driving a substantial pipeline of infrastructure projects across the region. Family offices are participating both through fund structures and, increasingly, through direct co-investment alongside institutional partners.
Impact investing has moved from a niche interest to a mainstream allocation for a growing number of European family offices, driven in large part by the values and priorities of next-generation principals. Blended finance structures, which combine concessional capital with commercial investment to address social or environmental challenges, are attracting increasing interest as a way of achieving measurable impact alongside financial returns. The European market for impact investment is among the most developed in the world, offering a broad range of strategies and entry points for family office investors.
European venture capital has continued to develop in depth and maturity, with strong ecosystems in the UK, Germany, France, the Nordics, and increasingly across Southern and Eastern Europe. For family offices with a longer investment horizon and appetite for illiquidity, early and growth-stage venture exposure offers the potential for significant returns while supporting the innovation economy. Many family offices are also making direct investments in companies aligned with the interests and expertise of family members, creating both financial and strategic value.
The Elite Summit 2026 addresses the full range of challenges and opportunities outlined above through a program built around the real priorities of participating executives. The invitation-only format brings together senior family office leaders from across Europe and beyond in a setting that supports direct, candid exchange and peer benchmarking. For private wealth executives navigating the complexity of the current environment, the Summit provides both the perspective of peers managing similar challenges and direct access to solution providers whose capabilities are aligned with their specific investment and operational needs.
See the full program of the upcoming Elite Summit - Apply here to request more details.