Insider Spotlight
80 percent of Philippine high-net-worth individuals surveyed rank preserving family wealth across generations as their top wealth-transfer goal
Only 16.7 percent of Philippine respondents have a full succession plan, while just 10 percent say their families are fully aligned
Professional wealth advice is associated with stronger family alignment across APAC, highlighting opportunities for wealth managers beyond investment management
A study by UnionBank Private and Swiss wealth and asset manager Lombard Odier found 80 percent of Philippine HNWIs cited preserving family wealth across generations as their primary goal, compared with the 64.2 percent APAC average. Maintaining family unity and shared values ranked second at 60 percent.
The succession gap
Despite those priorities, only 16.7 percent of Philippine respondents have a full succession plan, while 10 percent said their families were fully aligned. Just 14.3 percent were very confident that the next generation could manage family wealth, versus 16.7 percent across APAC.
One in two Philippine HNWIs also identified intergenerational challenges, differing visions for the future and resistance to change among senior family members as key concerns. The findings point to demand for wealth managers that can provide succession and family-governance guidance alongside traditional investment services.
Why advice matters
Across APAC, 87.5 percent of respondents receiving professional advice said their families had some degree of alignment, compared with 57.8 percent among those without advice. Half of unadvised respondents viewed the absence of formal structures as a major family-governance challenge, versus 17.2 percent among advised respondents.
“The insights from this study highlight a growing need among high-net-worth families for guidance that extends beyond investment management,” UnionBank head of wealth management Gauraw Srivastava said in a press statement.
“Through our strategic alliance with Lombard Odier, we are able to better understand our clients’ evolving priorities and support them with tailored solutions that address wealth preservation, succession planning, and legacy building,” Srivastava said.
“At UnionBank Private, our ultimate goal is to help clients not only grow their wealth but to secure their family’s future and support them as they create a lasting legacy for generations to come,” he added.
The bigger picture
“Leading families and entrepreneurs in the Philippines are demonstrating greater clarity around their priorities, particularly in relation to long-term investment planning and intergenerational wealth transfer. However, as our findings show, there remains a meaningful gap in translating these intentions into structured, actionable frameworks,” Lombard Odier limited partner global head of strategic alliances Vincent Magnenat said.
"Through our Strategic Alliances, we work closely with our partners such as UnionBank Private to help HNWIs in the region bridge this gap, combining local proximity with global investment and wealth planning capabilities to support HNWIs and their families in building resilience, strengthening alignment, and navigating change across generations,” he added. —Vanessa Hidalgo | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
