Wealth Office

Wealth Office spotlights original ideas, perspectives and philosophies from the world’s most ambitious private capital holders who are building the things that matter. Hosted by Michael Macfarlane ., a private advisor to some of the world’s wealthiest families, Wealth Office features long-form conversations with UHNWIs and members of globally significant family businesses, who are focused on the ideas that will shape the future, as well as the thinkers who study them. As family capital grows, a new class of decision-makers is emerging in a world where privately-held capital increasingly rivals institutional influence. At the same time, the rise of Asian innovation, ambition and capital is redefining the global landscape - not as a parallel force, but as a central driver of what comes next. Filmed across Europe and Asia, Weal

Wealth Office is a business podcast hosted by Michael Macfarlane, with 14 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Michael Macfarlane hosts Wealth Office, a business show with 14 episodes published.

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  Episode #15

  Marco Poon on Why Family Wealth Dies After Three Generations

  Sep 29, 20261h 9mS1

  Marco Poon joins Michael Macfarlane for a Wealth Office conversation exploring what family offices are really for, and whether the industry built around them has drifted too far from the families it is supposed to serve. With an estimated US$450 trillion held by private families globally, family offices are becoming an increasingly important part of the wealth landscape. But Marco argues that the incentives of large financial institutions can sit uneasily alongside the priorities of families thinking about governance, succession, philanthropy and wealth across generations. The conversation begins with a fundamental question: should a family office be structured around investment performance, or around the long-term objectives of the family itself? Marco draws on his own experience as a third-generation member of a Hong Kong business family, where his focus has shifted from the family’s original manufacturing interests towards investment, governance and preserving the entrepreneurial spirit for future generations. They examine why families with 100 or 200-year horizons may think about risk very differently from institutions operating around market cycles, and why stewardship, geopolitical change and experience can matter more than conventional definitions of “safe” assets. They also look at Hong Kong’s growing family office ecosystem, where families are increasingly learning directly from one another on governance, succession, education and the challenges of preparing the next generation. The discussion explores: • What a family office is really for • Why institutional incentives can conflict with family objectives • Stewardship versus short-term investment performance • How wealthy families define risk over 100 or 200 years • Why governance and succession matter as much as portfolios • The role of philanthropy in family identity and values • Why Hong Kong has become a hub for family-to-family learning • How next-generation family members should be prepared for responsibility • Why entrepreneurship can be part of succession planning • The role of private family capital in backing long-term innovation • Why China’s progress in AI, automation, new energy and EVs matters for investors • How fiduciary advice can create greater alignment between families and advisers The central question is what it actually means to preserve family wealth across generations. The answer is not simply protecting a portfolio. It is preparing people, building governance, preserving values and making sure each generation is capable of taking responsibility for what comes next. Watch the full conversation to explore the private world of ultra-prime property and what it reveals about wealth, family and the future of global cities. Subscribe to Wealth Office for more conversations hosted by Michael Macfarlane with entrepreneurs, investors, family businesses and global thinkers exploring how wealth is shaping the future.

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  Episode #14

  Gary Hersham & Irina Gamagina on Selling $400m Homes In London

  Sep 27, 202648 minS1

  Super-prime real estate experts Gary Hersham and Irina Gamagina join Michael Macfarlane ‪ @michaelmacfarlane-mma for a Wealth Office X conversation exploring what property means when money is no longer the primary constraint. At the very top of the market, real estate is about far more than housing. It can offer privacy, security, capital preservation and a place for internationally mobile families to build their lives. The conversation begins with a hypothetical question: if Michael had $100 million to spend on a home, where should he buy? Gary and Irina examine London’s position as a global safe haven, the growing appeal of Madrid, Milan, Zurich and Miami, and what the movement of wealthy families reveals about the changing geography of global capital. They also offer a rare look inside the ultra-prime market. Despite the mythology surrounding secret listings and dramatic bidding wars, transactions at this level remain grounded in trusted relationships, discretion and careful judgment. Emotion may begin the process, but valuation, taxation, ownership structures and long-term suitability still shape the final decision. The discussion explores: • What ultra-prime property is really for • Whether London remains a global safe haven • How wealthy families choose where to live • The reality of “off-market” property • Trust and reputation in private transactions • Emotion, status and price discipline • New wealth versus inherited wealth • The influence of technology, crypto and Asian capital • Why younger buyers increasingly prefer modern homes • The importance of family, schools, privacy and lifestyle • What an experienced property adviser truly provides The central question is what wealthy families are actually acquiring when they purchase an extraordinary home. The answer is rarely square footage alone. They are choosing where their children will grow up, where their capital may feel secure and how their family will live across generations. Watch the full conversation to explore the private world of ultra-prime property and what it reveals about wealth, family and the future of global cities. Subscribe to Wealth Office for more conversations hosted by Michael Macfarlane with entrepreneurs, investors, family businesses and global thinkers exploring how wealth is shaping the future.

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  Episode #13

  Maryann Selfe on the Billion Dollar Blindspot in Women’s Healthcare

  Sep 24, 202656 minS1

  Maryann Selfe is the author of The Billion Dollar Blindspot, a book about one of the most overlooked problems in modern healthcare: the historic failure of medicine to properly account for female biology. In this episode of Wealth Office, Maryann joins Michael Macfarlane @michaelmacfarlane-mma to discuss why women’s healthcare may be one of the most important investment themes of the coming decades. For much of modern medical history, male biology was treated as the default human model. Women were often underrepresented or excluded from clinical trials, medical research and drug development. The result was a major healthcare data gap affecting diagnosis, treatment, therapeutics, insurance, reimbursement and capital allocation. Maryann argues that this blindspot is now beginning to correct - and that the correction could create a major opportunity for healthcare investors, private capital, family offices and long-duration capital allocators. Michael and Maryann discuss why areas such as menopause, endometriosis, autoimmune disease, cardiovascular disease, fertility, diagnostics, therapeutics and preventive healthcare are becoming increasingly important investment categories. They also explore the role of private capital and family offices in funding the next generation of healthcare innovation. Many of the opportunities in women’s healthcare and personalised medicine sit in private markets, where long-duration capital may be better suited than traditional short-cycle venture capital or institutional funds. A major theme of the episode is the role of Asian capital. As family offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and across Asia become more global, there may be a significant opportunity for Asian private capital to back healthcare innovation emerging from Europe, the US and Asia itself. The conversation also connects women’s healthcare to wider trends in longevity, AI diagnostics, drug discovery, sex-specific therapeutics and preventive medicine. Maryann argues that understanding female biology better will not only improve healthcare for women, but could help build more personalised healthcare for everyone. Topics discussed include: The thesis behind The Billion Dollar Blindspot* Why male biology became the default model in medicine The history of women’s exclusion from clinical trials The female health data gap Why women’s healthcare has been underfunded How data gaps affect insurance, reimbursement and investment Why women’s health is becoming a serious healthcare investment theme The rise of personalised medicine and sex-specific healthcare Menopause, endometriosis, autoimmune disease and cardiovascular health Why women live longer but often spend more years in poor health The economic and productivity cost of poor female healthcare Why private capital and family offices may be well placed to invest The opportunity for Asian long-duration capital Healthcare innovation in Europe, the US and Asia AI diagnostics, therapeutics and longevity medicine Why women’s healthcare is not a niche market How better female health data could improve healthcare for all The central question of the episode is whether investors are beginning to reprice women’s healthcare in real time. If Maryann Selfe is right, the historic blindspot in women’s healthcare is not only a medical problem. It is a structural market inefficiency, a social challenge and a major investment opportunity.

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  Episode #11

  Howard Bilton on how entrepreneurial thinking can create a philanthropy multiplier effect

  Sep 1, 202652 minS1

  Howard Bilton, Founder and Chairman of The Sovereign Group and Founder of The Sovereign Art Foundation, joins Michael Macfarlane for a discussion on why some entrepreneurs believe philanthropy should be approached less like charitable spending and more like building systems capable of compounding impact across generations. For decades, philanthropy has largely been measured by how much money is given away. But Howard argues that this may be the wrong question. Drawing on his experience building both a global professional services business and an international charitable foundation, he explains why entrepreneurial thinking, long-term incentives and multiplier effects can often create far greater societal outcomes than traditional donation models alone. Rather than simply funding causes, the most effective philanthropy may increasingly resemble infrastructure, investment and systems design. The conversation explores: • Why entrepreneurs often approach philanthropy differently from institutions • How multiplier effects can dramatically increase social impact • Why building sustainable systems may matter more than writing larger cheques • The role of private capital in solving societal challenges • How the Sovereign Art Foundation uses art as a platform for charitable impact • Why art therapy has transformed the lives of vulnerable children across Asia • The rise of Asia and its growing influence on global wealth, philanthropy and long-term thinking • Why culture, creativity and artistic ecosystems are essential components of civilisation itself A major theme throughout the discussion is the role of art and culture in long-term civilisation building. Howard argues that some of the most important philanthropy is not simply about solving immediate problems, but about preserving cultural memory, supporting creative ecosystems and underwriting the institutions that shape how societies think, create and understand themselves across generations. In that sense, art may function not merely as aesthetic expression, but as legacy, identity and long-duration societal infrastructure. At its core, this episode is about a deeper idea: That the most effective forms of wealth creation are not always measured by what is accumulated, but by the systems, opportunities and multiplier effects left behind. Watch the full conversation to explore how entrepreneurship, philanthropy, art and private capital intersect — and why building sustainable impact may become one of the defining challenges of the century. If you enjoy conversations like this, subscribe to Wealth Office for more discussions with entrepreneurs, investors, family businesses and global thinkers exploring how wealth shapes the future.

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  Episode #10

  Keyu Jin on the Future of China and the Global Economy

  Jul 27, 202655 minS1

  Is the world still looking at China through the wrong lens? In this episode of Wealth Office , Michael Macfarlane sits down with economist, author and Professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Keyu Jin , to explore how China's economy is changing and what that means for investors, entrepreneurs and family offices around the world. As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, conversations about China are often framed around decoupling and decline. But beneath the surface, a different story is unfolding. New industries are emerging, capital is finding new routes, supply chains are being reconfigured rather than dismantled, and Chinese entrepreneurs are increasingly looking beyond their domestic market. Drawing on her research and experience advising governments and global institutions, Keyu explains why understanding China's next phase requires looking beyond familiar narratives. The discussion explores how innovation, demographic change and shifting patterns of global investment are reshaping one of the world's most influential economies. Topics discussed include: Why China is entering a new phase of economic development How innovation is reshaping Chinese industry and entrepreneurship The reality behind deglobalisation and global supply chains Why Chinese businesses are increasingly expanding overseas How capital is moving across Asia and beyond What family offices and investors should understand about China's changing role in the global economy At its core, this conversation challenges conventional assumptions about China. Rather than a story of separation from the rest of the world, Keyu argues we are witnessing a more complex transformation, one where capital, innovation and opportunity continue to cross borders in new ways. If you enjoy conversations exploring the ideas shaping global wealth, business and investment, subscribe to Wealth Office for more discussions with entrepreneurs, economists, investors, family offices and global thinkers.

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