Serving up business advice and investments for Asian families

HOMEGROWN multi-family office firm Golden Equator Capital has set its sights on services that cater to what it sees as its Asian clients' desire to pass on wealth to the next generation in a "very different" way.

As the firm's founding partner and chief executive, Shirley Crystal Chua, sees it, the Asian form of wealth transfer or succession appears to be distinctly entrepreneurial in nature. That is, clients may seek to help establish children in businesses of their own, as opposed to the Western style of simply leaving money to heirs or to philanthropic causes.

"We help our clients manage areas of their business . . . These days the business owner trying to pass on wealth wants to make sure his children do things they enjoy. They may look into forming a business venture to allow a son or daughter to learn about business or an area of investment.