Service
Family Investment Company.
Whether a FIC genuinely fits, before anyone sets one up.
Who Richard advises
Richard advises people from organisations like these.
Employer information is provided by clients during the consultation process and is not independently verified. Logos shown are trademarks of their respective owners and do not imply endorsement of Richard Knight or Business Class Asia.
Who this is for
Who this service is for.
- 01
Families planning generational transfer
Have meaningful investment assets and want a structured way to involve and provide for the next generation over time.
- 02
People pitched a FIC
Have been shown a family investment company by a promoter and want a conflict-free view of whether it genuinely fits.
- 03
Existing FIC holders reviewing cost
Already set one up and suspect the running cost is no longer matched by the benefit.
What's involved
What's actually involved.
A family investment company can be an effective way to hold and pass on wealth across generations, and it is also sold to people for whom it is expensive overhead with no benefit. The work is the honest assessment first, with formation handled by the appropriate professionals only if the structure earns its place.
Whether it fits, before it is built
A FIC suits a particular shape of estate: investment assets of meaningful size, a genuine succession objective, and a family willing to run a company properly over decades. Absent those, it is cost and complexity for nothing.
The cross-border angle matters: a FIC interacts with UK domicile, Thai residency and the tax position in each. That interaction is part of the assessment, not an afterthought.
Formation only on merit
If the structure is right, it is formed by the appropriate corporate and legal professionals on their own terms. You may ask what any recommendation pays me, and the answer is set out in writing before you decide.
Common mistakes
Common mistakes to avoid.
- 01
Setting one up because it was sold.
A FIC pitched as a product is often the wrong answer. The structure has to be justified by the estate, not by the promoter.
- 02
Underestimating the running burden.
A FIC is a company with accounts, filings and governance for the life of the plan. That ongoing cost has to be weighed before, not after.
How the practice works
Three conversations before any commitment.
A measured introduction, a written plan, and a clear engagement. No long sales process. No pressure on the first call. You leave the first meeting with a clearer view of what is in front of you, whether or not the work proceeds.
- 01
An introduction.
Thirty minutes by video, or in person at the Bangkok, Hua Hin or Pattaya office. A discussion of your situation, your concerns, and what the years ahead are intended to look like. Rough figures are sufficient. No documents required in advance.
- 02
A written plan.
A second meeting where the work is appropriate for both parties. A written summary of the plan, the moves in priority order, the realistic timeline, and the cost in plain numbers.
- 03
An engagement, in writing.
A written engagement letter that sets out how I am paid, commission on what is arranged and a fee on what is managed, with every figure and what it pays, before you proceed. Either party may end the engagement at any time. Custody arrangements remain in place regardless.
Free guide
Family investment companies.
A family investment company can be an effective way to hold and pass on wealth, and it is also sold to people for whom it is expensive overhead. The honest assessment, before anyone sets one up.
What is inside
- What a family investment company is, and does
- Where it earns its place, and where a trust or nothing is better
- The cross-border complications for a mobile family
- Formation, only if it genuinely fits
Plain English, nothing to sign. Useful even if you never get in touch.
The advisor
Richard Knight.
Richard Knight is a British national with fifteen years' experience in private wealth management, advising internationally mobile clients across Asia, Europe and beyond. Based in Thailand, he works with expatriates and international families navigating the complexities of cross-border wealth, retirement and estate planning.
The practice is built on first-hand experience of international relocation and long-term expatriate life, rather than a purely theoretical understanding of it.
He is an Associate Member of the UK's Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (ACSI) and holds CISI qualifications in Financial Planning and Investments.
He also serves as Vice Chair of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand in Hua Hin, supporting the local business and expatriate community.
Richard maintains a deliberately limited client base, focusing on conservative, long-term planning for people who value clarity, stability and peace of mind over unnecessary risk.
“Richard works in finance business for many years and his recommendations are reliable and efficient. He is very attentive to the clients and help them to come to the most beneficial solution. Having Richard as your personal finance consultant you can feel secure for your future.”
“Richard is reliable person, with good knowledge of the products that he propose to clients. He want client to understand the process and he cares of the client future.”
“Richard is a great and reliable service provider.”
Fees and what to expect
What it costs, and how I'm paid.
I am paid through commission on the products arranged and an ongoing fee on the assets managed. Every cost, and what it pays, is set out in writing before you decide.
You may ask what any recommendation pays me, and the figures that apply are agreed in writing in the engagement letter before you proceed.
A first 30-minute consultation costs nothing and obliges you to nothing.
Client assets are held by an appointed trustee or a regulated platform, never by me.
Questions
Questions about this.
Begin a conversation.
Thirty minutes, by video or in person at the Bangkok, Hua Hin or Pattaya office. Free, and without obligation. You leave with a clearer view of what is in front of you, whether or not the work proceeds.
Book a meeting
Choose a time that suits you.
Thirty minutes with Richard Knight, ACSI directly. By video, phone, or in person. No obligation.