Ask an investor where the opportunities are and you usually get a thesis. Ask Ian Morley and you get a list — care homes, medical devices, clinics, land, crypto, Islamic finance, female health — followed by a second list for the decade after that, which begins with cash and ends with water and power. The lists do not obviously belong to the same portfolio, which is rather the point: Morley describes himself as opportunistic rather than long-term, and the discipline lies in what he declines to predict.
He is Chairman of Wentworth Hall Family Office, based in London and Italy, and was the founding chairman of the body now known as AIMA. Ahead of the UK Family Office Summit Oxford 2026, he answered a standard set of questions briefly and, on the question of what most threatens family capital, with a single problem he clearly regards as unsolved.
Please introduce yourself, your family office and your role.
I am Chairman of Wentworth Hall Family Office. We are based in London and Italy, and have been in existence for about 20 years.
How would you describe your long-term investment philosophy, and what principles guide your capital allocation decisions?
I am more opportunistic than strictly long term, although I tend to follow Warren Buffett’s approach to investing, with some exceptions in private equity and venture capital.
Which asset classes, sectors or investment themes are you most focused on today, and where do you see the greatest opportunities over the next decade?
Today: care homes, medical devices, clinics, property and land, crypto, blockchain, banking, Islamic finance, immersive experiences, AI and female health.
Looking further ahead: cash and near-cash, the AI rollout, quantum computing, defence, food supply, water supply and power supply.
What do you believe is the biggest challenge currently facing family offices and long-term investors?
Lasting more than three generations. The pace of change is so fast that the certainties of yesterday may no longer be valid. Getting the rollout of new technology right, rather than just getting the core foundations right.
"“The pace of change is so fast that the certainties of yesterday may no longer be valid.”"
How important are governance, succession planning and stewardship in preserving wealth across generations?
All vital for the preservation of wealth, even if you want to give it all away.
How do you see technology and artificial intelligence influencing the future of investing?
Hugely. They can’t all succeed, and trying to guess the winners is hard. Exclude the losers and look at where sustainable growth will have a real impact — medicine and law more than dog walking and counselling.
What are you most looking forward to discussing or learning at the UK Family Office Summit Oxford this November?
Just to learn and listen: what other families think, how they invest, and how they manage the next generation’s expectations.
This article contains general information only and should not be construed as investment advice or a recommendation to invest. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Intended for sophisticated institutional and professional investors only.