Family offices ‘take the cake’ for competitive compensation, KPMG reveals

Recent research conducted by KPMG Australia has revealed that family office employees continue to receive competitive compensation and benefits compared to their peers in similar roles in other offices worldwide.

The report, Australian Family Office Compensation Benchmark Report 2025, highlighted the evolving landscape of family offices in Australia and examined salaries, compensation trends, talent acquisition, retention and investment trends.

Robyn Langsford, KPMG global head of family business, said the number of family offices in Australia continued to increase overall.

“Family offices are becoming more sophisticated, and their ability to benchmark compensation against peers locally and globally is a powerful tool,” she said.

“New family offices as a percentage of the respondents decreased from 10 per cent to eight per cent, but there remains a continued interest in establishing family offices.”

According to the report, 56 per cent of respondents received an increase in salary in the last 12 months, with a further 45 per cent of those having received an uplift of up to 5 per cent.

It was also revealed that family offices now accounted for 40 per cent of active private capital investors in private equity and private credit, with over 50 per cent of family offices being established in the last decade, highlighting rapid growth and increasing sophistication.

The report included compensation insights, with chief financial officers typically earning between $264,000 and $330,000 and chief information officers taking home between $330,000 and $396,000 per annum.

Almost 30 per cent of chief executives of Australian family offices were paid between $500,000 and $625,000, however only 25 per cent of family office professionals in Australia offered long-term incentive plans.

Langsford said based on the lack of family offices offering long-term incentive plans, there was definite potential for family offices to improve in attracting top talent.

“One-third of family office respondents had hired new staff in the last 12 months or are planning to do so, with 29 per cent of CEOs coming from investment management backgrounds,” she said.

“Family offices are increasingly competing with investment banks, asset managers, and other family offices for skilled professionals.”

The report also reflected the evolving workplace dynamics as the rise of hybrid work models and the importance of cultural alignment reshaped the employment landscape, with 72 per cent of Australian family offices offering the capacity for staff to work from home.

Langsford said the report also focused on the increasing professionalisation of family offices, with many adopting corporate-style structures to enhance governance, succession planning and investment strategies.

“As the sector continues to grow, family offices must prioritise competitive compensation packages, flexible working conditions, and alignment with employee values to attract and retain top talent.”