FreepikFrom Operator to Allocator: The cultural shift defining Indian family capital
Indian families have the capital, but do they have the trust? Inside the friction of the USD 1.3 trillion wealth transfer
December 9, 2025Real Estate
Written by:Jorge Aguinaga
Key Takeaways
- The legacy operator mindset acts as a growth bottleneck which stifles trust and forces partners to refinance just to exit the relationship.
- A massive USD 1.3 trillion generational wealth transfer is fueling financialisation, as younger investors reject the hassle of managing physical assets.
- A fee barrier emerges once investment sizes hit three digits, leading family offices to insource talent rather than paying external managers.
The headline numbers in Indian real estate are staggering, with USD 1.3 trillion in generational wealth set to change hands over the next five to seven years while domestic capital skyrockets as family offices multiply from 45 to over 300 in less than a decade.
These insights emerged from a prominent panel discussion at India GRI 2025, where experts argued that beneath this flood of liquidity lies a critical, often overlooked friction point which isn’t about interest rates or policy but rather DNA.
As India’s family offices evolve from legacy landholders to sophisticated financial powerhouses, they face the difficult cultural transition of moving from an operator mindset to an allocator mindset.
This operator DNA creates a unique challenge when these families try to invest in third-party developments as they often struggle to let go.
The panel shared a telling anecdote of a family office head who invested in a project and proceeded to call the developer at 7:30 AM every single morning. He was not calling to ask about high-level returns, but to enquire about daily site progress.
This micromanagement became so stifling that the developer eventually refinanced the loan just to exit the relationship, highlighting the core tension where capital is abundant but the trust to delegate is scarce.
The incoming generation has little interest in the mental bandwidth required for traditional real estate management. They wish to avoid dealing with day-to-day problems that can range from physical encroachments on ancestral land and the operational nuisances of managing farmhouses in India, to acting as concierges for New York apartments when a pipe bursts or a tenant dispute erupts.
They seek the returns of real estate without the headache of operations, pushing family wealth into structured financial products like REITs - where domestic capital now dominates - as well as AIFs and private credit. The mindset is fundamentally shifting from owning and operating to allocating and orchestrating.
Once a family office’s cheque size exceeds INR 100 crore - hitting three digits - the willingness to pay a standard 2% management fee evaporates.
The logic is that the fees on such a large sum could easily fund an internal team, leading many large family offices to insource talent by hiring their own CIOs and investment teams rather than trusting external platforms.
Consequently, the families that succeed in this new era will be those who can successfully bridge the gap by retaining the sharp instincts of the operator while embracing the discipline and trust of the allocator.
These strategic insights were shared during the India GRI 2025 panel discussion on Family Capital in Real Estate - Strategic Shifts in India’s Wealth Landscape.
The session was moderated by Piyush Gupta, Founder of Peacock Capital, and featured reflections from leading experts including Amit Goenka, Chairman & Managing Director at Nisus Finance; Anuj Kapoor, Founder & MD at Upwisery; Jai S Rupani, CIO and Principal at Dinesh Hinduja Family Offices; Kaushik Desai, Managing Partner at WSB Partners; Khilen Shah, SVP at Hubtown Limited; Mohit Chawla, Managing Director at Bimtek Group ; and Shridhar Narayan, CEO of Real Estate & Infrastructure Business at Hiranandani Group.
Access the full takeaways and C-level insights in the exclusive India GRI 2025 Spotlight.
These insights emerged from a prominent panel discussion at India GRI 2025, where experts argued that beneath this flood of liquidity lies a critical, often overlooked friction point which isn’t about interest rates or policy but rather DNA.
As India’s family offices evolve from legacy landholders to sophisticated financial powerhouses, they face the difficult cultural transition of moving from an operator mindset to an allocator mindset.
The Operator DNA
For decades, Indian real estate wealth was built on physical control, remaining opaque, hands-on, and deeply personal. The prevailing attitude among the older generation was a confident belief that they could simply manage everything themselves.This operator DNA creates a unique challenge when these families try to invest in third-party developments as they often struggle to let go.
The panel shared a telling anecdote of a family office head who invested in a project and proceeded to call the developer at 7:30 AM every single morning. He was not calling to ask about high-level returns, but to enquire about daily site progress.
This micromanagement became so stifling that the developer eventually refinanced the loan just to exit the relationship, highlighting the core tension where capital is abundant but the trust to delegate is scarce.
The Generational Catalyst
If the older generation is defined by touch and feel ownership, the next generation is driving the shift toward financialisation.The incoming generation has little interest in the mental bandwidth required for traditional real estate management. They wish to avoid dealing with day-to-day problems that can range from physical encroachments on ancestral land and the operational nuisances of managing farmhouses in India, to acting as concierges for New York apartments when a pipe bursts or a tenant dispute erupts.
They seek the returns of real estate without the headache of operations, pushing family wealth into structured financial products like REITs - where domestic capital now dominates - as well as AIFs and private credit. The mindset is fundamentally shifting from owning and operating to allocating and orchestrating.
The Three-Digit Barrier
Despite this shift, a major hurdle remains for professional fund managers regarding fee structures. There is a psychological barrier described by experts as the three-digit problem.Once a family office’s cheque size exceeds INR 100 crore - hitting three digits - the willingness to pay a standard 2% management fee evaporates.
The logic is that the fees on such a large sum could easily fund an internal team, leading many large family offices to insource talent by hiring their own CIOs and investment teams rather than trusting external platforms.
The Verdict
The transition is inevitable and as the sheer volume of wealth grows, the kitchen table style of management is becoming obsolete.Consequently, the families that succeed in this new era will be those who can successfully bridge the gap by retaining the sharp instincts of the operator while embracing the discipline and trust of the allocator.
These strategic insights were shared during the India GRI 2025 panel discussion on Family Capital in Real Estate - Strategic Shifts in India’s Wealth Landscape.
The session was moderated by Piyush Gupta, Founder of Peacock Capital, and featured reflections from leading experts including Amit Goenka, Chairman & Managing Director at Nisus Finance; Anuj Kapoor, Founder & MD at Upwisery; Jai S Rupani, CIO and Principal at Dinesh Hinduja Family Offices; Kaushik Desai, Managing Partner at WSB Partners; Khilen Shah, SVP at Hubtown Limited; Mohit Chawla, Managing Director at Bimtek Group ; and Shridhar Narayan, CEO of Real Estate & Infrastructure Business at Hiranandani Group.
Access the full takeaways and C-level insights in the exclusive India GRI 2025 Spotlight.