Single Family Office Strategy: VC, Co-Investments & Global Diversification

About this episode

In this VNTR Podcast episode, we sit down with Russell Deakin, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner at Aceana Group. With over 25 years of global experience in alternative assets — from private equity and venture capital to real estate, infrastructure, and renewable energy — Russell shares his journey of building a family office and investing worldwide.

If you’re interested in family offices, venture capital, or international investing strategies — this episode is packed with practical insights.

What you’ll learn

• The origins of Aceana Group and the transition from angel investing to a structured family office.
• Venture capital strategies: seed, Series A, and co-investments with top managers.
• How to evaluate GPs, emerging managers, and the importance of trust and character.
• Insights into investing across the US, Europe, India, Latin America, and Singapore.
• Why co-investments and diversification are key for family offices.
• Work–life balance while constantly traveling the globe.

Chapters

1. 00:00Intro
2. 00:15Welcome Russell Deakin
3. 00:57How a Family Office Evolved Across Generations
4. 02:44Single vs Multi-Family Office Explained: Structure, Team & Global Reach
5. 04:16Why a Family Office Beats Going Solo in Investing
6. 07:20Co-Investing With Fund Managers: A Smarter Family Office Approach
7. 11:15The Key Traits LPs Look for in Emerging GPs
8. 15:25Evaluating Early-Stage VC: NAV Growth, IRR and DPI
9. 20:03Avoiding Direct Risk: How Funds Simplify Co-Investments
10. 22:26Are VC Management Fees Fair?
11. 24:46When LPs Should Use Fund of Funds: Diversification & Learning
12. 26:41Balancing Alpha & Safety: Fund of Funds in a Family Office Portfolio
13. 31:22The Minimum Portfolio Size for Venture Capital Success
14. 36:26Best Geographies for VC: US, Europe, India, and Beyond
15. 39:48Balancing Impact and Returns: Investing in Renewable Energy & Green Tech
16. 43:37Why Some Family Businesses Stay Local Instead of Going Global
17. 45:24Best Practices for Managing Family Office Connections Globally
18. 49:10Work-Life Balance Tips from a Traveling Family Office CIO