The course for young adult members of UHNW families – from eight countries – speaks to how private banks seek to work with those who are increasingly moving into positions of power and influence at family-run businesses and other organisations.

UOB Private Bank has wrapped up a “Next Gen” programme for ultra-high net worth families around the world. It shows how private banks seek to tap into multi-trillion-dollar intergenerational wealth transfers.

The programme ran from 3 to 9 August in Oxford and London, UK – the first time the Singapore-headquartered bank has run this initiative outside its home turf.

Some 20 Next Gen individuals took part, coming from eight countries. The programme, which is now in the third year of its international run, was launched in 2020, UOB said. 

“The hard work and commitment of family business leaders should be preserved and nurtured for generations to come,” Chew Mun Yew, head of UOB Private Bank, said in a statement. “In the Asia-Pacific region, up to $6 trillion worth of assets are expected to be transferred to the next generation by 2030, with financial hubs Singapore and Hong Kong being the key hubs facilitating these wealth flows.”

The programme helps UHNW families to handle wealth transitions confidently.

The programme examined topics such as how to use AI and what that means for leading businesses and managing wealth, as well as the ethics of using such technology. Participants listened to experts explain how they have run multi-generational firms and handled family business dynamics.

Private banks are keen to engage with offspring of UHNW clients to ensure that they retain a significant chunk of this business at a time when younger people might be keen to review how they manage business and finance. Bank of Singapore, part of OCBC, a rival Singapore-headquartered group, has run a Next Gen programme since 2012. Citi Wealth, UBS, DBS and other banks are keen to engage with this cohort. Citi Private Bank, for example, runs a Next Gen wealth programme, partnering with places such as Cambridge University in the UK, Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US, and Singularity University (to look at new innovations and other changes.)

The programme also benefited from a global research initiative at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School, known as The Ownership Project 2.0: Private Capital Owners & Impact, UOB said.

Led by Dr Bridget Kustin, director of this research initiative, a programme session was anchored on research on private capital ownership and family business impact.

“Family enterprise is a backbone of global business activity. Family owners’ inherent interest in legacy, community, and intergenerational time frames for value creation favour responsible ownership,” Dr Kustin said.

Participants also had a chance to experience the academic and cultural heritage of Oxford, staying at St Edmund Hall and engaging with individuals at Saïd Business School, Magdalen College, and Balliol College. They also visited locations such as the UK’s Founders Factory, a startup hub.

Participants in the programme, as shown in Oxford.

Separately, see this story for the first-half 2025 financial results of parent group UOB.