Ultra-wealthy line up major portfolio shifts as Iran shock drives global reset

Ultra-high-net-worth families are seeking to rebalance up to 15–20% of their portfolios as the Iran conflict disrupts energy markets and accelerates a broader realignment of the global economic system, according to wealth managers.

Demand for Family Office structures is rising sharply globally as clients move to execute complex, cross-border changes.

deVere Group reports a surge in activity within its Family Office division as clients seek to restructure portfolios, jurisdictions and governance frameworks in response to both immediate market stress and longer-term geopolitical fragmentation.

The move reflects a sharp escalation in both cyclical and structural risks. Oil prices above $100, following the removal of roughly 10 million barrels per day of supply through the Strait of Hormuz, are feeding directly into inflation expectations and currency volatility.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has described the disruption as the largest oil supply shock in modern history, underscoring the scale of the impact.

At the same time, a new global economic order is taking shape. Globalisation is reversing into regional trade blocs, with the US, China and aligned economies increasingly operating in parallel systems.

Supply chains are being re-engineered through near-shoring and friend-shoring, prioritising security over cost.

Industrial policy is expanding rapidly, with governments directing capital into energy, defence, semiconductors and AI and tech.

Sanctions regimes are widening, capital controls are tightening in parts of the world, and cross-border investment is becoming more politically conditional.

Elevated sovereign debt levels are limiting fiscal flexibility, while currency markets are becoming more sensitive to geopolitical alignment, including growing questions around long-term dollar dominance.

“This is a system shock,” says Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group. “You have a material energy supply disruption and a structural shift toward fragmentation happening at the same time.

“Ultra-high-net-worth families are increasingly considering moving double-digit portions of portfolios because they see a world dividing into competing economic systems.”

Demand for defensive positioning has increased rapidly. deVere Family Office reports a sharp rise in planned allocations to energy, commodities and inflation-linked instruments, alongside a significant increase in currency hedging activity.

“Hedging demand has accelerated within weeks,” explains the CEO.

“Clients are reducing vulnerability to currencies tied to energy import shocks or geopolitical risk. The focus is preserving real wealth in a system where inflation and volatility are likely to stay elevated.”

The scale and complexity of the shift is driving increased reliance on family office capabilities, particularly for clients with multi-jurisdictional exposure.

“Clients are not just reallocating assets; they’re restructuring how those assets are owned, where they are held and how decisions are made.

“This requires coordinated oversight across jurisdictions, tax frameworks and investment strategies, especially as capital movement becomes more politicised and regulatory scrutiny increases.”

deVere reports a growing pipeline of restructuring activity, including trust reconfiguration, holding company adjustments and jurisdictional rebalancing.

“Timelines are compressing,” Nigel Green says. “What used to be multi-year planning is now being prepared and executed in phases over months. Clients are acting ahead of further fragmentation in trade, capital flows and regulation.”

The repositioning reflects a dual dynamic: an immediate energy shock and a deeper shift in the global economic model.

The disruption to oil supply is reinforcing inflation risks and weighing on growth expectations, while a more fragmented system—characterised by competing trade blocs, restricted capital flows, strategic resource competition and state-led industrial policy—is redefining how capital moves.

“Diversification is being rewritten,” Nigel Green says. “It’s now about how assets behave across different political and economic systems, not just markets.

“Family offices are central to that because they allow clients to structure exposure with precision across those systems.”

Capital is increasingly being directed toward jurisdictions offering legal certainty, liquidity and political stability, while maintaining multi-jurisdictional frameworks to preserve flexibility and access across blocs.

Investment focus is also shifting toward sectors positioned to benefit from structural change.

 Energy infrastructure, logistics and supply chain assets are attracting sustained interest, alongside AI and tech platforms supporting regional production and automation. Private credit demand in these areas is rising as traditional financing tightens.

“Energy, logistics, supply chains and strategic tech are where the global system is being rebuilt.”

The shift is also accelerating succession and governance planning, with families bringing forward decisions to ensure wealth remains protected and transferable across generations.

“We’re seeing generational planning brought forward at pace,” Nigel Green says.

“Wealth structures are being strengthened to ensure assets can move, adapt and endure regardless of how geopolitical conditions evolve.”

The firm also reiterates the principle underpinning its Family Office division.

“Our commitment is to safeguard and grow each client’s legacy with integrity, transparency and dedicated care, ensuring it endures for generations to come,” Nigel Green says.

Wealth managers expect the trend to continue as geopolitical risks remain elevated, and the global system becomes more complex.

“The Iran conflict is the catalyst,” concludes the deVere CEO. “The bigger shift is a new global economic order defined by fragmentation, state intervention, and strategic competition.

“Ultra-high-net-worth families are positioning for that reality now.”