Publications
Publications
- May 2025
- HBS Case Collection
The Micro-Family Office: Aamir Rehman
By: Lauren Cohen and Sophia Pan
Abstract
With a successful career and strong academic credentials, Aamir Rehman sought to design a life grounded in autonomy. For him, this meant serving on boards, continuing his professorship, and ensuring a secure and comfortable life for his family. While he didn’t possess a billionaire’s fortune, Rehman had accumulated a net asset value of $8.6 million—an amount he believed was more than sufficient to support his family’s lifestyle, especially as he and his partner continued working in their own professional roles. Rather than outsourcing full control to a private bank or wealth advisor, Rehman established what he referred to as a “Micro-Family Office.” Through this model, he hired part-time professionals to help design and oversee his investment strategy, allowing for personalized oversight without the cost and scale of a traditional family office. As he refined this structure, Rehman noticed that few of his peers (many of whom shared similar career paths) had taken this approach. That prompted a broader question: Was this model replicable and sustainable for others in his position? And more critically, could it withstand economic uncertainty and evolving family needs over time?
Keywords
Family Office; Organization Design; Family And Friends; Family; Balance; Stability; Trends And Opportunities; Wealth Management; Family Business; Investment; Financial Strategy; Personal Finance; Investment Portfolio; Private Equity; Organizational Design; Family and Family Relationships; Happiness; Satisfaction; Balance and Stability; Human Capital; Compensation and Benefits; Economy; Trends; Business Model; New Jersey; United States
Citation
Cohen, Lauren, and Sophia Pan. "The Micro-Family Office: Aamir Rehman." Harvard Business School Case 225-089, May 2025.