Bessemer Trust

What Bessemer Trust does

Bessemer Trust is a privately held, Phipps family–owned private wealth management and multifamily office founded in 1907 by industrialist Henry Phipps. The firm serves approximately 3,000 client relationships of high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, managing $250 billion in assets under supervision with a reported 99% ten-year client asset retention rate. Bessemer operates through a multi-entity legal structure spanning OCC-chartered national banks, state-chartered trust companies, an SEC-registered investment adviser, a FINRA member broker-dealer, and a Cayman Islands Monetary Authority–regulated entity, providing integrated services across seven U.S. jurisdictions (New York, New Jersey, California, Delaware, Nevada, Florida) and the Cayman Islands.

The firm's offering is organized around three core service pillars: Wealth Planning (trust and estate planning, tax and risk management, family and next generation advisory, philanthropy), Investment Management (strategy, customized asset allocation, internal and external portfolio management), and Family Office Services (custody and reporting, private banking, bill payment and accounting, human resource services). Underlying infrastructure includes a secure client portal (client.bessemer.com), comprehensive custody and reporting systems, and digital wealth planning content delivery. The firm complements its services with thought leadership publications including Wealth Planning Perspectives and Advisor Insights, and partners with attorneys, CPAs, real estate advisors, fine art consultants, entertainment managers, and venture capital bankers for client referrals and coordinated service delivery.

Bessemer generates revenue primarily through fee-based, recurring engagements billed annually, with pricing tailored to client complexity, asset levels, and service scope. Its go-to-market relies on direct enterprise sales to wealthy families, professional advisor referrals, and reputation-based client acquisition, with no public API, mobile app, or AI-native product surface. The founding family's continued ownership and status as the firm's largest client aligns management interests with client outcomes, differentiating Bessemer from publicly traded or private equity-backed wealth managers.

Name

Bessemer Trust

Legal name

The Bessemer Group, Incorporated

Website

https://bessemertrust.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Bessemer Trust is a privately held, Phipps family–owned multifamily office founded in 1907, providing integrated wealth planning, investment management, and family office services to approximately 3,000 high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth client relationships across $250 billion in assets under supervision.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Wealth Management

NAICS

Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Open-End Investment Funds (525910)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Trust Administration & Fiduciary Accounting Services (FSAAANAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trust & Fiduciary Advisory for HNW/UHNW (Trust Structuring & Trustee Oversight) (FSAAABAF), Private Client/High-Net-Worth Advisory (FSAEAAAN)

Keywords

• Private wealth management
• Investment management
• Family office services
• Trust and estate planning
• Philanthropy advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Investment Management Services: Bessemer Trust provides comprehensive investment management services including investment strategy and research, customized asset allocation, management of internal and external portfolios, and asset advisory services. Revenue is generated through investment management fees based on assets under supervision.
2. Wealth Planning Services: Services include trust and estate planning, tax and risk management, family and next generation advisory, and philanthropy advisory. These are fee-based services provided as part of comprehensive wealth management.
3. Family Office Services: Comprehensive family office services including custody and reporting, private banking, bill payment and accounting, and human resource services. These are ongoing service engagements with recurring fee structures.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bessemer Trust provides private wealth management services to high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families. Its offerings span investment management, wealth planning (including trust and estate planning, tax and risk management, family and next-generation advisory, and philanthropy), and family office services (custody and reporting, private banking, bill payment and accounting, and human resource services). The firm manages approximately $250 billion in assets under supervision across roughly 3,000 client relationships.

Product overview

Bessemer Trust is a private wealth management and family office firm offering an integrated suite of services centered on three core pillars: Wealth Planning (including trust/estate, tax/risk management, family governance, and philanthropy), Investment Management (strategy, asset allocation, and advisory), and Family Office Services (custody, private banking, accounting, and HR services). The firm complements its service offerings with thought leadership publications including Wealth Planning Perspectives and Advisor Insights, which provide educational content on estate planning, tax law changes, and industry developments. The company serves high-net-worth individuals and families, functioning as a multifamily office with deep expertise in generational wealth preservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wealth Planning
• Investment Management
• Family Office Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% 10-year client asset retention rate
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Professional Advisory PartnerscoreOthersBessemer Trust works closely with attorneys, CPAs, real estate advisors, fine art consultants, entertainment managers, and venture capital bankers as trusted professional partners. These partnerships enable coordinated wealth management services for mutual clients, combining legal, tax, investment, and specialty expertise.
• JAMS (Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services)minorOthersBessemer Trust's Terms and Conditions specify that disputes will be submitted to confidential, binding arbitration administered by JAMS in accordance with its Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bank of America Private Bank: Private banking division of Bank of America serving UHNW clients with investment management, trust, lending, and wealth structuring. Broader scale and cross-sell infrastructure versus Bessemer.
• UBS Wealth Management USA: U.S. arm of UBS Global Wealth Management, the world's largest wealth manager. Serves HNW/UHNW with investment management, lending, and planning; competes directly for Bessemer's client profile.
• J.P. Morgan Private Bank: Global private bank within JPMorgan serving UHNW individuals and families with investment, lending, trust, and banking services. Significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach than Bessemer.
• Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management: Private wealth arm of Goldman Sachs providing investment advisory, banking, and trust services to UHNW families. Comparable client segment and service breadth, with far greater capital markets capabilities.

Direct peers

• Rockefeller Capital Management: Privately held multifamily office and wealth manager serving UHNW families, with heritage tied to the Rockefeller family. Comparable in branding, multi-generational client focus, and integrated wealth offerings.
• Glenmede: Independent, employee-owned wealth manager and multifamily office founded by the Pew family. Highly comparable as a private, family-rooted UHNW firm focused on investment management, trust, and family office services.
• Wilmington Trust (M&T Bank): Wealth advisory and trust company (now part of M&T Bank) historically focused on private wealth, investment management, and fiduciary services for HNW and UHNW clients. Direct competitor in trust and estate services.
• Northern Trust: Public bank with a leading Wealth Management segment providing investment management, trust, and family office services to UHNW clients globally. Direct competitor in the U.S. UHNW trust and family office space.
• Abbot Downing (Wells Fargo): Wells Fargo's ultra-high-net-worth brand providing investment management, trust, banking, and family office services. Comparable in client segment, integrated offerings, and relationship-led delivery.
• Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. Long-standing private partnership bank and trust company providing investment management, private banking, and custody to UHNW families and institutions. Closest comparable by structure, heritage (founded 1818), and exclusive UHNW family focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bessemer-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments4 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bessemer Trust