Based on the voices of 1,132 Elite entrepreneurs handling a total net worth of USD18.2 billion, spanning 19 countries across Europe, Asia, the United States and the Middle East, this exclusive report offers a deep-dive into the private investments of the most successful international entrepreneurs for 2019.

KEY FINDINGS

Equities and their own business are entrepreneurs’ top portfolio allocations, at 38% of investable wealth

In the face of persistent macroeconomic uncertainty, entrepreneurs have maintained their 2018 allocations but increased their exposure to their owned businesses in the last 12 months to 19%. ‘Ultrapreneurs’ (with more than USD25 million in liquid assets) place an even higher tranche with their own business (27%), which rises to a third of portfolios in China (35%) and Singapore (33%).

More than half of global entrepreneurs do not view real estate or cash as risky asset classes

Across the world, entrepreneurs say that they do not perceive real estate to represent much risk in their portfolios. Boomerpreneurs – 63% of whom do not find real estate risky – allocate the highest proportion of their investable wealth to the combined asset class of cash and real estate.

70% of entrepreneurs globally are more willing to invest sustainably than 18 months ago

In fact, three quarters (75%) of Millennipreneurs are now more interested in sustainable investments than at the start of 2018. Almost half (46%) of the global audience have invested some of their wealth sustainably.

58% believe sustainable investing requires a long-term sacrifice of returns

35% expect some (single-digit) long-term sacrifice, while 23% assume a significant (double-digit) difference in performance over five years.

European entrepreneurs are twice as likely as those in the US and Asia to be concerned by current equities valuations

 65% of Ultrapreneurs who actively monitor their portfolios are assessing the impact of global stock market volatility on their wealth; 43% feel threatened by the impact of currency fluctuations (rising to a majority in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and the UK). That said, many also see opportunity for their diverse business interests.

As a result of low interest rates, 39% are now planning to invest more in their own businesses

Female entrepreneurs are more likely than men to say the interest rate environment is fuelling their commercial and personal wealth activities. A third (33%) of Serialpreneurs, who have founded at least four businesses, are more moved to invest in other privately owned ventures.