The holding and the deals
The first reason is the holding. A Dutch holding can hold EU shareholdings under the participation exemption. The Netherlands has tax treaties with many countries. Since the register reforms, fewer people can look up the family. See how a holding company works and who sees what. The second reason is distance. European private markets, co-investment networks and bank teams all work in European hours. With a desk in Amsterdam, the family can manage its EU investments actively. See the European satellite desk.
The next generation and daily life
The next generation often studies in the Netherlands. The orientation year lets a graduate stay on after the degree and start a first business: how that works. Daily life matches too: international schools, English everywhere, direct flights home from Schiphol, and a city families enjoy living in. Those everyday things usually decide a relocation: what a household needs.
Families that keep a business, real estate and investments together in one structure use a family office. In the Netherlands, it is set up with a holding company and a foundation that issues depositary receipts (STAK). See a family office in the Netherlands for how this works.
What these desks look like
Most desks are small. There is a holding company, one investment lead and support for governance. There is also enough real presence to support what the family claims. See the substance test. Families with larger investments add more, such as pooling in an FGR, a foundation or a full office. See the family office guide and the Hong Kong version.