$1 Bn Pact to Launch Digital Real‑World Asset Platform

Charles Group has entered a $1 billion strategic partnership with the US-based Patel Family Office to co-develop a digital investment platform targeting real estate and infrastructure assets across the UK, GCC, India and the SAARC region. The memorandum of understanding, signed at the Global Wealth Conference 2025 hosted by the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute at London’s Mansion House, was finalised in the Egyptian Hall and witnessed by over 40 global asset allocators, including more than 20 sovereign wealth funds representing approximately $5 trillion in capital.

The platform aims to offer compliant, cross-border channels for sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors and family offices. It envisions a pipeline spanning UK, Gulf Cooperation Council nations, SAARC countries and India, with the United States-based technology partner providing underlying digital infrastructure. Charles Group’s chairman and managing director, Jose Charles Martin, described the initiative as a step toward making real-world assets more accessible, transparent and scalable. Dipika Patel, chairwoman of Patel Family Office, said the initiative leverages family capital to support institutional-grade innovation.

The agreement was signed in the presence of prominent figures, including Lord Dominic Johnson of Lainston CBE, former UK Minister of Investment, Sir Brandon Lewis CBE, former UK cabinet minister and VEON board member, and Bhupesh Nagarajan, senior managing director at SWFI Middle East. The first transaction announced at this year’s conference has been hailed as a milestone, signalling growing alignment between sovereign wealth allocators and private capital towards digitally-native real estate and infrastructure strategies.

Patel Family Office carries a 70-year legacy, originating in hospitality and expanding into over 400 hotel properties across the US, alongside ventures in multifamily housing, healthcare and fintech. Its commitment to sustainability and social equity complements the Charles Group’s ambition to bridge traditional real estate with emerging infrastructure solutions.

Industry analysts cite increasing institutional interest in tokenisation and digital real-world asset ecosystems, especially amid ongoing global capital fragmentation and regulatory divergence. An executive at SWFI noted that aligning digital platforms with compliant, cross-jurisdictional frameworks is vital for unlocking institutional inflows. The platform’s emphasis on UK and GCC jurisdictions aligns with investor preferences seen during other global wealth events.

For Charles Group, this collaboration marks a deliberate pivot from its roots in industrial and commercial holdings in India to a global capital allocator role. The firm now seeks to position itself at the centre of digital RWA innovation, targeting institutional investors and sovereign capital. The Patel Family Office, now firmly embedded in global infrastructure and real estate frameworks, broadens its footprint beyond US hospitality into broader asset classes and geographies.

London’s Mansion House, one of the UK’s most historic venues, hosted the signing on June 18, underlining the event’s prestige and strategic importance. Both parties emphasised long-term global ambitions, hinting at future expansion beyond initial target regions, possibly incorporating Southeast Asia and Europe.