The ultra high net worth unit of Wells Fargo said it is developing a more targeted strategy to meet the needs of family offices.

Abbot Downing has named Joe Freeman as head of its newly-created family office services group - a move designed to ensure that family offices can access Wells Fargo's products and services in a “One Wells Fargo” approach, the firm said.

Freeman was most recently Abbot Downing's Mid-Atlantic regional managing director and in his new role will coordinate an “integrated cross-platform family office strategy” and oversee the division's custody services.

"Whether family offices need treasury management, private banking or insurance solutions, we want to make it easy for them to navigate across Wells Fargo," said Jim Steiner, president of Abbot Downing. "As family offices become increasingly sophisticated, they can also benefit from Wells Fargo's pre-IPO investing or international services."

Freeman has led the Mid-Atlantic Abbot Downing practice for five years, overseeing a team of relationship managers, planners, private bankers and investment specialists. In his 25 years with Wells Fargo, he previously served as a relationship manager, investment strategist and trust officer.   

Abbot Downing confirmed that it will not be replacing Freeman's former role. "We will be going from the five regions we have to four, combining the Mid-Atlantic with the Southeast that is led by Matt Robertson, regional managing director," the firm said. 

Freeman now reports to Steiner.

Abbot Downing has $38 billion in client assets and is the world’s 11th-largest family office based on assets, according to the 2015 Bloomberg Markets survey.