In our latest Investing Analyst column, Jean-Baptiste Andrieux, investment trust research analyst at Kepler Partners, picks his top multi-asset options for holding shares, bonds, private companies and more around the world.As a child, I toyed with the idea of becoming a chef. While I never took any steps to fulfil that ambition, I still have an interest in cooking. But what I see as an enjoyable pastime, many others regard as a chore. Cooking your own meals can be incredibly time-consuming and some people prefer ready-made options to save the stress.There is a parallel with investing. Not everyone has the time or inclination to learn how to select assets, build a portfolio, and keep up with the markets. But there are solutions for those with no aspiration to become the next Warren Buffett – what we call ‘one-stop shops’.These investment products typically hold a collection of funds that specialise in different asset classes (such as stocks and bonds), regions, and investment styles. This results in a ready-made portfolio packaged within a single investment. Investment professionals take care of the day-to-day management, including what to buy and sell, and where to allocate more or less, allowing you to go on with your daily life without needing to make these decisions yourself. Fancy an easy investing life? Pick an investment trust that does it all for you... and relax Why investment trusts pay off for all-in-one investingInvestment trusts are an excellent structure for a ‘one-stop shop’ strategy. The closed-end fund structure (ie having a fixed pool of money) allows them to own assets for a very long time, and to ignore the short-term fluctuations that often characterise stock markets – and as we all know, staying calm and not over-reacting to events can be crucial to long-term performance. The investment trusts structure gives managers time and space to calmly assess events, rather than reacting to every social media post or press article.Investment trusts are also well-suited to owning all kinds of other things that aren’t listed on stock markets.As the recent SpaceX IPO shows, private companies can grow to vast size before going public and it’s not easy for the average investor to access these types of investments. The long-term perspective and ability to participate in a broad variety of investments means it’s not surprising that many of these ‘one-stop shops’ have large family shareholders who have been there over several generations.Ultimately, while each of these investment trusts takes a different approach, they all share the same goal: taking the complexity out of investing. Rather than building and constantly adjusting a portfolio yourself, you can leave those decisions to the professionals.Alliance Witan – the one with many managers Another benefit of investment trusts is that they can 'gear' their portfolio. This means they can borrow money to invest more, which can help boost returns but also amplify losses. That said, stock markets have historically tended to rise over the long term, meaning this feature has worked in favour of patient investors who can tolerate short-term volatility. As such, investment trusts could be attractive for investors looking for ‘one-stop shop’ exposure to listed equities only.Alliance Witan is one of the largest options available for this type of exposure. It is managed by an investment committee responsible for identifying and appointing managers from around the world, each of whom brings a distinct investment style to the table. Each manager is tasked with picking up to 20 companies in which they have the highest conviction. The committee then assembles those ideas to build a balanced portfolio, ensuring it is broadly in line with global markets in terms of country and sector allocation, with the aim of outperforming the market through superior stock selection.That said, the portfolio currently displays more noticeable divergence from the benchmark in terms of regional and sector allocation than usual, with Alliance Witan holding less exposure to North America and the information technology sector. This is because many of the underlying managers have been reducing their exposure to AI-related companies since late 2024. While this has weighed on the trust’s short-term performance, we believe this could prove beneficial if investors’ focus moves away from AI. However, Alliance Witan still maintains some exposure to AI-related companies and could, therefore, capture some of their upside if they continue to dominate market returns, highlighting the benefits of a well-diversified approach.Hansa – the one with a family connectionAn example of a one-stop shop strategy leveraging the flexibility afforded by investment trusts is Hansa Investment Company (Hansa), which aims to generate capital growth through a portfolio blending different types of assets, some with the potential to deliver growth and others offering protective characteristics. It is also worth noting that the Salomon family has owned a significant stake in Hansa for several generations, having helped foster a long-term investment mindset and ensuring alignment with other investors who share a similar focus on growing their wealth in a risk-managed way.The bulk of the portfolio is invested in funds specialising in specific countries or themes, such as Japan or technology. Many of these specialist funds are not typically accessible to retail investors, making Hansa a rare opportunity to benefit from their expertise. The trust also invests directly in individual companies, focusing on high quality businesses that are currently underappreciated by the market – a strategy that has outperformed. Hansa Investment Company's portfolio allocation as at the end of June 2026Hansa also has exposure to private assets. The management team plans to grow this allocation to approximately 20 per cent over time, recognising that companies are increasingly staying private for longer and offering the potential for higher returns. Part of the private assets are invested in venture capital, which gives early access to exciting companies such as OpenAI, the owner of ChatGPT. Hansa also invests in a range of diversifying asset classes, including bonds and hedge funds, designed to offer an element of protection during market sell-offs. The pie chart above shows Hansa’s portfolio allocation as at the end of June 2026. The cash position is slightly higher than normal given the recent combination between Hansa and Ocean Wilson Holdings, but this cash is progressively being invested over time.Hansa is currently trading at around a 40 per cent discount, meaning that investors can buy £1 worth of its underlying investments for around 60p. This offers re-rating potential, meaning shareholders could benefit from the narrowing gap between the trust’s share price and the value of its investments, along with sustained positive NAV performance.Caledonia – the one backing robust private companiesSimilarly to Hansa, Caledonia Investments leverages the flexibility afforded by the investment trust structure to invest in different asset classes, with the aim of building a well-balanced, diversified portfolio that can deliver both capital and income growth. It has also had a family, the Cayzers, as significant stakeholders over many generations, which has contributed to shaping a long-term investment approach and shareholder alignment. Caledonia Investments portfolio at the end of June held a big chunk in private companiesHowever, there are differences in how the two investment trusts approach the market. Caledonia has greater exposure to private assets, notably through its private capital pillar but also through its funds allocation. Indeed, the funds held by Caledonia all invest in private equity, notably in North America and Asia, while the private companies directly held in the private capital pillar are UK-based. The types of listed companies the two trusts invest in directly also differ; Caledonia favours robust companies that can consistently generate profits, benefit from competitive advantages and dominate their markets.