2017 – YEAR IN REVIEW

Family Capital looks back at some of the big stories, themes, and developments in 2017

January 11

Six prominent women non-family CEOs at family businesses

Gradually family businesses are hiring women to be their non-family CEO – here are six them

January 19

Corporate venturing – a big opportunity for family businesses/family offices

Corporate venturing is something more family businesses are doing – and it is interesting family offices

February 17

There are more family businesses up for sale than many think

Family businesses having been traditionally against selling to outsiders, but that thinking is changing

February 22

Entrepreneurs are starting businesses to last at least 100 years…and they’re getting VC backing

Not all startups want to sell quick – some want lasting businesses

March 14

One family, eight family offices…and counting

Collectively, this family has more family offices than any other family

March 16

Family Businesses and the Lindy Effect

Could something called the Lindy Effect help to understand why family businesses often survive for so long?

April 13

How family enterprises are changing global capital markets

Privately-controlled businesses are all the rage these days. And much of their popularity is being driven by family enterprises

April 26

What countries are the best and worst places to inherit a family business?

Tax on inheritance is a big indication of where family businesses thrive the most

May 10

Why the next gen should lead the digital transformation of family businesses

A next gen gives his views why

May 30

Few family offices are embracing the blended investment model

Blending investment with philanthropic efforts might sound a smart idea but few family offices are doing so

June 5

What can family offices do about cybercrime? Here are some ideas

Family offices are more vulnerable to cybercrime than many other financial groups, but what can they do to make them less vulnerable?

June 27

The Big Tent Approach: Being Ready, Willing, and Capable to Contribute to Family Enterprise

Most families that have effectively addressed the challenge of engagement pursue what pioneering family business scholar Ken Moores refers to as the “Big Tent” approach…but what exactly is it?

July 5

Quietly backing startups – Europe’s most powerful families

Some of Europe’s wealthiest business dynasties are backing a variety of start-ups around the world

July 26

Don’t try to sell an active managed fund to a family office…you might get this response

“We find they’re not good fiduciaries. They’re in the business of collecting management fees”

August 2

Ten family investment groups committed to impact investing

Family offices are embracing impact investing – here are ten of them

August 14

A new CEO is emerging – as Lego’s latest big hire shows

As the role of family enterprises continues to grow in the world economy, having a senior role at these businesses is shaping a new type of CEO – those that have a proven track record of working with family owners.

September 6

Eponymous family businesses outperform – mostly

Here is an interesting thought to ponder – family businesses that bear the name of their owners outperform those that don’t

September 14

Is there a bubble developing in the private capital market?

There looks to be a bubble growing fast in the world of private capital investing and it could go the same way as the hedge fund industry did after the financial crisis

September 27

How many family offices are there in China? Very few and here’s why

According to Family Capital’s list of 500 family offices, there are only seven from China

October 5

Want to invest in the best family businesses in the world? Try Switzerland

It might come as little surprise given the wealth of the country, but Swiss listed family businesses outperform not only non-family businesses but also family businesses in the rest of the world

October 12

Dual-class shares, family businesses, institutional investors…and Marx

Dual-class stock structures are beneficial for the economy because they allow families to stay in control of their companies while holding just a minority of the economic value of the family company

October 23

European family offices get serious about backing startups

Reluctant in the past, European family offices and family groups are now increasingly backing startups

November 1

A great example of entrepreneurship from the grandest of families

Whether true or not, blue bloods in America and aristocrats in Europe have a reputation of blowing fortunes – but not all of them

November 15

The world’s best CEO runs a family business – his example is influencing others

Pablo Isla, the CEO of Inditex, has just been nominated as the best boss in the world by the Harvard Business Review

November 30

Five family offices offer their thoughts on investing in 2018

Family Capital spoke to investment principals at five single-family offices about what they will be keeping an eye on in 2018

December 5

Some thoughts on crypto investing for family offices

Cryptocurrencies and initial coin offerings are stirring up a lot of interest among investors and family offices – here are some thoughts from an investor