Governance
Succession and the single child
This week has seen a spate of bad - and in one case tragic - stories involving the children of wealthy…
The Heineken formula: luck and longevity
Family businesses are never short of people telling them how to ensure succession goes smoothly, but…
What exactly does Ingvar Kamprad own?
When the founder of IKEA disagreed with a Swiss magazine about his worth, it might have seemed a trivial…
Who really controls a family business? Ask Sika’s managers
The family owners of Swiss engineering and manufacturing firm Sika have sold the business without asking…
Family members vs family business
Research about the composition of European family business boards shows that they are dominated by family…
In praise of heirs
People often talk about business founders, the buccaneering entrepreneurs, as heroes.
Lessons from Swedish family firms
Sweden is home to a multitude of excellent mid-market family-owned firms, many of them unknown outside…
The tragedy of Espirito Santo? It was as bad as other banks
Portuguese bank Espirito Santo, which collapsed in the summer, is now being investigated for money-laundering.
Ana Botin and the Goldilocks point
The new head of Santander might have ruffled some feathers with her changes to the board, but jettisoning…
Why pasta plus tumble-driers equals a happy family
That way you get exposure to many sectors and geographies, and hopefully the family can live off profits…
The News Corp rebels are right (but not for the reason they think)
Shareholders in Rupert Murdoch's News Corp have rebelled over the company's controversial dual-class…
Family businesses love the Buffett way
Warren Buffett has a penchant for family businesses, and the culture of Berkshire Hathaway seems to fit…
German firm shows how to get entrepreneurship right
When the fourth-generation member of a German accounting firm set up his own travel business he might…