What does it take for a family business to survive not just one generation, but ten or more? Across Europe, some family-owned enterprises have endured for centuries, navigating economic crises, technological disruption and changing family dynamics while maintaining their competitive edge.
Yet longevity is far from guaranteed. Many family businesses struggle to survive the transition from founder to successor, often facing challenges that have as much to do with family relationships as business performance.
Drawing on lessons from long-established European family enterprises, CEIBS President Emeritus and Professor of Marketing Dominique Turpin examines what enables family businesses to thrive across generations, the challenges of succession, growth and governance, and what family businesses in developing markets can learn from their European counterparts.