Thought Leadership

The lost generation?

Family businesses traditionally pull together to survive a crisis, but the dramatic impact of the pandemic has brought even the strongest to their knees. They will have to develop new skills to adapt and survive, write Peter Vogel, Patrick Reinmoeller and Karl Schmedders.

Friend or foe? How philanthropy can make or break a reputation

Lessons from the Notre Dame fire on how not to engage in philanthropy.

How family businesses can inspire the next generation of philanthropists

Storytelling can help make sense of a family's giving strategy and onboard younger generations.

How cohesive giving inspires greater impact and stronger families

Fostering synergies across family philanthropy, CSR initiatives and sustainability enhances impact and credibility in response to COVID-19’s reminder about the power of community.

NEW BOOK - Family Philanthropy Navigator

By IMD Professor Peter Vogel, IMD research fellow Malgorzata Kurak and Wise Managing Partner Etienne Eichenberger

The inspirational guide for philanthropic families on their giving journey

The Family Philanthropy Navigator offers an easy-to-use, step-by-step inspirational guide for new and existing philanthropic families to initiate or enhance their journey in giving.

IMD, 2020

Three factors to consider before creating a family office

Our research has identified three main reasons why setting up a family office can help to foster an effective family enterprise system. Understanding how these different factors resonate for your family will help you establish the right family office model.

From Safety, Through Sustainability to Stewardship: The Triple-S journey of Jebsen & Jessen Family Enterprise

In the world of CoVID-19’s crisis, many companies are running after repairing their financials, temporarily forgetting about their north star: purposeful leadership. They become torn between economic goals and stewardship goals.

Ensure your family business is fit for purpose in a post-COVID world

Many family businesses have inherent strengths that promote longevity and stability. But how can they evolve to survive as the world grows ever more complex and uncertain?

Daughters in charge: A lesson for enterprising families

Family business succession (both leadership and ownership) is a complex and typically once-in-a-lifetime event. A whole host of emotional, financial and material challenges come into play.

A healthy family enterprise is a balancing act

It is estimated that family-controlled businesses make up approximately two-thirds of the world’s businesses. Their impact on global GDP and job creation is commensurate with this statistic. And yet, only 30% of family-owned businesses make it through the second generation.

Nationalism: the even greater risk of the COVID-19 crisis?

In times where many of us feel like the world is coming to an end, Professor Peter Vogel makes a call for more philanthropic action.

How philanthropists can harness data to make the world a better place

Just as John D. Rockefeller and Henry Ford did nearly a century ago, business leaders today, including Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett, are leading a new golden age of philanthropy to address some of the world’s most important challenges.

Family business: A voice for change in sustainability

Family firms hold a unique position in advancing the sustainability agenda. As businesses that have been forged with future generations in mind, they constantly balance performance against legacy and this crucial equilibrium is central to sustainability.

Climeworks (A): A visionary business to help stop climate change

Christoph Gebald and Jan Wurzbacher founded Zurich-based start-up Climeworks in 2009 based on technology they had developed, which they claimed would help slow the massive challenge of climate change by capturing CO2 directly from the air.

Climeworks (B): Business modeling - creating new market opportunities

Climeworks took a multipronged approach when seeking markets for its end product: emissions reversal, beverages and fuel.

The past, present and future of Chinese philanthropy

For centuries, philanthropy flourished in China, taking its inspiration from the values and beliefs of Confucianism, Taoism, or Buddhism. However, charitable giving grew less common with the introduction of communism to China.

Firmenich receives first IMD-Pictet Sustainability in Family Business Award

Firmenich, the world’s largest privately held perfume and taste company, has won the inaugural IMD-Pictet Sustainability in Family Business Award for its outstanding efforts to embed responsible practices and purpose throughout its ecosystem.

Finessing the Family Enterprise

What defines a ‘family business’? Peter Vogel, Professor of Family Business and Entrepreneurship, holder of the Debiopharm Chair for Family Philanthropy and Director of the Global Family Business Centre at IMD, the Swiss business school, mentions that this is sometimes not straight-forward to answer and that you might get somewhat different answers depending on who you ask.

IMD builds on its reputation as a centre for family enterprise excellence

“The first family business program was started at IMD, and we want to build on those strong foundations, but at the same time grow in other areas,” says Peter Vogel ...

Dachser wins the 2019 IMD Global Family Business Award

Dachser, a family enterprise founded in 1930 and headquartered in Kempten, Germany, was awarded the 24th Annual IMD Global Family Business Award, sponsored by Pictet, at the 30th Summit of The Family Business Network (FBN) in Udaipur, India.

How a 350-year old family-owned bank uses philanthropy to benefit its business and society

C. Hoare & Co.’s deep commitment to philanthropy shows up in everything from on-boarding new employees to the boardroom.

Propelling family enterprises toward the future: IMD center of excellence names new Director Peter Vogel

IMD Professor of Family Business and Entrepreneurship Peter Vogel has taken up the Directorship of the IMD Global Family Business Center.

De Agostini: Repurposing the business & the family

MILAN (ITALY), SEPTEMBER 2018. The Strategic Lab at De Agostini, part strategic think-tank and part assessment tool for the next-generation talent of the Drago-Boroli family, owners of De Agostini, was brainstorming the future direction of the diversified, family-owned group.

Lessons from Orchestrating Winning Performance 2019

Improving your life and finding meaning in your work, leadership in a digital age, new innovators from China, philanthropy, mindfulness – quite a diverse range of topics for a business school, but one that forms the core of IMD learnings; It is the sum of all these parts that make for a true business leader– one with a heart and not just a mind.

IMD business school and Pictet join forces to launch the IMD-Pictet Sustainability in Family Business Award

IMD, an independent business school, with Swiss roots and global reach, and Pictet, one of Europe’s leading independent wealth and asset managers, have joined forces to celebrate family-owned businesses that stand out in their work and commitment towards sustainability.

Could Blockchain revolutionize philanthropy?

Innovative giving and taking

From Single Business to Portfolio of Businesses: When does the family business become a business family?

By Marta Widz & Professor Benoît Leleux

Marta Widz and Benoît Leleux illustrate the strategic transformation from single to multiple business family portfolios by analyzing two cases where the transformations shared stunning similarities.

The Asian Family Succession Challenge

Succession planning in family businesses is often not prioritized until it is too late.

Why family businesses are better equipped to deal with a fractured world

By Professor Denise H. Kenyon-Rouvinez

Short-termism is failing

The digital tsunami: How it impacts your business

By Professor Georges Haour and Professor Peter Vogel and Karine Avagyan

Opportunities and challenges of the digital revolution

De Agostini: Transforming the business and the family

By Professor Benoit F. Leleux and Marta Widz

Insights from the winner of the 2018 IMD Global Family Business Award

23rd Annual IMD Global Family Business Award, sponsored by Pictet

De Agostini Group, a firm first established in Rome in 1901 and now headquartered in Novara and Milan, was awarded the 23rd annual IMD Global Family Business Award, sponsored by Pictet, at the 29th Summit of the Family Business Network International (FBN-I) in Venice, Italy.

In the field with Coronilla

By Professor Benoit F. Leleux and Anouk Lavoie Orlick

Repositioning without losing the family culture and its values

Beyond business

By Professor Peter Vogel and Malgorzata Kurak

Three reasons why philanthropy is important to enterprising families.

Lessons on Governance: Pruning the Tree or Inclusion

By Marta Widz & Professor Benoît Leleux

Two families – the Jebsens and the Jessens – always stayed in full control of their joint destiny through a strong wish to also stay private and financially independent.1

International Women’s Day - how are women faring in family business?

By Professor Denise Kenyon-Rouvinez and additional IMD professors

To mark this occasion, members of the IMD Community share their visions of the challenges society faces related to gender, technology and the future of work.

Trends in family philanthropy

By Professor Peter Vogel

The world of philanthropy is re-organizing itself and this 3rd philanthropic revolution is fully underway, driven by forward-thinking entrepreneurs and facilitated by technology.

Innovation & sustainability: Become the change you wish to see

By Professor Denise Kenyon-Rouvinez

The Westermann and Tøpholm families have always been dedicated to the continual improvement of technology to enhance people’s quality of life, so maintaining their traditional values and the relentless quest for technological breakthroughs are disciplines that go hand-in-hand.

Pentland Group: A family of brands

By Professor Benoit F. Leleux with Marta Widz

Lessons from the winner of the 2017 IMD Global Family Business Award: receiving one of the most prestigious accolades for "excellence in family business" was a memorable moment for Andy Rubin, third generation family shareholder and chairman of Pentland Brands – the brand management division of Pentland Group plc.

Who is the perfect successor?

By Professor Denise Kenyon-Rouvinez

Should the successor be from inside or outside the company? How to develop a sustainable succession plan? Denise Kenyon-Rouvinez interviewed by Expansion (Spain - article in Spanish)

Why family philanthropy will gain importance in resolving today’s challenges

By Professor Peter Vogel

While charitable giving has been around for a long time, philanthropy in the form we know it today is a comparatively new phenomenon.

British house of brands Pentland Group plc awarded the 2017 IMD Global Family Business Award

Pentland Group plc, a family firm first established in Liverpool and now headquartered in London, was awarded the 22nd annual IMD Global Family Business Award at the 28th Summit of the Family Business Network International (FBN-I) in Gran Canaria, Spain.

Secrets of success in long-lasting family firms

By Professor Denise Kenyon-Rouvinez

Only a small minority of highly successful business-owning families have exceled and thrived through several generations. Discover the 4 principles for successful long-lasting family firms.

What private banks need to do to drive the future of wealth management

By Professor Denise H. Kenyon-Rouvinez with Enrica Sighinolfi

Collaborative bank and FinTech partnerships to support mutual growth

Jebsen & Jessen Family Enterprise: Masters of entrepreneurial partnerships

By Professor Benoit F. Leleux with Marta Widz

Receiving one of the most prestigious accolades for "excellence in family business" was a memorable moment for Hans Michael Jebsen and Heinrich Jessen – the two principal shareholders of Jebsen & Jessen Family Enterprise who gathered in Suzhou, China last November to be presented the IMD-Lombard Odier Global Family Business Award.