Leadership and People Management
I recently read Sarah Wynn-Williams’ fascinating book about her role as Director of Public Policy for Facebook. Upon its publication, Careless People gained further publicity given that Facebook promised to take legal action—so I was very curious what would await me. Clearly, there is always subjectivity in how a single employee perceives a firm and…
Family Business
On May 30, we welcomed nearly 200 owners and leaders of family-owned firms to our Barcelona campus for the 2nd annual IESE-IEF Family Business Forum for Reflection. Under the theme “Building the Future: Key Moments in the Evolution of the Family Business,” the event featured a roster of top-caliber speakers from diverse companies and industries,…
Family Business
The phenomenom of financial activism has broadened its reach, no longer reserved for U.S.-based companies or large multinationals. More and more, activist funds–especially hedge funds–are buying stakes in companies they consider “mismanaged” or under-optimized, aiming to force changes in their strategy and governance, and in some cases, even their shareholder structure. Hedge funds and family…
Family Business
When I meet a business family, I usually start by asking about their values. With one notable exception, when my query was answered with a portfolio of stock market investments–naturally I had to redirect the conversation–most open up by sharing their personal values and those they hold as a family. In my dealings with successful,…
