The Family Business Association of Madrid (ADEFAM) was created to support and defend the interests of family businesses in the Autonomous Community of Madrid. On April 8, IESE had the great honor of receiving an ADEFAM Award in recognition of its “complete entrepreneurial ecosystem in which they provide the advice, contacts, financing and research necessary […]
Design, management and dynamics of successful strategic alliances
Guest contributor: África Ariño Professor of Strategic Management · Holder of the Joaquim Molins Figueras Chair of Strategic Alliances · IESE As explored in the first article in this series on the conclusions drawn at the Family Business Reflection Forum, strategic alliances enable two or more companies to share resources and capabilities to either undertake […]
Women in family business
Around the world, women are increasingly taking charge of their family businesses and reaching breakthrough levels of success. In many cases, they are the first generation of women to take the reins from older male relatives. With International Women’s Day around the corner, this New York Times article about daughters of family vineyards is especially […]
Inditex, Mango and H&M join forces for the circular economy
Spain’s fashion heavyweights have joined forces to promote the circular economy. Inditex, Decathlon, H&M, Ikea, Kiabi, Mango and Tendam recently created a new association to manage textile and footwear waste generated in the Spanish market. The initiative offers a good exmple of family businesses coming together for the common good. Alianza entre Inditex, Mango y […]
Leschaco, bridging borders since 1879
Constantin Conrad (MBA-18) and Charlotte Conrad Palermo (PMD-23) share their experiences as third-generation leaders of the Leschaco Group, a global logistics service provider with operations in 24 countries and €1.2 billion in annual revenues. The origins of our family business date back to the late 1940s, when our grandfather Herbert Conrad joined Lexzau Scharbau as […]
Cottet Óptica, serving customers since 1902
Javier Cottet is the president of Cottet Óptica, a family-owned Spanish firm that traces its roots to the late 1800s in industrial France. In 2019, the company revitalized its business model with a more brand-centric and innovation-driven approach. I got my official start in the family business as an intern in the early 1990s, and […]
McKinsey: 4+5 equals FOB outperformance
Recent research by McKinsey confirms the adaptability, resilience and impact of family-owned firms, whose structures and best practices leave them uniquely equipped to navigate business challenges in uncertain times. According to the authors, family firms that combine four critical mindsets with five strategic actions have the capacity to quadruple their business value in the next […]
5 tips for working in your family business
After years of working alongside her parents, Parima Ijaz founded her own company as an extension of the original business. In this Forbes article, she offers five insights for people who are contemplating joining the family firm, including the importance of confidence, humility and a collaborative approach. Tips For Working With Family and Continuing Your […]
Family firms see their largest growth increase in 15 years
Family-owned firms reported their largest growth increase in 15 years according to the 11th PwC Global Family Business Survey, carried out across 82 countries between October 2022 and January 2023. Strong values, employee communication and digital capabilities are among the traits shared by top-performing family firms. PwC Global Family Business Survey Homepage image: Jonathan […]
How family firms are guiding the sustainability journey
Stakeholder capitalism has gone mainstream with the rise of the sustainability agenda. For family businesses, the fundamentals of shared value are well-known and woven throughout the family capitalism business model. As explored in the newly released KMPG report “A Road Well-Traveled,” family businesses have a unique opportunity to take a leadership role in guiding others […]
