Guest collaborator: Dominique Nelson (MBA ’26) President of the MBA Family Business Club The Legacy & Future Family Business Conference grew out of an amazing experience shared by a group of IESE MBA students, all members of the Family Business Club. In March, more than twenty of us traveled to Harvard Business School for the […]
EVENT November 15: Family Business Legacy and Future Conference
On Saturday, November 15, IESE will host its first student-led conference on family business, organized by members of the MBA Family Business Club. Under the theme “Legacy and Future,” the event will gather family business leaders, investors, experts and MBA students to explore succession planning, governance frameworks and purpose-driven growth strategies, among other issues. The […]
Longchamp, leadership guided by family values
Building on our previous article on the strategic importance of family values, this week we offer the real-life case of Longchamp, a family business that has successfully translated its core values into a competitive advantage. Founded in Paris in 1948, the company is led by Jean Cassegrain, a third-generation member of a family that has […]
Annual Report 2024-25
Between academic sessions, new research, conferences and ongoing dialogue with all of you, the Chair of Family-Owned Business made significant strides over the past academic year. We hope you enjoy our Annual Report 2024-25, a showcase of our most important achievements over the academic year in support of the owners, leaders and collaborators of family […]
1 in 3 family offices in Spain will face a generational shift over the next 10 years
According to the “Discovering to the Spanish family office” by OpenWealth (Grupo CaixaBank) and finReg360, 35% of family offices in Spain will face a generational shift over the next 10 years, making a solid succession plan essestial to ensuring their long-term success and sustainability. One in three family offices in Spain will be facing a […]
EVENT IESE-IEF on May 30: “Key Moments in the Evolution of Family Business”
Don’t miss the 2nd IESE-IEF Forum for Reflection! Mark your calendar for May 30, when we will convene leaders, experts and scholars on IESE’s Barcelona campus to debate the key moments that define the future and continuity of family businesses. If you are an owner, executive or collaborator of a family-owned firm, be sure to […]
WHAT’S NEW: Corporate culture, your secret sauce for strategic success
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Even though this business quote is cited often, organizations still seem to struggle with making practical sense of it. For family-owned firms, investing in corporate culture is a strategically savvy move—and one that family businesses are uniquely positioned to make. Your secret sauce for strategic success Homepage image: Walls.io on […]
NEWS: Smarties candy, 75 years of sweet success
Liz Dee, co-president of the New Jersey-based candy company Smarties, shares how her family-owned business maintains authenticity and relevance in a crowded marketplace, as well as the leadership advice she chose to ignore. Her Company Makes an Iconic 75-Year-Old Candy Popular for Halloween. Ignoring This ‘Bad’ Leadership Advice She Received Helps Drive Its Success […]
NEWS: Mango faces challenges in leadership succession and future direction
Following the sudden passing of Isak Andic, the founder and non-executive chairman of Mango, the Spanish fashion multinational faces its most critical challenges since its establishment in 1984. Following death of founder: Challenges Mango now faces in leadership succession and future direction Homepage image: Mango
NEWS: The role of parenting styles in family firms
Much has been written about the challenges of separating personal and professional roles in family-owned firms, but instilling family values and leadership qualities begins even earlier. This article presents findings from a recent study of 119 successors serving as CEOs in their family firms and 145 employees working directly with them to identify which parenting […]
