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 […]
NEWS: The messy Murdoch succession drama, explained
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp is navigating a court case that will impact the company’s future by determining how its voting shares will be divided among his four eldest children. The outcome of the succession process could have major implications for his media empire, as well as its role in shaping U.S. and global politics. The […]
Our mission: offering integral support for family-owned firms
It is both an honor and a privilege to serve as the new holder of IESE’s Chair of Family-Owned Business, which in 1987 became the first of its kind in Europe. Deep ties to family business Throughout the years, the Chair has witnessed profound shifts in the global business landscape while remaining true to its […]
2023-24 Annual Report
As another academic year winds down, we are pleased to share our 2023-24 Annual Report, a showcase of the Chair’s ongoing efforts to serve the global family-business community. On a personal note, this post also marks my last as the holder of the Chair of Family-Owned Business. Starting September 2024, Prof. Álvaro San Martín will […]
NEWS: Carlos March Delgado resigns as chairman of the board of Banca March
Carlos March Delgado has stepped down as the chairman of the board of Banca March at the age of 78 after serving as the longest-serving chairman of a Spanish bank (1974-2015). Learn more about his long and brilliant professional career (article in Spanish): Carlos March Delgado announces his resignation as chairman of the board of […]
Times of change and opportunity are coming for Spain’s family-owned firms
* This article originally appeared in the newspaper “Expansión” on May 4, 2024 under the title “Llegan tiempos de mudanza y oportunidad para la empresa familiar.” Family firms require solid corporate governance in order to maintain their relevance as engines of growth and employment. Spain’s corporate world has garnered global media attention in recent weeks […]
