management

Kathaka is a single-family office deploying capital and strategic resources into investment and philanthropic endeavours, but Caroline Rupert, its founder and chairwoman, says the name has a deeper meaning—Kathaka in Sanskrit means, ‘One who tells a story’.

There is careful planning involved at every stage of the business life-cycle, such as launching new product lines, entering new markets and moving into adjacent industries. An owner-managed business would be adept at managing such transitions, and the rigorous planning that precedes them.

Why is it then, that a different logic should apply when faced with the question of planning for succession to the family business?

Growth equity is focused on the space between venture capital and traditional private equity. Investments are made often as a large minority stake into companies at earlier stages with proven product/market fit, that are unprofitable or structurally profitable.

Two-headed leadership can be defined as the capacity or art of leading a joint venture with two leaders who have equal conditions with respect to responsibility and participation in terms of decision-making power.

Two-headed leadership is often the formula chosen by second and third generations to oversee and run a family company. However, for this type of joint leadership to work effectively, specific attributes are required that tend to be uncommon in family organisations.