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reputation

How to give equal opportunities to employees in family businesses?

November 30, 2021

The nature of the family business human capital is complex. Family and non-family employees have the potential to offer unique and distinct contributions to the firm. Yet some human resources practices might be perceived as a preferential treatment to family employees over non-family ones.

This could be detrimental to the reputation of family business, being perceived as socially irresponsible, and potentially limiting their ability to attract qualified nonfamily employees, which could ultimately affect the company’s long-term performance.

From Vincent Massey to Ed Rogers: Canada’s history of family firm feuds rivals Succession

November 26, 2021

In 1925, Vincent Massey, the scion of one of the wealthiest families in Canada, did something that Ed Rogers today would find unthinkable. He quit.

In 1925, Vincent Massey, the scion of one of the wealthiest families in Canada, did something that Ed Rogers today would find unthinkable.

He quit.

Massey (pictured below right) was the fourth-generation heir to his family’s Massey-Harris farm equipment company, then already well on its way to becoming Canada’s first truly global firm. Despite this, Massey decided that his future lay not in tractors, but in public service and philanthropy. He later became governor general of Canada.

Is two-headed leadership a realistic option for family companies?

November 23, 2021

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.

FB Roundup: Rogers Communications, Associated British Foods, CK Infrastructure Holdings

November 15, 2021

Rogers Communications won’t challenge court ruling on family boardroom battle, Primark-owning Weston family plans overseas expansion, Li Ka-shing family bets on Bamford’s green hydrogen fund.

Rogers Communications won’t challenge court ruling on family boardroom battle

The Rogers family behind their eponymous $24 billion Canadian telecoms giant has been embroiled in a damaging public feud which could jeopardise a $26 billion merger with fellow family-controlled telecom company Shaw Communications.

Get the basics right in family business employment law

November 3, 2021

Family businesses often grow in an unstructured way, leading to a culture of informality. As a result, basic employment law documents can get overlooked and family members are not issued with employment contracts or subject to formal policies. This can leave the business exposed when issues arise as neither the business nor the family member have a ‘rule book’ to follow.

Protecting your family business against fraud

November 2, 2021

Fraud thrives in times of crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic has proven to be no exception. Factors such as supply chain issues, workforce constraints and the withdrawal of the furlough scheme in the United Kingdom in September 2021 is putting further pressure on employees and management alike.

FB Roundup: Oppenheimer Generations, Fortescue Metals Group, The Ford Foundation

October 25, 2021

Oppenheimer family drives Asian investments with new Singapore family office, Mining magnate Andrew Forrest pushes green hydrogen, Ford Foundation to divest millions from fossil fuels.

Oppenheimer family drives Asian investments with new Singapore family office

The Oppenheimer family, heirs to the DeBeers diamond fortune, is the latest family enterprise to extend its family office into Singapore.

Family business governance and prenuptial agreements

October 18, 2021

Over the last 20 months, family businesses have experienced unprecedented levels of disruption caused by outside forces. Certainly, Covid-19 has been the leading cause of this turmoil, but a confluence of economic, geopolitical and environmental threats has also caused savvy families to galvanise around resource preservation and the enhancement of family cohesion and reputation.

The impact on philanthropy and charities when ultra-wealthy divorce

August 17, 2021

Charitable giving is increasingly becoming a keystone in ultra-high net worth family estate planning. Therefore, in considering how to unwind an estate plan on divorce, thought must be given to how to disentangle the family’s charitable activities.

How a philanthropic programme can be bisected such that each party can pursue their own independent path depends significantly on the form of that programme; at its most complex it involves a close investigation of UK charity and trust law to determine the best way to separate the two individuals.

FB Roundup: Frasers Group, Toennies Group, News Corp

August 6, 2021

Frasers Group founder Mike Ashley anoints daughter’s fiance as successor, Toennies family cancels meat business exit, Murdoch family’s News Corp to buy Oil Price Information Service for $1.15 billion.

Frasers Group founder Mike Ashley anoints daughter’s fiance as successor

British billionaire Mike Ashley will make way for his future son-in-law as the head of his international $4.1 billion retail empire.