Family & Business Professionalising ownership, governance and leadership across generations

The programme focuses on two crucial pillars: the family and the business. In this programme, we actively work on topics such as succession and transition, family cohesion, family dynamics and conflict, family business strategy, family governance, a shared ownership vision and financial strategies.

WHO ARE WE? | 1 day

A family business carries a history that continues to shape every decision you make, whether consciously or unconsciously. In this module, you will gain a clear understanding of the values and patterns that drive the family, where tensions may arise and the direction you genuinely want the business to take.

The session is based on an open and honest conversation, using your family genogram as a guiding framework and drawing on the dynamics and energy it reveals. In a family business, you often wear several hats at once: owner, manager and board member, as well as family member. This interconnectedness can create tensions that nobody deliberately seeks out. Nevertheless, they are widely recognisable.

We explore the rights and responsibilities linked to each role, and how to move consciously between these roles without placing strain on relationships.

Topics covered in this module include:

In this module, you will work on corporate, ownership and family governance. How can these governance structures further support the ambitions of the family business, and how can you ensure that they reinforce one another?

You will also explore the delicate balance between retaining control, enabling growth and ensuring shareholder liquidity. Key topics such as dividend policy, different options for growth financing, and remuneration will also be addressed.

CHECK-IN | 0.5 day After module 2, you will meet with your group once again. We discuss what is proving challenging and how we can further tailor modules 4 and 5 to your specific needs. What have you tried? What worked? What caused friction?

You will share concrete experiences from your own business and learn from the experience of others. An expert will steer the discussion and help you take the next step.

A family business is constantly evolving. Whether the next generation is already involved or is not yet in the picture, succession is a process that unfolds over years – not a one-off event. In this module, we take a deeper look at the strategic, practical and emotional dimensions of this transition.

We begin with the core question: are we willing and able to do this? We facilitate dialogue around the willingness of the current generation (NowGen) to let go, and the ambition and capability of the next generation (NextGen) to take the reins. Starting from this honest foundation, we explore the full transition matrix: from internal family succession to working with an external CEO, a (partial) sale to external parties, the buyout of family shareholders or a management buyout.

In this module, the two generations work separately to some extent. The outgoing generation will reflect on letting go, the fear of becoming irrelevant, and defining their new role (what’s next?). The incoming generation will develop a multi-year plan and sharpen its own vision for the future. Afterwards, both groups come together for intergenerational conversations that help shape the future direction of the business.

In this concluding module, each family will present its ten-year plan: which structures will you put in place, how will roles be divided and which (family) values will you consciously carry forward?

A panel of experienced family entrepreneurs and Vlerick professors will provide targeted feedback. You will leave with a quarterly action plan for the next two years, as well as a place within the Families in Business alumni community: a network for lifelong learning, reflection and growth.

Six months after the programme, you will meet again with your group for a half-day session. You will evaluate what has been achieved from your action plan and where adjustments may still be needed.

Although this is not a mandatory session, it is a valuable community meet-up that is attended by almost everyone.

Each module welcomes a guest speaker: a family entrepreneur who has personally gone through the process. They will share what worked and what didn’t.

Families in Business is designed for family businesses preparing for a long-term generational transition. We explicitly focus on both sides of this transition.

For current and future family shareholders

Who should you bring along?

We strongly recommend that two to three members of your family participate, preferably from different generations. This allows you to start from a shared understanding and immediately apply the insights to your own situation. A total of a minimum of two and a maximum of five participants.

Where does your family business stand today?

The programme is relevant for businesses at every stage of the transition: from a first-generation founder reflecting on the future, to a third or fourth generation seeking to further refine and strengthen its governance in order to preserve the family character of the company as a new generation approaches.

After completing the Families in Business programme, you will leave with something tangible. These are not theoretical models, but decisions you can implement immediately and agreements you can put on the table straight away. We focus on concrete outcomes.