Read About Family Governance
At Harbour Family Governance, we regularly publish articles on the many nuances of family governance. Read more on this page or sign up to our newsletter. Do not hesitate to let us know, if you have ideas for subjects, which we should write about.
In 2023, Anne-Sofie van den Born Rehfeld and Søren Brandi, Managing Director and Chairman of the Board of Harbour Family Governance, published the book Generational Ownership: Family, Fortune and Family Office. The book provides insights and specific advice to families, family offices and advisers interested in family ownership and development of family offices. Generational Ownership: Family, Fortune and Family Office can be found here.
Published articles
Family GovernanceFamily Office
Bringing Your Ownership Strategy into Everyday Practice
In previous articles, we have emphasised the value of working with an ownership strategy and how to initiate the process. The intent of this article is to outline what you can do to ensure that your strategy becomes an embedded part of the day-to-day priorities and actions.
Family GovernanceNext Generation
On Being Young in a World Obsessed with Wealth
The “old money” style is trending on Instagram. At Tuxedo Society, you can pay to experience being wealthy, while “nepo babies” are eagerly followed on social media, where their closets, vacation and shopping habits are put on display. And if that’s not enough drama, there are always series like Succession, Billions and Secrets We Keep (Reservatet), where “the rich” are portrayed in less flattering ways.
Family Governance
Part 2: How to Actively Develop Family Ambassadorship
In the previous article - Part 1: Why We Should Talk Much More About Ambassadorship - we explored why ambassadorship deserves greater attention in the context of family collaboration, whether in a business, in wealth management, or within a foundation.
Family Governance
Legacy Creation: A Look at the Past, for the Sake of the Future
“Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations” - so goes Andrew Carnegie’s famous prediction for family fortunes. Fortunately, more and more wealthy families are now focusing on involving the next generation early on to provide them with a clear understanding of where the wealth came from and who worked hard to build it.
Family Governance
Drop Retirement and Become a Next Stage Gen
The development of the next generation is a key focus area within family governance, family offices, banks, and among advisers. However, interest in the development of the current/experienced/older generation often ends once succession has taken place—or when the final full stop is written into the will.
Family Governance
A Richer Life: Purpose-Driven Family Ownership
“Instead of ‘going public’, you could say we’re ‘going purpose’,” said Patagonia founder and billionaire Yvon Chouinard when he announced that 98% of the company’s shares had been transferred to the Holdfast Collective, to be used in the fight against the climate crisis.
Family Governance
How to Choose the Right Family Office Structure
Globally, there have never been more billionaires than there are today – and this is reflected in the growing number of family offices. This article explores different models and structural approaches to setting up a family office.
Family Office
Family Office: The Family’s Constant Anchor Through the Ages
Since ancient Rome, the role of the ‘family office’ - or majordomo, as it was called then - has served as the family’s anchor and focal point for decisions concerning wealth management and the organisation of family events, duties, and income.
Family GovernanceNext Generation
Lost in Translation: How to Improve Communication Within Family Ownership
The 'Greatest Wealth Transfer in History' is in full swing globally, leaving Baby Boomers and Generation X facing perhaps the greatest communication challenge of their lives.
Family GovernanceNext Generation
Part 1: Why We Should Talk Much More About Ambassadorship…
Ambassadorship in family ownership is a shared understanding of what concrete expectations we have of one another as owners - not just toward the next generation, but also toward older generations, partners, and teenagers in the family.