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, published the book Ownership through Generations – Family, Fortune & Family Office. The book provides insights and specific advice to families, family offices and advisors interested in family ownership and development of family offices. Ownership through Generations can be found here. Please note that the English version will be published in early 2024.
Published articles
Family Governance
Interview with Kim Kristensen: “Family ownership should always be a team effort”
Community, clear direction, pride in a higher common purpose, and the necessity of important conversations about life and death in the service of a greater cause: There are many similarities between the work of an officer and family ownership.
Family GovernanceFamily Office
After the exit: A new life with wealth
Selling your life’s work can be one of the biggest roller coaster rides in life. On the one hand, you have secured the family’s long-term wealth and at the same time ensured that the company stands strong in a changing world. On the other hand, you may experience a loss of both control and meaningfulness in your working life. Now, you are entering a completely new chapter and a new life as the owner of wealth. We take a closer look at that in this article.
Family GovernanceFamily Office
Do you know the type? Family office vs Investment Company
“You can’t call this a family office, right?” said a founder recently as we reviewed the activities of their holding company. And yes, you actually could, as ambitions and efforts contained much more than pure investment focus. In this article, we look at what really characterises a family office.
Family Governance
Five tips for relationships when wealth is involved
“I'm just a girl standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her”, says Julia Roberts in the movie Notting Hill to the ordinary guy who she asks to ignore the fact that she is an international movie star with fans, fortune and fame. An unusual background is also the premise when becoming a partner in a wealthy family. This requires extra effort and consideration, which we will take a closer look at in this article.
Family Office
How to choose the right family office structure?
Globally, there have never been as many billionaires then there are now, and this is reflected in the number of family offices. In fact, half of the world’s family offices have been established in the last 15 years, and the entire industry is undergoing major development, expansion and renewal these years. Because this industry is relatively new, in its current form, there is not much experience available to draw on when choosing the structure of your family office. Therefore, we take a closer look in this article at different options and structures for family offices.
Family GovernancePhilanthropy
The gift that keeps on giving: Philanthropy in family ownership
Historically, philanthropy has always played a role in family ownership. The first patrons supported the arts and sciences, notables opened schools and orphanages and supported poor relatives and wealthy families built theatres, museums and hospitals. In this article, we take a closer look at how philanthropy can contribute to family ownership.
Family Office
When a family office is your next start-up
The importance of a family office cannot be underestimated when it comes to managing wealth, contributing to societal growth and ensuring meaningfulness and harmony within the family. However, a family office is also the family’s ‘new’ business, for which the family must act as strategic champions. In this article, we take a closer look at what you need to be aware of, look forward to and carefully consider before establishing your family’s new start-up – your new family office.
Family Office
The family office requirements are evolving
In the late 1900s, the Rockefeller family established the first known family office, but it was not until the 1980s that the family office became a mainstream concept. Since 2005, the number of family offices has grown rapidly in proportion to the steady increase in the number of wealthy families. In fact, half of the world's family offices have been established in the last 15 years.
Family GovernanceFamily Office
The family business is sold. Now what?
When a family business is sold, the family has to redefine their community and the new identity as wealthy — or even very wealthy. In addition to the joy of the new financial situation and the exceptional achievement, the sale of the family business can also present a number of challenges.
Family Governance
Family is the secret weapon in times of crisis
It's when the black swan lands (COVID-19, war, natural disasters) that the character of businesses really gets put to the test. Crises call for traits such as resilience, focus on long-term goals, solid values, and patience, which are typical characteristics of family-owned businesses.