In Brief
As family businesses grow, their governance structure and leadership need to grow in lockstep. Watson has supported a global multi-generational family-owned brand name business to evolve their family office structure, governance, and leadership to match their size and complexity, supporting and helping them grow and select the right leaders for the right time as their needs have evolved over the course of more than 15 years.
Our Engagement
Watson was first engaged to assist the family’s largest operating business in recruiting two new independent directors. Following that initial assignment, we were asked to review the effectiveness of their holding company structure and owner leadership model. As the family evolved their ownership structure and practices, we worked with them to support effective leadership and governance. This involved recruiting independent directors for their operating businesses, supporting the process to select owner council representatives, and recruiting two successive leaders for their evolving family office. We’ve helped them align family governance, holding company, and operating company governance, so that everyone is on the same page with clear roles and expectations.
We know the importance of values in our client’s family and business, and our process, materials, and advice are grounded in their values and what makes them unique. We get them, and they know that we deeply understand their objectives and always have that front and centre in our work. We are always looking ahead on their behalf and, when recruiting leaders, we help them find the right fit to help them to the next stage in their evolution.
The Impact
At Watson, we believe people are at the heart of good governance, and helping families recruit the support they need to fit with their stage of evolution is critical for them to thrive and grow in a positive direction that is aligned with the family’s values and vision of the future. With Watson as a trusted advisor, this client has navigated governance and leadership transitions, and evolved into a more complex, sophisticated, and governance-oriented enterprise.
