[Report] The Roles and Contributions of the Family Shareholder
If engagement is energy, how is the shareholder engine broken down to enable a shareholder to become a true actor alongside the family business (operationally or not)? How does a family shareholder move from the intention or desire to get involved to a concrete, visible, and useful action for the family business in the long term?
Paris Presentation of the Study
On October 2, around thirty family business shareholders and executives gathered in Paris for the presentation of the study “The Roles and Contributions of Family Shareholders”, published by Family&Co in collaboration with the HEC Paris – Dieter Schwarz Center for Family Business and the Transmission Lab.
This research explores three key dimensions of family shareholding:
- Shareholder postures, from the silent/passive shareholder to the proactive shareholder.
- The possible roles of shareholders (passive/supporting, executive, governance, contributor, ambassador, employee, etc.).
- The fields of contribution, ranging from strategic and operational input to transmission and family cohesion.
During the presentation, Cécile de Lisle, Executive Director of the Family Business Center at HEC Paris and member of the study’s reading committee, emphasized:
“There is a difference between being passive and being silent but supportive. A supportive family shareholder, even one who does not seek visibility, can be a real strength for the company.”
