Transmission in Practice Transmission in Practice
Succession in family SMEs and mid-sized companies: a major challenge for sustainable and responsible prosperity
Engaging the next generation to dare to take over
The HEC Paris Family Business Center is committed, with the support of the For Talents Endowment Fund OpenLab, to training, inspiring and mentoring the talents who are considering taking over their family business.
Inspiring talents to become entrepreneur-refounders
In a context where half of French family businesses and one third of European family businesses will need to be handed over within the next decade, it is essential to encourage family talents to commit to taking over — to become true entrepreneur-refounders of their SMEs and mid-sized companies.
Stories and mentoring to inspire action
Authentic testimonials and encounters are an extremely powerful tool for motivating the next generation. Bringing them to life is fundamental to the pedagogy of family business succession — to learn to dare.
Training talents in succession
These testimonials, knowledge and tools on succession are shared with all HEC Paris students enrolled in family business programmes — and beyond, with students at the world's leading business schools and all talents who may one day carry on the legacy of a family business.
Resources
Access a library of knowledge, tools and testimonials developed by HEC Paris and the For Talents Endowment Fund OpenLab, designed to support family talents at every stage of their journey.
Testimonials
Discover authentic voices to learn to dare. Stories of succession from France, Europe and beyond, shining a light on family SMEs and mid-sized companies.
Each capsule gives voice to a lived experience. Together, they reflect the many paths of succession.
Do you lead a family business? Join the programme's contributors and share your story. Share your story
The first "Récit" episodes will be available soon.
Case Studies
Explore case studies published in The Case Center and Harvard Business Publishing and taught at the world’s top business schools.
Family Businesses and Leadership in France — "What Every Family Business Leader Should Learn from Mathieu Lustrerie" — Associate Professor Valérie Gauthier & Dr Cécile De Lisle
Family Business Industrial Governance and Succession Simulation — "Poclain: Reinforcing Family Control for the Future" — Affiliated Professor Philippe Pelé-Clamour.
Tools
Use the tools developed by the For Talents Endowment Fund OpenLab and HEC Paris to raise awareness and foster dialogue on succession — use them freely and often.
A tool designed to facilitate dialogue within families and businesses, placing human relationships at the heart of the conversation and identifying concrete levers for successful succession.
Mentoring Program
A structured programme for those considering carrying on the family business legacy
A mentoring/reverse mentoring programme for HEC Paris students and alumni from family business backgrounds who have experienced or will face the challenges and opportunities of succession. Six months of trust to help each other navigate the dynamics and emotions of succession — and find their rightful place in this journey.
What the programme offers:
- A perspective and benchmarks for navigating family business dynamics
- Hands-on experience shared by an engaged alumni Referent committed to succession
- Accelerated personal and professional growth
- Strategic reflection on future involvement in the family business
Publications for Practitioners
Publications designed to shed light on succession practices, for leaders and members of family businesses.
Impostor syndrome, successor ambivalence, communication breakdowns… Caroline Nicolas, Alain Bloch and Anne-Sophie Cambay, affiliated with our Family Business Center, identify the psychological mechanisms that, when overlooked, can derail even the most technically well-prepared successions. Published in Investissement Conseils n°889 — March 2026 (article in French).
Are you a student, an alumnus or alumna, or the head of a family business?
Join the Transmission in Practice program—as a mentor, a story witness, or a participant in the mentoring program.