Best Practices in Governance & Generational Transition for Family Business Enterprises

Zurich, Switzerland, June 30, 2016 --(PR.com)-- In a recently developed proprietary dissertation on Best Practices in Governance and Generational Transition Processes for Family Business Enterprises, James C. Bly, Jr and co-author, Dr. Kurt Moosmann, examine the governance structures, risk metrics, and transitional processes used by successful multi-generational family-controlled businesses.

For over 30 years, Bly, the Chairman and CEO of Headwaters SC, LP (HWSC), has been advising business owning families and family offices on matters related to growing larger, more valuable businesses and transitioning business ownership from one generation to the next. Dr. Moosmann, Principal of Moosmann Capital Advisors located in Zurich, Switzerland and Chairman of the HWSC Advisory Board, leads a similar practice where solutions and strategies are aimed at helping multi-generational business owning families and family offices concerned with ownership and development of cross-border direct investments as part of their long-term wealth preservation. Mr. Bly and Dr. Moosmann have collaborated for the past three years to develop a thought leading study on the best practices used by leading family controlled business enterprises to assure that ownership and business governance systems are supported by processes resulting in successful generational transitions of larger operating businesses.

On May 24th 2016, Bly and Moosmann were invited as keynote speakers to present their proprietary research report for the first time. The launch-event was held in Zurich, Switzerland, and was hosted by Heidrick & Struggles. The attendees included a select group of clients and contacts of Heidrick & Struggles who are the principals or directors of significant family offices and business enterprises in Europe. Heidrick & Struggles, headquartered in Chicago, is a worldwide executive search firm, specializing in chief executive and senior level assignments. The firm established its presence in Zurich over 20 years ago and is recognized as one of leading leadership advisory firms in the country providing executive search, leadership consulting, and related services for boards of directors to Swiss and international companies operating domestically and globally.

According to Bly, successful generational transition of family business enterprises requires both ownership and business governance structures and processes, which take into account the current and future shareholder capacities and development needs, and the governance model and succession management needs of the business. In addition, efficient monitoring tools and research need to be tailored to the governance processes to provide early identification of trends or factors that might suggest internal or external risks or opportunities. For example, at present, there are six global macro mega-trends and ten North American mega-trends that multi-generational family controlled businesses should consider as part of their long-term strategic outlook.

About HWSC

Since 1982, Headwaters SC, LP (HWSC) has specialized in serving multi-generational family business enterprises and direct business investments owned by single family offices. HWSC is headquartered in Sewickley (Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania with a presence in over 20 US cities and 30 countries. We help clients grow larger, more valuable businesses through a range of capabilities encompassed in our core advisory and specialty services. Our core services optimize growth initiatives and deliver effective financing, shareholder liquidity, and generational transfer strategies. We are passionate about the important purpose, role and value that business owning families bring to our economy, communities, and society.