Our co-operation proposition to other service providers
We care passionately about Corporate Governance and Family Governance. We feel strongly that they constitute necessary conditions, though not necessarily sufficient ones, to enhance the prospects of longevity for businesses controlled by families. We consider our value added to be in driving this message home to entrepreneurs and families and in helping them act accordingly.
We do not hold ourselves as lawyers, accountants or wealth managers and we do not seek to obtain mandates from families in competition with professionals from these fields. We consider ourselves advisors who can help families in their quest of arranging their business and family affairs in ways that will enhance the prospects of business success and family harmony. Our objectives therefore overlap with other professional service providers like lawyers, accountants and wealth managers and we feel our advice complements and supports their activities. For example, a realization by a founding entrepreneur of the value of Family Governance, may well lead to
- assistance required from trusted lawyers in setting up appropriate legal structures for the business as well as the transmission of wealth to the next generations
- assistance required from accountants in tax planning and other services linked to the introduction of Corporate Governance in the family controlled business
- assistance required from wealth managers who may cater to a newly formed family office
We welcome opportunities to discuss potential co-operation with professional service providers who share our passion in serving our clients and helping them in enhancing their prospects of long term success. We feel that such professional service providers may well see signs that a family business and the controlling family, could benefit from our services. Whilst we would not expect them to sell our services to such clients, we do feel they can raise their clients’ awareness of us and our message. The elevator pitch or seeds to be planted in such cases would be summarised in the following four statements/questions :
- Did you know that most family controlled businesses do not make it past the third generation ?
- Did you know those family controlled businesses that do make it past the third generation as a general rule have both Good Corporate Governance and a functioning Family Governance ?
- What would you like your legacy to be in terms of your family and your business ? OR What will your legacy be without Corporate Governance and Family Governance ?
- Do you realize it is much easier for the founder to introduce Corporate Governance and design the Family Governance than later generations ? OR it gets progressively harder to introduce Corporate Governance and agree on Family Governance as more generations begin to have a say in such matters. So, why delay introducing Corporate Governance and Family Governance ?
We are open to joint work where our skillset can add value. We also have a policy of referral fees when referrals lead to client engagements.