Empowering the future of family business

KPMG Private Enterprise and the Successful Transgenerational Entrepreneurship Practices (STEP) Project Global Consortium teamed up in 2019 with one goal in mind: to provide family business leaders and business families throughout the world with practical insights and guidance for sustaining the growth and vitality of their businesses.

Through the STEP Project's cutting edge research, successful best practices are being uncovered, as well as the entrepreneurial challenges facing family business leaders. Combining these practical insights with the broad experience of family business advisers in the KPMG Private Enterprise Global Center of Excellence for Family Business has made it possible to introduce a steady stream of powerful practices and research that can empower families to continue to build their entrepreneurial legacies.

In October 2019, the STEP Project released the 2019 Global Family Business Survey (PDF 19.9 MB). The survey probed how family businesses throughout the world are dealing with succession and governance challenges in light of changing social demographics.

With more than 1,800 family businesses across the globe contributing to the survey, and 33 family business leaders who participated in extensive follow-up discussions, the collaboration between KPMG Private Enterprise and the STEP Project Global Consortium has helped to broaden the understanding of the impact of changing demographics on the succession and governance practices of business families.

It has also provided a first-hand perspective on the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for the next generation of family business leaders, and practical guidance for continuing to build and sustain their businesses.

The experiences and insights of these family business leaders throughout the world are presented in a four-part series of articles that take a close look at the impact of changing demographics on family business succession, the role of women in family business, family governance systems, and the creation of enduring legacies.

You can learn about the businesses who contributed to the study, and the families behind them, in their family business profiles.

KPMG Private Enterprise family business advisors from across the KPMG global network share their perspectives on the STEP 2019 Global Family Business Survey findings and the implications for family businesses.

Explore their insights on the potential impact that different generations may be having on your family business.

Thank you to the 26 academic institutions globally who conducted in-person follow-up interviews with family business leaders and developed ad-hoc case studies, adding depth and context to the research findings presented in the four co-authored articles.

The Successful Transgenerational Entrepreneurship Practices (STEP) Project Global Consortium 2019 Global Family Business Survey (PDF 19.9 MB) was planned and developed through a strategic alliance with KPMG Private Enterprise. More than 1,800 family business leaders throughout the world participated in the survey, which probed how family businesses are dealing with succession and governance challenges in light of changing social demographics. It provides a first hand perspective on the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for the next generation of family business leaders with practical guidance for continuing to build and sustain their businesses.