Family owned businesses account for more than 60% of companies in Europe – in Switzerland, the share is even higher. According to the 2023 EY and University of St Gallen Family Business Index, the largest family businesses grow much faster than the global economy. While some studies concur with this assessment and suggest that they outperform other businesses and generate better margins, others come to the opposite conclusion. In the current environment it is worthwhile to evoke the results of a study published in 2021 in the Harvard Business Review, according to which in times of economic recessions family-run businesses perform far better than others.

A panel of experienced business leaders of family-run companies will discuss whether and to what extent family-run companies are more resilient in difficult times, how they cope with the current challenging environment, and what makes them different from their peers with a different ownership structure.