About the WCD Family Business Council

Family businesses are unique – and in order to prosper, they require a delicate balance between creating strategies to support the needs of the business, while also meeting the expectations of family members.

The most successfully-governed family businesses, whether privately or publicly held, have relied on independent directors to provide objectivity, and many WCD members around the world have accepted the challenge to help these unique companies navigate the often difficult path to establish a robust governance process.

For this reason, WCD established the Family Business Council, to act as a conduit for best practice discussions and to facilitate visionary thinking.

WCD’s Family Business Council co-chairs:

Marina Brogi

Director, Mediaset and Chairperson of the Board of Statutory Auditors, Fratelli Branca Distillerie; Full Professor of International Banking and Capital Markets, Sapienza University; WCD Family Business Co-chair, WCD Chapter Chair and Advisory Board Member

Susan Remmer Ryzewic

President, CEO, and Director, EHR Investments, Inc.; Director, The Remmer Family Foundation Inc., Cabot Wellington, LLC, and University of North Florida Foundation; WCD Family Business Council Co–chair, and WCD Chapter Chair and Advisory Board Member

Family Business Governance Institutes

WCD hosts annual Family Business Governance Institutes in conjunction with the Global Institute, in order to provide the latest thinking on critical areas of importance for family businesses. The agendas from our 2018 and 2017 sessions can be viewed on this page.

The 2018 FBGI was attended by 95 directors and executives and featured panel discussions on succession planning, governing for agility and growth, and how to find harmony between private equity, family and independent directors. A conversation with Lauren Tracy and Pat Tracy, of Dot Foods was also a highlight.

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Private Company and Family Business Content

There are a number of Family Business/Private company issues that WCD explores, including CEO and board succession, talent management, family councils and other methods of multigenerational success. Listed below are a few papers authored by WCD, as well as others from sponsors and reliable third-parties.

TLC Report

The WCD Thought Leadership Commission – composed of 21 directors and advisors of top global companies – has taken on board decision-making in its new report, Decision-Making in the Visionary Boardroom.