Abbie.Boyer

For family businesses built for longevity, the question, “Who will lead next?” is critical. Yet our survey of 300 family business executives reveals a striking gap between intent and action: While 85% agree succession planning is critical to long-term success, only 57% have a CEO succession plan in place—and just 23% are actively implementing their plan.

For private companies orchestrating a transfer or sale, fortune doesn’t favor the bold. It favors the prepared. A successful deal hinges on planning and foresight long before negotiations begin. To understand how private company leaders are positioning their businesses for that moment, we asked 100 executives about their upcoming timing, priorities, and pressure points.

Family businesses have long been stereotyped as tradition-bound and slow to change. But recent research paints a different picture: family-owned businesses, particularly small and medium-sized firms, are emerging as innovative powerhouses that can implement new ideas faster than their competitors.

Family businesses often tout culture as their competitive advantage—the values, relationships, and long-term thinking that set them apart from other businesses. But maintaining a strong culture becomes more complex as these companies navigate change, preserve values, and build lasting success.

For family businesses, governance isn't about surrendering control—it's about building the infrastructure to make better decisions, faster, while staying true to the values that define the enterprise. By Deloitte Private

Family businesses are much more than commercial ventures—they are the backbone of economies and communities around the globe. These businesses, founded in passion and sustained by purpose, embody values like resilience, stewardship, and the ambition to build a lasting legacy. In fact, family businesses account for most of the world’s private enterprises, representing nearly 80% of businesses in many countries and employing millions. And yet, the journey of leading a family business is a distinctly personal one, marked by both unique challenges and enormous opportunities.

From the top down and the bottom up, companies are quickly capitalizing on emerging technologies, namely artificial intelligence (AI). It should come as no...