The Better Boards Podcast Series
Jul 2, 2026 · 20 min · 13 segments
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Philipp HockGuest
Sabine DembkowskiHostFrom the kitchen table to the boardroom, effective governance in family-owned businesses.
Occasionally, we do podcast episodes specific for family-owned businesses, and there is a real reason for this.
Family firms account for around 70% of global GDP and 60% of global employment, according to a recent study by NCR Business School.
They are key drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship and long-term value creation, especially in sectors like retail, food, consumer goods, pharma, financial services.
And yet, when we talk about boards and governance, we still tend to think first and foremost about large listed corporations.
The role of advisory and supervisory boards in family businesses, how they protect the legacy and enable strategic renewal and navigate succession, receives far less attention than it deserves and we want to contribute that these type of businesses get the attention they deserve.
It's a leading German consultancy specialized in the retail sector and he's also honorary professor of strategic management at CBS International Business School in Cologne.
He advises family-owned and founder-led businesses and investors on strategy, governance, transformation and succession, with a particular focus on the role of advisory and supervisory boards in navigating disruption.
Philipp combines academic insights with hands-on experience from numerous board-related mandates and projects.
He also serves as the president of the European Business School Alumni Association, representing graduates of EBS University for Wirtschaft and Recht.
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From the kitchen table to the boardroom, effective governance in family-owned businesses.
Occasionally, we do podcast episodes specific for family-owned businesses, and there is a real reason for this.
Family firms account for around 70% of global GDP and 60% of global employment, according to a recent study by NCR Business School.
They are key drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship and long-term value creation, especially in sectors like retail, food, consumer goods, pharma, financial services.
And yet, when we talk about boards and governance, we still tend to think first and foremost about large listed corporations.
The role of advisory and supervisory boards in family businesses, how they protect the legacy and enable strategic renewal and navigate succession, receives far less attention than it deserves and we want to contribute that these type of businesses get the attention they deserve.
It's a leading German consultancy specialized in the retail sector and he's also honorary professor of strategic management at CBS International Business School in Cologne.
He advises family-owned and founder-led businesses and investors on strategy, governance, transformation and succession, with a particular focus on the role of advisory and supervisory boards in navigating disruption.
Philipp combines academic insights with hands-on experience from numerous board-related mandates and projects.
He also serves as the president of the European Business School Alumni Association, representing graduates of EBS University for Wirtschaft and Recht.
