About : Henokiens Activities

 

President van Eeghen conference in China

On 7 and 8 November 2016 the 3rd China Family Business Succession Forum dedicated to succession and sustainability took place in Beijing in presence of approximately 2000 people from 22 nationalities, 800 family companies and various research institutes.

According to a report of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, in the next 5-10 years, nearly 3 million private companies in China shall be facing the issue of power transition. Last century China experienced a long period of state controlled companies owing to the regime of the Cultural Revolution when every private company was nationalized. Later, during last century when government control gradually subsided, family companies started to appear again and now they are experiencing a period of a first transition of ownership to the 2nd generation.

This is taking place on an unprecedented scale and advice is sought from older family companies and institutions in the West and Japan.

From that perspective, the President van Eeghen was asked to share with the audience the unique « Henokiens experience » in the field of succession and sustainability. This formidable occasion to witness transition in progress has shown a great interest among this big group of participants.

 

 

President van Eeghen conference in Turkey

Istanbul, October 19, 2016 :

Willem van Eeghen, President of the Henokiens association, gave a speech on the story, missions and actions of the association in Istanbul during the « Startup Summit for Family owned Businesses » organized for the CEO Club by CAPITAL leading business magazine in Turkey.

95% of the Turkish economy is dominated by private enterprises!

 

 

 

The Henokiens at the INSEAD "Family Enterprise Day"

Fontainebleau, September 24, 2016 : the « Henokiens super case », an in depth research developed for the first time ever by INSEAD into the secrets of longevity of 25 company members of the association, was presented at the INSEAD « Family Enterprise Day ». During that one day event, MBA’s and Alumini learned from the compeling stories of some of the 200 years old family run firms and listened to topics such as «How to value family assets in family businesses » « How to reduce or eliminate roadblocks in family businesses « How to balance long-term planning with succession » and « How to innovate ».The event was attended by approximately 100 participants.

 

2016 Congress in Rotterdam


The 2016 Henokiens Annual Congress, which took place in Rotterdam from 8 to 12 June, was organized by our Dutch member De Kuyper Royal Distillers.

The Congress saw the following highlights:

 

 

 

  • Meetings and visits of 4 Dutch family companies:

HUISMAN, worldwide lifting & subsea solutions  

LELY, innovator in agriculture

 

DAMEN, international shipyard group

VAN OORD,  specialist in dredging, marine engineering and off shore wind projects

  • A lecture given by Prof. John Davis o fHavard Business School, "The Rise and Fall of Family Wealth"

  • A visit of Royal DistillersDe Kuyper

  • The 2016 Annual General Meeting
    The main points:

President Willem van Eeghen welcomed 4new members. Three Japanese: Nakagawa MasashichiShoten (1716), Yamasa Corporation (1645), Zaizo Lumber (1690) and one French: Catherineau (1750).

President Willem van Eeghen draws the attention of the assembly to the growing attractions of the the Henokiens Association which is seen and recognized today as a reference for family company matters. This interest forour association gives enhances substance to its missions (sharing of experiences, enhancement of family companies as a business model). It leads to key issues for the future regarding its capacity to follow up this trend in term of availability and organization.

TheHenokiens "Next Generation group" is now operational and ready to develop specific actions while being involved in the governance of the association.

The "Compendium" of the association (writing and gathering of case studies on Henokiens companies) includes today 7 cases (Hoshi, Toraya, VMC, Van Eeghen, Friedr. Schwarze, Garbellotto and Mellerio), a new one has been completed (Gekkeikan) and another one is in preparation. Furthermore, a Henokiens "Super Case", including all information already published on a great number of Henokiens companies, is currently underway by INSEAD (presentation of the Henokiens "Super Case"  on September 24, 2016 during the Family Entreprise Day organized by INSEAD)

The next Henokiens General Meeting will take place during the 2017 Congress organized in Vienna between 21 and 25 June 2017 by its Austrian member  A.E. Köchert.

 

6th Edition of the Leonardo da Vinci Prize

The Leonardo da Vinci Prize, co-founded by the Henokiens association and Le Château du Clos Lucé, has been awarded this year to Van Oord, a Dutch family company employing 5000 people and a leading specialist in dredging, marine engineering and offshore projects (oil, gas and wind).

The ceremony took place in the Rotterdam city hall. The trophy was presentedto Mr. Pieter von Oord, CEO of Van Oord, by the Mayor of Rotterdam, Ahmed Aboutaleb ,in the presence of the Henokiens President, Willem van Eeghen, François Saint Bris, the President of le Château du Clos Lucé-Parc Leonardo da Vinci, Professor Pursey Heugens  of the Rotterdam Erasmus University and Mr. Hans de Boer, President of the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (VNO-NCW).

 

2015 Congress in Italy

The 2015 Henokiens Annual Congress which took place in Italy from 17 to 21 June was co-organized by 3 Italian members:
Cartiera Mantovana,
Stabilimento Colbachini
and Guerrieri Rizzardi.

The Congress saw the following highlights:

  • Visit of the Cartiera Mantovana plant
  • Visit of the Colbachini bell museum
  • Visit of the Guerrieri Rizzardiwine cellar
  • Annual General Meeting of the association



Main points of the 2015 annual General Meeting:

  • The President Willem van Eeghen recalled that the creation of the Next Generation is crucial for the future of the associationas it is the time now to prepare the tomorrow Henokiens management. The new Henokiens generation will have at the same time to come up with its ideas on the size and the messages of the association, its own organization and actions for the coming years. It will probably take a few years for being operational but the process is now launched.
  • Regarding the “Compendium”, the President also recalled the goals of a project (writing and gathering of cases studies on Henokiens companies) which has been developed to promote the Henokiens messages to universities, business schools and, more generally, young entrepreneurs. The next event organized around this action will be the presentation of 4 new members’ case studies (Mellerio, Hoshi, Friedr.Schwarze and Garbellotto) during the Henokiens/INSEAD day on September 5th, 2015 at INSEAD
  • The Assembly unanimously agreed to renew the mandate of the President van Eeghen and his board for the next 2 years (2016 & 2017)

 

5th edition of the Leonardo da Vinci Prize

The Leonardo da Vinci Prize created by the Henokiens association and the Château du Clos Lucé, has been awarded this year to Bracco Group an Italian company employing 3300 people in three major industries: Imaging, Pharma and Health services.

With a worldwide presence, this company 100% owned by the founding family where the 4th generation is already working, has always dedicated with the whole family its energy and passion to human health ensuring that technological innovation will always bring a better quality of life. The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a part of Bracco’s system of founding values. It has always been sustained and pursued in the company approach and enterprising policy. The Bracco foundation is part of this family and company vision. Major initiatives of the CSR are promoting welfare and solidarity schemes, supporting employees with health prevention, building relationships with the land to create social innovation and sustainability, working closely with associations, local authorities and NGOs, circulating expression of culture, science and art. The Leonardo da Vinci Prize has been awarded to Mr. Fulvio Renoldi Bracco, Head of the Global Business Unit Imaging of Bracco Imaging S.p.A,by Mrs. Emma Marcegaglia, Vice President of Marcegaglia SpA and President of Business Europe.

 

2014 Congress in Tokyo

The 2014 Henokiens Annual Congress
which took place in Tokyo
from 23 to 27 October was organized by company member Toraya.

 

The Congress saw the following highlights:

  • Visit to the Toraya Koko, one of the places where Toraya makes its pastries in a natural environment.
  • Annual General Meeting of the association.

On the occasion of this meeting, the President Willem van Eeghen has reiterated that the association and its members should be resolutely turned towards the future because if, in his view, the histories of the Henokiens are their “ear mark” and their difference, history must not be considered as an end to itself. In this perspective, he drew two directions in which the association was primarily to take action:
- Encouraging tomorrow’s managers to enter into family businesses
That is the purpose of the “Compendium” project launched by the Henokiens for communicating on members issues, in a educational perspective.
- Acting as a role-model in and for tomorrow’s economy
When one knows that a great majority of young family companies do not survive beyond the 3rd generation, the President believes that the Henokiens association has the legitimacy to encourage younger family companies to establish  activities with a long term perspective. This is the purpose of the “Leonardo da Vinci Prize” which simultaneously aims to highlight transmission and continuity in family businesses
At the meeting, the President also presented the new logo of the Henokiens to the members and announced the launch of the new website of the association.

  • 4th edition of the Leonard da Vinci Prize

The Leonardo da Vinci Prize created by the Henokiens association and the Château du Clos Lucé, has been awarded this year to the Japanese company Kai Corporation. This centenary family company manufactures more than 10,000 different kinds of cutlery and cutting tools, ranging from kitchen utensils to cosmetic accessories and surgical implements.
With a worldwide presence, the company, 100% owned by the founding family and in which the 4th generation is already represented, has since its inception, remained faithful to the "3 thanks":  "Thanks to its predecessors”, "Thanks to its customers and partners" and "Thanks to its family and former and present employees" and to the basis of its philosophy: "humanity over productivity". For the Henokiens and Le Château du Clos Lucé, Kai showed that it had all the qualities to continue its industrial adventure while continuing to pass on its values and expertise to  future generations.
The Leonardo da Vinci Prize has been awarded to Mr. Koji Endo, President of Kai Corporation, by Princess Imperial Akiko de Mikasa in the presence of Mr. Hirofumi Nakasone, MP and Japanese former Minister of Education and Foreign affairs.

  • Princess Akiko de Mikasa conference

Princess Akiko of Mikasa gave a conference to the Henokiens members and prestigious guests on the theme of preservation and transmission of traditions in a country increasingly attracted by modernity.

She particularly emphasized in her lecture on the importance of the transmission of the traditional Japanese know how to children and the preservation of the natural environment, especially in large cities, as the historical and religious monuments that are the soul of her country.

  • Organization by Toraya of a Henokiens exhibition in Tokyo

Toraya brought together objects and images representing the history and  activities of the 44 Henokiens members for a 15 days’ ephemeral exhibition in its Roppongi shop in midtown Tokyo.

 

"Family Enterprise Day" Henokiens-Insead
"Re-inventing the Business across generations"

On June 14, 2014 the INSEAD -Wendel International Centre for Family Enterprise- organized together with the Henokiens Association its “Family Enterprise Day” on the theme “Re-inventing the Business across generations”.

During this working session, lead by Professor Morten Bennedsen, Academic Director of the Wendel International Centre for Family Enterprise, co-chair of the Hoffmann research, the following questions were raised: Does every generation need to reinvent itself and the business? What are possible strategies for the family and the business in a transitional phase? How can families recruit and welcome new generations to the family business?

Along with some Henokiens members, professors from different universities and business schools such as INSEAD, IMD, Pepperdine University, ICN Business school, University of Palermo, Rotterdam School of Management, presented Henokiens case studies of 4 different Henokiens company members (Viellard Migeon & Cie, De Kuyper Royal Distillers, Van Eeghen Group and Toraya). The cases provided practical expertise on cultural values of family businesses offering competitive advantage as well as values derived from the legacy of family businesses developed through centuries of family ownership.

The end of the “Family Enterprise Day” offered the opportunity to Randel Carlock, Senior Affiliate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise at INSEAD, to lead a round table discussion with a panel of Henokiens Next Generation members and MBA students on next generation perspectives.

The session was attended by INSEAD MBA students and Family Business Alumni, members of family owning businesses and those personally concerned with the role they might eventually play. It was a great success as many of the participants, especially from the Next Generation, had the opportunity to find answers to their questions, discuss best practices and finally share their thoughts and feelings with others experiencing similar dilemmas or challenges. The Henokiens hope to continue organizing similar meetings in the future with academic institutions on actual themes of interest to young and mature family companies and in particular to the young next generations league