Survey of Corporate Governance Practices

In the summer of 2014, Russell Reynolds Associates and IESE conducted a survey of 400 of Europe's largest family-controlled businesses.

• In an attempt to understand the corporate governance practices in European family businesses, Russell Reynolds Associates and IESE launched a research project in collaboration with SciencesPo and Ambrosetti.
• In the summer of 2014, we developed a survey and distributed it to 400 of the largest family-controlled, non-listed companies in Germany, France, Italy and Spain
• We received responses from 106 companies, equally representing each of the four countries
• We polled survey recipients on board composition, board efficiency, CEO succession planning and the CEO/Chairman backgrounds.
• This document represents a reporting of the survey findings.

 

 

Board Composition

1. How many members are on your Board?

2. Please indicate the number of Board members in each category

3. What is your Board's level of diversity?

 

Board Efficiency

4. How many times a year does the Board meet?

5. How long does each meeting last on average?

6. How far in advance do Board members receive the meeting information?

7. Agenda content

8. Choose the adjective that best describes your Board

9. Is there follow-up of the resolutions adopted in the previous Board meeting?

10. Does the Board take part in developing the strategic plan?

11. What committees do you have?

12. Is there a relationship between the Board and the Steering Committee other than at Board meetings?

CEO Succession

13. Does an emergency CEO succession plan exist?

14. What is the ideal period for CEO succession planning?

15. Would you consider external candidates from different markets/sectors/industries?

16. Are one or more Board members experienced in succession planning?

17. Have internal candidates been identified for the succession plan?

18. How many internal/external candidates do you ideally evaluate?

19. Does the Board get to know the top internal candidates?

20. Are internal candidates benchmarked against external candidates in the market?

CEO and Chairman Background

21. CEO's background

22. CEO's background when he/she comes from a different company

23. Chairman's background

24. Chairman's background when he/she comes from a different company