Business succession: connecting ownership, control, and the future

For family businesses, business succession is more than just a business transfer. It touches on the role of the business in society, ownership, leadership, and the future of the family's assets. In addition to business objectives, family relationships, generational dynamics, and personal ambitions also play a role. This combination makes business succession complex, but with the right preparation, it is also a promising ph e for retrospection, prospecting, and innovation to remain relevant in a changing world.

Succession planning: the complexity of succession

Whether it concerns transfer to children, family members, or external directors, every succession begins with insight. Insight into the legal and fiscal structure, into the wishes of the departing generation, and into the qualities and ambitions of the successors.

Important questions include:

• Who gets which role, and on what basis?
• How do you divide ownership without fragmenting control?
• How do you prevent delays due to tax or legal bottlenecks?

Because many family businesses have grown informally, there is often a lack of clear agreements on ownership, governance, or voting rights. These differences become apparent during succession and can be problematic. Structuring early on helps to create direction, peace of mind, and clarity.

Legal and tax basis of business succession

Clear agreements, their formalization, and the legal structure form the basis for a smooth transfer. This includes setting up a holding company, designing the share structure, certifying shares, and defining roles for family members who are not active directors but remain shareholders.

Tax preparation is just as important. The business succession scheme (BOR) offers tax advantages when donating or inheriting business assets. However, its application is complex and sensitive to legislative changes. It is precisely the combination of timing, valuation, and legal structure that determines whether the maximum benefit is achieved without future disputes.

Attention to family dynamics

In addition to legal and tax techniques, business succession is also a human endeavor. Loyalty, commitment, and emotions all play a role. By approaching the process professionally—with room for discussion and structure—support within the family is created.
Governance instruments such as a family charter, an advisory board, or clear appointment procedures help in this regard. Not as an extra layer, but as a tool to organize decisions in a clear, future-oriented manner, also to prevent discussions that could jeopardize the future of the family, the family business, and the family fortune.

Succession as a new beginning in succession planning

HVK Stevens guides succession as the beginning of a new phase. With clear agreements, a well-thought-out structure, and an eye for relationships within the family, space is created for growth, innovation, and long-term continuity.

Succession is the bridge between today and tomorrow in the family business

Would you like to think ahead about business succession within your family business? We are happy to share our insights, legal, fiscal, and human, with an eye for the relationships within the family. Want to know more? Our specialists are happy to help you.