Connecting family businesses across generations
As a member, you join the world’s largest community for family businesses, regardless of role or generation.
FBN International
Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Lausanne, FBN International is the world’s largest network of family businesses.It brings together 32 member associations across 65 countries, representing more than 4,500 entrepreneurial families and 20,000 members worldwide.
As a member of FBN Switzerland, you are automatically part of this global network, with full access to international activities, events and peer exchange.
Neighbouring FBN chapters
Located at the crossroads of Europe, FBN Switzerland actively connects with neighbouring and shared-language FBN chapters.
These close ties enable cross-border exchange through jointly organised events, fostering regional collaboration and access to a broader peer network.
Our FBN communities
Now Generation
A peer community for leaders aged 35–55 who are already shaping their family business—alone or alongside the senior generation.
Members address both strategic and personal challenges linked to leadership, governance and cross-generational dynamics.
In a trusted, small-group setting, the Now Generation focuses on personal development while strengthening their families and businesses—through real cases, peer learning and mutual coaching.
Next Generation
A global peer community for members aged 18–35 who are building their professional path within or alongside the family business.
In a safe and open environment, members share experience, gain perspective and connect with peers across generations and borders.
The Next Generation community supports members in defining their role, building legitimacy and preparing for responsibility—while developing a trusted international network.
NxG Committee
The NxG Committee of FBN Switzerland designs and coordinates the annual programme for the Next Generation community. Its activities respond directly to NxG needs, combining connection, learning and professional development. The programme includes social gatherings, training formats and company visits, creating opportunities to build a trusted network and gain practical insight into family business realities.
Nicolas Stämpfli
Leader German-speaking Switzerland
Member of the Board
Weinkellerei Stämpfli
4th generation
Family Office
For business families, establishing a family office is not only about preserving wealth over the long term. It is also about safeguarding a vision, family values, a long-term success strategy and, importantly, maintaining control over their assets.
The motivations behind creating a family office are as diverse as the families themselves. Whatever the starting point, the Family Office Community offers a discreet and professional environment where members can address investment, organisational and structural challenges specific to entrepreneurial families.
Within the Family Office Circle of FBN International, small groups of families with a family office exchange in complete confidentiality on matters relating to both the family and the business.
Large Families
As entrepreneurial families grow across generations and branches, complexity increases. Maintaining cohesion, structuring governance and aligning shareholders become critical challenges.
The Large Families Community brings together family enterprises with 50 or more family shareholders to address the specific issues that arise at this scale.
Peer exchanges focus in particular on:
- Managing silent or non-operating shareholders
- Leadership succession, with or without a family CEO
- Preparing and transitioning management to the next generation
- Selecting and legitimising family members in executive roles
- Preserving and transmitting the entrepreneurial DNA of the family
Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship lies at the heart of every family business. It fuels innovation, renewal and long-term continuity across generations.
FBN actively supports and cultivates this entrepreneurial spirit through dedicated initiatives and platforms for exchange.
Finalists and winners present their ventures to the FBN community and benefit from direct feedback, mentoring and strategic input from experienced entrepreneurs and jury members. This process helps them refine their vision and accelerate the development of their projects.
More than an event, it is a platform to exchange ideas, accelerate ventures and reignite entrepreneurial momentum across generations.
FBN Impact
Family businesses are inherently values-driven. Economic resilience, social responsibility and environmental stewardship are often embedded in their DNA. With their long-term perspective, entrepreneurial families are uniquely positioned to play a leading role in advancing sustainable development.
FBN Impact is a global movement that supports family businesses in maximising their economic, social and environmental impact — moving beyond commitments toward concrete action.
Through case studies, assessment tools and peer learning circles, members are supported in evaluating their impact strategies and integrating sustainability into their core business models.
In collaboration with the United Nations, FBN has also launched the global Family Business for Sustainable Development (FBSD) initiative. Officially signed in Geneva on 6 December 2019, the initiative aligns family entrepreneurship with global sustainability goals and encourages families to actively contribute to a more sustainable future.
Ready to connect with the FBN community?
Join a trusted network of entrepreneurial families and start exchanging with peers across generations and borders.