Martin Roll Mentors INSEAD Next Generation Family Business Students

Research from INSEAD Business School has demonstrated that approximately 70% of all companies are family-owned in one way or the other. With a significant proportion of INSEAD MBA and Executive students coming from family firms, they typically face multiple questions in terms of their career journey and one burning question continually emerges: Should I join the family business after my INSEAD MBA or Executive program – or not?

The INSEAD Wendel International Centre for Family Enterprise has developed a unique INSEAD Mentoring Program for these MBA and Executive students that can help them discuss, reflect and decide whether and how to be involved with the family business throughout their INSEAD journey. This decision process will take time and involve the family.

Next Gen Family Business MBA and Executive students are typically asking themselves one or more of the following questions:

  • Should I go back to my family firm, or not?
  • What do I want my life to stand for?
  • Where do I fit into the succession planning?
  • How can I raise this topic in my family?
  • What do I really want to do post-INSEAD?
  • How can I raise the issue and communicate better with the family?
  • What is my mandate if I join the family firm?
  • How can I gain credibility with the employees in our family firm?
  • Should I get external working experience first?
  • How can I benefit from the INSEAD family business knowledge and program offerings?

The mentoring sessions are developed, managed and run by INSEAD Distinguished Fellow Martin Roll. Combining rigorous learning through frameworks together with practical workshops, the sessions focus on helping the INSEAD students discover the purpose in family business.

About Martin Roll

Martin Roll is a Distinguished Fellow and an Entrepreneur in Residence at INSEAD Business School. He is an experienced global business strategist, senior advisor and facilitator to Fortune 500 companies, Asian firms, family businesses and family offices.

Martin Roll advises clients on how to build and manage strong global brands, as well as leadership of high-performing, marketing-oriented businesses. He is CEO of Martin Roll Company with more than 25 years of board & C-suite counselling experience. He is a mentor for next generation leaders in business families, start-ups and growth companies.

He is a former senior advisor to McKinsey & Company.

Martin Roll is a highly accomplished keynote speaker at global conferences, an experienced conference moderator and executive workshop facilitator.

He teaches MBA, EMBA and Executive Education programs at INSEAD Business School, ESSEC Business School, Nanyang Business School and is a frequent guest lecturer at other leading global business schools.

Martin Roll is also bestselling author of “Asian Brand Strategy” (2015) and co-author of “The Future of Branding” (2016), with two titles “Family Business Strategy” (2021) and “Family Office Strategy” (2021) in the pipeline. He is also columnist for INSEAD Knowledge and a regular commentator in global media.

He holds an INSEAD MBA.

INSEAD – The Business School for The World

As one of the world’s leading and largest graduate business schools, INSEAD offers participants a truly global educational experience. With campuses in Europe (France), Asia (Singapore), Middle East (Abu Dhabi) and United States (San Francisco), and alliances with top institutions, INSEAD’s business education and research spans around the globe. The 154 renowned faculty members from 40 countries inspire more than 1,400 students in both degree and PhD programs. In addition, more than 11,000 executives participate in INSEAD’s executive education programs each year.

INSEAD’s innovative leadership programs are internationally recognized. In particular, the Financial Times has ranked INSEAD as the #1 MBA program in the world for two years in a row (2016 & 2017).

The Wendel International Centre for Family Enterprise (INSEAD)

The Wendel International Centre for Family Enterprise at INSEAD Business School helps improve the long-term performance and sustainability of family enterprises across industries all over the world. It conducts research, provides education and acts as an international platform for knowledge exchange, in order to support families in business in their endeavor to combine sustainable business growth and healthy family relationships.

Insights links

About Martin Roll: Martin Roll – Business & Brand Strategist

INSEAD Mentoring program (PDF): INSEAD Family Business Next Generation Mentoring

Family Office Strategy book: Family Office Strategy – Creating a Multi-Generation Legacy

Family Business Strategy book: Family Business Strategy – Leading Future Paths With Impact

INSEAD Executive Workshop (PDF): How to Successfully Work with Family Firms – INSEAD

Article about family business: Strategy And Succession in Family Business – Charting The Future

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